Spare some change.

Last Thursday the internet vomited after DC Comics revealed it's "new look" for it's three most popular heroes; Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman:

First off, Supermans "costume" is not a costume. If it is, I wear a Superman costume almost every day. Secondly, if you've been reading comics for less than 1 year, you're allowed to complain. If you've been reading comic books for MORE than one year, please, stop talking. You honestly believe that these costumes will be the way that Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman will look for the rest of time? Are you new? The second lesson that they teach you in Comics 101 is that "New Costumes never last". Am I wrong?

The only thing that never changes in comics (or in life, for that matter), is the fact that everything changes. If you don't like it, don't worry, it'll change back. Maybe not for a little bit, but it will. Does that mean you should just take everything you're fed with a smile? Of course not! But, if you're going to protest something do it the RIGHT WAY. Don't just bitch and moan to bitch and moan. If you're on Twitter, tweet at DC, not at me or all your other followers. Some of them might actually LIKE the changes. If you're on Facebook, post on Marvel's page, not everyone else's. They can't do anything about the fact that Wonder Woman has blades. So yes, protest, write emails, write letters (with honest to God paper, envelopes and stamps), use social media in its correct form, to let your voice be heard. Do you think everyone else has nothing better to do than listen to you bitch? Well, you're wrong. They do have better things to do. A LOT better things to do.
-And seriously, Wonder Woman having blades on her costumes does NOT make her any less of a powerful woman than Captain America having armor makes him less of a man.

What I thought of...Batman Eternal #9

Batman Eternal #9: Wow. Yeah, that's about it. Wow.
The Good: This issue, the good starts on page 1 and doesn't stop until the last page. This one, is not only ACTION packed, it's STORY packed as well. We find out TONS of Carmine Falcone, what he did while he was away from Gotham (When someone leaves Gotham for a period of time, why do they ALWAYS go to Hong Kong? No one ever goes to, like, Vegas or anything?), what happened to him and the lasting effects of his stay there. We also get some really good scenes with Commissioner Forbes, Catwoman, and the introduction of a character that will........no. No spoilers. You gotta buy this on your own to feel the effect.
The Bad: I had to read it digitally. Ewww.
The Verdict: BEST. ISSUE. SO. FAR. I'm not even kidding. It had everything-great story, great art, this issue was just phenomenal!! Go out and grab it NOW!!!

What I thought of...Batman Eternal #8

Batman Eternal #8: Like the Doobie Brothers, Batman is Takin It to the Streets!!!!
The Good: There is a LOT of good in this issue!! And talk about a page-turner! I found myself burning through this issue, because it's filled with action. Batman is on a tear trying to take down Falcone and all his gangs and hideouts. We get a nice couple of pages of Stephanie Brown and the conflict with her...let's just say problems. Something pretty big happens in the end, and while it's pretty surprising, it makes me wonder just where the story is going.
The Bad: If I had to pick something bad about this issue, I'd say it reads too quick. But, again, it's only because it's full of high octane action.
The Verdict: BUY. IT. And do it NOW!!

What I thought of...Batman Eternal #6

Batman Eternal #6: Batwing joins the mess and special guest star Jim Corrigan!!
The Good: There's a LOT going on. And I mean a LOT a LOT. Not just filled with action, but it's all over the place. From Batwing to Batman to Arkham Asylum back to Batwing & Jim Corrigan-you get the idea. This issue's script is written by Ray Fawkes, and you can tell the difference. I'm not sure if he's taking care of the "creepy, supernatural" parts of the book(I assume that would be Seeley's job), but the book has a noticeably different feel to it. A change in tone that's pretty dramatic, not because of the difference of the writer, because that's what this issue NEEDS.
The Bad: As I said above, there's a LOT going on. Almost have to keep a scorecard and old issues handy at this point. It's nothing bad, but I thought that there would be a point by now that the writers would stop introducing new story lines.
The Verdict: Even though this is my least favorite issue of the series so far, I say buy it. BUT, I have to warn you-I think this is the make it or brake it issue. From here, you're either in or your out. And, I'm in. 100%.

What I thought of...Batman Eternal #5

Batman Eternal #5: Red Robin flies into Gotham as Harper & Cullen Row get caught up in the mystery!
The Good: Oh MAN!!! Just when you thought you knew where this story was going and what it was about...YOU DON'T!! That's right, the writers throw a BRAND NEW MYSTERY into the mix!!! And Red Robin shows up to join the action. This issue is chock-full of awesomeness.
The Bad: Again, just like last week, the Gotham gang war only gets mentioned a little bit. But, when you're telling a story that is this many parts, you can't spend all your time with one story line.
The Verdict: Just like the last 4 weeks, I'm saying BUY IT!!! New artist, new mystery....what's not to love?!??!?!?!?!

