DC Relaunch: Week Two (wave 1)

I'll probably be attempting to write up my brief impressions of the DC relaunch book-by-book over the next month. I bought all 13 #1's that came out this week but only made it through 7 issues before collapsing from shear exhaustion. Not so much from reading comics but from a long day in general. Now you know. And knowing is half the battle.

Batgirl #1: I was a little underwhelmed by this title. Simone is one of DC's stronger writers and I've been enjoying her work for years but something was missing here. However, there was enough to keep my interest piqued and I thought the generic-but-fitting art was good enough to entice me to add it to my pulls. I just hope Simone can add whatever I felt the missing element was with this issue over the course of the first arc.
Also, am I the only one curious as to how they're going to make two ginger locked, bat-themed, female heroines running around the same town not an absurd idea. I mean wouldn't they constantly be mistook for the other? Does it matter? Am I just being a nerd?

Batwing #: The first comic I made the decision to drop this week was this title. It's not a bad comic by any stretch, but the art is too stiff (though that isn't to say it's not pretty) for my taste. Also, the Judd Winnick writing this book is the Winnick of Green Arrow rather than something like Generation Lost which I loved. There just isn't enough to keep me coming back and even after one issue I can tell this will probably read better in trade format.
Again, a minor complaint... shouldn't this have launched post-Batman Inc relaunch to explain why Batman is setting up a global network of Batmen? Y'know, for all those new readers that this whole relaunch is geared toward? Just a thought...


Detective Comics #1: I wasn't crazy about Daniel's run on Batman. I enjoyed his art but the book came across as a very juvenile take on the character. It was a book that reminded me of something I would have adored as a 13 year old, with all the Catgirls, Riddler-daughters and senseless stories serving as secondary to dull action sequences. As an adult I need a little something mor... OH MAN JOKER JUST HAD HIS FACE SKINNED AND HUNG ON A WALL! I'm in!
Also, Daniel has changed up his art style again. It's much less cross-hatched and Image-esque and far more cartoony. I dig it. A lot.

Swamp Thing #1: By far the most gorgeous book to come out of this relaunch so far. Even more than Jim Lee's beautiful Justice League work. Paquette has drawn an issue where costumed superheroes appear in close proximity to scenes of character building and graphic horror without anything seeming out of place. Snyder's work here is equally impressive, not in any hurry to blow our minds with insane action sequences. This is a creative team that has a story to tell and characters to build and I can't think of any one out there I'd rather have handling a Swamp Thing book. Great first issue.


Animal Man #1: I just don't care for the art in this book. It's ugly and there are seriously messed up proportions taking place here that I can't overlook. I'd have a hard time saying it's just my taste in art because I think my tastes are somewhat varied. Maybe that's the problem though.
Whatever the case may be the art is going to keep me from coming back. Despite my love for the character of Buddy Baker (developed over the course of 52) I'm not that interested in this story and the writing here wasn't enough to make me overlook the art. I'd be interested to hear what others thought of the book as a whole and especially the pencil work.

Action Comics #1: This is what it's all about for me. This book captured what I was hoping for from the relaunch. A fresh, new take on an existing character that captures key elements of them while creating something new, exciting and intriguing. I don't think of myself as a Morrison apologist (indeed, I've been as perplexed by some of his work as anyone else) but with this book he showed me yet again why he's my favorite writer working in comics today. This is much less big-idea Morrison and more straight ahead but it's still complex and interesting and action packed.
There's one sequence in particular involving an elevated train that really shows off just why Superman is the perfect character for massive action sequences. Thank God for Rags Morales too. This is his best work since Identity Crisis and I think even a step above that. His characters are always expressive but his storytelling seems to only be improving. And check out the panel progression on the elevated train sequence. It's like a giant summer blockbuster scene. Loved this book.


Stormwatch #1: I got very excited for this book in the last few days. I love Paul Cornell, and the characters he's working with here are some of the only Wildstorm characters I have any familiarity with. This issue didn't disappoint but it's not in any part due to the art. It looks rushed, and at times downright ugly. There are a few panels that looked fine and even a couple that looked great but for the most part it barely got the job done.
Thankfully Cornell is writing a ramped-up sci-fi story that reminds me very much of the early Authority stuff I've read. Only it's set in the DCU and Martian Manhunter is a key player. I'm onboard for sure, and I'd even go so far as to say this was probably the best-written of the relaunch books behind Action Comics. But seriously, the visuals need some serious work.

So That Just Happened... (DC Universe badaboom)

DC is relaunching their universe as of late August/the month of September. 52 newly launched and renumbered titles complete with character overhauls, origin tweaks, new(ish) costumes, and new number 1's for nearly every title. That's just an overview. You also have to take into account the announcement that DC will be the first of the big two publishers to go day-and-date with digital releases. Oh, and the official confirmation that Geoff Johns (arguably the most powerful comic writer around) and Jim Lee (not at all arguably the most powerful comics artist) are the new creative team on a Justice League title.

Any one of those stories would give us more than enough to pontificate, debate, or rant about for days on end. All three at once? As stated before, it's massive.

I'm not a comics historian nor am I prone to go off on tangents about news items, either in favor of the story or against. So you'll allow me this one indulgence.

