AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON Review

One could make an argument that Star Wars: The Force Awakens is the most anticipated film of 2015. Truth be told, that's probably the case. Still, many would claim that the highly awaited Avengers sequel, Age of Ultron is. (It could be a moot point anyway since both movies are both distributed by Disney!) When "The Avengers" came on the scene three years ago it forever changed the comic book movie landscape, landing as the third greatest film in the box office. And it definitely deserves it, for it is enjoyable from the start to finish. "Age of Ultron" brings back the characters for another excellent adventure. While perhaps lacking in iconic moments than the first one, it's nonetheless a worthy sequel to one of the most enjoyable movies of the decade.

When Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) jumpstarts a dormant peacekeeping program, things go terribly awry, forcing him, Thor (Chris Hemsworth), the Incredible Hulk (Mark Ruffalo) and the rest of the Avengers to reassemble. As the fate of Earth hangs in the balance, the team is put to the ultimate test as they battle Ultron (James Spader), a technological terror hell-bent on human extinction. Along the way, they encounter two mysterious and powerful newcomers, Pietro and Wanda Maximoff.

From the film's action-filled opening, you know you're in for something truly exciting. Director Joss Whedon once again incorporates the heroes and their unique personalities well. While sometimes the sarcasm feels like it's there just to be there, the dialogue is almost always enjoyable. And that's the way it should be when you have Earth's Mightiest Heroes together. Pace wise, like the first one there are practically no moments that drag on. Is it better than the first movie however? Of course, nothing will ever beat the "wow they're all together!" factor, but nonetheless I'm inclined to say the previous one is a little better and there are basically no plotholes, unlike this one. Still, any negatives that are about to be said don't hinder the enjoyment.

Almost all of the characters are of course great. Let's us however address one plothole: the Hulk. In the climax of the first movie Bruce Banner (Mark Ruffalo) reveals that he's able to control his green alter ego since "He's always angry." Yet here he seems to have almost no control, which was disappointing. Because of this hole, Banner ended up being a lot less notable than his self in the first film. Another thing is the romance between him and Black Widow. (Scarlett Johansson.) It comes out of nowhere, but I can let that go slightly since at the same time it doesn't feel too forced while watching the film.

Chris Evans delivers another fantastic portrayal as Captain America. As the leader of the Avengers should be, he commands a level of inspiration every time he's on screen. Robert Downy Jr, while not having as many great lines as in the first movie, gives another great portrayal of Tony Stark/Iron Man. It's the same with Black Widow and of course Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury who doesn't appear much but when he does, he commands a presence. While before I thought there could have been someone better for the role of Thor, Chris Hemsworth proves here that he is a very good Prince of Thunder. The film also makes great use of previous characters in the franchise. Let us however talk about the new characters. When it was unveiled that Quicksilver, Scarlett Witch, and Vision would be appearing, many thought it would be too much of an overload. Somehow, the film makes it all work without making everything seem too crammed in.

The twins have an adequate amount of backstory, nicely setting them up as sympathetic without delving too much into that aspect. Scarlet Witch, being a major Avenger in the comics, has some nice scenes in the climax. Sadly, Quicksilver fans might be disappointed with his role in comparison. Vision doesn't get too much screen time, yet he still manages to be a highlight. If this were another movie it would have felt crammed, but not in the Avengers. A surprise highlight was Jeremy Renner as Hawkeye. It was as if if Whedon was saying "sorry" for his role in the first movie, being mind-controlled for most of it. Here he actually ends up being one of the big highlights. Now, onto perhaps the biggest reason for watching this...ULTRON.

Many fans were shocked when it was revealed at Comic Con two years ago that Ultron would be the antagonist. Thanos is perhaps Marvel's greatest villain, but as far as Avengers enemies go, Ultron can't be beat. As a longtime fan of the character, I know the different versions of him in the comics well. The movie's version to say the least is definitely engaging. James Spader delivers a terrific voice portrayal. Character wise, he's definitely a greatly written character, but how about as an Ultron adaption? While his dialogue is almost always enjoyable, it seems to me that he was chosen to be sarcastic because the team is. It seems that what the film was going for is a dark mirror of Tony Stark's personality. It would have been interesting to see if the film used his more serious, logical robot persona. Still, at the end of the day despite any personal preferences what we get is one of the Marvel Cinematic Universe's greatest antagonists. He commands a presence, and thankfully the film doesn't shy away from how powerful he is. (I still think his design from the Comic Con teaser would have been better.)

From the opening until the climax, the film has a lot of impressive action scenes. Perhaps the most hyped one was the Hulk Buster vs. Hulk battle. It definitely doesn't disappoint, but my personal favorite one was when Cap battles Ultron himself on top of a truck. Marvel continues to improve with the intensity and choreography of the action scenes. The final battle, like the first movie, has the team battle an army. This is entertaining, but it would have been nice to see more of a fight with Ultron himself. He only really battles the team one on one at a time, which is rather disappointing. Soundtrack wise, it's pretty standard as far as comic book movies go. We have the usual heroic themes which are always utilized well. The soft opera used during the climax was used extremely well, further making apparent of the rather bleak situation.

Overall, the Age of Ultron delivers. While not necessarily better than the first movie, there's no denying how enjoyable and great it is regardless. Yes, there are somethings that could be fixed and tweaked a bit, but really when you're watching Iron Man take on the Hulk in the streets it's hard to complain. Ultron is fantastic, and while it would have been nice to see a more serious take, there's denying that he was a blast to watch on screen. The action is amped-up, with plenty of incredible battle scenes scattered throughout. Marvel has done it again.

4.5/5

Captain America: The Winter Soldier Review

Many people, myself included, were a bit perplexed when Marvel decided to hire Chris Evans to play the leader of the Marvel Universe. When The First Avenger came out, audiences were genuinely surprised by the portrayal and when The Avengers assembled, people were sold. The Winter Solider kicks off this year's superhero films. It's been getting a lot of hype, each trailer has been met with magnificent praise. Unlike Iron Man 3 and Thor: The Dark World, this one looked to be an actual film of quality storytelling. Not only is it by far the best Phase 2 MCU film, it's also the best solo move since the first Iron Man in 2008.

The story follows Cap who is on the hunt for the man who assassinated Nick Fury, the 'Winter Soldier.' As the plot unravels, it turns out there are bigger things at work. S.H.I.E.L.D. is compromised, and the Winter Soldier turns out be an old friend...

The first Captain America movie was pretty solid. One thing it didn't really do right however was Bucky. That's why I was personally shocked to see the Winter Soldier storyline used so prominently. This film explains the friendship between the two in flashbacks than the whole first movie! The Winter Soldier himself doesn't disappoint. Somehow amidst killing many people on screen, the film makes you feels sorry for him later on. While I'm not sure the film should have been called "The Winter Soldier," (since only a part of the story focuses on him) he definitely doesn't disappoint as a character, Sebastian Stan does a really good job. While Cap is the main character, a great deal of focus is on Nick Fury. This is definitely his best role yet. It's another example why Samuel L. Jackson is the perfect Nick Fury.

The Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) at first was pretty surprising to see get such a big role. Then we remembered, while this is a Cap movie, it's also in part a S.H.I.E.L.D. film. The last time she was in a solo film was in Iron Man 2. She's definitely a highlight here, and proves that the character can hold up her own film if the time ever arose. Interestingly, she actually doesn't end up being a love interest for Steve. Agent 13, aka Sharon Carter (Emily VanCamp) is instead introduced. Her character wasn't bad, just not very fleshed out. We'll see that in the third film. Anthony Mackie plays the Falcon, which was a welcome addition, since the two have been close friends for years in the comics. He has many genuinely funny lines whenever he's on screen.

