Fanboys Anonymous

Episode 5 of the monthly Fanboys Anonymous roundtable discussion meeting podcast brings up the question "What Super Power Would You Like to Have?". Hosted by Tony Mango, the panel includes Sean Mitchell, Nick Abrams, Mike Paden, and Sam Lascio.

Some topics we address:

• The #1 superhuman ability we'd like to have
• The worst super powers
• Unique super powers
• The ethics of super powers - would you be a villain or a hero?

You can watch all the parts of the podcast below. Make sure to subscribe!

Welcome back all to the latest video on route to the road to E3, in this latest video I talk about the possibility of Mega Man being a possible third party character in the fourth Smash Brothers game.

Capcom has publicly stated their interest in working closely with Nintendo to develop games for their new Wii U console. With that being said and potential of the two companies working a little more closely, could a deal be made to perhaps insert Mega Man into the Smash franchise?

We may all have our doubts on this with Capcom's recent burial of the character and franchise as a whole which includes the infamous rib where Mega Man was not so gracefully portrayed when Capcom gave him the appearance he had in Street Fighter X Tekken. Not to mention there is always speculation that if Capcom does provide Nintendo with a third party character they could always choose Ryu, any other Street Fighter representative or someone entirely different.

However hugely requested characters have paid dividends for fans of this series before as Sonic who was not only the most requested third party character but also the most requested character for Brawl ended up making it into the game as Sega obviously was able to come to some sort of agreement with Nintendo for the appearance. Will Capcom be the next success to that? As of right now it still remains to be seen but game director Mashiro Sakurai has stated on many occasions he wants a roster that reflects more of an old school feel to it for this next game, and who better to represent as far back as the Nintendo Entertainment System itself than Mega Man?

Wolverine, buddy, what are they doing to you? It's no secret that I haven't been a fan of Frank Cho's Savage Wolverine. While the artwork and parts of the writing and dialogue have been just fantastic, the one aspect of the book that fails every single time I've read this series is the characterization of Wolverine. Frank Cho is just not getting it, and it's killing an otherwise entertaining book.

If you came here expecting to see something different, I suggest you walk away now. This issue was like waiting for the horrible thing you know is going to happen to happen. In this case, that horrible thing was the appearance of Wolverine. Admittedly, I enjoyed the first half of the book greatly. Amadeus Cho is comically taking advantage of the situation he is in, and, at the same time, we get a clearer picture of the big picture behind this story.

Then, it happens. Wolverine makes an appearance, and it all goes downhill from there. The internal monologue is perhaps the worst part of it all. What Cho writes as Logan's thoughts are not believable, and I find myself thinking time and time again that this is not Wolverine. It's just not. What I would give for someone else to take over with the writing and have Frank stay on as the artist...

It's a shame that a book with such potential could have been ruined so much by a writer's perception of a character. In the case of Bendis and Emma Frost, it's mostly forgivable due to her relatively minor role. A case like this, however, cannot be forgiven, as the whole point of this series is to tell a Wolverine story. You just can't go mucking it all up when it's this kind of a situation, bub.


Score: 5/10

Cue the ominous and dark music, because it's New Avengers time! With the fate of the entire universe in the hands of a select few, New Avengers has made for a fantastic couple of books so far, wrought with moral questions and dark deeds. Jonathan Hickman and Steve Epting paint the story of a dying world and how far people are willing to go to save it.

Having avoided near disaster in the previous issue through the loss of the Infinity Gauntlet, New Avengers #4 opens with some fresh ideas to prevent the end of everything. Mr. Fantastic and the Black Panther have an obviously scientific solution to things, while Doctor Strange, as is usual, has a dark spell to remedy the situation. The entire book, as well as the entire series, is a constant tug of war between right and wrong, and this issue, like its predecessors, conveys the message beautifully.

While I'm not generally a fan of the overuse of shadows, the art style in the book is fitting. Although the dialogue displays a certain level of confidence, it is clear from the facial expressions and use of shadows that there is also a hint of shame mixed in there, as well.