I'll start with what is the only officially confirmed creative team announcement. Geoff Johns taking the writing chores on a Justice League book is big news. He's never had the reins of what should be DC's flagship book beyond a brief stint with co-writer Alan Heinberg back during the Identity Crisis days. It's strange to think that the man who has basically been guiding the DC ship for the last five years hasn't written what should be the company's template for it's entire line. Think of what Bendis' Avengers books are to Marvel. That's what the JLA should be to DC. If any one writer can set the tone for the entire line with one title it's Johns.

Factor in Jim Lee, arguably the best known comic artist of all time (if any one artist stands above him in terms of name recognition I can only think of Jack Kirby) coming onboard. It's the comics equivalent of an all star team. The biggest writer DC has with the biggest name in the industry on art duties creating stories staring DC's most iconic characters that should serve as a guiding light for the rest of the line. It's hard for me not to get all fanboyish at the mere mention of this.

Now, I realize that Jim Lee isn't everyone's favorite artist. Heck I even understand that there are some people who don't like him at all. The same applies to Geoff Johns. But there's simply no arguing that this is a book that will get people talking. Whether for good or ill we'll have to wait till August to see...

Which brings me to the day and date digital release news. This, for me, is the game-changer. For the last couple years we've been watching as DC and Marvel dipped their toes in the digital waters. It had essentially become a staring contest between the two companies over which would finally go all the way and release their line in digital form simultaneously with the printed version. The reason being that the company that does it first is taking the most risks. They're risking the ire of the retailers who fear they'll lose customers. They're risking the entire thing flopping and making them look like they jumped the gun. They're also the first ones to have to decide on the cost of digital comics that are released the same day as printed copies.

Eventually digital comics will have to undercut the printed version. But will DC do it out of the gate? And if so, will it take customers away from the brick and mortar retail outlets? I see it as an inevitability that one day comics retailing will either have to change drastically or be eliminated completely. It's not going to be one publisher's fault, simply the reality of an increasingly computerized world. But if DC is the first in the game, despite not being deserving of it, they'll also be known as the company who destroyed printed comics. I'm probably getting a little bit ahead of myself on that prediction but I really believe it's a reality.

At any rate, announcing that every title across the line will be available on your iPad, your iPhone, your favorite comics app the same day it becomes available at your local comics shop? It's the comics equivalent of iTunes being birthed. Or more appropriately it would be the equivalent of one of the biggest record label releasing albums on iTunes the same day they hit Best Buy shelves.

And then there's the relaunch itself.

Here's the thing, I've always been against the rampant re-numbering of titles that goes on at the big two. There have been a couple times where it seemed to make sense. New Avengers relaunched with a new number 1 post-Avengers Disassembled, and I was fine with it. The same thing with Justice League spinning out of Infinite Crisis. Then there have been times when comics were sent back to a new number one for no apparent reason. The most recent example I can think of would be a title like Flash which also had relaunched post-Infinite Crisis... then switched to a new number one within a few years.

Some times it works. Some times it makes sense. Others, it's just to draw attention and serves no purpose beyond that.If you're going to do a re-numbering I can think of no better way than to do it with nearly EVERY BOOK IN YOUR LINE after a summer blockbuster event with new creative teams, directions, costume designs, and even characters. If it works, it will be the text book example of how to do a relaunch.

The most important thing to bear in mind about all of this is that every single move DC is making is being made to bring on new readers. Sure, they want to keep the current readership but day-and-date digitally releasing comics? That's to make those titles accessible to people who don't usually visit comic book stores. Geoff Johns writing a comic might not be too big of a deal outside of the industry but Jim Lee drawing it? If anyone is capable of bringing back readers that were lost in the mass-exodus of fans post-90's it's the man who sold 3 million copies of X-Men. And like it or not, yes, new number 1's sell.

If the same day releasing of those number 1's has the affect I believe it will we could see a boom through out the industry that could help sales figures to not just stabilize but actually go up. Like it or not, the biggest story out of all of this will end up being the digital one.

I intend on writing more on this topic over the course of the week. Particularly I want to point out the ridiculousness of the whining I'm seeing on message boards and Facebook news posts. For now, this is what I've got to say on the subject. It's a good time to be a comic reader. There's a heightened quality to a lot of the work through out the entire industry, not just the big two or in super hero titles. And we're on the ground floor of the so-called digital revolution. I'm genuinely excited by everything that DC has announced over the last two days and can't wait to start seeing who the creative teams are on the 52 titles they're launching.

The Year of Zelda, Part 3: A Link to Zelda's Future

For many Zelda fanboys, the one game that managed to capture them for life was the third installment of the series: The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past. The ironic use of the word "Link" here may not be all that subtle, but that doesn't stop this title from being one of the most beloved and well known of the series. In todays generation of gamers, just about every person who has owned a Nintendo system from the SNES on has ventured through this game. As a matter of fact, it saw a rebirth just in 2002, when Nintendo re-released a version of the game on the GameBoy Advance system, arriving ten years after the original.

Upon beating the game, I am filled with a supreme sense of nostalgia. And yet, although I've made my way through this game many times, it is just as fresh and fun as ever. After the negative reaction to the stylized changes in The Adventure of Link, the creators went back into the overhead adventure mode, and it works as well or better here than in any game I've played. And so, although there are many new innovations in sight, this game takes us back to what we loved about the original. There are so many parts of this game that I want to point out, but I don't want to turn this into a novella... So let me begin!