What I thought of...Batman Eternal #4

Batman Eternal #4: Batman battles Batgirl as Jim Gordon's troubles take a turn for the worse!!
The Good: Another awesome issue!! This issue, the focus splits a little and spotlights the relationship between Batgirl and Batman during this whole Commissioner Gordon crisis. The writers REALLY strain the relationship but are careful not to brake it, but they really pull it apart as much as they can. Meanwhile, we get to spend some time with Jim Gordon, who's basically given up on his case and accepts his fate, and that begins the journey of a VERY interesting road.
The Bad: I guess I would have to be most disappointed in that in this issue, the creative team took the focus away off the gang war and crime itself. Now, there IS a major development in the case, but it's yet to be a proven lead, and the real culprit is still miles away from being identified. Also, the gang war that started last issue, looks to have stopped for a brief minute, which is kind of weird pacing wise.
The Verdict: Worth the time and worth the money!!...just like the three issues before it. Keep going with this one, Batfans, it is gonna be SOOOO worth it in the end!!

What I thought of...Batman Eternal #3

Batman Eternal #3: The return of a fan-favorite Batman supporting character: KING TUT!!!
The Good: OK, so it's not King Tut. It's Stephanie Brown! And boy, is she up shit creek. But, that is the LEAST of Batman's worries. There's a huge gang war, and somebody REALLY REALLY bad has taken control of the Gotham City Police Department. I also get the feeling that there's not one, but TWO major villains at work in this story and they're NOT working together. In fact, I'm not even sure that one is aware of the other. As the first 2 issues, this issue is action and mystery from first page to last and it's ALL good!! Just when you slow down to catch your breath, something else (literally) blows up!
The Bad: ............I got nothin.
The Verdict: I know it's early in the game, but this is seriously THE best weekly comic from DC that I've ever read. And, I've read them all. Grab it!!

What I thought of...Batman Eternal #2

Batman Eternal #2: A notorious villain appears for the first time in the new DC 52 continuity, and......SPOILER WARNING.....it is NOT King Tut. Dammit.
The Good: I gotta tell you, I'm LOVING this series more than I should. Not that it's secretly bad, but MAN, so far for 2 weeks in a row, The creative team (and I do mean TEAM) has turned out a REALLY solid book. Just like last week, action, suspense, shocks, surprises, and we get to check in with the rest of the Bat-Family. It's hard to go into more detail without spoilers, so I won't.
The Bad: Art-wise there were a couple of panels that I really didn't care for, but at this point, I'm just nitpicking, so it's really no big deal.
The Verdict: What do you think? BUY IT!!!!!!

What I thought of...Batman Eternal #1

Batman Eternal #1: A year-long mystery begins and it begins with a bang! And, a crash. And flames, did I mention the flames?
The Good: Just about everything. THIS is what I want out of a Batman story. Mystery, a supporting cast member in jeopardy, and Batman kicking ass.
The Bad: Man, this is hard to pick. I liked the writing, I liked the art, I liked the whole FEEL of the book overall. I give up, nothing to gripe about here.

-While I was reading this, and knowing that it's going to run, I thought in the back of my mind "how much is this going to change from what I'm reading today? Will the creative team change some of the original story? The Ending? ANYTHING about the series that is "set in stone" at this point?" And then THAT got me thinking "Wow. I wonder how much EVERYTHING will change in a year. How the comics industry will change in a year. How much pop culture will change in a year. How much the world will change in a year." And then THAT got me thinking "I wonder how much I'LL change in a year?" And that leads into...........

Comic-Con Day 3!! And the winner is..........

MOVIES!!!!! Now, while movies win, I'm gonna have to call this a tie between DC/Warner Brothers and Marvel/Disney. BOTH had HUGE announcements that rocked the comic world when they unveiled some pretty surprising stuff. Let's start with Marvel.....

During the final moments of the Marvel Studios panel, Joss Whedon came out to announce that the next Avengers movie would be called....Avengers: Age of Ultron!!! There was even some footage shown. Here, is a description, courtesy of Super Hero Hype:

"It begins outside an alien temple. A man approaches. The Avengers footage is super quick, featuring lines from the first Avengers. Slowly, CGI images form of Ultron's face. Then the title comes up. THE AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON."