Robert Redford as Alexander Pierce didn't really do anything for me. He's portrayed as another arrogant, annoying businessman, much like Killian from Iron Man 3. He won't be remembered. It's really cool how Marvel manages to make this an expansive universe over media. We had Agent Sitwell who appeared in last week's episode of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and now in this movie. The plot twist regarding him was well-done and unexpected. The soundtrack is definitely one of the stronger ones from Marvel. Each theme nicely fits the scene, and makes the battles even more epic. (The theme that played when Cap battled Batroc springs to mind.)

One of the greatest things I liked about about this film is how well it displays Cap's strength, speed, and agility. I have never seen a movie, film, or comic that such accurately displayed how powerful he is. The climax was definitely exciting and the best MCU climax since The Avengers. The film has some of the best action sequences from any comic book movie. How sad is it that we have such mediocre climaxes in Thor: The Dark World and Iron Man 3 when one character has god-like strength and the other a metal suit of armor? It goes to show that sometimes the better fight scenes come from simple punches.

Overall, the Russo brothers deliver the best outing for Captain America yet. The story unfolds nicely with plenty of big plot twists that actually do affect the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The action is great, some of the most impressive fight scenes in the MCU are seen here. Also with the great pacing, you'll never feel bored or wondering what time is it. The Winter Solider part of the story was well done with the appropriate emotion induced. One thing's for sure, we're all ready for Cap's next adventure.

4.5/5

LEGO Marvel Superheroes Review

The last time the Marvel Universe banded together for a world-encompassing game was in the less than stellar Ultimate Alliance 2 five years ago. (Yes we're all still wondering why The Avengers game adaption was replaced by Battle for Earth.) The LEGO format by now is no stranger. We've had the very successful LEGO Star Wars and more recently LEGO Batman. (If that wasn't enough, expect LEGO The Hobbit soon.) As shocking as it may be, Warner Bros. actually produced this game. That's basically the equivalent of a Marvel show airing on Cartoon Network. So, does this game cash-in on the Marvel Cinematic Universe phase using the LEGO format or is it something a little more? LEGO Marvel Superheroes is a very nice time for longtime and new fans alike. It perfectly strikes a balance that appeals to everyone. In a world where gory violence dominates the industry, it's very nice to see a happy and cheerful gaming experience.

Loki has returned and alongside Dr. Doom has banded together all the major villains of the Marvel world. It'll take the combined forces of the Avengers, Fantastic Four, X-Men, Spider-Man and more to stop them and the hungry Galactus whom is edging closer and closer to Earth. The game knows what it is: a parody of the comics and Cinematic Universe. It's a lot of fun, and surprisingly the writing is very good. I say surprising because with anything modern Marvel related when it comes to cartoons and the like, you'll see the writing is geared toward the younger audience with no care whatsoever about its longtime fans. Here it's legitimately funny, you'll find yourself smiling throughout the surprisingly long playthrough.

The gameplay is identical to the other LEGO games. Of course, playing as the Marvel heroes should be a different experience, and it is. Every character's abilities is wonderfully realized. From Spider-Man's webslinging to Storm's lightning, the game makes great use of the characters and their unique abilities. The actual levels are pretty well thought out. Despite the game's often large cast per level, each character is put to good, equal use. The playthrough is definitely long, you'll most likely be spending a week on it. Plus, that's only about 12% of the entire game. The Hub World (New York City) is home to an abundance of other things to do. So this game has plenty of replay value after you beat the main story. (And the fact there are over 100 characters to unlock adds to that incentive.)

The obvious negative is the really odd decision to make the characters invincible. It's impossible for you to lose. If you explode into a million LEGO pieces, you reform seconds after. It doesn't really hurt the gameplay experience, but it must be mentioned. Every video game should be able to make you lose, otherwise there's no challenge. That's what a game is, you win or lose. That's why I don't like the recent things Nintendo has done with their games, such as in Super Mario Galaxy 2 and New Super Mario Bros. U where if you keep losing the game gives the option of bypassing the level.

Despite being in the loading screen, the Silver Surfer doesn't do anything in the story and ends up being knocked out for most of it. Fans of Galactus will probably be disappointed with his portrayal. Throughout the story he's hyped as the big boss but in the end Loki ends up controlling him for the final fight. (Gotta love how Marvel prioritizes him over characters like Galactus.) The boss fights are definitely solid. The final battle is nicely grand in scale. I am particularly pleased with the way Spider-Man was portrayed throughout. (He's better portrayed here than in his own cartoon!) This being based mainly on the Cinematic Universe, you'll be having plenty of laughs. (Such as Coulson promising Cap he'll make sure the Statue pf Liberty is repaired.) Speaking of that, it was genius to have Magneto controlling the Statue of Liberty and using it as a weapon, I don't think we've ever seen something like that before.

Overall, LEGO Marvel genuinely surprised me. I wasn't expecting much, but it ended up being one of the most fun times I've ever had with Marvel. The writing is fantastic, you'll be having a blast watching the cutscenes. With a pretty solid comic book-like soundtrack, the game rarely becomes boring. There's plenty to do to in the really expansive New York City hub world. Whether you're a fan who's been reading since 1962 or a brand new fan thanks to the movies, LEGO Marvel Superheroes is well worth your time.

4/5

Why INFINITY is the BEST Marvel Event in a Long Time

Like it or not, in today's Marvel comic world, events are everything. Whereas in the past they were used scarcely, they come extremely fast these days. In fact, sometimes an event is announced while the current one is still going! Sadly, there hasn't been a really "wow, that's epic" event in awhile, until Infinity came along. Age of Ultron was a huge disappointment for many reasons. To this day I'm still wondering what happened to the 'epic conclusion' the final issue promised. What a great thing Marvel butchered, a slap in the face to people like me who had been waiting years to read it. Anyways, a little bit before that Avengers vs. X-Men came out, which was really solid for the most part.

Siege, Fear Itself and Secret Invasion were all lacking. Siege was simple and to the point, but lacked any real impact on the reader. Fear Itself had an absolutely fantastic first issue, but the rest fell flat. (I still can't get over how 'the Mighty' appeared literally out of nowhere with no hype whatsoever.) Secret Invasion had some neat ideas and the build-up was good, but the actual 8 issue series was anything but. (And because of it there's a running gag about Skrulls that's still in the comics today, it's really annoying.) AVX rises above all of those, but is it on the same level of Civil War or The Infinity Gauntlet? At this point nothing will ever be. But at least Infinity tries its best to be the most epic thing the comic world has seen.

When you have comic book movies releasing simultaneously with comics, you have to expect the company to capitalize. With Thanos gaining popularity thanks to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, it was inevitable he was going to be brought back. It was definitely welcome, after his horrid appearance in Avengers Assemble, (what was Bendis thinking, oh right, Bendis, the same writer as Age of Ultron...) it was time for a true Thanos story. Infinity's writer Johnathan Hickman must love poetry, because the writing is very poetic. It's admittedly overdone, but some of it is very good. While no one can quite write Thanos like Jim Starlin, Hickman wrote a really good version of the Mad Titan.