First, I want to break down the stylistic ingredients of what makes a Zelda game, well, a Zelda game. Being the first (and only) SNES game of the franchise, the graphics and details have excelled significantly. However, we still have most of the familiar enemies and weapons from part one. We're running around, sword slashing, bombing, and puzzling our way through multiple dungeons all over the land of Hyrule. Link, our little elfish hero, makes his way through many diverse dangers, collecting heart pieces and weapons that will help him to reach his final goal: saving the Princess Zelda and defeating the Dark Lord Ganon!

Many of the things aforementioned would be expected to be present by any fan of the series. However, what I did notice this time around is that many of these iconic characteristics that we hold dear didn't start with the original, but right here! For example: many of the coined musical numbers that Zelda fans would recognize anywhere were first composed in this game. Zelda's lullaby, the Fairy theme, the music in Kakariko Town (or Village), not to mention many different sound effects and the like. The soundtrack for this game paved the way for its predecessors.

Beyond that, we saw the invention of many items that will appear in each game to come: the hookshot, the Pegasus boots, the Magic Jars, the Flute (which looks strangely like an ocarina...), the Mirror Shield... and the MASTER SWORD! Now, you may say we saw some iterations of this in the first game, which is true. We did find the "Magic Sword" in the graveyard, but here we have our first view of Link, pulling the Master Sword from it's stone sheath, proving that he is indeed the legendary hero of Hyrule! (Let the Awesomeness consume you for a moment... Okay, now back to business.)

However, if there is one great leap that is the Most notable in this game, it is the grounding and introduction of the Legend of Zelda storyline. If you ever owned an NES (like me) and read through the game instruction guides (as I did), then you would have seen some great original art describing characters and monsters, along with a detailed introduction to the plot of the games, then you may have had a decent understanding of the basic Zelda mythology prior to these games. However, it is probable that many people did not. And so, Link to the Past gives us our first true in-game rendition of the mythos. You have your little elven hero, who shortly gains his sword and shield, and ensues on a journey to rescue the princess Zelda. But wait, there's more! Link is ACTUALLY the reincarnated/prophesied Hero of Hyrule (or Time???), of the bloodline of the Knights of Hyrule, who is destined to restore peace to the land by defeating the Dark Wizard Aganhim (Who is actually, you guessed it, Ganon in disguise!). It's also worth noting that Ganandorf is first mentioned in this game as well, as the thief who brought Ganon back to power!

Not only does LttP create a mold for many games to come, but it also went way outside the box from previous games. For one, we get to save the game on command from the menu. And not only that, but we can actually choose where we start off after a save! Awesome huh? But even more notable is the incorporation of two dimensions of gameplay: the Light world and the Dark world. About 1/4 through the game, Link gains the ability to traverse between these two dimensions, which opens up a new realm of possibilities for not only new locations, but new enemies and adventures.

All in all, Link's third adventure A Link to the Past is a fantastic ride. This is truly a picture of what makes this franchise so beloved. A compelling adventure, one could find them selves swept into this world for the first time, or brought back again for a nostalgic reminder of what makes this game one of the best ever created.

And now, for my usual reward ceremony! Feel free to agree or disagree, or even comment with your own choices, but these were the items/peoples/monsters that stand out above the rest!

*It's necessary to note that this was a tough decision... so I split the item reward into two categories. So I cheated, so what, it's my review...

Most Useful Weapon - The Hook Shot

To be honest, there were so many weapons that I used so often in the game, this was a tough choice. However, the one I longed for during most of my adventure, and the one that stayed as my active weapon the majority of the time thereafter, was the hook shot. This thing allows me to reach new places, as well as defeat many small enemies, or paralyze them momentarily. I know it doesn't sound amazing, but trust me, the invention of the hook shot has changed Zelda games for the better.

Most Useful Accessory - Pegasus Boots

Ah, there are few things in life more satisfying than that tick, tick, tick, GO of Link dashing forward from one screen to the next. For one thing, it really speeds up travel. For another, few enemies can resist that dashing stab of his sword! And I won't lie, I do get a sense of enjoyment out of running Link into unmovable objects and watching him bounce backward. Oh come on, it's funny!

Most Annoying Enemy - Wallmaster

This is another tough category, but since the Wallmaster has been frightening Zelda players for years, it was only fair that they get there moment in the spotlight. These baddies showed up first in the original, but I ran into more trouble with them in this game than ever before. Just in case you don't know, these fools show their shadow over you, then drop down on your head. If you don't manage to avoid their grasp, they take you back to the entrance of the dungeon... Which can be a real pain in the keester.

Most Difficult Boss - Mothula

First off, this award is not entirely true. However, I can't give Ganon the win in every game, or this will be boring. Trust me, Ganon will get his spotlight! For this battle however, the trouble is less with the moth itself, and more with the moving floor. As you can see in the picture above, the walls are lined with spikes, and the floor is covered in moving tiles. And so, while being scooted all around the floor, and into the spikes (which begin to move AWAY from the wall as the battle progresses), Link has to blast this fool bug with your Fire Rod, or use your Sword. Two out of three faeries used, and I finally got this fool down. Scoff if you'd like, but this fight was rigged.

