Brave New Worlds

Hit the jump to check out this weeks comics!!!

Read the rest of this entry »

This week I picked an X-related character that I hated (the name alone is dumb), even though you’d think I’d like this guy, and was created by a writer that I cannot stand…now that you know this I know you can’t resist hitting the jump… Read the rest of this entry »

Here we are at the end of yet another week and once more I have attempted to assemble a bunch of links of things that I found interesting across this world wide internet. Click around. Go for it. Have fun. Read the rest of this entry »

For TWO NIGHTS ONLY, Old City’s own, Rob Lefevre will return to his Magician roots in Willow Grove as he’ll be running the Tueday 4/20 Magic Booster Draft and Thursday 4/22 Booster Draft! With Eric out of the country all WG MTG norms are going to be tossed out the door as Rob rules supreme. His word will be law, like that of Hammurabi, as he lays out suckas and takes names of those who think they can defeat him! So come test your skills against this true master of his craft!

Tuesday 4/20 @ 7:30pm in Willow Grove

Thursday 4/22 @ 7:30 in Willow Grove

The year was 1980 and it was the glory days of the Uncanny X-Men as Chris Claremont and John Byrne were collaborating like McCartney and Lennon when it came to everyone’s favorite band of mutants.  And while just as with the Beatles, all good things would have to end (after I think a year), the duo produced some of the most memorable comics issues ever.

This week’s story, Uncanny X-Men #132, takes place smack dab in the middle of the classic Dark Phoenix saga as Mastermind’s plot to control Jean Grey comes to a head by issue’s end.  This was a plot point that was being nurtured over several issues before its payoff in 132.

Even more exciting was the Hellfire Club’s role in the issue and subsequent role they played in unleashing the Dark Phoenix.  And the X-Men would never be the same again.

Byrne, along with inker Terry Austin, was at the top of his game.  Byrne’s pencils always seemed a little more spectacular when Austin was finishing and the duo was just as hot as the Claremont-Byrne writing pairing was.

Awesome moments included Jean and Scott sharing what would be their final intimate moment on top of a bluff in Colorado; Jean’s transformation into the Black Queen (if evil looks like this than I don’t want to ever be good); the Hellfire’s smackdown of the X-Men and their toasting to their new queen; and last but not least, Wolverine emerging from the sewer waters, claws extended, vowing for his turn at paybacks.

There is not much more to say except, great issue.  Excuse me while I read it again …

I promised in this past Saturday’s edition of A Character… that there would be a Special Edition today April 14th 2010 that would focus on a very nefarious real life villain! Hit the jump to see who it is!

Read the rest of this entry »

Let’s dive into the stack of comics that come out tomorrow and see what I’m pretty sure I will end up reading first.

Read the rest of this entry »

Brave New Worlds will have the latest HeroClix set, Brave and the Bold, available for the public on Wednesday, April 14, by the brick and booster.  Make sure you stop in either location to pick up what is sure to be a huge crowd-pleasing set.  Don’t delay as this is guaranteed to fly off the shelf.

Also, check Brave New Worlds gaming page for information on the Brave and the Bold HeroClix tournament, which will begin at Willow Grove on Sunday, May 2.

It’s a brand new day (to borrow a term from the competitor) for DC Comics this week with the launch of two new titles Wednesday.  Hit the jump to get all the skinny …

Just when you thought Blackest Night was over (well, it is but if you read it then you understand that was only the beginning of the story), Brightest Day #0 ships this week as Geoff Johns continues what he started with all those crazy lantern colors.  Brightest Day is literally the dawning of a new age in the DC ‘verse as Johns and Peter Tomasi bring you new stories every two weeks.  Fernando Pasarin supplies issue #0 art.  And in case you were wondering, this is a new ongoing title.

Meanwhile, because we know how busy Johns is not, he has a second debut this week in Flash #1 with Francis Manapul.  Barry Allen is back.  Barry Allen is the Flash.  Long live the Flash as Johns takes his turn at the helm of The Fastest Man Alive.

Issue #1 this week, “Case One: The Dastardly Death of the Rogues!,” drops Barry back in Central City with a mystery to solve as one of his rogues ends up dead, by obvious nefarious means.  Don’t miss out one what should be an instant class.

And just to show we have equal love for all characters DC, Doc Savage #1 also drops this week by Paul Malmont and Howard Porter.

Jeph Loeb’s writing has taken a bit of a hit in the past few years, but it appears he may have turned a corner this past week with Ultimate Comics X #2.  This story reminded me of his previous Marvel color tales (Spider-Man Blue) because it had a lot of heart.

If you have not given Ultimate Comics X a chance yet, you do not need to read issue #1 to appreciate this month’s story.  Loeb, teaming with none other than Arthur Adams on this bi-monthly book, pens a tale of sorrow and loss in a very eloquent way.

I love his story narrative in both issues of the run, narrating the tale from one character’s point of view, and not necessarily the main character’s.  I don’t want to give to much away, but Ultimate Comics X #2 builds upon the premiere issue in introducing us to the new mutant players in the Marvel Ultimate Universe.

If you liked Loeb’s class color titles, you will appreciate the story he writes here.

Now for a completely different Geoff, Johns that is, who has been a busy beaver for DC with some stories dealing with Green Lantern and Flash.  How he finds time to write so many titles, and at such a high quality, is beyond me.  He must me drinking the same stuff Brian Michael Bendis is consuming at Marvel.

Anyway, I wanted to point out the awesomeness that is Superman Secret Origins (#5 shipped this week).  Along with Gary Frank, Johns is sharing his take on the updated Superman origin.  I know a lot of readers are bypassing this tale because of all the retcon craziness and that is a shame because this has been a fun ride.

Frank is drawing Superman exactly like Christopher Reeves and there is something nice and sweet about that.  My co-worker believes I liked the book in the beginning because it reads like and episode of Smallville, and maybe that is true.  But to say that would sell Johns’ effort short.

Issue five introduces General Lane into the equation and how he wants to deal with the alien threat that is the Man of Steel.  Of course, Luthor is there manipulating all the pieces as best he can while Clark continues to build his alter ego’s clumsiness in light of Lois’ suspicions.  It’s a really fun new take on the beginning of Superman’s story in the DC Universe that really has not been covered to death.