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TOP 10 COMIC WRITERS of 2013 [CB/GHG]: Star-Crossover.

Jason Sacks — Fri, 17 Jan 2014 17:49:40 +0000

In conjunction with our friends over at Comics Bulletin, GodHatesGeeks and CB wrap up our “Best of 2013″ lists with a talk about the best comics writers of 2013. Remember, this list is in alphabetical order. We love ‘em all and it was hard to rank all of these talented scribes.

PETER DAVID

I almost voted for Peter David as one of the Top 10 Villains of 2013. I then realized the rebooting and subsequent $3.99 re-pricing of X-Factor was probably not entirely David’s fault. Probably. He’s a tricky one.

Hearing the latest on this CB vodka is that it’s.. All-New CB Vodka Now!?

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So how did Peter David rock 2013? Oh, the usual.

Peter David’s writing in X-Factor was terrific every year the book was published, but 2013 proved he could wrap it all up in style. His “Hell on Earth War” arc provided a great catalyst to the team’s ending, but my favorite issues were those that wrapped up the series for good. If anyone can make you care about a character, it’s Peter David. He made saying goodbye hard, but ultimately satisfying. This wasn’t just the rebooting of another X-book, it was saying goodbye to an era.

The way David wrote the cast of X-Factor—I feel like I’m leaving high school friends, wondering where they’re heading. Wondering if they’ll be the same next time I see them; wondering if I’ll ever read a team book that made me care as much and as often as Peter David’s X-Factor.

I’m all teary-eyed now but let’s not forget David wrote more than just X-Factor. His scripting of Marvel’s brilliant Dark Tower series got me to stick around and buy every trade. While the scripts could have been heavy-handed and overly dark to match the art, David’s writing elevated the series with terrific dialogue and much needed levity. The stories in Dark Tower are pitch black, but there’s something incredibly inviting about David’s narrating and exposition. Come to think of it, David helped wrap up Dark Tower this year as well. Dang, I’m getting teary again.

- Chris Wunderlich / Comics Bulletin

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TOP 10 MOVIES of 2013 [Geeks vs. Oscars]: ‘Stuck’ in the Middle with You..

Sherice — Tue, 31 Dec 2013 08:58:36 +0000

So much for the Death of the Box Office, eh?

Sure, there were plenty of movies this past year that tanked (The Lone Ranger, After Earth), that struck more polarity than anything Frozen (#1 and half of #4 on the Moody list were loathed and loved just the same), and simply didn’t live up to lofty expectations (Elysium, Kick Ass 2). Either way, we were entertained — and the numbers show that we went to the theaters. A LOT.

What makes GHG’s Top 10 Movies of 2013 list different from any other is that we compare the best of popular Geek culture with the best.. period. Because — hey! — plenty of us are just film geeks, after all. So, let our resident movie guru, “The Screening Sister” Sherice roll the dice with her favorites for the Oscar, and yours truly, “The Movie Monsignor” Travis Moody keep the superhero faith alive. Or just let us know just how crazy we are for these choices.

It’s sure to spark up more controversy than a broken neck death in Metropolis.

“Monsignor” Travis Moody: 10. World War Z – Better late than never… There’s a theme that runs throughout my Top 10 choices — and that’s controversy. Before this Max Brooks zombie novel-turned-Marc Forster “disaster” flick was released, you can bet there was plenty of that. Reports of reshoots and Brad Pitt’s dissatisfaction with the production process plagued headlines far more than anything else. Turns out, WWZ is a pretty damn good movie. At its very worst, there’s perhaps no other zombie movie of its kind. It may not thrill “the Godfather of Zombie Culture” George A. Romero with a pandemic that causes the undead to gallop faster than a Usain Bolt 40-yard dash. There are questionable plot “twists” when it comes to these zombies only wanting “healthy” victims, too, avoiding any diseased and the virus itself not eating up the sick (but it makes for an entertaining premise, admit it). And then there’s that fairly rushed ending (even in the “Unrated” cut I watched this past week). Either way, the movie proved tremendously ambitious, having had to have set the Guinness record for “Longest Port O’Potty Lines Ever”, and offered a numerous amount of deliciously vicious action sequences. It’s pretty frightening for a PG-13 film, which is initially what scared me off in the first place./3.5 (out of 5) Bibles

“Sister” Sherice: 10. The Conjuring – Since the success of The Ring there’s been a hit horror flick every year! Last year, it was Scott Derrickson’s Sinister, which starred Ethan Hawke as a true crime writer who moves his family into the home where a mass murder took place. My version of scary good time was The Conjuring, directed by James Wan of Insidious and Saw fame. Given that successful track record, it’s not surprising this haunted house tale struck a chord with the movie going public. *clap, clap*/3 Bibles

Somehow, I don’t think the big fella — with the even bigger blade — could ever be “stuck.”

Moody: 9. Pacific Rim - While most moviegoers enjoyed Guillermo del Toro’s highly anticipated Pacific Rim in all its robot vs. monster fighting glory, I simply can’t forgive the majority of the film’s mundane performances. Still, it’s the far more important performances by the Jaegers and the Kaiju that thankfully went on to steal the show. PR is one of the smartest CGI-driven films of the decade, worthy of any Blu-Ray collection. And “[Pacific Rim] is Transformers with a little more humor, a lot more heart, and a far superior level of detail.” Moody, you go, boy! Ahem.. sorry. (See more)

Sherice: 9. 42 – I’m not into sports, but I do love me a good sports flick, and 42 was just that. Newcomer Chadwick Boseman certainly struck a home run with his perfect portrayal of baseball legend Jackie Robinson and his onscreen wife Nicole Beharie, dazzled in the supporting role. Incidentally, since the film’s success, Boseman signed onto the James Brown biopic, Get on Up, and Beharie has joined supernatural T.V. stardom with her hit FOX series, “Sleepy Hollow”./3 Bibles

Touchdown!