Most Iconic Moment - The Master Sword

I have to admit, there are MANY iconic moments in A Link to the Past, many of which have been mimicked or repeated over many titles. However, easily the most iconic and precious to the franchise is the drawing of the Master Sword. Sure, we've seen the Magic Sword in the original, and sword upgrades in Link, but seeing the hero of Hyrule walk his way up to the stone and prove his destiny by pulling that sword out still makes me tingle all over. Yes, that may sound a bit creepy, but I'm just being honest! When Link holds that sword aloft and claims it for his own, and the music plays, the stars align in heaven, and we know that THIS is what we've been waiting for! And the Legend is brought to life.

Well, there you have it! My kind of long (and yet still too short to cover it) review of The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past. This game set in motion many of the most beloved characters and plot modes of all Zelda games to come. Without this one, where would we be?

* Check back soon for my take on The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening, which I've just completed. And by the way, if you're taking this adventure with me, or have any Other way of celebrating the Year of Zelda, comment on here, let me know!

The Year of Zelda, Part 2: Link's Excruciating Escapade

In case you're just now tuning in, this is the second episode of my Zelda Adventure, on which I am venturing in honor of the 25th Anniversary of the Legend of Zelda! This episode entails my journey through the first sequel, named Zelda II: The Adventure of Link.

For many Zelda fans (myself included), this game is widely considered the "black sheep" of the franchise, for many different reasons. Ironically, this direct sequel to the original is the only game in the official franchise that is lacking the title The Legend of Zelda. Link takes off right where the original left off, with our hero of Hyrule on a mission to save the princess Zelda. Her handmaiden, Impa, informs Link that she has been placed under an enchanted slumber, and she will only awaken once the 6 stones are set in the 6 palaces, and he has obtained the Triforce of Courage.

And so with our mission in check, we venture out into… Hyrule? Don’t get me wrong, this game definitely bears its resemblance to the original, but the world and gameplay is a whole new world. Instead of our overhead action/adventure style, we have a very RPG-ish setup, with a small Link wandering around the overworld, occasionally colliding with enemies that pull us into Action sequences, where we put our sword fighting to the test.

I don’t want to overwhelm you with a lot of technical details, but if you’ve ever played a Zelda game, you would know exactly what I mean when I say this game separates itself from all others in its gameplay. The side scrolling, hoping, and stabbing Link makes for a very different experience for us. I’m more than willing to suspend any preconceived notions I might have, but if there is one issue I have, it is that this style makes the game extremely difficult. I consider myself to be an advanced game player, since I've spent most of my life being a gamer. And yet, as I made my way to the Second Palace, through Death Mountain, I realized that this game could bring Any experienced gamer to their knees. There came a point when I began to wonder if it was worth it!

I realize I'm making it sound as though I did not enjoy this game, but it's quite the opposite. Growing up, I made time to defeat each mainstream Zelda game that was released, EXCEPT for this one. This was the one game that I never managed to beat as a child growing up! And so, there is quite a bit to say about it, since this is a bit of a monument for me. I played this game as a kid, but never achieved victory: until now. And so, to make sure I don't go on and on too long, I'll break this review into a few short pros and cons for you.

Pros:

The Leveling Up. While any gamer has become quite familiar with the gain experience to level up model, it's a bit different to find it in a Zelda game. Personally, I found it to be a nice way to progress your magic, defense, and attack. Without the level-up system, this game would be IMPOSSIBLE to beat. It'd be interesting to see this model make a comeback in a new game perhaps...

The Magic. We get plenty of magic use in later games, like Ocarina of Time, but this was its first appearance. In the first game, magic wasn't present, but we had lots of useful items. In this game, none of the items that we gain are actually used in battle, etc. Instead, it's the use of our spells that make the gameplay more diverse. I'd like to see more of this in future Zelda's perhaps.

New Monsters. Actually, this is the first appearance of many monsters we've seen throughout the newer games, such as the Armored Stalfos (as opposed to the really easy ones from the original), and even more notorious, the Lizalfos, which have found their way in some of the best games in the series. And not least, Shadow (Dark) Link! That definitely deserves kudos.

Cons:

HARD AS CRAP. The fact is, many of the Zelda fans in the world are young players, and many of them would probably give up half way through this. I felt the temptation myself a couple of times, after dying more than 6 times against a certain boss. While it does need to be a challenge, it doesn't need to be this difficult...

Doesn't Always Feel Like Zelda. This may be more of a con to us now, over 20 years later, after the Zelda m-o has been better established, but the fact is it just doesn't feel the same. There's Link, Zelda, and some of the usual monsters, but even the music feels different. Actually, it feels much more like a Castlevania game sometimes, with the enemies flying around, and the jump-slash you have to incorporate throughout the game.

Lives System. While I'm okay with some variation, like the level-ups and even the side view at times, the 3 life system is just flat out annoying. There are a few Link Dolls to be found, which give an extra life, but once you find them, they're gone! You can only get them once? That's just ridiculous. Bugs me.

So you can see, it's up and down, but it's still a great game. Although many fans had their issues, this is still one of the highest rated NES games ever made. And so, here are the awards from my experience with The Adventure of Link!

Most Useful Spell - Jump

I know it seems simple, but WITH THIS YOU CAN JUMP VERY HIGH (lol). Jumping around high may seem trivial, but this is one thing we don't often get to do on Zelda games! Also, the jumping makes it much easier to defeat many monsters, not to mention you can dodge better! And I like to jump high.