WOW! I can't wait!! Now, this does bring up some interesting questions. We saw Thanos in the first Avengers movie, will he play into this movie at all? How are Quicksilver & Scarlet Witch going to fit in? And what about Hank Pym? With what happened in Iron Man 3, I can easily see Tony Stark creating Ultron. I guess we'll find out in about 2 years!!

-Earlier in the day, at the DC panel, Man of Steel director Zack Snyder took to the stage to talk about the Man of Steel sequel. He revealed that the Man of Steel will costar none other than.......BATMAN!!! He then revealed the logo for the film:

Shooting is expected to begin next year for a 2015 release. No real details were revealed except that Batman WILL be recast and that the supporting cast of Man of Steel will return for the sequel. 

-Boy, between Avengers 2, the Sueprman/Batman movie and Star Wars Episode VII, 2015 is going to be one hell of a summer!!!

-Besides the movie announcements, there were some great comic announcements that were made. Here's links to just a few of them.

-Top Cow revealed some big plans for their company, including a Darkness film. You can read all about that over at Comic Book Resources.

-Robert Venditti spoke about the direct that the Green Lantern books are going to take, go here to read what he had to say.

-Scott Snyder & Greg Capullo spoke about Batman: Year Zero. Check that one out at this link!

-Join me tomorrow for SDCC wrap up day 4!!! 

Comic-Con Day 2 wrap up! The winner is...

These 2 guys!!

That's right kids, Challengers Comics + Conversation won the Will Eisner Spirit of Retailing award for Best Comic Store Friday night at the VERY end of the show (dear Eisner guy, would it kill you to announce this award earlier in the evening? I was REALLY freakin' tired by the time the award was presented) !!!!! A HUGE congratulations go out to owners Patrick Brower & W. Dal Bush!!! These two guys literally built this store with their own 2 hands, (OK, 4 hands) and have over the last 5 years that Challengers has been in business taken the city of Chicago by storm. Also, they are two very close friends of mine, who have helped and supported me greatly over the past 20 years. I've been a part of the Challengers team for a little over a year, and it's been an honor and privilege to work with them, just like old times. But now, in a HEALTHY work environment. Again, congratulations to them, and all my fellow Challengers!!!
-Now, beyond that, after reviewing the news coming out of SDCC yesterday, I have to declare the (2nd) place winner of the day..............................

BY. A. LANDSLIDE!!! First, Mattel held it's Mattypalooza panel, focusing on it's Masters of the Universe Classics, Ghostbusters, DC Comics, Watchmen and more. Revealed on the panel were some long awaited MOTUC figures, including the Horde Troopers!!!

And PLUNDOR!!!

Moving on to Ghostbusters, the best toy EVER was announced-An Ecto 1 that is in scale with the Matty Collector 6 inch line that comes with Ray and Peter figures with removable backpacks!!

But later on, the BEST TOY EVER was announced at Mattel's DC Panel. Ladies and Gentlemen........................MICHAEL KEATON BATMAN!!!!!!!!!!!!

 I have been waiting for a Michael Keaton Batman figure that actually LOOKS like Michael Keaton since 1989!!!!!!!!!! I am SOOOOOOO F'ing excited for this!!!
-So, there you have it. Day 2's winners were Challengers and Mattel. What if they joined forces? Hmmmmmmmmmm.
-No time for a recap on other stuff today, but I'll be back tomorrow with coverage of day 3 (and it's gonna be pretty damn awesome). See you tomorrow!!

Comic-Con Day 1-the winner is......THINGS?!??!?!?!??!

OK, everybody know the big comic announcements don't come until Saturday, so Thursday was a lot of showoff from Toy Companies and Hollywood. On the plus side, we're getting some really cool things to watch and play with. Let's take a look:

Ninja Turtles 1990 Movie figures: FINALLY!!!! Figures based on the Ninja Turtles from the classic 1990 film! All Playmates showed was Leo, but I can't wait for next spring!!

Caity Lotz cast as Black Canary in Arrow Season Two: I've only seen her in a few episodes of Mad Men, but she's a good actress and that body combined with this outfit:

 And I think we have a winner!
Batman New 52 figures based on Greg Capullo's designs: SCORE!!!! I LOVE what Capullo's doing on Batman and am over the top excited to get actual toys based on his artwork in the book! They look awesome!!