One thing that I am worried about however, is that this story may develop into something bigger than it already is. The series runs the risk of going over peoples' heads as the heaviness of the plot mounts. It's a line that Hickman has walked perfectly so far, but there's a chance that he might cross is in some future issues.

I will admit that the talking and moral acrobatics can get a little tiring, and I'm glad that New Avengers #4 ends on a note that will no doubt bring some fighting action in the next book. After all, while the mind is certainly a powerful weapon, it's oftentimes not as satisfying as a good spell, claw strike, or repulsor blast.


Score: 8/10

All-New X-Men is a series that has some pretty high expectations coming from readers. When you do something like bring the original five X-Men of days past into the present, well, there's a lot of different things you can do with that. Who better to undertake such a project than Mr. Brian Michael Bendis?

Although I was a late bloomer when it came to appreciating the new Cable and X-Force series, I must say that it is shaping up to be one of my favorite books to date. With its witty writing and fantastic artwork, there's little to complain about with this series. Cable and X-Force #6 hits shelves today, and you can be sure that I was  there to swipe it off the shelf.

 After last week's short respite for our valiant (anti) heroes, the story adopts a noticeably faster pace in this issue. There were several things going on in the book, which led to a sometimes hectic comprehension of what was actually going on in the larger scheme of things. Moments like the recruitment of Boom Boom and Kitty's letter were welcome components to the story but were largely overshadowed by the pace of the issue and the action that takes place. I didn't feel like I had enough time to completely digest a certain plot element before another one was abruptly introduced. Perhaps Hopeless felt the need to make up for lost time after the last issue. Who knows?

As always, the artwork by Larroca was spot on, complemented by D'Armata's colors. I feel like Colossus' power instability was especially well done in this book, as it's something that we haven't really previously seen. The change in Peter's appearance from panel to panel was well done, and it really gives the impression of how unstable the Phoenix Force has made him.

All in all, Cable and X-Force #6 went much like my St. Patrick's Day weekend: a messy blur of fun. Elements of the story, had they been drawn out a bit, were quite intriguing, but the pacing of the book made for a rather confusing experience. Still, there is a semblance of a coherent story in the works, so I'm not complaining too much at this point.


Score: 8/10

Howdy Fanboys I'm back with my latest video to counting down the the fourth Super Smash Bros. game as we continue along the road to E3 2013. Here is yet another wish list video as requested by my subscribers via YouTube and personal email.

This video is a simple combination of ideas of some changes I think the Smash series should take going forward as it takes it's next step into this new generation of gaming. A more polished single player mode that offers individuals way more than the first three games ever could.

As well as certain touch ups to the multi-player and drastic changes to the online play system and content, which is a must for this game and will be the make or break of it's long term success overall. More videos to come in the next number of weeks hope to see you all then.

Guardians of the Galaxy seems to be gaining steam as Former WWE superstar and pro wrestler Dave Bautista (aka Batista) has been cast in the role of Drax.

Those of you who know Dave Batista will understand the choice in casting. The character of Drax is a big and aggressive superhuman - something that the hulking Batista could easily pull off in terms of his stature.

The main issue with this casting is that director James Gunn and the Marvel Studios team are casting talent from various backgrounds whom are tried and tested in other fields as opposed to film, such as protagonist Chris Pratt's involvement in television (namely Parks and Recreation). I'm sure that this may end up being a tremendous production on Marvel's part, but there still lies a hint of wonder as to why Marvel has decided not to cast bigger stars from the film industry.


Stay tuned for further updates on Marvel's Phase 2 film GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY.

Episode 16 of the I Got Gameplay podcast is now online. On this episode, Michael, Sean, Nick with special guests Mike Paden and Brandon Liggan discuss MMORPGs. They're a constant craze in PC gaming, but do they have a future on console platforms?

