Posted by
Sean Hamilton
- Sunday, September 14, 2014
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| Magneto #9 Cover by David Yardin |
The March to AXIS begins here!
Magneto has returned to Genosha in search of uncovering the what the Red Skull is doing on the once-upon-a-time mutant refuge. But what Magneto discovers leaves him first shocked and then resolved to put an end to more mutant atrocities.
What happens when a magnet loses it magnetism? It leaves behind a rusty lump of old metal. Magneto surely must be feeling similar given the latest issue (nine) of Magneto.
As Magneto sneaks onto the former island he once ruled firmly, he discovers a scene that is all to familiar to the concentration camps he was confined to in his youth.
The contrasting of atrocities from the camps of Nazi Germany and the camps of the Red Skull are a deliberate aspect explored in the plot. The fact that the Red Skull is a World War II relic heightens this fact.
However, as was the case in the camps of his youth, Magneto is struggling again with his mutant powers when confronting the X-Men in Magneto #9. The events of AXIS are poised to hold a lasting impact for both the Avengers and X-Men, and Magneto is going to play a large role in this. As the first to discover some of the intricacies of the Red Skulls actions on Genosha, Magneto is on center stage to the first act of AXIS.
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| Magneto returns to Genosha. |
It remains to be seen if he will survive the experience in one piece though.
Cullen Bunn has set up a strong narrative line in the Magneto series and this is going only enhances by Rick Remender's AXIS. The dark feeling Bunn delivers is matched my the tight rope that Magneto must walk as he strives to right wrongs against mutants. All thought of redemption has long been pushed aside, the only thing that matters now is the future for all mutants.
Bunn's collaboration with Remender is pushing some of the ideas that were proposed for Magneto however, the story so far has been a great read. There are surprising twists and developments that were unexpected.
All of this is strongly supported by a unique artistic style from Gabriel Walta and Jordie Bellaire.
Bellaire's colouring is overwhelmingly appropriate for the setting of prisoner camps. The use of dark colors, shadows, and light play provide a stark contrast to other titles in the Marvel X-Universe. It is a positive to be recognised in this manner.
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| The horror hits home to Magneto. |
Walta's artwork is likewise characteristically sombre and dark for the story material. The artwork evokes the anguish of concentration camps and the struggle against oppression that needs to be demonstrated for audiences to buy into the need for Magneto to be the 'good guy' in this series. Magneto is an anti-hero, but we are provided the right reasons to know why we should be on his side through Walta's interpretation of Bunn's scripts.
The end of the book leaves hanging to hope for more out of Magneto's noble determination to right the wrongs being perpetrated against mutants on Genosha. It doesn't look up for him though.
I can't get enough of this series, it seems to be riding a strong wave of artistic endeavor that I hope will continue strongly after the events of AXIS. We have one more issue before the major Marvel event proper hits us in October, but what did you think of Magneto #9? What have you liked about the series so far? What do you think the future holds for Magneto? Leave your thoughts and comment below.
Posted by
Sean Hamilton
- Saturday, September 13, 2014
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| Death of Wolverine #2 Cover by Steven McNiven |
Poison.
It can take a while for some poisons to kill a man, let alone a mutant.
Wolverine is still with us, hanging in there, but not without a little help from an old friend.
We are now half way through the Death of Wolverine by the end of this issue.
Lets take stock of the story so far by Charles Soule. Wolverine has very limited time left, he is resigned to this fate. He has battled a cybernetic Nuke to find out he has a huge hit on his head. This in turn leads him to Mardripoor to find out who wants him dead and why.
This issue of Death of Wolverine plays an important role in connecting the pieces of the story together. We are introduced to further characters to the tale but ultimately part two of the story aims to lead us further along rather than resolving the narrative. Key to this is the exchange Wolverine has with Deathstrike.
Following Deathstrike's realization of Wolverine's new found weakness due to his loss of the healing factor, we are surprised to see Kitty Pride backing him up as the issue comes to a close.
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| The Madripoor night line beckoning to Wolverine. |
The highlight of Death of Wolverine #2 has to be the pitched battle that could have been, between Sabretooth and Wolverine. The animosity and history behind such a fight would be epic at this point, however Soule has taken a great route in teasing this only to have it finish with Sabretooth being allowed to walk away. This will undoubtedly have ramifications for the Logan Legacy series which will continue to explore the relationship between these two characters further after Wolverine's demise.
The production quality remains at a high standard, I certainly don't have any qualms about paying the little bit extra on this series. The layout has returned to a more standard comic variant with advertising inserted back into the format. Although we still get a few pages of bonus material at the back. This is the same as the first issue; some script to art transition pieces and 'directors cut' narration.
Steve McNiven, Jay Leisten and Justin Ponsor don't drop a beat artistically. In fact it is great to see such wonderful collaboration in play. Ponsor's colors are bold and dramatic to compliment the sense of drama we are witness to in the Death of Wolverine.