Moody: 8. Rush – What do you get when you throw Thor in a Formula One race-car? Lots of mead-driven headaches and wild wenches slayed is what! And as solid as Chris Hemsworth is at playing English playboy James Hunt, it’s German actor (by way of Spain) Daniel Bruhl who steals nearly every lap. Relatively unknown to the U.S. (though you may recognize him from Inglourious Basterds, or The Bourne Ultimatum), Mr. Bruhl definitely deserves his first Academy Award nomination with this heartbreaking performance. If you’ve never cared a shit for professional racing before, especially that of the internationale, you’ll appreciate Ron Howard’s explosive efforts here. Oh, and you’re right: this selection could have gone on either list. But since the highest-rated next-gen video game of 2013 was Forza Motorsport 5 — and it features plenty of F-1 selections to grind gears with — why not let fans of this darkhorse “geek out” for a moment?/3.75 Bibles

Sherice: 8. Much Ado About Nothing – As we all know, Joss Whedon is a busy man. Yet even with his packed schedule he managed to shoot Much Ado just after The Avengers and in two short weeks. Filmed in black-and-white, and in Whedon’s own backyard, the Shakespearean favorite was just as charming if not more so than Kenneth Branagh’s version./3.5 Bibles

Much ado about nothing…on cable.

Moody: 7. Iron Man Three - That damn plot twist! Even Marvel movies this year didn’t steer clear of any controversy. Half of Iron Man 3‘s audiences reveled at director Shane Black’s daring villain adjustments, while diehard fans of the classic Iron Man comic (all three of you) ran to the picket line when The Mandarin was discovered as no more than a hoax. In hindsight — despite being arguably Marvel’s funniest film – IM3 lacks too much on its outside to place the film with Marvel’s upper echelon. There wasn’t enough Rhodey; there wasn’t enough Mandarin (at least at the end; what a lame “Rescue”!); and there wasn’t enough…Iron Man. Still, you’d do worse to ignore RDJ’s heartfelt (or is that heartless?) performance. (See more)

Sherice: 7. Fast & Furious 6 – Now this choice may cause the congregation to scratch their head in confusion, but it really shouldn’t. I mean, I’m not preaching to the choir when I say the Fast and Furious films are far from Much Ado About Nothing. But you know what? They were never meant to be. These racing turned espionage films were made to entertain and by that, they’ve achieved their goal. Frankly, sometimes a film is just about having a damn good time!/3.5 Bibles

In memory of our friend Paul. Cheers in heaven, buddy.

Moody: 6. The World’s End - My favorite comedy of the year (because the last half-hour of Anchorman 2 dives into an awful cameo overdrive). Wait, The World’s End wasn’t a comedy, you say? Was it a drama? A sci-fi spoof? Who knows. Whatever genre Edgar Wright was aiming for, even if it was all of them, I’m still tipping my hat. And I got to see next to Bill Paxton and in front of Nathan Fillion for the premiere. Cheers to that! (See more…butts)

Sherice: 6. Prisoners – This is one film I underestimated. Granted, I was going to watch Prisoners anyway for Hugh Jackman, since I love him as Wolverine. Still, the trailer didn’t hook me. Thankfully, I caught the thriller while in theaters and was thrown by how gripping it was. Thank goodness, it wasn’t your typical revenge film. Screenwriter Aaron Guzikowski made sure of that by delving deep into the psyche of a man whose moral fiber deteriorates while searching for his daughter’s kidnapper. Top notch work from both Jackman and Jake Gyllenhaal./3.5 Bibles

I di.. did.. didn’t mean to call you Logan, man.

Moody: 5. The Wolverine: Unleashed Extended Edition - Not sure if Blu-Ray’s can count on our Top 10 list, but I don’t care. What other movie alone garnered two full-length articles and a podcast from this very website? Hell, even Logan himself stopped by our offices to review the theatrical cut… SNIKT! (See more)

Sherice: 5. Gravity – Who would have thunk, a film about a character floating around in space for ninety minutes would be so spectacular? I certainly didn’t. But Alfonso Cuaron and his son Jonas knew it had potential to be legend. Thanks to the folks at Warmer Bros, the studio saw the film to fruition and with fantastic results. Not only has the film surpassed 600 million at the box office — making it one of the top earning films of 2013 — Gravity has proved actresses over 40 can command an audience. (See more)

More like “Wrath of Kahn’s Hot Dogs!” …Shit.

Moody: 4. *TIE* Star Trek: Into Darkness / Gravity - Oh, the dreaded “tie.” But at least this one makes sense. Kind of. These were two of the finest sci-fi films of the year, both attempting to accomplish entirely different things. While you might not agree that Gravity is a “geek” movie per se (perhaps, more of a “nerd”?), it did blow up at this past July’s San Diego Comic-Con and got the whole culture riled up with Alfonso Cauron’s spacious beaut. The movie is simply something to behold. Into Darkness, on the other hand, offered even more explosive entertainment than its excellent first outing — especially with Benedict Cumberbatch’s frightening portrayal as Khan. Although STID‘s madness equated to a more inept story this time out, JJ’s second entry into the S.S. Enterprise also equated to one of the year’s most exciting films. In comparison, Gravity is the year’s most fraught. What a performance by Sandra Bullock! While there’s no doubt Gravity is deserving of some Oscars (and Into Darkness, minor technical categories aside, isn’t), I’m more likely to see Star Trek II again and Gravity not — even if Ed Harris is his incredibly awesome self as “Mission Control.” (See more)/4 Bibles

Sherice: 4. Dallas Buyers Club – Both Jared Leto and Matthew McConaughey are receiving awards buzz for their work in this autobiographical film about a man who helps AIDS patients receive the meds they need to fight the virus. In order to convey how much of a toll the virus takes on the body, Leto and McConaughey lost a considerable amount of weight, making their performances all the more compelling./4 Bibles

Moody: 3. Thor: The Dark World - Sorry, Stark. The Dark World is easily the best Marvel sequel yet. By Odin’s eye, it’s also the funniest. I’d also argue that Thor 2 is the best Marvel film this side of The Avengers and the original Iron Man, even with its disappointing, yet sorta cool-sounding villain, Darth Malekith the Accursed Vader. The whole Aether thing is also a plot device mcguffin cop-out; so, for those particular criticisms, I can’t argue. The rest? Godly. “Game of Thrones” director Alan Taylor pushes the pace, particularly during the film’s final battle. Like my review states, he envelops the sequel with one of the coolest fight scenes in superhero movie history. Complete with a total “geek out” post-credits scene, true believers really couldn’t ask for anything more. (See more)

Oh — ae you referring to ASGARDIAN Hustle?