You can check out this episode and the previous two by using the following links:

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iTunes: http://adf.ly/IwSaK

Stitcher: http://adf.ly/IwSd0

If you'd like to join the discussion, like us on Facebook and comment on our page here: http://adf.ly/IwSfZ

You can also subscribe to the podcast's YouTube channel at http://adf.ly/IwShu

(Note: the links use adf.ly, just click skip to go to your required destination.)

Free to play gaming has become common place in this day and age, as gamers start to tighten their wallets developers are looking into more ways to draw players in, free to play has made it so gamers don't have to part with an upfront fee, and thus creates a cheaper alternative for those of us who have no money but still want to enjoy the newest games.

Here's a list of my top 5 free to play games that i can't get enough of:



1. Happy Wars (Xbox Live Arcade)

Happy wars by all means is a free to play that tops them all grabbing elements from most MMORPG's and blends them nicely with cute games such as little big planet the game manages to drive you in and keep you locked in for hours of fun gaming.

The game is set in a kingdom that has been torn apart you play on an opposing team of Warriors, Mage's and Clerics that hunt down the opposition in order to build towers and destroy enemy castles so that you may sit on top as the one ruler of your kingdom.


2. Game Dev Story light (IOS and Android)



Game dev story is takes you behind the scenes of a start up gaming coming, you (the boss) assemble your team in order to produce the years biggest gaming hits, you level up each team mate in order to elevate skills and increase your chances of winning the game of the year award.

Whilst this game is highly addictive and is great on passing the time it lacks in long term playability, in the end once you've secured all licenses and have managed to build your own console there is merely nothing left for you to do.

3. Knights of Pen and paper (IOS and Android)



Knights of Pen and Paper was a sleeper hit I managed to secure on my I phone via app of the day and it has yet to disappoint, the game is a fun duplication of dungeons and dragons having RPG elements and those of ingame as your characters are seated around a table with the games master shouting orders at you, what makes this game so fun is that you can level up your characters and earn money in order to make your team unstoppable.

With all these positives the only negative i see in this game is that its long, it takes time to level up and decide on the right characters and stats to build your team properly in order to truly complete the game I myself am now on 2100 days ingame and don't see an end in sight.

4. Gears of War Judgement Online Multiplayer Beta (Xbox Live)



Have no money to buy the actual game?, have an itchy trigger finger?, then why not download the free online multiplayer, the best part is that all XP earned is transferred to Gears of War Judgement once you purchase the full game!. Each player is placed in teams of humans or aliens as you attempt to secure your location or destroy it, the negative to this game is the download time and as with all online multiplayer players are booted without notice which can cause players like myself to turn the damn thing off!.

5. plants vs Zombies (PC. Xbox Live, IOS)



This game is not necessarily free to play on Live and IOS but does hold free to play status on flash hence the reason it's being listed.

For those who love tower defense games then you'll love plants vs Zombies.

You place Plants in the direction of Zombies trying to stop the hordes from making it to your location, its a fun game but get tiresome in the end, thus the ranking at number 5.

Do you agree or disagree with my rankings?

leave a comment.

Since the reversal of roles between Doc Ock and Peter Parker, things in the Spiderverse have seemed rather tense. Now don't get me wrong, I like tense. A little friction hasn't killed anybody and makes a rather intriguing story. This is why Superior Spider-Man is so special - it's fresh, intriguing, and, well, controversial.

The story starts with Parker/Ock trying to find a killer known as Massacre. Ock attempts to put a stop to this deranged menace by violating every civil right the people of New York have, becoming the eyes and ears of the city through equipping his spider bots with sonic waves similar to what Batman did with cell phones in The Dark Knight. Slott explores a duality in a sense that Spidey/Ock actually believes that he is doing the right thing he and eventually comes to the conclusion that taking a life is justified, with the loss of some key characters and some comedic undertones put in for the laughs. I believe Slott has done something with the character that hasn't been done in years - he's made Spider-Man interesting again.