The story is divided into two sections: The Avengers whom are conveniently in outer space and on Earth where Thanos hopes to find his only living son. The son, Thane, was an interesting character for the most part. Sadly by the end, it looks like he's going to be on the evil side, which is unfortunate since the comic basically showed us that he's not his father. It's too ambiguous, which is disappointing since a good chunk of the story revolves around him. Now the climax is pretty epic. Could the fight between Thanos and the Avengers been longer? Yes. But I'll take what we got. We had quite a few fantastic shots, such as an amazing one of Thor taking on the Titan. It actually felt like a true epic climax, something every major comic event needs to have. (Looks at Secret Invasion.)

How about some negatives? Not every event is perfect, unless you're Civil War or Infinity Gauntlet. Ex Nihilo joining the Avengers was an unexpected and cool thing. Readers like myself were looking forward to seeing this guy trade punches with Thanos. We got none of that, in fact Nihilo did practically nothing in the event, which is a true shame since he's one of the better new characters from Marvel. And this is more of a personal gripe, but I can't be the only one that noticed Issue 3 stole Ultron's 'Submit or perish' line from Age of Ultron. But beyond those things, there aren't many other bad things to say about this event. Unlike Age of Ultron, this feels like the story it set out to be: an Avengers vs. Thanos space epic.

Besides the climax, perhaps the best scene in the entire thing is the short fight between Black Bolt and Thanos. Bolt has remained an interesting figure in Marvel. He's always regarded as legendary thanks to his power. So when he loses, such as in World War Hulk, it's a big shock to the heroes and readers. The dialogue from Thanos is fantastic, such as him calling Bolt "Little King." And the way he beats him, by simply slamming him to the ground, is so simplistic and even gritty that it works.

Infinity is a poetic epic, something Johnathan Hickman seems to like writing. Admittedly sometimes it's a little difficult to follow what's happening in the space scenes, but I guess that shows just how complex this story is in comparison to previous events. It might not be as good as the other big Thanos story, Infinity Gauntlet, but it's truly a great read admist lackluster comics today. And once it comes out in trade format, it'll read like a really good poetic epic.

Avengers Assemble 'The Avengers Protocol' Review

Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes was one of Marvel's greatest toons. Some might even call it the best. (The only real competition is X-Men and Spider-Man.) So when it was announced that it would be cancelled so Marvel could have a 'clean slate' for animated programs, it caused a great uproar. The Surtur sub plot, the major arc of Season 2, would never be finished. Many were biased against Assemble from the start cause it was replacing EMH. To calm everyone, it was said that it would be in the same continuity as EMH. I highly doubt that was in the original plan, but we'll never know. The trailer came and wowed people, the animation looked really good and more 'traditional.' Sadly it appeared to be similar in tone with Ultimate Spider-Man, which too looked good in the beginning. (And you saw how that turned out.) Based on marketing an promotion, Assemble used the film's atmosphere and characters. It's basically something for people who saw last year's movie to hop aboard. It gives the illusion that it's in the same universe. So do we have a quality show or a shameless cash-in to the movie? Despite marketing pointing to the latter, it's actually very fun.

The story takes place a few years after for some odd unexplained reason the Avengers disbanded. The Red Skull is back, and has MODOK on his side. Iron Man decides to launch the 'Avengers Protocol,' re-gathering Earth's Mightiest Heroes. A lot of things happen during the forty minutes, which includes Cap supposedly dying and Red Skull stealing Tony's armor and becoming the Iron Skull. First off, I like how bold the premiere starts. Cap gets picked off early on, sending a shock to the viewer. We obviously know he's not dead, but it's still an interesting way to start off. It's obvious this series is taking a less serious approach in hopes of trying to mimic the film's and Ultimate Spider-Man's atmosphere. It surprisingly works, it isn't too comical like USM, yet has enough comedy fans and newcomers can have fun with. Hulk's banter with Thor every Avenger nevers gets old. I'm really glad they stayed with his EMH personality as opposed to the film's. Character portrayals are pretty solid for the most part. Tony Stark's voice sounded off in the beginning, but it grows on you over the course of 40 minutes. (People didn't like his EMH voice either at first.) The only questionable character is the Black Widow. Her personality doesn't match the film's, EMH's or even the comics. She's actually sometimes annoying.

Red Skull is the primary antagonist of the premiere, and looks to be a recurring force. It's a pretty decent portrayal, about on par with EMH's. The big thing is him taking the Iron Man armor from Tony. It's a pretty dramatic scene that had an amazing amount of tension. Now dubbed 'Iron Skull,' he made some modifications to the look, which was great. It's good to see the show taking some unique routes. The action is pretty solid. I will admit the teasing of a true Hulk/Thor fight is kinda sad, but oh well. The animation is more traditional than EMH. Most people really didn't like the animation of the previous show at first, but overtime it grew on them. Much like from the Spectacular Spider-Man to Ultimate, Assemble looks more like a 'normal' toon, much like Justice League or X-Men. It looks good, not quite as much as the aforementioned shows, but solid.

Avengers Assemble Is off to a very good start. It successfully captures the fun atmosphere of the movie without sinking to Ultimate Spider-Man level of comedy. Characters, aside from Black Widow, are great as always. The story nicely sets things up for the coming episodes. Avengers 2 comes out in two years, so let us enjoy this fun show in the meantime.

4/5

Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes 'Avengers Assemble' Review

I remember when Earth's Mightiest Heroes was first announced. It was four years ago when they released a promo image, featuring Captain America, Thor, Iron Man, Ant-Man, Wasp, and Hulk, it was pretty exciting. The previous and only Avengers show, United They Stand, not too many people were fond of. (I still enjoy it.) This series looked to be the definitive Avengers show and quite possibly the Justice League of Marvel Animation. When the trailer was released it got for the most part positive reception. There were quite a few however who did not like the art style, in fact, some thought it would be kiddy because of it. But, when Breakout premiered two years ago, it was met with positive reception. Today, a lot of fans are disappointed that it's been cancelled in favor of the upcoming Avengers Assemble. (Technically it takes place after EMH, so we'll see.) There was a rather long hiatus between Season 1 and Season 2, about a year. The first part of Season 2 was about the Skrull Invasion with the Surtur subplot in the background. After the Skrulls were finished, the show went on to tell some one-shot stories, aside from the Kree two parter. Now we're at the final episode, which ironically is called 'Avengers Assemble.' It's pretty much an episode comic fans will have fun with, seeing all the heroes battling Galactus for the first time in amimation is pretty exciting. It's a cool episode, but would have worked better as a two-parter. It feels too rushed and Galactus was handled horribly. 

The beginning is pretty appropriate, a nice dialogue sequence with Tony and Cap. The former is curious about how the Avengers will be remembered in history. Soon a bunch of gigantic space debris appear, so the team is called in. A being called Terrax is the cause of this debris, which takes over Stark Tower. "I am Terrax, herald to the Devourer" and then the fun begins. It's always exciting when Galactus is involved in a story, because you know things are about to go down. As I've said, this should have been a two-parter. Terrax comes and right away announces Galactus is coming, then the big guy's ship appears some moments after. There's not enough time to grasp it for the "Wow" effect. Soon Cap calls in a bunch of heroes, including the Heroes for Hire. the Fantastic Four, War Machine, Winter Soldier, Wolverine (where's the other X-Men?) and of course Spider-Man, among a few others. It's pretty much a fan service episode to see all these heroes together. There's plenty of action as they take on Terrax and the other three heralds. (No Silver Surfer though.) I do have to question how the Human Torch's fire blast beat a cosmic water herald's blast. There are some really memorable parts from the script. I like how Tony said "Why is it always my building?" as the debris goes around Stark Tower. My favorite is when Terrax says "You believe you could defeat a herald of Galactus?" with Cap replying "We don't just believe monster, we're doing it." The show's writers did a great job with the scripts in this show, I hope Assemble lives up to it. Now this brings me to my major criticism with the episode, Galactus. 