Most Annoying Monster - Red Daira

This Red Daira is one of the most difficult monsters you face in this game, and they are really only present between the 1st and 3rd Palace! These guys stand between you and progressing to even the half point, and they were the source of my repeated demise... I hate them.

Most Difficult Boss - Thunderbird

This boss is the second-to-last boss in the game. You beat this fool, then you immediately go on to fight the most iconic boss in the game, Shadow Link. While Shadow Link is a challenge (unless you take the easy way out), this "bird" is ridiculously difficult. He can only be harmed after you exhaust half your magic using the spell Thunder, thereby turning him from red to blue and making him vulnerable to sword slashes, which only work against his Face. It took me 7 exhausted lives until I finally beat this moron. I'm just glad it's over.

Most Iconic Moment - Final Battle with Shadow Link

It may be cliché to choose the final battle as the most iconic moment, but it really is in this case. Shadow Link, in my opinion, is one of the coolest villains in any Zelda game. His mirror attacks of yours make this all the more difficult, so when it's finally over, it leaves us with a great sense of achievement. And with the Triforce of Courage in tow, we restore Zelda to health and become the official hero of Hyrule!

And so, with the second installment behind me, I move forward to one of the most beloved games of the series, The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past. Check back in a couple of weeks to find the next review!

The Year of Zelda: The Adventure Begins

25 years ago, the world was introduced to one of the most Legendary and iconic gaming franchises to ever be established: The Legend of Zelda. It has been said, even by creator Shigeru Miyamoto, that they had absolutely no idea that their new adventure game would evolve into the beloved franchise that it is today.

While many people may have never played through a Zelda game,

practically everyone knows the name, and can easily recognize our elfish Hero, Link. As for myself, I remember playing through the Legend of Zelda as a 4 year old boy, loving every moment of it. Zelda is, in essence, responsible for any and all video gaming I have completed over the years, being the title that officially ensnared me into the virtual world of Action/Adventure.

And so, in celebration of the Year of Zelda, I have embarked on a journey to complete all of the Zelda titles from start to finish, in chronological order. Which in essence is the purpose of this posting! I am going to play through each game, leading up to the eminent release of The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword for Wii this year, which will determinately conclude my own adventure.

As for now, here is my review (and afterthoughts) of the first installment, for NES, aptly titled

The Legend of Zelda

Many players today might consider this game primitive, with basic graphics, and even a simple gameplay. For it's time, however, this game revolutionized many things. It gave us the use of saving your progress, which is INVALUABLE for this type of game, as well as an overworld that you are free to traverse and discover at your own pace. In theory, a person could have gone straight to the hardest portions of the world and start from there. It was a revolutionary concept, and even today many of its inventions are brought out in games as fundamentals.

I've played this game many times before, but this year was the first time in at least 5 years. I happened to own the Gamecube Collector's Edition of Zelda, containing both of the NES installments, as well as the two N64 installments. And so, using my Wii, I played through Zelda 1. Even without the nostalgia, this game was a really fun ride. There's few more satisfying feelings from a game than seeing Link hold aloft another shard of the Triforce, filling his health and playing that little victory tune.

Which brings me to another point, the music! Few games have such iconic tunes as this game. After a few hours, even my wife was walking around the place humming the overworld theme. If anything, the Legend of Zelda provides for us a look back at what made video gaming so popular in the first place. Even after beating the adventure, and putting the evil Ganon in his place, you'll find a second adventure to go through, where all of the dungeons and items have been swapped around, making this round through a brand new challenge!

So here are some noteworthy aspects of the game, which I will most likely mirror throughout all of my reviews:

Most Useful Item - The Super Boomerang.

Being the second dungeon item, you wouldn't think it'd be so far on the list, but there's nothing more valuable than stunning your enemies, and being able to reach rupees and hearts from far away.

Most Annoying Enemy - Wizzrobes.

The Iron Knuckles may be tough, but there is nothing more annoying than a room full of Wizzrobes gliding around shooting beams. AAARGH!!

Worst Dungeon Boss - Manhandla.

Maybe it's due to its common reappearance throughout the series, this stupid monster is fast and powerful. If you're lucky you can kill it with one Bomb, but that's a rarity. Usually you'll leave it with one claw left, and it'll zip around blasting you.

Coolest Puzzle - Whistling for Dungeon 7: The Demon

Without any guidance, it would have taken me ages to figure this one out... This whistle serves as a warp, UNLESS it's used here! Cool stuff.

So the LoZ is a masterpiece. Plain and simple, it's the epitome of what makes people like me tick and tock, the kind of unbridled nerdiness that resonates throughout time, and can't be replaced. It's lovely. If you've never played this game, go buy a wii and download it. Or find the Gameboy Advance copy and play that, or (God forbid) an emulator! Whatever is necessary. It's the Year of Zelda people. Get on board.

If you'd like a deeper look at all of the heroes, enemies, and gameplay, run over to IGN and check out their own tribute to this game, at http://wii.ign.com/articles/115/1150966p1.html.

The 2010 List Part 2: The Follow Up

Alright, it's the first week of March, and this is the first time I've added anything to the blog since my Nanny-McPhee Bash-of-the-Century... so sue me. However, I'll take my dues and go on from here. It's almost a third of the way into the new year, 2011, but don't think that I've forgotten about 2010. Oh no, it's still fresh on my mind. And for the world of comics, it was a ride to say the least.