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| Sabretooth vs. Wolverine |
A stand out spread in issue #2, is the Sabretooth versus Wolverine 'dream' sequence. This vision from Wolverine of what could be viewed as the coming showdown or a combination of previous encounters, showcases the pencil work of McNiven and the inks of Leisten fabulously. It also great to see the pacing of the story manipulated to the tenth degree to drive home the story being told. Where fewer panels are required, fewer are used, but when action is needed, the count goes up. The variation of pace works so well that the story flowed without hesitation. This is balanced in the same manner by the lettering of Chris Eliopoulos, as he puts Soule's dialogue to the story.
The continuation of the sense boxes being employed embeds this dimension as a unique aspect of this series. It is the little surprises like this that make this such a great read. Another example is the depiction of Wolverine himself in this issue, when compared to the last. In Death of Wolverine #2 he is a wearing a cleaner, sleeker look than I was expecting, the 'disguise' fooled me and made me do a double take.
I continue to look forward to the next issue, which skips next week and is out on September 24th. The anticipation only heightens the sense of satisfaction as I get to enjoy this series. Are you looking forward to the next installment also? What have you thought about the Death of Wolverine so far? Leave you thoughts and comments below and catch us back here next time for issue #3.
Posted by
The Dace Man
- Friday, September 12, 2014
Hey, hey, hey, Dacetacular nation! Check out Episode 64 of The Dace Man Show with hosts Dace, Gibby, and Frank Ward. This week they are joined by very special guests from the game Semag Studio.
::SPORTS NEWS::
- Current MLB standings
- NFL week 1 is in the books!
::WEIRD NEWS WITH GIBBY::
::FRANK'S CORNER::
- What do rock stars request before shows?
::CELEB NEWS::
- Celeb birthdays from August 21st to August 27th
- The Stache' is back on Jeopardy!
- Celeb Death :(
- And much, much more!
All that and more, only on The Dace Man Show.
Follow on Facebook: Mega Powers Radio | Fanboys Anonymous | The Dace Man Show | Nerd Court | Sports Talk Weekly | Addicted to Anime
Posted by
Michelle Quillen
- Thursday, September 11, 2014
Is the fact that zombies are still lurking amongst our top-picked pop culture franchises a sign that the reanimated fad is literally undead? If you're a follower of the Resident Evil games, this is good news for you.
Capcom confirmed last week that a follow up to their 2013 HD-version of Resident Evil Revelations will be coming to consoles and PCs for the US and Europe in early 2015.
Resident Evil Revelations 2's familiar survival horror story unfolds with time-honored character Claire Redfield, who we've seen survive the challenges of Raccoon City. She is employed by Terra Save, an anti-bioterrorism organization, along with company rookie Moira, the daughter of Barry Burton. The two protagonists are taken against their will to an unknown and solitary setting where weapons and ammo, not unlike in previous games, are strewn throughout halls and rooms where enemies lie in wait.
With an episodic release that players may recall of previous versions, Resident Evil Revelations 2 will be phased out in various formats in a progression very suitable for suspenseful gameplay. Four episodes, each replete with the gasps and thrills one would expect of RE notoriety, will be available for weekly digital download at $5.99 each.
Once all four installations have been rolled out, the Complete Season with additional game content, will be available digitally for $24.99. A retail version of the Complete Season will simultaneously make its debut for $39.99. The retail version will include the same additional game content found on the the digital version, yet with even more gameplay. Further details about the extra content are soon to be announced.
The game is playable by 1-2 players, with the assistive co-op play mechanic found in past titles. One can switch between Claire and Moira to take over the nimble and threatening "Afflicted" in single player mode with AI, or offline co-op. Along with Moira’s introduction to the story is her ability to blind enemies with her torch before Claire sweeps in to finish them off.
Find out which mode works best for you when Resident Evil Revelations 2 comes to PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, Xbox One, Xbox 360 and PC in the beginning of next year. Need more specifics than that? Keep your finger on the pulse (or lack thereof?) of Resident Evil action with Capcom's updates on the official website and the Resident Evil Facebook page.
Do you think you'll pay to play each weekly episode of Resident Evil Revelations 2 as they are released, or for the price, just wait for the Complete Season? Let us know in the Comments section below, where you can continue to converse with our survival horror fans on what the game has in store for us ahead.
Posted by
Unknown
- Wednesday, September 10, 2014
One of my favorite science fiction movies of all time is getting a TV adaptation. Directed by my favorite director, Stephen Spielberg, and starring one my favorite actors, Tom Cruise, Minority Report was a seminal experience, a fantastic thriller/drama/sci-fi pulse-pounding ride from start to finish. There are shots and scenes in this film that resonate with me to this day, in particular the part with Cruise's John Anderton and precog Agatha shoulder to shoulder speaking on the future, and how he still had a choice. It's so simple yet so effective, as many of Spielberg's shots are.
If this complex, dystopian future world is to be revisited on the small screen, the writers and production designers have a difficult job ahead of them. In the film, the world feels real and lived in. It is as if you could walk directly into the screen and feel at home; maybe not comfortable, but it would feel like our world only pushed forward in time. The details and depth of this social and judicial configuration could be done well in another medium like television. The original story was written by Philip K. Dick so there is built-in sociopolitical complexity that I pray they employ and expand upon.