Gina Carano cast as Avengelyne: Ummmm. I'd be a little more excited if the movie had a studio or a script or any other confirmation besides Rob Liefeld saying "We're gonna do this!". So, take it with a grain of sale, but she certainly looks the part:

 POWER LORDS: No, you don't know them. They were a toyline in the 80's that lasted only 1 wave. They didn't have a cartoon, but they did have a 3 issue comic book mini series from DC. Bottom line, they were AWESOME toys and now the Four Horsemen have the license and are doing incredibly awesome new toys!!

Other news of note: IDW announced a Hellboy Artist Edition for next year. Fox provided a first look at the Sentinels for the upcoming X-Men: Days of Future Past movie...Marvel announced that starting in Superior Spider-Man #22, Spidey will be going up against Flash Thompson Venom in "Darkest Hour"...OK, I'm out for today!! See back right here tomorrow!!

Stuff you should buy...7/17/13

OK, comic fans!!! Listen, I'm short on time, BUT it's San Diego week, so some posts later in the week will make up for this one. That being said, I'm only going to spotlight TWO comics this week. The first one, is a frequent here on the site, and it's....

He-Man & The Masters of the Universe #4: Eternia has been defeated. The bad guys have won. Yes, I'm crying. Shut up.
Next comes a book that I've been waiting for since I was a kid....

BATMAN '66 #1!!!!!!!!!!!! Do I really need to tell you why you need to buy this?!?!??!?! NO, I didn't think so.
-Now, there's lots of other great comics out this week: Dream Thief, GI Joe: Special Missions, Justice League of America, Red Sonja and more. Get on down to Challengers Comics + Conversation and pick some up!!!!

What you should buy-04/10/13

While there's plenty to buy this week, I'm a little under the weather and grumpy so, you're getting the short short version. Here it is!

 Age of Ultron #5-Things get heavy!

 Batman #19: Who's Batman shooting?

 Wolverine #2: More awesomeness!!

GI Joe: The Cobra Files #1: REALLY REALLY good!
-Again, there's tons of more great comics to buy. If you're in Chicago, come stop by Challengers Comics + Conversation!!

What you should buy.....3/13/13

This week it's quality over quantity. Just a few books that I'm recommending, but they are all REALLY REALLY good!!! Let's get to it!

Bionic Man Annual #1: First off, that's a really awesome cover. Second-VENUS DEATH PROBE!!!!

Star Wars #3: This book just keeps getting better!!! NO BATTLE DROIDS!!!!!! That should be enough for you right there.

Wolverine #1: Pick. Of. The. Week!!! You can check out my review of this book below. It's fantastic. Paul Cornell, Alan Davis, and The Wolverine. That should be enough for you to buy it, right there.

Age of Ultron #2: Yes, there are SERIOUS continuity flaws in this book. But, it's still really really good. Read it for what it is, and you'll have a great time!

Batman #18: Always awesome. 'Nuff Said!!

Ghostbusters #2: Not enough attention is paid to this book and Erik Burnham's writing, not to mention Dan Schoening's fantastic art. Great book, lots of fun!!

Sledge Hammer 44 #1: FINALLY!!!!! The no nonsense cop from the 80's returns in his very own comic book!!!! Trust him! He knows what he's doing!!....wait, what? This isn't about Sledge Hammer? Crap. Oh well, to make up for it, here's the opening credits of one of the best TV shows EVER!!

-You're welcome! As always, I'll be working at Challengers Comics + Conversation this Wednesday, so if you're in the Windy City, come on by and say hello!!!! Did I mention Christopher Daniels and Frankie Kazarian from TNA Wrestling will be there? FOR REAL!!!!

Comics You Should Buy-2/13/13

Not a huge week this week, but there's some good stuff. Let's get to it!

Katana #1: From the pages of Birds of Prey and Justice League of America #1!!! Very interested in this take on one of my favorite Outsiders.

The Bionic Man vs The Bionic Woman #2: The first issue was PHENOMENOL!!!! Just wait until you see what happens next!

The Bionic Man #16: As long as we're on the subject of bionics......this book is always a great read.

Secret Avengers #1: This has my favorite line up of Avengers to date. And with Nick Spencer writing, I'm sure this is going to be really good!

Batman #17: Death of the Family concludes!!!! Snyder & Capullo's run has been amazing, and this issue is no exception. This issue is NOT TO BE MISSED!!!

NEXT WEEK:

KNOWING IS HALF THE BATTLE!!!!!!!!!!!!