So as to prevent redundancy, I will leave the all-out 2010 best-of-everything-list that Seth so adequately posted to itself, and simply give it an applause and say, "Well Done My Friend." Well said on most points, and this is not a rebuttal so I'll leave any discrepancies to myself.

Since this list of the Good, Bad, and the Ugly is so well rounded and all-encompassing, I'm going to take a slightly different route for my 2010 listing. Below I have listed my Top 5 Issues (or in some cases, 3 issue arcs) from 2010, categorized in a slightly different way. Now for all the Marvel lovers out there, forgive my one-sided choices, for I don't collect Marvel in issues... Now hold your rotten fruit and pitchforks! I do read it in trade any way I can get it, I'm afraid I'm bereft of the finances necessary to fund all the comic-book cravings I may have, so I do what I can with what I have. And so, without any more run-on sentences or bantering, here are my simple and specific lists of 2010:

My Top 5 Comics (or Arcs) of 2010

1. Batman and Robin, issues 13-15. Grant Morrison took one of the most iconic characters ever created in Batman, put another man under the mask, and created one of the absolute Best comics that have ever been written (If you'd like a more thorough explanation of this, simply download and listen to any given podcast by Seth and myself, and there will undoubtedly be an ample amount of praise for this book). As for these specific issues, he managed to take the craziest villain ever created, and make him even more psychopathic and compelling. If you haven't read it, go ahead and forgive yourself now, we all make mistakes. Then go buy it.

2. Blackest Night, issue 8. I know 2009 was the year of Blackest Night, but I'm afraid we've forgotten that it all came to a point in 2010. After all, it was Hal Jordan and the War of Lights that brought me back into this wonderful world of comics, and while I'm sure everyone had some problems with the ending, let me just say that Geoff Johns managed to do with BN what Grant Morrison couldn't with Final Crisis. He brought it all in, he made it comprehensible, and he made it rock. Go Geoff, Go.

3. Batman and Robin, issues 1-3. This was the first comic I was ever afraid would actually come and attack me in my sleep. Seriously.

4. Justice League: Generation Lost, issues 1-... The rest. This was one of those times when you expect very little, and you get a whole-freakin-lot. Out of the multitude of Brightest Day "meh" comes this wonderful, witty, compelling story that takes us back to what we love about comic books.

5. Wonder Woman, issues 601-603. JMS may have dropped the ball on Sups (which is heartbreaking), but he definitely showed us his guns on WW. This fresh, bad-to-the-bone run is what Wonder Woman should always be. I actually wanted to Be her for a minute. Just a minute.

Top 3 Comics for Art

1. Blackest Night Issues, Ivan Reis. - You may totally disagree with this, and if so, I'm willing to give you your dues. But the fact is, though there may be some more "artistic" art coming these days, no one BROUGHT IT like Ivan Reis did for this series. Just take a gander at some of those wide frame shots, two page spreads by this man. If you can throw more than 20 into one page, 8 issues in, and not let the detail slip on even one, you've earned this spot.

2. Batman and Robin, issues 1-3, Frank Quietly. - Without the terrifying art by Quietly, I doubt even Morrison and his insane writing could've struck horror in me like this did.

3. Superman: Secret Origin, Gary Frank. - While this series as a whole left me completely underwhelmed, nothing can be said against this art. Wow, Gary Frank, you really know how to make Superman real. Even with the story being flat, this is worth the read on face value.

And these are the easy, laid back, very direct lists of My favs from 2010. Like it or Hate it, there it is. Bring on 2011.

My Extremely Belated 2010 List

Here we are again. It was a banner year for the medium in a lot of ways and in others (such as sales) it was something of a suicide run. I tried to branch out this year, and move beyond the capes and spandex that usually dominate my pull list but in the end I only have so much time and even less money than said time. Hopefully as I get older and my inclinations lean more toward talky stuff so too will my lists. In the meantime there's a heaping pile of superhero stuff on this list and rightfully so.

The work put out by writers like Ed Brubaker, Geoff Johns, Scott Snyder, Paul Cornell, Brian Michael Bendis, Judd Winick, Paul Dini, Robert Kirkman, Jonathan Hickman, Rick Remender... well it's career making for some and career defining for others. Artists weren't exactly taking a year off either. Amongst my favorites this years were Cameron Stewart, Tony Moore, Ryan Ottley, Mark Buckingham, Fabio Ba and Gabriel Moon, David Finch, Gary Frank and Darwynn Cooke. I'm sure I'm missing some in there.

This year I'll follow the formula of what I've done in years past and do this category by category. Some time in the next couple weeks we'll have up our "best of the year" podcast so be sure to hop over to iTunes or download off the link I'll be posting here on the blog. In the meantime enjoy my ramblings.

Disappointments: I'm going to go right ahead and get these out of the way so we can get to the good stuff. Sadly, I was disappointed by a lot of stuff that went on this year, not just in the quality of series' or creators work but in some of the things taking place in the industry. I'm not going to stick it on the list but the rise of digital comics and the eventual demise of printed comics is a disappointment to me. I realize it's the evolution of the art form and I am by no means a naysayer about comics on the iPad or iPhone or what-have-you. I'll just miss holding these books in my hands and hitting the local shop once a week...