My Mark: 8/10

If you are as old as I am, you will remember the original Tomb Raider. And if you're as old as I am, you remember trying for hours to make Lara Croft topless in her mansion pool.

O, prepubescent curiosity. What lengths a young boy will go to see a pair of pointy 3D animated boobies...

When the first image of the new, gritty remake of Tomb Raider's Lara Croft was released, I was instantly excited and anticipated the game's release date. Lara now looked real. Not only real, but young and fragile, armed with only a bow and arrow. My curiosity for Lara Croft went from childhood perversity of wondering what her triangular breasts looked like, to wondering why she is not the bad ass woman heroin who we all knew and loved years ago.

The story begins with a young, inexperienced (giggity) Lara on a ship, searching with a team to find a lost, ancient city located on a distant, Asian island.  Then, disaster strikes. Their ship is split in half.  Lara and the crewmen are forced to swim to shore of the nearest island. Lara quickly learns that they are not alone when she is knocked unconscious. She wakes in a cave, hung upside down and wrapped in clothe. You must swing Lara to a nearby fire to light the clothe on fire in order to free her. Once free, Lara falls from a great height and lands onto some sort of metal spike on the ground which pierces right through her side. She takes hold of the metal spike and rips it clean out of her body. Everything turns white. Your vision blurs, throbs. You need to find your way out of here.

By now, my nipples are so erect. They actually tore through my t-shirt. They were so hard, I could hang my car keys from them.

As I move along through the cave, you can see Lara looking around, feeling the walls. The smallest things that Lara does on her own to interact with her surroundings makes the game feel that much more believable and realistic, aside from the game's incredible graphics and visuals.
Then, I come to a point in the cave where Lara has to crawl throw a small, narrow passage. As she enters, a man grabs her from behind and tries pulling her through. It seems as though the cave could collapse. I have to break away from this apparent enemy by moving the left joystick rapidly back and fourth. I failed and a giant boulder comes crashing down on Lara's body, trapping her. Then, another comes down, smashing her head into the ground.

My mouth dropped. That was such an unexpected brutal death scene. So, I assumed that there would be many, many more ways Lara could die. So every chance I got to make Lara die, I did. And there are A LOT of ways. A lot of BRUTAL, brutal ways. Here's a link for those of you who are curious. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bmVvazuFQXY Aside from the game encouraging me to let Lara die...

Many people were calling the Tomb Raider remake an "Uncharted rip-off." I would have to disagree wholeheartedly. First of all, Tomb Raider came first. If anyone ripped off of anyone, Uncharted ripped off of Tomb Raider. Nathan Drake is the male version of Lara Croft. Second, Tomb Raider plays and feels completely different from Uncharted. It brings a lot more to the table that Uncharted never did. For instance, the open world map. But I can see where people are coming from.

The best way I can describe Tomb Raider is "Batman:  Arkham City meets Uncharted." You have the ability to obtain salvage points from breaking open boxes, looting enemies, and skinning animals that you can kill on the island. With these points, you're able to upgrade weapons and equipment (ei. fire arrows, rope arrows, climbing ax  shotgun, assault rifle, and handgun). You also obtain skill points to unlock different abilities in the three different skill trees; survivor, hunter, and brawler. There are campfires all around the island that you can use to fast travel, upgrade, or add skill points.

There are many side missions as well as the main quest. One of which is the tombs. The game wouldn't be called Tomb Raider if you weren't able to raid a tomb or two. The tombs are giant puzzles that you need to solve in order to find the treasure at the end. The puzzles are very fun and force you to use your brain in order to solve them.

The enemies you face are just like Lara and her crewmen. People who went in search of the same lost city and got shipwrecked and marooned on the island. But, unlike Lara and her friends, these men all seem to be a cult following an ancient religion like myth of the lost city. And yes, it's a sausage fest. I won't spoil why, but there are no women in this cult. You also have an animal threat, the wolves. Though, they're not as frequent as the human enemies, they provide a real sense of danger when attacking.