Galactus has appeared in two different shows in the past. His first appearance was in the 90's Fantastic Four series. His major appearance episode was in 'The Silver Surfer and the Coming of Galactus.' He made a few other appearances later in the show. His next appearance would be in the very short lived Silver Surfer cartoon. (Never heard of it? Thanos was in it too.) In both shows he is displayed as omnipotent and has a personality. Neither good, nor evil, arrogant, but not without understanding. In this show it's the complete opposite. To be fair, not too much can be done in one episode when there are other focuses at the same time. The problem is that he has no personality. Reed Richards is correct when he says Galactus is a force of nature, but that's too literal in this incarnation. He doesn't even talk. Now that was a letdown, part of the reason why watching Galactus is so much fun is to hear what he says. He's defeated rather too quickly and if you weren't a longtime Marvel fan, you wouldn't fully grasp how powerful he is. If anything, you'd think Ultron was more powerful just basing things on this show. I would have really preferred if they had substituted Galactus for Surtur. Even if it was going to be rushed, and least we would have had closure to a major story. (Yes, even though Assemble is technically a sequel, it won't carry over previous plot threads. In fact, you can bet it won't even reference previous events at all.)

Overall, on the surface this is a pretty fun and explosive episode. Looking deeper, you begin to notice its faults. It feels too rushed and just put together so the show can have some kind of finale. There isn't much to Galactus, he has as much personality as Sentry 459. (Except the latter was actually cool.) It is admittedly fun to see all the heroes together, with Spider-Man naturally getting the most spotlight of the guest stars. (Now that's Spider-Man, none of that Ultimate nonsense.) In the end, it's a rather rushed finisher for this great series, like it was put together quickly so a deadline could be met. Still, it's a blast if you've been a loyal watcher of the show or a longtime comic fan. I hope Assemble lives up to this series, we shall see next year.

3/5

Weekly Comic Reviews

Hey all, I have three comic reviews for you this time around. Before I begin, I think I'll take some of this space to talk about something pretty interesting. Thanks to my, I quote, 'stunning work and dedication' of my work over at Unleash the Fanboy, I'm getting a free trade paperback of my choice! I ended up choosing the original Secret Wars story. (I was deciding between that and Marvel Zombies.) Hard work and dedication pays off. So yeah, now that I bored you long enough, onto the reviews. Here we have the Lizard taking over, Namor attacking, and Batman getting pummeled...

Amazing Spider-Man #689

Official Description

• Spider-Man, Peter Parker, Curt Connors, and the Lizard. The stars of this summer’s big blockbuster movie are right here! • Morbius the Living Vampire is on the loose and no one at Horizon Labs is safe—including a recently cured Curt Connors. • But if Curt Connors is cured, who or what is that new Lizard creature? It’s definitely someone Spider-Man knows…

Review

Never Turning Back is shaping up to be the best Lizard story of all time, and the best Spidey story in awhile. It feels like something from the late 80's, and that's a good thing. This version of Lizard is by far the best we've seen, Slott's writing for him is savage yet incredibly smart. However, other than the whole Lizard thing, Morbius takes a central role here. My favoriote part of the issue is when after he bit into Sajani's neck, Spidey was on the scene and attacked. The writing is stronger than ever, in fact, it's the strongest aspect. I just want to say the plot point of having Connors' mind out of commission in place of the Lizard's is such a unique and awesome thing. I'll be disappointed if this arc ends with the generic amd cheesy 'Conners mind eventually takes over and wins.' The art is very good, I wouldn't mind seeing it for the rest of the Spidey issues.


Overall it's another great issue. Never Turning Back looks to be a classic, this issue shouldn't be missed.

9/10

Avengers vs. X-Men #7

Official Description

• Cyclops changes the game with these three words: “No More Avengers!”

Review

With Marvel NOW being announced, everyone's wondering how exactly the ending of Avengers vs. X-Men leads into it. While technically not much happened in this issue, it was still very good. For once Cyclops doesn't come off as rather insane, his reasoning and logic makes sense. The tension between him and Namor was pretty intense, these Phoenix Five are getting pretty shady with each other, it makes the story a whole lot more interesting. Scarlet Witch is turning out to be one of the best characters in this event, it's interesting how she is really the only one that's able to keep the X-Men at bay. It makes for a great story when the heroes are on the losing side. I'm really looking forward to seeing how this all ends. And...someone dies! Or...not. Oliver Coipel's art works better for this event than John Romita Jr.'s.

Overall not much is progressed, but still another fantastic issue in this event.

9/10

Detective Comics #11

Official Description

• The connection between HYPNOTIC and the attacks on Wayne Enterprises is revealed! • Plus, the latest chapter in the TWO-FACE backup story. 

Review

The previous issue in this series had renewed faith for me, I was on the verge of dropping it. Detective Comics has been a pretty 'loose' series, sometimes it's good, and sometimes it's pretty bad. The next part in this arc thankfully keeps up the good. First off, I just want to say that I'm really enjoying Mr Toxic as the antagonist, I hope he keeps popping up in future issues. My only minor gripe is Batman's portrayal, he's coming off more as a dark Spider-Man than Batman. The way the story progress is interesting, Batman doesn't know what Mr. Toxic is doing, but at the same time the latter's plan isn't exactly going as planned. Interesting plot points there. The art is once again one of the strongest aspects of the book, one of the best covers I've seen in awhile.

Overall it's another great issue, this arc with Mr. Toxic has been the best since the first story with Joker and Dollmaker.

9/10

Weekly Comic Reviews

Hey all, welcome back. This week all I have is one title for review, but it's truly a big one. The Phoenix Five have taken over in...

Avengers vs. X-Men #6

Official Description 

The all-powerful Phoenix Force has found not one, but FIVE hosts and in Avengers VS. X-Men #6 – their mission is clear, remake the Marvel Universe in their image. Kicking off the world changing second act of the comic book event of the year, the blockbuster team of Jonathan Hickman and Olivier Coipel show fans just what Pax Utopia looks like through the eyes of Cyclops, Emma Frost, Namor, Colossus & Magik! How will Earths Mightiest and the other X-Men respond to this new development? And what role will the Scarlet Witch play once she enters the conflict? Find out in Avengers vs. X-Men #6!

Review 

For awhile it was just basically both teams fighting it out trying to get to Hope. Now things have changed. Led by Cyclops, five members are engulfed with the Phoenix force and are remaking the world as they see fit. The Avengers now have to go on a suicide mission to get Hope. This is definitely one of, if not the best issue yet in this event. The X-Men have won, thanks to the Phoenix force. (Very clever to have this whole plot point happen.) Now the Avengers have basically no way of winning, case in point as Cyclops easily disposes of Thor. This type of conflict is always the best in a comic, the heroes really don't have a shot. And then by the end, a glimmer of hope (no pun intended ) is established. The writing is a very strong, a highlight is the scene with Professor X and Cyclops. The art is pretty strong here, Cycplos' new armor looks menacing and admittedly one of the most awesome armor designs I've ever seen. Though the art makes some of the characters in background shots look strange. (A slouching Thor.)

Overall the sixth installment in this event is fantastic. You have no clue what's going to happen, since the Avengers are pretty much powerless against the Phoenix Five. As Cyclops lifts up Cap's helmet with the 'A' logo and says 'No more Avengers,' the reader feels a certain 'wow' and will be waiting with anticipation for the next issue.