Sherice: 3. American Hustle – Are any of us surprised David O. Russell would deliver yet another instant classic? From the moment photos leaked of Christian Bale in a comb-over to Bradley Cooper sporting a perm, I knew this film would be gold, and it was. Everyone was on point here. But as far as standouts performances go, I’ve gotta give it to Amy Adams who was absolutely on fire in this. So much so, I wouldn’t be surprised if she earns a Best Actress nomination. In fact, I’d count on this film receiving quite a bit of love this award season./4 Bibles

Moody: 2. The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug - An absolute thrillride from head to toe. If you thought the initial Hobbit film was Unexpectedly too long, too boring, too talkative, and too real-looking to the point that it looked fake, then hath no fear; The Hobbit 2 will definitely Smaug all of your greatest fears. Peter Jackson’s second Hobby offers a much more pleasurable pace, and its entirely arguable that his many changes (and extensions from other Tolkien lore) have made this a better story. And to think the addition of Evangeline Lilly as elf warrior Tauriel and the return of Orlando Bloom as Legolas didn’t stir up as much of an outcry as predicted. Balls. I’d go on, but I think our “Arch-Angel” Andy Crete has already touched the film with more deserving words./4.5 Bibles

You know, “The Elves of Wall Street” doesn’t have a bad ring to it.

Sherice: 2. The Wolf of Wall Street – In truth, the film should be titled “Give Leonardo DiCaprio an Oscar Already”. As the mock title implies, Leo was damn good in The Wolf of Wall Street. As usual, Martin Scorsese has this uncanny knack of getting the best performance out of DiCaprio, who plays former Wall Street trading tycoon, Jordan Belfort. The story is outrageous. Filled with sex and drugs, I don’t recommend watching this with granny, but it’s definitely one to watch at a theater. With so much going on, I had to watch the film twice. Trust me when I say this, The Wolf is even better a second time. It’s definitely another awards contender, but the Academy may not be comfortable with the level of debauchery./4.5 Bibles

Moody: 1. Man of Steel - Now, be honest. Were you one of those 500 people who “liked” my 5-Bible review of the film before the sudden massive outcry? Then perhaps you are partially responsible for the strong customer reviews over at Amazon, or the not so bad overall score on IMDB (that was originally much higher around the time of release). Why this film went from godsend (ha!) to completely neck-snapped, defeats me… Wanton destruction? If two gods of limitless superhero strength decided to square off — after a 20,000 foot “World Engine” was just prevented from terraforming the Earth’s core! — you don’t think the majority of your city would get destroyed? Not even a Justice League was preventing that, nevermind a rookie Superman who literally had his hands tied. If you watch again, Kal TRIES to keep the fight above the Metrop, but after seeing the remains of his home planet relegated to a hand full of ash, this Super Zod (an ultra menacing Michael Shannon) wasn’t having it. As if Supes had a second to “pause” this confrontation to save anyone. No matter your rebuttal, Zack Snyder’s Man of Steel is the Superman film I’ve always wanted. He made this next-gen Supes origin tale dark, funny, heartfelt, and incredibly sci-fi. Superman is a science fiction superhero, through and through and this film depicts that quite imaginatively. No matter how many people tell me otherwise, I will still never lose Hope, or my love for this film. “People are afraid of what they don’t understand.” Thanks, Pa Kent. (See more)/5 Bibles

STAY PUT. I have people to save!

Honorable “Not Geek” Mention:
-The Wolf of Wall Street (If I was doing a “normal” movie list, this would be on top; Leo & Scorsese do it again! This master class in physical acting deserves its place among of the great director’s best — and stretches Leo to the top of the game. Oscar, finally?/5 Bibles)
-American Hustle (It’s been a nice year for Bruce.. I mean.. Christian Bale. His overweight con is nearly heartbreaking in one of the more subtle roles of his career, all the while you can’t go wrong with David O’s tenacious trio of Lois Lane, Mystique and Rocket Racoon. Uh?/4.25 Bibles)
-Saving Mr. Banks (Unless you’re talking Marvel or Star Wars, I’m not quite the Disney fanatic many of my close compatriots are; but this one was a real tear-jerker. A lovely story. Hanks was fit to play Walt, and Emma T is more than supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!/4 Bibles)
-Captain Philips (More Tom Hanks! And although the movie lands into hokie 90s “Bruce Willis” territory, it’s a touching story with plenty of terrific performances — none more surprising than that of newcomer Barkhad Abdi./3.5 Bibles)
-Fruitvale Station (In a sea of depressing 2013 movies, this one is top’s on my list./3.5 Bibles)
-Pain & Gain (One of Michael Bay’s Top 5 movies — even if that isn’t saying much — but Dwayne Johnson’s “Male Bimbo” and Marky Mark’s douchebag meathead made this true story all the more fun./3.5 Bibles)

Honorable “Geek” Mention:
-Oblivion (Better than the more lauded Elysium; but it’s Tom Cruise, so gets nowhere near the credit. Amazing film locales./See more)
-Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues (Like I tweeted last week, this would have been the funniest movie ever, if not for all the crammed in cameos in the film’s final act. Still, it’s funnier than the first, even if the story isn’t as complete./3.5 Bibles)
-Fast 6 (Another movie The Rock was really good in; it’s nice to see the former WWE champ show some acting chops in addition to all of that brawn. And who isn’t now haunted by the whispers of Paul Walker’s “Ride or Die”? Also, WB was obviously casting Wonder Woman from this movie…Jordana, Gina, or Gal? They all seem viable…/3.5 Bibles)
-The Is The End (Predictably hilarious; made light of the end of the world like my most favorite comedy, and that’s OK./3.25 Bibles)
-Monster’s University (Cute stuff, and better than most Disney sequels not named Toy Story./3.25 Bibles)

Movies I Haven’t Watched.. Yet:
-Ender’s Game (who has?)
-The Hunger Games: Catching Fire
-12 Years A Slave
-All is Lost
-42

A true man of steel.