The game does an amazing job showing the growth of Lara Croft. The once fragile little young woman is quickly forced to shape into an instinctual killing machine. The trials she faces are brutal and dangerous and are made more believable by the game's beautifully realistic structure of the island and every little bit of detail put into the game.

Like I stated on my new soon to be released podcast called "Joystick Jerks," hosted by the "Toxic Network" (ToxicNetwork.net), I rated this game 9.5 pointy Madonna tits out of 10. It's a must play for anyone who loves action adventure type games such as Uncharted and Batman:  Arkham City.

When Ultimate Comics Wolverine was announced about a month ago, I think a lot of people sort of had a "really?" type of moment. If you're not familiar with the Ultimate Universe in Marvel, Wolverine has been dead for quite some time. Announcing this title meant that either A) they were bringing Wolverine back from the dead or B) they were telling a story from the past. Either way, the series didn't seem too appealing.

Well, color me red, because I'm embarrassed (and relieved) to say that's it's neither of those! Ultimate Comics Wolverine is shaping up to be a tale about not only the late Wolverine but also his son, Jimmy Hudson. The story follows an "unfinished family business" sort of plot line, which plays in perfectly with the fact that Jimmy never really knew his father. This type of a story not only gives us a little more time with our favorite adamantium-laced mutant, but it also moves the current story forward and develops a previously untouched character.

The writing by Cullen Bunn is spot-on with the characters he uses. On the other hand, David Messina's work is a departure from the more "traditional" look of most characters. Jimmy and Kitty Pryde quite frankly don't look anything like they've looked like in past Ultimate books, and I haven't really decided whether or not I like that. Messina's drawings are top-notch, with very expressive faces and portrayal of body language, but I feel a tad bit thrown off my just how different the characters look.

Overall, what started out as a reluctant read turned into an all-too-short one. Ultimate Comics Wolverine manages to set up a very nice plot that'll give readers insight into present and past characters alike. This isn't what I thought it was going to be, and, boy, am I glad about that!


Score: 9.5/10

Yet another comic that I haven't really given a chance since recently is the Marvel NOW! rendition of X-Men Legacy. The story is centered around David Haller, who is the omega-level mutant son of the late Charles Xavier. Throughout the series, David, also known as Legion, attempts to find a way to control his powers, which are split between a couple hundred multiple personalities.

That alone makes for quite an interesting tale. When combined with the brilliant storytelling of Simon Spurrier and the artwork of Tan Eng Huat, David's story is a compelling emotional journal wrought with exciting twists and turns. Unfortunately, X-Men Legacy #7 was admittedly not that exciting. After the close of the arc ending in the last issue, the plot explored in this book seemed a little flat. Sure, the writing is there, but it stands as a foundation for a story that is altogether not that exciting. The "romance" between David and Blindfold is a little bit of a stretch at this point and seemed very forced. That being said, the possibility was certainly there; I just feel like it should have taken longer to progress as far as it did in this issue.

What's a story about personal growth without a hint of it in the book? Well, I imagine it would be something like this. Sure, there's obviously the romantic aspect of it all, but, as previously stated, I found the execution of it a little off. Aside from that, we don't see David using any new powers nor do we gain any additional insight into the appearance of Xavier in his psyche. We are almost exactly where we started at the beginning of the issue, and that is not something you usually want.


Score: 3/10

"Oh, look, it's another Wolverine book" does not even begin to describe my thoughts when Wolverine was announced for its fifth volume. After my disappointment with Savage Wolverine, I was just about ready to give up on any new Wolverine series for the time being. Still, being the Wolvie fan boy that I am, I just had to pick up this first installment just to see what it was about.

I'm glad to say that where Frank Cho lacked in his characterization of Wolverine, Paul Cornell excels beautifully. Despite not having much prior experience with Logan, it's clear that Cornell knows what he's going here. Dialogue is kept short and gruff; "flowery" language is appropriately added when needed. This is the Logan that I know and love, the Logan that is straight and to the point.