Based on what we know about Fox's commitment to a pilot for a show about this film, I think only the bare bones of the concept will make it to TV sets around the world. It will be set 10 years after the events of the film, putting it around the year 2064. This is after the precrime unit has disbanded in Washington, D.C., and the show will follow one of the precogs who is struggling to lead a normal life. Supposedly this precog is a male so it won't be Agatha; but regardless, he is haunted by visions of the future, then meets a female detective with a troubled past. So I guess they are flipping the gender roles on us in relation to the film. Further details are unknown at this time.
Will this show work? Does it have legs to make it long on the air? Sound off below.
Posted by
Saliv
- Tuesday, September 9, 2014
Greetings, Fanboys and Fangirls! This is Sam Lascio, bringing you news on a very touchy subject: sexism in comic books.
You might be asking yourself, "Damnit, what happened now? Did someone introduce a female character who is a total idiot, but is hot? Did a current female character act sexy when she should be the symbol of female empowerment? Did a male superhero put down a female superhero?" Well, the answer is: none of the above! This time, a potentially racy variant cover has created an uproar. Why? Well, let's take a closeup look at it.
Look! It's a heart…it's a couple hams pressed together…it's SPIDER-WOMAN! Specifically, it's the variant cover of the new Spider-Woman #1. Now, let's take a look at the full cover.
It doesn't take a genius to see why people have reacted negatively to this. At first glance, it does indeed appear suggestive. That is, until you look at it a bit longer (not for that reason) and realize that she's just in a wall-crawling pose. We've seen Spider-Man in similar poses, so why is it wrong for Spider-Woman? Well, Megan Friedman of Elle wrote a harsh review of the variant cover titled "This Is What Happens When Men Try to Draw a Female Superhero." The cover was drawn by renowned artist Milo Manara. In the article, Friedman said
"It's hard out there for a female superhero. When Wonder Woman finally ended up in a movie, the Hollywood powers that be made her look like Xena, cutting out all her campy fun. And when Spider-Woman gets a rare comic book series, she ends up looking like a porn star. […] Spider-Woman looks like she's simply covered in body paint, flashing the city she's ostensibly protecting. […] All in all, the image seems to toe the line of pornographic; imagine Spider-Man in that position instead, and the concept would have never gotten this far."
Strong words, and with many assumptions thrown in there. I won't touch on her Wonder Woman comments, but let's get down to business:
- Megan Friedman refers to Spider-Woman getting a "rare" comic book series, when in reality, she's had a decent run. Volume 1 (50 issues) ran from April 1978 to June 1983, Volume 2 (4 issues) ran from November 1993 to February 1994, Volume 3 (18 issues) ran from July 1999 to December 2000, and Volume 4 (7 issues) ran from November 2009 to May 2010. Now, those numbers aren't stellar, and she definitely hasn't had the attention other major heroes have gotten, like Spider-Man or Iron Man, but she's gotten more than some more well-known heroes, such as Hawkeye. Now she's getting a brand new series, so I wouldn't exactly call her series "rare." Common? Probably not, but not rare.
- She looks like a porn star? Really? Look, anyone with common sense can see that her butt is sticking out, but it's not like she's biting her lip, bent over a table, and waiting for some man to grab her ass and start plowing. Let's relax for a second. Also, saying she looks like she's in body paint and flashing the city? Does she not know that nearly all superheroes, male or female, have hyper-unrealistically tight costumes? You can almost always see every muscle, every vein, and yes, even every bulge in those tight-ass suits. So is she trying to make the case that when a man does it, it's okay, but when a woman does it, it's pornography? Doesn't that violate the very argument she's trying to make?
- "...imagine Spider-Man in that position instead, and the concept would have never gotten this far." Yes, let's try our hardest to imagine Spider-Man in such a pose. It would probably look something like this:
So, if Spider-Woman is flashing the city and displaying herself like she's in a porno, does that mean Spider-Man is doing the same thing? No, it's the classic wall-crawling pose common among Marvel's Spider heroes. Also, this is a variant cover for Spider-Woman #1, so it's optional; if you don't want to buy it, you don't have to. For anyone interested, here's the official cover:
As elegantly stated by YouTube channel host Maddox, "If you don't want to sexualize her, then don't sexualize her." I feel the whole argument comes down to some people shaming the human body and making sex this ugly thing that should be looked down upon. Even though I don't find the cover to be that big of a deal, I can still understand why it's a topic for discussion. Sexualizing the female body has been a problem in comics for a long time, and only in the past few decades has there been a shift in perception. However, shaming the artists who created the cover and comparing Spider-Woman to a porn star is downright disrespectful. When people try to make the argument that men would never be found in this pose, even though they have been, and that it's a grab for male attention, you also end up telling women what they can or can't do. Fans of Milo's artwork, both men and women alike, have celebrated it as empowering the female form and something that makes the public realize that the female body is nothing to be ashamed of. Also, to suggest that this happened because a man drew it is flat out sexist.
What do YOU think of the Spider-Woman #1 variant cover? Is it overly sexualized and degrading to women? Is it empowering? Should people stop putting labels to things when there's no reason to? Let us know what you think in the comments section! Thanks for reading, everyone! My name is Sam Lascio, and I am a Fanboy!