9/10

Marvel's THE AVENGERS Review

By now you've probably read a thousand reviews for this film. So what's the point of writing a review that will be positive like the rest? Every reviewer has their own personal likes with a film, so it's always good to add your say. Like many, I've been reading comics for a long time. Let's rewind time to ten years ago. I would be six, the idea of an Avengers film was nothing short of a dream. Yes, super heroes on the big screen was reality, but just the thought of seeing something such as the Avengers just wasn't possible. Fast forward six years later, with the first Iron Man film. Still, the thought of a film like this was still unbelievable. That was, of course, until the after-credits scene with Nick Fury saying "The Avenger Initiative." (I was one of the many who spoiled it by watching the leaked version online.) Imagine all the excitement after that, the possibilities were endless. Thus began the 'countdown to Avengers.' Marvel had a blast with hyping it up using the next films; Incredible Hulk, then Iron Man 2, then Thor, and finally Captain America. By then, we knew an Avengers film was imminent. Now, we had to wonder if they would get it right. A film of such magnitude could easily go the other way. Well true believer, as I'm sure you've read over a thousand times already, the Avengers is everything you want it to be, and then some. It's by far the greatest comic book movie of our generation, and probably won't be surpassed until Avengers 2.

Here's the official description, cause it'll describe it better than I could.

Marvel Studios presents in association with Paramount Pictures “Marvel’s The Avengers”–the Super Hero team up of a lifetime, featuring iconic Marvel Super Heroes Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, Thor, Captain America, Hawkeye and Black Widow. When an unexpected enemy emerges that threatens global safety and security, Nick Fury, Director of the international peacekeeping agency known as S.H.I.E.L.D., finds himself in need of a team to pull the world back from the brink of disaster. Spanning the globe, a daring recruitment effort begins. Starring Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner and Samuel L. Jackson, and directed by Joss Whedon, “Marvel’s The Avengers” is based on the ever-popular Marvel comic book series “The Avengers,” first published in 1963 and a comics institution ever since. Prepare yourself for an exciting event movie, packed with action and spectacular special effects, when “Marvel’s The Avengers” assemble in summer 2012. In “Marvel’s The Avengers,” superheroes team up to pull the world back from the brink of disaster when an unexpected enemy threatens global security.

What is the main purpose of a film? Yes, there many purposes these days in the movie industry, but I think we can all agree that a film's main purpose is to entertain, to let the viewer escape reality for a bit. With that said, it's no surprise that Avengers may just be the most entertaining film since Godzilla Final Wars. There's so much action, yet a really great story is squeezed in there. There's this crazy group called the 'general audience.' What that means is that there's this very large group of people who can't accept things that don't feel 'real' or anything on the insane fantasy side. The Avengers appeases both sides, if the numbers are to be believed. This movie is bringing in the money, even on the international scale. Let's face it, the Avengers brings everything it promised. It's fun, fast-paced, and often times humorous thanks to the awesome cast.

Wow, this is probably the most diverse cast I've ever seen in a film. We've seen these people in their respective movies, but the performances by each actor here easily trump their own performances in their films. First off, Chris Evans as Captain America. I gotta say that in his solo film, he was good, but here, wow. Now I can't think of anyone else who would have done a better job. Evans did a phenomenal job as the First Avenger, he was by far my favorite character. The way Cap's portrayed was spot on, he takes charge and is established as the definitive leader. C'mon, who doesn't geek-out when he gives his fellow Avengers commands on how to handle the invasion situation. Plus, he had my favorite line of dialogue, "There's only one God ma'am, and I'm pretty sure He doesn't dress like that." Even if the mask looks a bit cheesy, Cap was truly great in this film. Of course, the 'general audience' will always be a big fan of Robert Downy Jr. as our Iron friend. I don't blame them either, he's the definitive Tony Stark, having the most witty and humorous lines of the whole thing. Seriously, one can't help but smile every time he's on screen. Not really feeling Chris Hemsworth as Thor. Not bad by any means of course, but I didn't think he was that great in the role of the Thunder God. (I'm not saying he was bad, he was good, just not great like Downy or Evans.) I gotta say that another standout role was Scarlet Johansson as Black Widow. She was good in Iron Man 2, but I thought she didn't get to showcase what she could really do in the role. Anything negative said in the past about her with the role should be put to rest, she was one of the best characters in the whole thing. The Black Widow is my favorite female superhero, and I approve her portrayal in the film. Jeremy Renner as Hawkeye was pretty good, pretty much what'd you expect from a live action Hawkeye. While he didn't get as much as a focus like the others, he still had a pretty big role for the most part. Now time for Loki. Tom Hiddleston did a FANTASTIC job as the God of Mischief, like he was pulled straight out of the comics. He brings realism into his role, something that a lot of antagonists in these films lack. (Puts Doctor Doom from both Fantastic Four movies to great shame.) Mark Ruffalo (aside from looking a tad too old for the part) was great as Bruce Banner/Hulk. He added a certain 'coolness' to his role. He's the Hulk, he's accepted that, and has moved on. At first I thought he wouldn't have anything on Edward Norton. However, after this film, I can safely say that he makes a just as good, if not better Banner. Samuel L. Jackson returns as Nick Fury once again. He was great, (naturally) but got a smaller role than I thought. He barely fought, I was expecting maybe for him to fight a little more. Also, how can one not like Clark Gregg as Agent Coulson? It's cool that the Marvel Cinematic Universe added this guy, he's a fun addition to the great cast.

Surprisingly, the whole 'invasion' part felt short.  There was a lot of buildings blown up, but I think it could have been more of a focus. A disappointing part was the Chitauri, they're nothing but mindless pharaoh looking creatures. (I think I know where Battleship got the design ideas for their aliens.) Also, the 'Leviathan' part was hugely disappointing. They (that's right, there's more than one) are finished off rather quickly by Hulk. There are however many geek-out moments here. Yes, there is a Thor vs. Hulk fight. Yes, it's satisfying and awesome. In fact, the battles are some of the greatest I've ever seen in a live action film, the choreography is amazing. We're getting fights from the comics we've always dreamed of. You can't help but cheer when Cap stepped in to battle Loki like a boss. (With some great dialogue from him to compliment the entrance.) Then the fight between Thor and Iron Man was just amazing, it's just a blast seeing these two together, let alone fighting it out! There's this really nice scene with the big three (Cap, Iron Man, and Thor) standing together. It was also a nice touch to have Thor swing his hammer just like from the comics. Comic fans will of course appreciate these little things more. (Thor's hammer banging against Cap's shield? Yes, it has that.) One thing that didn't make sense to me was when Hulk first transformed. He wanted to kill Black Widow, but later on, he seems to be in control and on the heroic side. (Even saving Iron Man from the brink of destruction.) It wasn't quite clear if Loki was controlling him or not. Besides that, I can't really name anything bad or inconsistent, because there really isn't much negative things to say. We get some great dialogue between the characters, some awesomely humorous moments, (Hulk beating around Loki like a rag doll, you would have to see the scene to get the full laugh) and it's the Avengers on the big screen. I'm almost surprised I came this far into the review without fainting from the awesomeness.

Overall, what's more to say? The Avengers is a darn fun film. The cast is top notch, and I really mean that. There's never a dull moment, the dialogue is always fun and often times with humor. The mid-credits scene is also amazing, it really makes the hardcore Marvel Comic fan's heart pound with excitement. The Avengers delivers in every category; acting, action, soundtrack, and overall fun, We get what no one thought possible in a live action film: Hulk vs. Thor. Joss Whedon has successfully done something no one ten years ago thought could happen: bring Earth Mightiest Heroes to the big screen. The only thing truly missing is the iconic battle cry, "Avengers Assemble!" But besides that, The Avengers captures everything a comic fan wants, and then some.