The book puts us into the action right away, and we quickly realize the gravity of the situation at hand. There is a surprising amount of death in this issue, even for a Wolverine book. On one level, it's a little shocking, but, on another level, it works very well, especially when the "innocent" child is thrown into the mix. The book runs the full gamut of emotion, and we get a little bit of everything. But, most importantly, it all flows naturally; nobody is "out of character" as in the Savage Wolverine counterpart. Art-wise, it's hard to screw up Wolverine, and Alan Davis does a fine job. He does an especially good job at facial expressions, which further draws us into the book and evokes emotions.

All in all, I'm glad that this little Wolverine project came into being. Wolverine is a timeless character that can be placed in pretty much any situation. While this particular situation looks a little predictable and played out, I'm happy to stick along for the ride. The writing and art in Wolverine #1 complement Logan's personality to a T, and, with that in mind, do you really need another reason to pick up this book?


Score: 9/10

Uncanny X-Men has received mixed reviews from me thus far, with a strong opening book and a not-so-strong followup, I ended last time's review on a note that Bendis has not yet solidified a "voice" for this group of renegade X-Men. While the premise of the series is quite an intriguing one, poor writing of characters detracted from the big picture.

Unfortunately, this third installment suffers from some of these same problems. Emma is still written as a helplessly whiny teenage girl, and some of the new recruits have an unhealthy amount of very forced humor added into them. These minor flaws add up and work to detract from the main story, which is actually a very interesting one.

For the first time in a long time, I actually feel for Scott Summers a bit. He presents a very convincing side to his argument for discrimination against mutants. Bendis shows evocation of some empathy from the Avengers during Scott's speech, leading readers to believe that what Scott saying isn't a delusion. Mutants are still in the same position they have always been in, and change is non-existent. Perhaps one of the more interesting moments in the book was Hawkeye's adamant denial of such discrimination, despite the look on his comrade's faces that corroborate Scott's claims.

Bendis is a master of drama and "stirring shit up," of that I have no doubt. It's his characterization of some key players that I find trying at times. This provides for some very on and off moments in the book. One moment I was laughing my ass off at a comment made about "the magic school bus" and the next I was cringing at unnecessary snide comments made by some of the new recruits. What that boils down to, ultimately, is a mediocre reading experience, which is not what a story like this should be giving us.


Score: 6/10

Yeah, yeah, I know. "Have you been living under a rock?" Maybe, because I haven't picked up a single issue of X-Treme X-Men until very recently. Perhaps one of my favorite writers, Greg Pak, takes on the character Alison Blaire (aka Dazzler) and pulls her through a multidimensional quest to save everyone and everything. Sounds good, doesn't it?

I know a lot of people out there are not fans of Dazzler, and I can see why. I'm not one of those people, however. I've loved Dazzler since reading her standalone series from the eighties. Her character is somewhat atypical. Mutants tend to rush headfirst into being superheros (or super villains), using their new powers to benefit mankind. Well, Dazzler sort of took that and put a different spin on it. Intending to only ever use her powers to make people happy through her music, Dazzler was time and time again turned into the reluctant hero. The delicate balance between her personal life, her career, and her heroism made for a nice story.

Pak brings much of that same balance here in his X-Treme X-Men series. This twelfth installment of the books is an exemplar of the line that Alison walks and shows how truly developed her character has become in the past issues. Despite the notable change in her overall demeanor, we can still see that the bright and optimistic Dazzler still exists, and that conflict within her makes for a compelling narrative.

The writing is met with a mixed response that I had with the art. While expressive and detailed, I found something a bit lacking in the drawings of Dazzler. Andre Arujo seems to be missing something I can't quite put my finger on that takes away a little of the sass and "swag" that Alison usually carries about herself.