Sherice: 1. 12 Years A Slave – I can’t stress enough how important this film is. Yes, the subject matter is difficult to handle and many of you may pass on it because of it. But I think that’s one of the reasons you should see it –- to face the tough topic head on. Another motive to watch 12 Years is the talent involved. Certain to be lauded with award nominations, every performance is of note and Steve McQueen’s direction is brutally honest. To help the films awards chances, this masterpiece will be re-released in select theaters on January 17th./5 Bibles

Honorable “Geek” Mention:
-The Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug (Action packed and filled with dwarves, elves and one mean ass dragon, the follow-up to The Hobbit: The Unexpected Journey was a joyous trip./3.5 Bibles)
-Pacific Rim (Just an all around fun film that harkens back to the giant robot films of old with a touch of Voltron./3.5)
-Thor: The Dark World (Worth seeing for Loki’s imitation of Captain America alone./3.5 Bibles)
-Oblivion (Surprisingly, this was a solid sci-fi flick. I’m glad I caught it in IMAX. The cinematography was incredible./3 Bibles)
-Warm Bodies (I honestly thought this film was going to be the Twilight of zombie movies. Thank goodness I was wrong. I’d definitely watch a sequel./3 Bibles)

Movies I Haven’t Watched.. Yet:
-Nebraska
-Mud
-The Way, Way Back
-Kings of Summer
-Enough Said

We hope you enjoyed our Top Movie choices for 2013! You have a lot of catching up to do, now, don’t you? From GodHatesGeeks, have a very Happy and safe New Year.

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TOP 10 DC/MARVEL COMICS of 2013 [Face-Off]: The Color Purple.

Gabe Carrasco — Mon, 30 Dec 2013 01:32:47 +0000

The Man of Steel and God of Thunder didn’t just clash at the box office; no, Earth’s Mightiest Heroes and the Brave & The Bold had their battles at local comic shops and Comixology, too. Especially, epic battles. Each of the “Big 2″ had their own events, some more successful than others, but many of which altered the status quo. It was also the year Marvel went hip, Clark and Diana traded a kiss, Spider-Man remained superiorly evil, and The Batman faced far more tragedy than just a bad buzzcut. So, join our resident Marvel “Apostle” Lance Paul and the DCU “Minister” Gabe Carrasco, as they reflect on their respective Universe highlights and trade their choices for the Top 10 DC/Marvel Comics of 2013.

Lance Paul “The Apostle”: 10. Indestructible Hulk – The Green Goliath had a blockbuster year in comics. “Marvel Now” took our green baby and allied him with S.H.I.E.L.D. For more years than I can count, the Hulk comics have seemingly always had something missing. How can you have a brilliant scientist that could possible cure cancer or create new inventions continue to languish in homeless squander, while his greener self was let loose on destructive rampages? It blows my mind that it took Mark Waid (Daredevil) to come on board to create a telling Hulk storyline that takes the best of both men: Hulk Smash, Banner Build. Indestructible Hulk Special #1 – much like the purple bullseye’s “dog comic” — was arguably the run’s standout issue. Even more in relation, the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. provided Banner with a “Puppy Bomb”! How else can you calm a hulk than to subdue him with his love of puppies?

“Minister” Gabe Carrasco: 10. Trinity War (Justice League/Justice League of America/Justice League Dark) – The Trinity War started off with an awesome concept: three differing Justice Leagues duke it out, with Amanda Waller (who can now be seen on the hit TV show “Arrow) building her own JLA from scratch. Her intentions? To take down the original Justice League (Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, etc.). And after a little over a year, we finally get to see who this Pandora chick is, and what she was doing in every single issue #1 of the New 52 relaunch. Although the intended premise isn’t exactly what we get, TW still makes the Top 10 simply because you’d be hard-pressed to see another event where J-Leaguers are allowed to punch each other in the face — nevertheless witness a crossover from DC stalwarts Geoff Johns and Jeff Lemire. (See more).

Maybe Thor 3…will feature THREE?

Lance: 9. Thor – God of Thunder: Godbomb - Although Jason Aaron’s current storyline of Thor: God of Thunder, “The Accursed” carries over similar events to the successful and enjoyable Thor film sequel, “Godbomb” was more the standout in 2013, with finer art and higher intrigue. I have always been a fan of Bruce Guice‘s art style, which focuses on colored pencils than mere liquid. And the creation of a baddie who labels himself the“Butcher of Gods” is hard to argue. This run also offered a chance to see the future “More grizzled than Odin” Thor! If you like Marvel Comics, this series is a must read…with plenty of mead.

Gabe: 9. Justice League: Shazam! – For a while, the Justice League books were worth the buy just for the last couple of pages where we saw little Billy Batson utter that little magic word that brought Shaquille O’Neal out of that magical boombox— oh wait, that was Kazaam. Let’s try this again… the Shazam mini-series took place in the few pages at the end of JL at the beginning of the year, with the epic finale taking place in Justice League #21. It’s almost as if DC didn’t trust Captain Marvel’s fanbase enough to buy his own ongoing title, so they just stuck him in their flagship book and kinda made us read him. I have to admit, it’s a good strategy, since I definitely wouldn’t have added Shazam to my pull-list had he came out on his own. But he is a fun character, and his dialogue and Gary Frank’s facial expressions really do read like a pre-teen in the body of a massive adult body-builder. Johns’ story is also pretty classic. Captain Marvel beats the crap outta Black Adam with a little help from his friends. (Yup, a Kazaam reference, and a Beatles reference!). Plus with the Justice League 0-issue tie in, 2013 was a good year to be a fan of SHAZAM!

Playing your PS4 for too long may cause quirky side effects.