10/10.

Retro Review: Captain America #300

In comics, there's always the big 'final battle' issue for a solo character against his worst enemy. It usually results in either the villain's death or a new status quo for their relationship as worst enemies. Spider-Man had his 'final confrontation' with Venom in Amazing Spider-Man #375, Iron Man had his final battle with Iron Monger in Iron Man #200, Thor had his final battle with Loki in The Mighty Thor #432, etc. I'll get to all those eventually, but this time I'm talking about Captain America's battle 'to the death' with his worst enemy, the Red Skull.

One of the things the Captain America film failed to do was develop the relationship between Cap and Skull. In the comics, the Red Skull had always considered Cap to be his equal. In the film, he treats him more like a nuisance. This comic was the perfect way to end "a war that begun 40 years ago." Blows are felt, it's good stuff. The writing is just fantastic, some of the best writing I've ever read in a comic. I especially like when Skull says, "Two gods locked in raging battle, for all eternity!" Then Cap replies, "We are not two gods! Just two tired old men!" This issue deserves an animated adaption, it's comic book drama at its best. I like how Red Skull doesn't care about dying, he just wants to see Cap lowered to his level. Reminds me of the Batman/Joker dynamic.

Characters on the verge of killing their most hated enemy is something we've all seen a thousand times, but here it feels more fluid and dramatic. Cap saying how he hates the Red Skull for his evil and then the panels with him about to land the killing blow is just dramatic. What follows is a fantastic scene of Skull getting angry cause he wanted Cap to kill him. These characters were just written great. The actual fight is in essence, a fight to the death. There are no beams or capes, it's just two men punching each other out of commission, all the while with great dialogue. The death of the Skull is climatic, and the perfect closure to there 40 year feud.

Overall, Captain America #300 is the definition of 'battle to the death.' The writing by Micheal Ellis is some of the best I've ever read in a comic. The art by Paul Neary holds up pretty well, considering this comic came out way back in 1984. (The year of Big Brother, whoever gets this reference gets a thumbs up from me.) Cap and Skull would have more battles later on, but none would compare to the battle in this comic. It's definitely the greatest Captain America comic I've ever read.

10/10.

Retro Event Review: The Infinity Gauntlet

Comic book events are an interesting bunch. Back then, it would be like, "My gosh, they're all there. I need this, it's going to be so awesome." Today it's like, "Oh great, hopefully it'll be better than the last one." What happened here? You would think as the years went by, Marvel would get better with their events. But that's not case, with recent follies such as Secret Invasion and Fear Itself, it seems that the company just doesn't know how to do a good event these days. The Infinity Gauntlet is the second major Marvel event, the first being Secret Wars. It's about how an evil titan gains unlimited power and seeks to win the affection of Mistress Death. Twenty-one years later, it still holds up amazingly.

As you all know, that mad titan is Thanos. Thanos is one interesting villain. He seems to be truly evil, but only wanting Mistress Death's affection. Issue One is proof of this, he eradicates half of the universe's population for her in a single snap of the fingers. No, this isn't Dragon Ball Z. And if you think that's insane, later in the event, some of two Celestials hurl whole planets at Thanos as an attack. Wow. They really went all-out for this event. (Seriously, whole planets are hurled, you will have to read it to believe it.) The first issue of this event did a perfect job of captivating the scope. The writing in this issue is just great, Mephisto explaining to Thanos about how great the titan is, among other things. Mistress Death has a pretty quiet role in this event, until the surprising turn of events when she turns on Thanos. That was a great moment, and just one of the many great moments in this event.

Fear Itself wanted to be bound in reality, to be realistic, from the public's point of view. It failed. It failed miserably in that aspect. So here we have The Infinity Gauntlet, an event where whole planets are hurled as weapons, that does a better job of being grounded in reality than Fear Itself. A great example would be the scene where Black Widow attempts to save a woman, fails, and falls to the ground, defeated. Then some bystanders pick her up saying "You did all you could." Good stuff. Then the whole earth moving out of orbit moving into a new ice age was felt. As the issues went on, the scope got bigger, and bigger, I don't think any Marvel event has reached the level of scope this event did. I'll explain why in the coming paragraphs.

I don't think I've ever read a comic where the situation looked so bleak for the Marvel heroes. As they go into space to confront Thanos, you can tell that they all feel an impending doom. As they're getting beaten up, it's just hard to imagine how they could win, cause they literally can't. Thanos literally destroys a bunch of heroes. (Cyclops, Nova, Thor.) Their deaths don't feel thrown in for shock value. It's shocking, but surprising, genuine shock. Thanos controls everything, and actually wins, but made a mistake, which I'll address soon. There are some great moments in the line of battle. Wolverine face to face with Thanos was great, and the scene with Spidey webbing the titan's face had me laughing out loud. The greatest scene, however, is when Captain America walks up to Thanos. A great quote is "As long as one man stands against you, Thanos, you'll never be able to claim victory." Then they have a short, dramatic fight. Cap, a man, against a being with a god's power. As you might expect, Thanos breaks Cap's shield. I like the scene soon after when Cap lets Thanos have it with a punch to the jaw, then Thanos slaps him to the side. Another wow. There are so many great scenes in this event.

One must wonder how the Silver Surfer failed in Issue Four. C'mon, the words were that he 'misses his mark.' You're going to tell me that a being as smart as the Silver Surfer will miss with all that's at stake? This event is also famous for bringing back Adam Warlock. He has his fans, but I found him incredibly dull throughout the whole event. The emotionless type, which is fine, but he just comes off as rather dull. The scene where Thanos becomes the new Eternity was both awe-inspiring and probably the most scary moment for the Marvel universe. He didn't realize his one fatal mistake: Leaving his mortal body with the Gauntlet on with a supposed unconscious Nebula, his granddaughter. Nebula then seizes the Gauntlet for what might be the biggest turn of events in all of comics. What follows is Nebula becoming an all-powerful being, the only problem is that she isn't too smart. Though what follows happens a bit too fast. Thanos gets warped back as Nebula makes everything as it was twenty-four hours ago. I'm surprised at how fast it goes that the heroes ally themselves with Thanos, it all happens a bit too fast.

It was great seeing Odin bring some of the other gods to the Asgard table. (Yup, he has some dialogue with Zeus in this one.) It was great, but the sad part is that they don't contribute to the fight against Thanos at all. They get stuck in Asgard, it almost feels like the whole scene with them was a waste. However, the thing that brings up the scope like no other event has done is the inclusion of, well, the universal beings. Galactus. Kronos, Love, Hate, Order, Chaos, two Celestials, they're all there. Their battle with Thanos defines "epic." (Remember the hurling planets? This is where it happens.) One of the early and most dramatic scenes was when Eternity tells the Living Tribunal about the unbalance Thanos is causing, then the ladders says, "The strong replace the weak. It is as it should be. No cosmic crime is being committed. The Living Tribunal shall not become involved in this manner." Then he just leaves, it's amazing stuff. Thanos has apparently surpassed Eternity and will reign supreme, and that's how the balance works, according to the Living Tribunal's logic. Then after the great battle, Eternal reveals himself, saying that he's here to reclaim control of that reality. After some great dialogue, they go at it, and then an explosion. Thanos winning didn't come as a surprise, but the fact that he was the new Eternity and that he left his mortal body was just incredible.