As promised, the events of X-Treme X-Men are going to have some big impacts on the mainstream continuity. I have a feeling I know what's going to be going down, but I'll leave that for the rest of you to find out for yourselves. For all you Dazzler haters out there: give her a chance; she packs a badass punch!


Score: 9/10

I've had a lot on my plate recently, so Fearless Defenders didn't immediately jump to the top of my read list when it debuted a couple of weeks ago. Well, things have calmed down quite a bit, and I finally had the opportunity to dive into this work by Cullen Bunn and Will Sliney.

As a fan of the original Defenders from the early days of Marvel, I'm glad to see such a classic and underrated character like Valkyrie making a triumphant return to the spotlight. A couple of other B-list characters seem to be tagging along for the ride, too, namely Misty Knight and Daniel Moonstar, the (de-powered) leader of the New Mutants. I'm glad to see that Marvel is using this Marvel NOW! movement to shed some spotlight on these lesser known characters that have a great deal to offer.

The book, in general, may largely be considered "fan-service" initially, with tons of busty babes, girl-on-girl action, and an all-female cast. Fearless Defenders #2, however, sets clearly  defined plot points that draw the reader into the story past the superficial. There's a nice touch of mystery (maybe too much at some points) and danger to it all, as well, as the story is brought together piece by piece, leaving readers wondering where it all connects.

Overall, Fearless Defenders is shaping up to be a pretty strong Marvel NOW! series. While Bunn has left readers somewhat in the dark with the entire picture of what's happening, the witty writing and the expressive and vivid penciling by Sliney detract from that fact a little. This is hardly the lesbian sex-capade story that people have made it out to be, and I look forward to seeing what girl power can accomplish in the coming issues. As Doctor Strange often says in one Marvel vs. Capcom 3, "I'm starting an all-female Defenders. What do you say?"


Score: 7.5/10

Oh yes comic book fans, the Age of Ultron is finally upon us and I have to tell you it's as puzzling as ever.

Marvel's "Superman" Brian Michael Bendis has shaped a rather disturbing story about a universe on the brink of destruction, but the only problem is that it's not running aside any of Marvel's other mainstream titles that don't have the letters AU imprinted on the label.

The fact is, no one knows if this is the future or some kind of alternate reality. Why kill off a ton of characters that you have already spent time on bringing back? What makes Spider-Man so special in all this?


So many questions and no answers yet from the either Bendis or Marvel which is frustrating. But that's what makes this title so appealing, it draws the reader in and leaves us wanting more questioning what's happening and how this all can be resolved.


So well done Marvel for bringing forth a rather interesting and unique story that most definitely has the reader on edge.

My Score 8.5 out of 10

Why does the Superman franchise love the letter "L" so much? It's a question that's bugged me for many years ever since I started to pay attention to just how many times the letter pops up. There's a difference between having some alliteration like Peter Parker and Reed Richards, but there's an overabundance of the L-letter in Superman to a ridiculous level. How much of an overabundance, you say? Take a look...

Lois Lane
Lucy Lane
Lana Lang
Lyla Lerrol
Luma Lynai
Lori Lemaris
Lionel Luthor
Lex Luthor
Lutessa Lena Luthor (Jesus Christ)

Lest we forget that Superman's ancestry is The House of El - meaning that everyone in his family has the attribute....

Kal-El
Jor-El
Kara Zor-El (who goes by Linda Lee)
Mon-El
Cir-El
Kon-El
Lara Lor-Van El

*extra points go to the Earth-Two Superman, who quite literally has it changed to Kal-L.

You might as well at this point

So what gives? Personally, when I see something like this, it's a detractor. I'm someone who loves puns and subtle references to meanings of names and such, but this is overkill. It's at a point where it comes off childish to me - something that comics have been fighting against since their inception. I just think it's silly and when you look back on old Superman comics that have him continually fighting apes and Lois Lane sticking a lead box on her head to prevent Superman from seeing her face, it's embarrassing for something that is actually quite an impressive and amazing mythology.