Superman: World of New Krypton - What went wrong? We had guys like Greg Rucka and James Robinson writing and Pete Woods handling a lot of the art duties. How did this turn out so bland? Though the mini (or mega?) series started strong enough, by 2010 it was petering out. It eventually spiralled into the War of the Supermen which ended up undoing all these stories anyway making it even more irrelevant.

Captain America by Ed Brubaker - It's more of a tragedy than a disappointment that this series has fallen this far. I loved this book up until sometime late last year when it became obvious that, at this point, it's not going any where. It's sitting there spinning it's tires and that has never been more obvious than during Captain America Reborn (which by the way I'm including as part of this entry) and the aftermath of that mini. It may be time for Brubaker to depart and let someone else have a shot at the title.

Justice League of America by James Robinson and Mark Bagley - What happened to James Robinson? I recently wrote a review of an issue of Justice League in which I spent the first 500 words talking about how much I miss the guy that wrote Starman. How did he go from that level of quality in story telling and character building to this? Mark Bagley seemed to be trying to match the level of mediocrity in writing that Robinson was hitting with his art here. He's improving just in time to leave the book and head back to Marvel. Maybe it's time to bring on the dream time of Geoff Johns and Jim Lee finally?

Superman: Secret Origin - This book is solid. Across the board, the writing is good, the art is gorgeous, the story is... well it's a good story. The problem is it's a story we've already seen play out a thousand times in different titles across various forms of media. I guess Johns just wanted to put his stamp on the most famous origin story? Great, but this did very little for me.

Batman: This is a little more recent so it's fresh in my mind. Giving Tony Daniel this book to write as well as draw was a mistake. It's not terrible but it's hokey and it's a little sloppy. His art is noticeably better at times than others and one can't help but assume that this has to do with the fact that he's doing all this work himself. Because of that we're getting a book with decent art and some "okay" writing. It should be better, especially considering the heights the rest of the Bat line are currently reaching.

Worst of the Year:

Batman: The Widening Gyre - Someone needs to realize that Kevin Smith can't and therefore shouldn't write certain characters. Batman being chief among them. One can almost imagine Smith sitting back on a futon in his office, smoking a joint rolled in a hundred dollar bill and laughing at the idiots who will buy into his asinine vision of the dark knight. Seriously Smith? Batman pee jokes and immature, poorly written sex gags? Someone kick this guy out of comics for a while till he quits writing while high. It's truly painful.

Superman: Grounded - Dull. Pretentious. Pious. Horrible. I didn't jump on the hate bandwagon with this one, but rather feel as if I was invited kindly onboard, took a pass, then realized moments later I was making a mistake and chased it down. Upon cracking open the first issue of Straczynski's Grounded arc I thought "hey this isn't that bad". By the time I'd put it down I couldn't figure out why it was receiving so much flak. However, by the time we recorded our first podcast later the same day I read it for the first time I couldn't help but mock it. The unintentional racism, the third grade philosophizing, the art missteps, the complete lack of a coherent story... this became my second favorite comic-to-mock of the year. Right behind...

Justice League: The Rise of Arsenal - It's so bad it's good. Or at least entertaining. Sure there's the whole "dead cat/hobo beating" scenario that goes down as one of the most unintentionally hilarious moments in any form of entertainment ever, but there's so much more to enjoy and/or find appalling about this book. There's Roy Harper's awkward foreplay with Cheshire followed by one of the strangest inclusions of impedance into a major superhero comic ever, or Roy's prosthetic arm being essentially one giant analogy for a needle (hinting at his past addiction to heroin) or the bit where Roy tries to beat down Batman because his dead daughter picks a fight with him while he's locked up in a straight jacket by the Justice League... It's kind of unbelievable this book even exists but I'm so glad it does.

The Good Stuff:

As mentioned earlier, there were a lot of great books out this year. Rather than break things down into "best single issue" or "best graphic novel" like I have in past years I'm just going to throw it all together and let you sort it out.

Daytripper: I have a confession to make and that is that I've only read two issues of this comic. I'd heard so much about it that I gave in and picked up an issue one day and ended up reading it in the parking lot of my comic shop. I loved it. Adored it even. It hit me on an emotional level way beyond what any other comic this past year managed to. I'm eagerly awaiting the trade paperback or hardcover. It should also be noted that issue #8 is the only single issue of a comic I've ever handed to people in an effort to show them what the medium is capable of. My mother, in particular, was a huge fan.

Dark Avengers: The best Avengers title out there has sadly come to a close. Thankfully we have 16 issues to return to whenever we need our violent, blood soaked, supervillain-as-hero fix. Bendis wrote what was essentially the spiritual successor to Warren Ellis' amazing Thunderbolts run and some how managed to up the ante. It could have ended up just another Dark Reign tie-in but Bendis created something wholly it's own while contributing in a major way to the overall crossover. Also, Mike Deodato turns in really good work here and that's coming from someone who isn't a huge fan of him on average. By far the best villain-centric book this past year. Maybe ever.

Fantastic Four: Jonathan Hickman blind sided me this past year. I'd never heard his name before he showed up on the Dark Reign FF miniseries (which ended up being the best of those tie-ins) and when he took over Fantastic Four I was a little concerned. See, for whatever reason, Fantastic Four is the ONLY Marvel title I buy month-to-month no matter what. It has been for seven years. I adored Mark Waid and Mike Wieringo's run, really enjoyed what Dwayne McDuffie did with it and downright loved Mark Millar's run. I'm a fan of the characters, and the thought of some no-name indie darling running roughshod all over my favorite superteam (at Marvel anyway) was scaring me.