Lance: 8. Captain America – Despite being one of the most recognized members of Marvel and the Avengers, Captain America has gone through more identity crises than a teenage girl trying to fit in. Mister Rogers has tried everything from embracing his wild side as a werewolf, ditching the star-spangled pajamas for a trench coat and shaggy hair, to rocking out a MECH suit. Which shows one of Cap’s biggest problems, seeing how he has never been fully developed beyond a figurehead for democracy. Even when the “god” that was Kirby had exclusive use as Editor/Writer/Illustrator, Cap was left needing more. In recent years, no one has done more for Cap’s character development then the legendary run of the previous writer, Ed Brubaker, which left everyone else brave enough with giant, red boots to fill. To no surprise, new Cap writer Rick Remender (Uncanny X-Force) far surpassed all expectations, seeing Steve proposed to, kidnapped and then stranded in Dimension Z, and even added deeper layers to Cap’s backstory with flashbacks of an abusive father. With original Kirby baddie Armin Zola, then followed up with “American Psycho” Nuke, 2013 saw Steve go to all sorts of hell — and readers were blessed all the more for it.

Gabe: 8. Batman ’66 – Holy Adam West, Batman! The kooky old man from Walla Walla, Washington was The Batman for an entire generation. (Of course it was the generation from a few generations ago, but still!) Now DC has noticed the rise in interest for the wacky BOOM, POW, and THWACK! adventures of the World’s Greatest Detective, and gave us a bunch of brand new stories to follow! You can practically hear Mr. West’s voice coming through the pages of the strange Technicolor bendy dot covered panels. Jeff Parker‘s dialogue is true to the old tv series’ roots, overusing Robin’s “Holy (random object), Batman!”, and getting Batman out of ridiculous situations with even more ridiculous solutions. Plus, adding characters that weren’t around back then, like Dr. Harleen Quinzel, and the Red Hood is just an added bonus that lands this series at number 8!

What are “we” doing for New Year’s? “WE”? Ha.

Lance: 7. Battle of the Atom – Even with all of its blunders, Battle of the Atom is an event worth reading, if not collecting. The beginning stands out for its cool portrayal of the Original 6. The All-New X-Men actually meant something, and for that daring notion — and the strange evolution of Bobby Drake, as he molded from Ice Hulk to Gandolf the Iceman – Bendis deserved much credit. But, of course, once the crossover became a royal rumble of mutant clones, the story couldn’t help but feel bloated within its own grandeur. Still, even if BotA doesn’t stand a mutant chance of testing time like its predecessors (i.e. Mutant Massacre, Age of Apocalypse, Days of Future Past) — and its meandering mid-event sequence of no more than talking heads — the start and the end were certainly strong enough for a solid position on this list. (See more).

Gabe: 7. Aquaman: Throne of Atlantis – As Black Manta put it, “You want to know what makes Aquaman so tough? His skin is nearly bullet-proof. His muscle density is ten times that of yours or mine, and he can breathe underwater.” When Arthur Curry has a problem with the ocean, it takes the entire Justice League, and a few others on top to handle it. People seem to forget that the Earth is over 70% water, and Aquaman is king of it all! But Geoff Johns has made that point loud and clear in this story arc that spans not only Aquaman, but Justice League as well. Arthur’s brother Orm is back, and he isn’t liking the way Arthur is handling things. The surface-dwellers have disrespected the ocean for far too long, and Orm, or should we say Ocean Master isn’t letting that happen any longer! So Aqua is torn between a rock and a wet place, and, while trying to handle things as diplomatically as possible, both sides of this war are coming out of the gate swinging! It’s a definite recommended read, even if it’s just for the halibut…!

Sure beats watching re-runs of “Sex in the City.”

Lance: 6. X-Men – When this title was initially announced, Ultimate Comics X-Men scribe Brian Wood’s all X-Lady team was seen as a bit of a gimmick, or even a distraction. It’s a proven fact in the comic world, sex-starved comic-nerds buy comics full of hot chicks (don’t believe me? Just look at Moody’s “Top 10 Indie” list). But, after witnessing the new reiteration of this proven name, any triviality was out the window. This was X-Men comics done right, exploding with exciting lady-friendly/estrogen heavy, eye-popping illustrations from Olivier Coipel. X-Men #1 was also, hands down, one of the best single comics of 2013. Thankfully, the rest of the run — even during The Battle of Atom — kept up in quality. Way back in May, this Apostle bowed down to Wood and Coipel’s work and bestowed on them the worthy and extremely difficult GodHatesGeeks 5-Bibles score! Well done. (See more).

Gabe: 6. Villains Month – The Villains took over DC! We all know that Marvel may have cool heroes, and there’s no doubt that they are owning the blockbuster movie industry, but here at DC, nobody beats our villains (uh..except Batman, of course)! Bats beats the crap out of our villains pretty much nightly. For the most part, DC knows what readers want, and whether it was a Forever Evil tie-in, a back story, or just a little mini-story arc about our favorite baddies, we got a little taste of evil that month. Not to mention the awesome 3D covers! I stared at mine so long I got a headache! Some personal favorites of mine were The Riddler, Harley Quinn, and Ocean Master, but out of all the options available, everyone had their favorites (and some we definitely could have done without…) Either way, that was one month DC literally ripped open Blackgate and Arkham, and let evil rule the world!

Guess Aquaman can go back to being irrelevant again…

Lance: 5. X-Factor: OK, I’ll admit it; this spot is more an ode to the wonderful decade of the title more than anything. And, how can you not love the fact that the house that Peter David built is unending!? As far as 2013 was concerned, it was a hell of a way to go out — with the Hell on Earth War, of course — and the last few issues gave each of our favorite mutant detectives their own due. Not very often does a writer actually finish all his storylines, and with that, Mr. David, well done! Your All-New X-Factor #1 couldn’t arrive here sooner.