Did I mention that Dr. Doom is the only villain to join the heroes? It's quite interesting, but I find it rather odd that after getting blasted from the Gauntlet, his first thought is "I will not be denied those gems!." The pacing is great, with Issue One, Two, and Three building up for the confrontation in Issue Four. "The Cosmic Battle on the Edge of the Universe" was a satisfying issue, that's how you do big event fights. I still don't get why Hulk didn't want to help the Avengers, I mean, if it was a smaller threat, it's passable, but c'mon. This is a world-changer. Really, the two characters that made this event was Cap, for bravery, and Thanos, for being a perfect villain for this event.

Overall, The Infinity Gauntlet is truly an "event." It feels like "the end of the world" and that the heroes have no shot at winning. You have a greatly developed villain who has character, and the scope is huge. The fights were great, and the writing by Jim Starlin is great. This is how the wring should be be done. The art is crisp and clear by George Perez and Ron Lim, whose art easily beats what we're getting in the current Avengers series. The point is, this event is twenty-one years old, and some of Marvel's modern events pale, and I mean PALE in comparison. This event had the scope, the villain. the battles, everything. While it may have some questionable characters, (Drax and Pip being nothing but duds) it's an event filled with amazing character moments. The Infinity Gauntlet is a highly recommended read, it has everything a Marvel event is supposed to have. Did I mention that it has planets being hurled as weapons?

10/10.

Avengers: X-Sanction #1 Review

This would be considered the countdown to next year's Avengers vs. X-Men event. X-Sanction has been getting a considerable amount of hype over the past couple of months, but no over-hype like with Fear Itself. This event marks Cable's return to the Marvel world. (Remember when this event was code-named Cable Reborn?) The premise seemed interesting, and after the failure that was Fear Itself, I was eager for something new. Rather than being a world-changer, this event seems to more quiet, focusing on Cable's mission to eliminate the Avengers. I haven't been too fond of the current Avengers series, so I went into this event very skeptical. All my skepticism was washed away after reading the first couple of pages. If you've been waiting to jump into the Marvel universe, now is the time.

This issue is basically proof that Bendis shouldn't be writing Avengers. Jeph Loeb should write the Avengers from now on. There was no "street humor" in this issue, it feels like an Avengers tale from the mid-2000's. It packs humor with the heroes' quotes, but it's all good. (At least Spider-Man isn't a wisecracking fool, whereas in the current Avengers series.....) The issue does a perfect job of bringing new readers up to speed with it's simple dialogue, this is how you get new readers with events, not like Final Crisis where you're lost in the opening issue.

I haven't been following X-Force, so all this Hope and Cable stuff is new to me. The issue does a good job of bringing the reader up to speed, but it's still a bit confusing. It doesn't get in the way of the story, but it probably would have made more sense with prior knowledge. Cable comes off as rather 'insane.' Now, I don't mean Joker insane, just not thinking straight. Wiping out the Avengers? It just doesn't seem right. The two main stars in this issue are Cable, (of course) and Cap. Gotta say, it's great to have Cap back in the uniform. He's looking great with his scripting, being the best in the issue.

The art is great. See, another thing the current Avengers series fails in is the art department. It just isn't good. This is how the book should be drawn. Cable especially looks good, the art succeeds in giving him a menacing look. The fight between him and Cap is both satisfying and greatly drawn. (Love the scene where Cable punches and Cap blocks with his shield.) It's truly a sight when Cable is seen with Cap's shield, then Cap picks up Cable's gun, I love these moments.

Overall, I was genuinely surprised by this issue. The story is great, interesting, and succeeds in captivating the reader. The art is great, (the cover is awesome, but Cap's face looks a bit off) and the action is fast-paced. The cliffhanger ending is pretty ambitious, I'm curious how the writer will get himself out of this one without it being too cheesy. You'll definitely want to pick up Avengers: X-Sanction #1.

9/10.

Fear Itself: Why it Failed

So I just finished reading the final issue of the Marvel Comics event: Fear Itself. This wasn't a small-time event like Chaos War where it affected only a few books, this event effected EVERYTHING. It all leads back to Secret Wars, the first major Marvel event. For the most part, these game-changers have been astonishing, save for a few. (Secret Invasion.) Universally, it is is accepted that Civil War is the best out of them. In fact, no event prior Fear Itself came anywhere near Civil War in terms of quality. So to combat the more negatively reviewed events after Civil War, prior to Fear Itself, (Secret Invasion and Siege) Marvel decided to make the biggest story they ever told. Don't remember or believe me? Here are some quotes I had the courtesy of finding.

"We are going to be busting the doors down with the biggest story we've ever told."

Uh, what?

When I heard that, I took it like a marketing technique. That's just basically hype, I doubted they really meant "the biggest story they ever told." But they said it, and based on the title of this editorial, you can tell it wasn't. However that quote was not the most important my friends, this was.

"The biggest event since Civil War, maybe even bigger!"

Whoa there, hold on a second. Unlike Secret Invasion and Siege, they were pouring down MASSIVE hype toward this event, they really did mean it......or should I say, meant it. You see, Fear Itself didn't come close to being as epic as Civil War. Of course, you've heard lots of people say that, so I'm here with this editorial to explain things deeply.

Now to be fair, the first issue of this event was the perfect start, I gave it a PERFECT score. The seeds were planted in that issue, ensuring that the event would definitely be world-changing. What what we got wasn't even a land-changer. It changed things, sure, but practically every major thing felt forced. Alright, like I said, issue one was a stellar beginning with amazing moments. The scene where Thor and Odin battled and the latter chaining the first was not only epic, but supremely dramatic. That goes out the window an issue later where Odin lets Thor go free. Huh? Where did this sudden change of character come from? Of course, the aspect that got on everyone's nerves was:

THE DEATH OF BUCKY BARNES.

It wasn't the death itself that annoyed the fanbase, it was how afterward it was forgotten and undervalued. No one seemed to really care, not even Cap. (His care for it was displayed in the Avengers tie-in.) In the issues after, it was forgotten, like the death didn't matter. I knew that he would be the one to bite the dust, but it just felt so meaningless. Like, back in Civil War, Goliath died, that felt major, and was never forgotten. And he isn't even as close to a major character as Bucky! When a death of a major character feels meaningless, you have a problem.

The main antagonist is the "God of Fear:" the Serpent. This guy's backstory with Odin was very interesting, but wasn't explored or fully fleshed out enough. It doesn't help that he was given MASSIVE hype over the course of this event, yet he loses pretty fast in the last issue. I guess it's because he himself barely fought during the event, it was the Worthy who did all the work. One scene they did right was when Thor when to meet the Serpent for the first time, and he slapped aside the Thunder God like paper. What this event needed was more of the Serpent showing his power. The problem with a lot of media, is that if you wait until the very last scene to showcase the villain's power, it will feel underwhelming, cause you kinda know that he won't be able too look too powerful, especially in Marvel's case here, cause they were already saying what's coming after. Therefore the Serpent couldn't have looked like the world-changer villain they hyped him up to be. In a couple of months, this guy will most likely be forgotten, never to be seen again like other characters. (Toxin, what happened to you?)

Another major hyped-but-miserably-failed factor of the series was this:

THE MIGHTY.

They were the Avengers' answer to the Serpent's Worthy. Now that's one pretty awesome concept, I mean, look at those guys. Powered up with Asgardian technology, it's an amazing concept, if executed correctly, it could be one of the epic things to grace comics.......and of course this event mishandled the concept. They were saved for last, which was fine, but they have really no significance in the story. There's no big transformation sequence, it should have been more of a factor.