Turns out Hickman gets the FF better than anyone who's written them since Waid. Best of all, he not only knows what makes these people tick, he knows how to write the most ridiculously convoluted (in a good way), involving, epic, universe spanning stories I've seen in an FF book since Kirby was going all Galactus on everyone's butt. If you want the best non-Grant Morrison-but-still-crazy-as-balls sci-fi story look no further than Fantastic Four. Thank you, Mr. Hickman. Thank you.

Locke & Key: I don't believe I've had a chance to talk about this title. I may have mentioned it in passing on a podcast once but I can't remember. Anyway, it's good. It's so good in fact that while on vacation in the Smokey Mountains this past summer I managed to power through the first three hardcovers in a matter of hours. Why? Because it's really freaking good. The art by Gabrielle Rodriguez is gorgeous, the story is constantly evolving and the world building Joe Hill is doing here is second-to-none. The mythology behind the book is so involving that it's hard to explain. After loaning the book to a friend at work, every time we'd see one another we'd find ourselves drawn into another discussion about which key does what and what each character is going to do next to screw what up. It went on for weeks. Did I mention this book is really, really, incredible and quite good? It is. Go read it.

Amazing Spider-Man: The Gauntlet arc (mega-arc?) got me onboard with Brand New Day. Sure I'd bought some trades here and there but I hadn't really loved any of them. Well written and drawn beautifully, they still lacked something. I think the something was Rhino. Or maybe Electro. Or the Lizard. Sandman? Doc Ock? Moebius? They're all here. Though the arcs contained within the overall Gauntlet story are short they manage to pack a punch. Want to know what I mean? Check out the Rhino story and tell me that isn't a knife to the guts of your emotions.

Siege: Bendis took what normally would have been a drawn-out, overwrought "event" and condensed it into a fun, action packed story about good guys punching bad guys in the face... Or in Iron Man's case, dropping a 40 ton hellicarrier on their head. There isn't much to say about this book. It's well written but kinda predictable. Olivier Coipel does beautiful work. It's just a heck of a lot of fun to read this book.

Justice League Generation Lost: DC's best bi-weekly series isn't the one that their entire universe seems to be hinging on right now but rather it's sister (and less-hyped) title Generation Lost. Though I was extremely skeptical at the start due to the involvement of Judd Winick I was almost instantly won over by the title. The writing is fantastic (probably the best of Winnick's career) and the art has been spot-on. What I love is the mix of action, character, and humor. It's in the vein of the old JLI days... which is fitting since it stars pretty much the same characters. Though Brightest Day is no where to be found on this list in any capacity, at least one of it's spin-offs made it.

Action Comics: Paul Cornell is writing the most fun comic put out by either of the big two. The story of Lex Luthors quest for, well, something, is essentially a series of interconnected one shots about what happens when DC's best villain faces off against legions of the rest of the bad guys. There's an issue where Lex takes on Gorilla Grodd in particular that stands out as one of the best single issues of the year. It doesn't hurt the title at all that Nick Spencer is writing a hilarious Jimmy Olson back-up story. Well worth the current $3.99 price point.

The Unwritten: Smartly written and tailor made for English majors with a penchant for literature of all kinds, Unwritten is the book that shouldn't work for me. But it does. The first story arc starts as a weird hybrid of character study and story set-up before devolving into a bloody mass murder in an old mansion like something out of an Agatha Christie novel. The second arc is all over the place with issues set in a dream state version of Nazi Germany and a story involving a foul mouthed version of Peter Rabbit. There's also an issue involving the death of two recently introduced characters that just about rips your heart out. All the while we're slowly learning more about our lead Tommy Taylor and his quest to clear his name of not only fraud, but now murder as well. At least that's what its about on the surface. There's also the possibility that the story centers around whether or not the characters created in fictional stories are living beings in a world created by their authors... Either way I'm onboard.

The Best Book of 2010: Grant Morrison's Batman & Robin

Anyone who has tuned into the podcast is aware of my love for this title. I honestly don't think there has been a single issue I haven't loved. What Morrison did here was something astounding; he managed to meld his more, well, out-there means of story-telling with what is the most mainstream of characters and make it completely accessible to everyone. This isn't confusing Morrison or Big Idea Morrison (though there are big ideas at play here), but rather a Grant Morrison who is writing for the masses without dumbing down or "selling out" who he is as writer. All the while he's contributing HUGE, stories that will affect the character of Bruce Wayne and his mythology for the foreseeable future.

The art has been gorgeous from issue one but the real stand outs of the series have been Frazier Irving and Cameron Stewart who contributed some of the most beautifully rendered work I've ever seen in a Batman comic.

It should also be noted that the last couple of arcs were essentially tie-ins to The Return of Bruce Wayne but some how managed to set up, stand apart and contribute heavily to that mini series. In fact you could have easily skipped that series entirely and followed along easily. Some are calling this the point where Morrison sold his soul to corporate superhero storytelling. Frankly I think it's the point where he evolved enough as a writer to take something mainstream and make it completely his own.