Gabe: 5. Lights Out (Green Lantern) - Okay, so I’m still crying over Demi-God Geoff Johns leaving the lightsmiths to Robert Venditti (X-O Manowar), but I gotta admit, Venditti did NOT pull any punches! Oa is destroyed? Using the power rings slowly destroys the universe!? The entities are dead!!? CAROL FERRIS IS IN LOVE WITH KYLE RAYNER!!?? These were not small little tweaks to the already well-established, complex Lantern universe! These decisions and events have really affected the entire corps, and continue to do so in the recent issues! Lights Out did some irreparable damage to the ring-wielding police force of the universe, and Hal isn’t happy about any of it. Losing Oa to Relic, Carol to Kyle, Kyle to the source wall (sorta), Guy to the Reds, and getting shit from every angle, Hal’s life is anything but easy right now. Whatcha got against Hal Jordan, Venditti? Whatever it is, keep it coming! It’s making for a hell of a plot! (See more).

Another Top 10 choice? AA is surely “catching fire.”

Lance: 4. Avengers Arena – This title quietly went on to be one of the best written and drawn comics on shelves each and every month. I was a fan of “Battle Royale” for years, and was a little apprehensive when it was first announced that Marvel was going to do something similar with their young avengers. After the first issues, Dennis Hopeless and Kev Walker (Thunderbolts) took this comic and surpassed any expectations. Avengers Arena finished one of Marvel’s most epic and out-of-the-box stories for years, while also bringing back both obscure-to-current characters (complete with equal story time). With meaningful deaths and new characters that I grew to love, your Apostle looks forward to where Hopeless takes the surviving characters into next years follow-up comic, Avengers Undercover. With Arena, Hopeless showed us what would happen if Marvel was a Game of Hunger, a story of what happens when people — in this case teenagers, of course — are pushed to the brink beyond the emotional and deathly choices they must make to stay alive. Here’s to you Hopeless, for giving us a story that ranks on this Marvel fan’s all-time list. (See more).

Gabe: 4. INJUSTICE: Gods Among Us – “Minister, this isn’t a video game Top 10! What’s your problem?” No, man. I’m talking the comic adaptation — and why did no one tell me about this series!? I remember seeing it in stores and said “Meh, it’s based on the video game, so it’s just another DC cash-grab.” Holy crap was I wrong! Seriously. Just pick up the first issue– no, the first two issues, and I promise you’ll be hooked! It’s essentially a royally pissed-off Superman vs. an arrogant and self-righteous Batman (which is basically just regular Batman) and their rag-tag group of superheroes (Think Marvel’s Civil War, except… you know… actually good.) And just like some kind of indie publisher, they disregard what’s going on in the normal DCU, and do not mind killing off anyone they please. The writing is fantastic! Trust me when I say, THIS is the Harley Quinn, Green Arrow, and Nightwing dialogue we’ve all been waiting for!

In 2013, Superman KILLED.

Lance: 3. Infinity – Looking back, Jonathan Hickman’s solo event (there were tie-in’s, but all you ever really needed was the main story, The Avengers, and New Avengers) had plenty of dynamic moments, making it an epic tale. Who doesn’t remember the Mjolnir-sledging Thor splatter/slaughter a Builder? Or Inhuman King Black Bolt’s vocal cords destroying the floating city with a simple “NO!”? Moments like these made up for the stop-gap feel of a usual Marvel crossover. Hickman’s tenor on Avengers had already seized my attention with his “world building” abilities, and his first crossover, Infinity, continued that sweeping notion. Even if the event wasn’t perfect, you can bet the Marvel Universe is in a much better place than it had been in prior crossovers (cough, cough.. Age of Ultron). All next year, the repercussions of Black Bolt and Maximus’ Titanic tussle will be felt with in Inhumanity: a blank slate of new possibilities with Thane (Thanos’s son), as the MU is back to its full galactic potential with Skrull and Kree Empire return to dominance (See more).

Gabe: 3. Batman: Zero Year – Scott Snyder has more than proven he can handle our favorite broody dark knight, and Greg Capullo’s pencils are simple, yet engaging enough to tell the story perfectly. With Zero Year, the dyamic duo did a fantastic job of re-telling Batman’s first few shaky years under the cowl, and just how dangerous a job this could be. We saw a younger, brighter Gotham, an inexperienced brash Bruce, and a— well, an equally as insanely homicidal, Joker (except back in these days, he’s going by Red Hood-1). The genius of it was not selling it to us as a Joker story, but the Clown Prince of Crime’s infamous grin showed up anyway, and fans ate it up! The tie-ins for Zero Year, like GL Corps, Green Arrow, and Red Hood were exceptional as well, which just helps solidify Zero Year at our number 3 spot for 2013!

2013 was also the year Marvel Comics got “hip.”

Lance: 2. Hawkeye – The first Marvel series ever to be presented in Smell-O-Vision! Where else, but in the Eisner worthy Hawkeye comics, are you going to find a book from the perspective of someone who can only see three colors? Pizza Dog made Hawkeye #11 one of the best comics of 2013, courtesy of Matt Fraction, David Aja, and Matt Hollingsworth. “Pizza is my Business” is told through the eyes and nose of the most unlikely of protagonists, Pizza Dog. The whole issue revolves around one solo dog’s adventure. That’s right: an entire issue from the point-of-view of Hawkeye’s dog — a challenging endeavor for any artist, yet what David Aja does in this issue is pure genius. The team also went on to spotlight Kate Bishop, who is also Hawkeye — as opposed to “Hawkguy” — and her slippery adventures in the City of Angeles. With FF, Young Avengers, and Superior Foes of Spider-Man (which I personally didn’t like, but Moody and supposedly many others did), Hawkeye also led the charge of Marvel’s newfound corner: hipster comics. (See more).

Gabe: 2. Forever Evil – Easily the best — if not only — thing to come out of Trinity War, this crossover event is as big as the Blackest Night series back in 2009. Every inch of the DCU is feeling the heat from the villains ruling the world, and this is definitely not a quick start-to-finish story! So far, the repercussions have been pretty huge. The entire world knows Dick Grayson is Nightwing, Cyborg is hanging on to life by a thread (or, a wire?), and it’s every villain for himself in Gotham! The crossover has even spawned the mini-series Arkham War, which is essentially a more violent, Bane-centered reprise of the old series Batman: No Man’s Land. The great part about this series is how deeply DC is exploring the hidden motives and personalities of the Crime Syndicate, and it really proves that no matter how organized villains may seem, they always become their own undoing! (See more).