Fear Itself DOES have its moments. I said in a previous editorial that a very powerful scene I'll never forget was when Cap said, "We're going to lose." The Thor vs. Hulk and Thing battle back in issue five was one of the most epic battles I've ever read in comics. Not to mention the stellar art, some of the best I've seen in comics. And the last issue had the Serpent transforming into well, a real serpent. Now that was EPIC, that beast was the perfect end-boss......if only it could have lasted longer, the final battle was too anti-climatic. So the prophesy was fulfilled that Thor takes out the Serpent, and dies along with it. Not only does this death feel empty, it's hard to take seriously. There wasn't much emphasis on it, and let's face it, he's coming back. And don't get me started on Odin. He never seemed truly sane in this series. I mean, when Cap told him off back in issue six, he actually seemed surprised by the way the Avenger was addressing him.  Also, even in all the chaos and "fear," the Spidey I know wouldn't abandon the battle, it just isn't in his character.

Here's another false quote. "It has a beginning, a middle, and an end."

It doesn't have closure. One of the epilogues has Sin waking from injuries. What follows are these strange people saying that there's still work to be done. So Sin gets up saying that the world can still be changed. TO BE CONTINUED IN FEAR ITSELF: THE FEARLESS it said. Therefore, the story of Fear Itself isn't completed. Wrong, just wrong. They should have just killed of Sin, no one likes her anyway, and I really don't see much people having interest in this Fear Itself sequel. Let's face it, it will have no significance at all, with big events coming such as Avengers: X-Sanction, and 2012's the Age of Ultron. This Fear Itself sequel is nothing but a waste of time.

Overall, Fear Itself was a sound concept, we had very unique teasers showcasing what our heroes fear most. We didn't get any of that. We knew what Marvel was aiming for in this event, we knew that they wanted to make it grounded in the public's view. It was meant to be the opposite of Final Crisis. It was meant to be more from our point of view, what fear feels like. It failed. Fear Itself failed as an event. DC's Justice League and Detective Comics has more of a high-quality feel when compared to some of Marvel's all-star books, like Avengers and Amazing Spider-Man. It's sad. Marvel needs to step it up now, I hope they've learned from this, and start to produce high-quality stuff like they use to.

Thanks for reading.

Marvel vs. Capcom 3 Review

Ah, Marvel vs. Capcom 3. This is the third in that series, and one of the most awaited games in the last decade. These games are known for their super addictive gameplay and their outrageous combos and finishers. This is where the hardcore gamers come in for some hours of brawling. This game had some pretty big hype, with a monthly countdown of the characters, this was meant to be the big all-out fighting game of the century. Does it succeed? Continue reading to find out.

I rented this game for a weekend a few months ago, (as of September 7th, I now own it) and it was some of the most fun I've ever had. The gameplay is just so wild and fun, that it's just hard to put the controller down. I tell myself that this battle would be the last battle, but I find myself wanting to do another one right after. Indeed, this game is probably the most fun and addictive fighting game I've ever played.

But it's not perfect.

Read this quote I took from an interview about the game's plot. ".....when we really started, the only thing we had in mind was that particular style of American comic, and the fact we put more weight behind the story came afterwards."

Really? REALLY?!

In another interview, they actually had the audacity to call the game's story "deep." Alright, before it came out, that was a major factor for me. I was expecting a big cutscene-driven story mode, and what did we get? Arcade. That's what we got. Simple arcade mode, with no story behind it. Just battles after battles.

The whole plot is basically told through these short "movies" you unlock. They are pretty spectacular, boasting some awesome graphics and great action. These videos were the ones they released during the months, so it gave you the illusion of a big story mode. Major fail there. Sure, you'll probably tell me that you don't buy a fighting game for its story mode, you buy it for fighting. True.....but this is not just an arcade game where you pop in a few quarters and use a joystick for a few rounds. This is a 60$ next gen game, I'm going to need more than a little arcade mode. Nintendo's Super Smash Bros. Brawl set the standards for a story within a fighting game, why couldn't this game follow it? This game is NOT story driven at all, despite what you might have heard.

The game boasts a great amount of characters.....um, excuse me, I meant an unacceptable amount. The previous game had 56, but this game is downgraded to 36. The excuse here is that the previous game had lots of "clones" for characters. (For non-video game people, clones are characters that use the same moveset as another character.) Fine, but that's still no excuse. Fighting games are supposed to have more characters as they go along. Super Smash Bros. Brawl had 35, nine more than its previous entry. Heck, Dragon Ball Z Budokai Tenkaichi 3 has over 100! You're going to tell me that you couldn't have surpassed 36? Nonsense.

Regarding the characters, they picked decently. However, you have to wonder why they would pick Taskmaster over Venom. I mean really? Yes, I was hugely disappointed that Spidey's nemesis didn't make the cut. Not even Carnage or Anti-Venom! Instead, we get MODOK. Who wants to play as a giant head? Not me. Capcom left out their own mascot, Megaman. The excuse? "He doesn't have enough powers." That.....that's just sad. I think Capcom wants to distance itself from Megaman completely. (Sorry Legends 3.)

I've been mocking this game a lot, haven't I? Don't get me wrong, it's still one of the most fun games you'll ever play. I never got the first two Marvel vs. Capcoms, (played those bad boys in the arcade a few times on vacation) so this whole thing was relatively new for me. Thanks to my old PS1 game Marvel Super Heroes, I learned pretty quickly. This game is one of those games where it's so easy to get completely annihilated if you don't get into the combos and really know the controls. The game features this beginner mode where the controls are simple for the rookie. I'd say skip that and just get to know the controls from a bunch of vs. rounds.

I played a few online matches in the game, and I would have to say that it has the greatest online mode I've ever played. Opponents come in fast, and there is no lag whatsoever. It's almost as if you were playing a local match! Nintendo could take a few pointers from this, their online really is bad sometimes. (I'm looking at you TMNT Smashup.)

In the battles, it's all about finding out what your best team is. It's good to play around with several different characters, each is very different. I use Spider-Man, Zero, and Iron Man. Spidey, cause he's my all-time favorite character, Zero, cause his sword skills I put to great use, and Iron Man for his uni-beam and finisher. A lot of times in fighting games, there seems to be a certain "unbalance." Like, if you are a pro with Sentinel, chances are that you would be very, very hard to beat. Like with Smash Bros, I notice that a lot of the pros use Meta Knight, cause he is definitely the most unbalanced of the roster, making him a superior character. MVC3 does a pretty good job with that, if you play your cards right, Sentinel won't be a problem. (Key: Iron Man's missiles and Zero's sword.)

I like how Marvel made sure to include nice references for the fans. If Cap beats Iron Man in a battle, he would say, "Just like Civil War!" It's those little moments that make this game shine. (Not to mention that it puts a smile on your face.) At the end of arcade mode, you have (you probably know this already) Galactus as the final boss. I'll give arcade mode props to that, the final boss is EPIC. Each character has their own ending, which was nice. (It doesn't make up for no story mode.)

Overall, Marvel vs. Capcom 3 is lacking in two severe categories: story and characters. They said that it would be story driven. Nope. I could forgive characters if Venom was included. (Fine, call me biased.) However, it still is probably the greatest fighting game to come out in the last ten years, good luck trying to put down the controller. It's also a lot more fun when you have someone to play with, trust me on that. Fast-paced, great characters, and a good amount of stages makes this game worth the money.

I give Marvel vs. Capcom 3 an 8/10.