…through countless bad crossovers to a year with something fun.

Lance: 1. Superior Spider-Man – The joint team of Dan Slott and Ryan Stegman have created something that the non-believers said couldn’t happen, an entertaining and intriguing Spiderman without the Parker. Through Superior storytelling and exceptional art, The Superior Spider-Man has done something that Amazing hadn’t done for years: delivering fresh stories and the most dastardly webheaded adventures. 2013 was an epic year for favorite Spider-Ock too: he dealt with the mental ghost of his former arch-enemy, alienated everyone close to Peter, created (and then lost the Superior 6) and almost got himself kicked out of the Avengers! Not too bad, Octavious. Even if it’s only a matter of time before the obvious refresh — seeing how ASM 2 hits theaters this coming summer — I look forward to the next chapter of Slott’s Octspider with Goblin Nation!

Honorable Marvel Mention:
-All New X-Men (For bringing back Jean Grey as *cough* underage hottie, and Bendis’ series impressed more than it disappointed.)
-Daredevil (Quality assured. Mark Waid continues his outstanding run with Matt Murdock after next month’s #36, with an All-New #1.)
-Kick-Ass 3 (Only technically Marvel, sure, but on here for being its usual Ass-Kicking self.)
-Venom & Scarlet Spider (For showing us that you ALSO don’t have to have Parker to tell quality stories, although, sadly, some of these titles have been canceled.)

Dishonorable Marvel Mention:
-Age of Ultron (Bendis makes my list again, this time for wasting a couple of years of many True Believers’ lives with a story that was worse than toilet paper!)

We all have to find love our very own way.

Gabe: 1. Batman: Death of the Family – If you haven’t read this, stop reading this list, go to the comic book store, buy, and read this series. Seriously, go ahead, I’ll wait. Done? That is why it made the number one spot. JOKER’S BACK IN TOWN, BABY! And this time, his vendetta isn’t just against Batman, it’s against every member of the bat-family. No one’s safe from this madman, not even the Arkhamites he used to share the asylum with. Oh, and Harley… Poor, poor Harley… Everything about this series makes you shudder, feel terrible for everyone involved, have this unnerving fear of DC’s most iconic villain, and still have some strange twisted respect for just how much he can fuck up everyone in Gotham! And all without super powers!! Scott Snyder had the entire internet taking bets on who wouldn’t make it throughout the story arc. Who is DC willing to kill off? The answer? SPOILER ALERT: Absolutely no one. Joker tore the bat-family apart, and nothing has been the same since, and he did it without killing anyone in a mask. Even the subtle details, like his skin-face-mask he wore slowly becoming more and more decayed throughout the book, and we were never really able to see his face beneath it. All of it added up to hands down, the best DC story of 2013. hahHahaheheheheHAhaAHAaAHAA!!

Honorable DC Mention:
-Superman: Unchained (Snyder made it to the list twice, so why not here, too?)
-Batman: Requiem (Robin’s dead. …*yawn* again…)
-Harley Quinn (It’s too early to say how good or bad this series is gonna turn out, but after an excellent #0 issue and a nice debut #1, I have high hopes!)

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TOP 10 INDIE COMICS of 2013 [Face-Off]: Whatcha Gonna Read, BROTHER!?!!

Cooke the Cleric — Sun, 22 Dec 2013 20:03:37 +0000

We’re here. It’s more Top 10 lists, whether you like it or not — and we know you do — so without further ado, GHG presents the Top 10 Indie Comics of the Year. Now, while Image and Dark Horse aren’t technically considered “Indies” per se, we’re going to borrow that term to represent anything non-DC and Marvel. So, yes, if a comic so happens to fall under the “Indy” imprint of such companies (such as Vertigo, or Icon), we’ll count ‘em — because it makes life easier. Big thanks to our Top Comic Dogs of the clergy, CW Cooke “The Cleric” and “Padre” Guy Copes, for the following wrap-up.

HERE.. WE.. GO!

“Padre” Guy Copes: 10. La Mano Del Destino #3 - Grab your hipster glasses and tweak those trendy mustaches folks. Your favorite pontificating Padre of the pulpit is diving from the top rope to kick off this Indie Comics 2013 year-end top ten lucha style. Really, the first three issues could go here, but since the previous two dropped sporadically over the course of 2011 and 2012, well, it only makes sense to list the issue that actually dropped in 2013. This is DIY comics here, though, and any Indie creator taking on the art, writing, coloring, and publishing all by themselves needs to be commended — regardless of how long it takes. La Mano Del Destino is the creation of J. Gonzo under his Castle & Key imprint. It tells the tale of the former Ernesto el General who — after making a deal with a mysterious promoter — becomes La Mano del Destino to avenge the wrongs done to him and the honor of Lucha Libre. Most stories about or featuring wrestlers are, to put it bluntly, pure Crap…with a capital C. This book, however, is a fun, exciting story that pays homage to the history and mythology of Mexican lucha libre while telling a deep, mysterious tale of redemption. The physical craft involved in making this comic series rock is also top notch. The paper quality and color choices take on an almost muted animated tone. This is good comics, my brothers and sisters. Top that, CW.

Just what happens when Rey Mysterio finds Bane’s Venom syrum.

CW Cooke “The Cleric”: 10. Invincible – Here’s my “piledriver” to that mere comic: Invincible. Yes, I frigging love this book. I especially love it when it comes out, whether in collected editions or in single issues. I buy all the singles and the hardcover collections because I’m a glutton for Robert Kirkman’s “other” title. Hell, it’s better than “The Walking Dead.” I wish there were more of these crazy, bombastic, incredibly brave ideas out there just wagging their fingers at everyone who is stagnant and without change. This book is all about change, baby, and change is good. If you don’t know the story, Mark Grayson is the main character Invincible. He’s a superhero. Now that you know that, go buy it. One of the most increasingly good and varied comics out there. (Editor’s note: This has been my favorite comic series since its inception. – Monsignor Moody)

Guy: 9. Rat Queens – I’m not the Invincible fanatic you are CW, but I have to say, what I’ve read of the book I’ve loved. Solid pick there. The next one up on my list definitely fits into that crazy and bombastic mold you’re speaking of. Betty, Hannah, Dee, and Violet are the titular Rat Queens. Betty is my favorite, if for no other reason than Roc Upchurch draws her cute as button while Kurtis J. Wiebe gives her a mouth fouler than my own. This book is practically a D&D fan’s wet dream — and if you‘ve ever met any D&D fans, you know they have plenty of wet dreams (sorry, Father McPhail). With a heaping helping of conspiracy, mercenary quests to avoid being locked in a dungeon, drunken brawls, and dark assassins, this book will appeal both to high fantasy fans and 12-sided dice roll veterans alike. Rat Queens definitely pushes some limits though; so if you are — unlike many of us here in the first church of geek — easily turned off by raunchy lingo and drug use, you might want to pass.

There’s got to be an In-N-Out around here somewhere, right?

CW: 9. Quantum and Woody – This was a book I was determined not to like. I loved the original run by Priest and Bright. I loved it so much I wanted my own pet goat. But dammit if I didn’t just love this book when it popped out and took me by surprise. Again, this is a superhero book to a degree, and it’s a boatload of fun. Comedy, action, suspense, drama, and an idiot main character with another stiff as a board main who thinks he’s the lead, and you’ve got a blended coffee drink that keeps caffeinating your brain. Quantum and Woody is a comic for people who like comics, buddy cop movies, action movies from the 80s, and just fun, sometimes moronic stuff that you can enjoy.

Guy: 8. Super! – This series curb stomps its way onto the list and lands on the church steps courtesy of Unlikely Heroes Studios, specifically Zachary Dolan (Artist/Writer) and Justin Piatt (Writer/ Letterer). To paraphrase the creators, they are aiming to bring back a sense of wonder and joy to the cape and cowl genre. With three issues in the bag and more on the way, I’d say so far mission accomplished. It has a bit of the old Giffen/DeMatteis BWAHAHA JLI, but these guys are definitely doing their own thing. It isn’t all jokes and one-liners. There is some subtle and not so subtle commentary on popular superhero comics contained between the pages of Super!

HBO is set to pick up their latest pilot, “Romper Room.”

CW: 8. Burn The Orphanage – How many superhero books can we talk about? Apparently, a bunch of them. Anyways, here’s something a wee bit different. Side-scrolling 8-bit action video games were my jam (and to a degree, still are my jam). I play through Streets of Rage on a PS3 disc as often as I can (the entire trilogy of games). This comic is basically like playing Streets and being a kid again. Burn the Orphanage by Sina Grace and Daniel Freedman is such a blast of a comic that I can’t wait for the issues to come out so I can burn through them and then re-read them and then re-read them. It’s only a three issue mini (if I remember correctly), but I frigging love it. It makes me feel like a kid again, putting in Game Genie cheats and trying my damnedest not to die on Mr. X. I’m going to go pop that disc in and kick some henchman ass.

Guy: 7. Witch Doctor: Mal Practice – While you go get your game on, I’ll continue to move away from superhero — and good ol’ wrasslin’ — comics. For all you smart guys out there, no, I didn’t spell the subtitle wrong. Mal Practice is the latest six-issue mini-series featuring the continuing misadventures of Brandon Seifert (The Writer Dude) and Lukas Ketner’s (Artist Dude) Dr. Vincent Morrow. It is a psychedelic mash-up of House, part mystical CSI, and the more Lovecraftian acid trip adventures of classic Dr. Strange. Joined once again by his assistants Penny Dreadful and Eric Gast, Morrow continues to mix both magic and medicine to cure the world of the monstrous grotesqueries infecting it.

I smell a David Hasselhoff comeback.

It’s a cool book, fun book, weird book that tackles the, uh, strange (pun cheeesily intended) world around us. And, Strigoi Disease will have you checking your tongue to make sure it is still your own. What? Yeah, that creepy. CW, I just bought the trades, so if you want my floppies let me know. (Man that came out wrong.)

CW: 7. Hit – Cheers! Did you love LA Confidential? Did you watch the new TNT mini-series “Mob City” and wish that it was on for more than 3 weeks? Do you have an affinity for mobsters and cops doing dirty deeds to get the job done? Did you possibly enjoy Gangster Squad? Hit is the book for you. Bryce Carlson and Vanesa R. Del Rey create an entirely amazing world that is true to life and just a big amazing playground that I want to play in. I want to dig in, grab a sawed-off shotgun, shave my head and start punching stoolies to get to the truth of the matter. It takes a bunch of different angles and swerves and throws you for a loop and it involves dames and damsels and dirty-ish cops, and man do I love it. Again, I wish this was more than just a four issue mini (just like I wish Burn the Orphanage was more than just a mini as well). It’s not fair. I swear. It’s just not fair.

Guy: 6. Trillium – Not fair.. is the four week wait between issues of Trillium. Trillium is important because it is part of the “Vertigo is back” group of books that launched and have so far succeeded in 2013. It sees Jeff (Animal Man, Green Arrow) Lemire both writing and drawing a heart-warming sci-fi story that spans time and space. Plus, friggin Mayan temples on an alien world. I could keep babbling on and on about the book or you can just run out and grab every copy you can and start reading. And…go!

You’re not in.. yes, wait.. you ARE in Kansas, Doe!

CW: 6. The Legend of Oz: The Wicked West – If you told me this idea on the street, I’d punch you in the face and steal it and then sell it for a million dollars right this second. This like so many others of our top ten lists are those million dollar ideas that come once in a lifetime. Mixing these two genres together is such a big, bombastic badass idea that I wish it had been mine. I wish I had thought of it. It’s a crazy book that like has so many different angles that you never see what’s coming next. Big Dog Ink is putting out some incredible books like this and Critter (just to name two out of their whole sweeping line) and you’d do well to learn about them. I think Legend of Oz should be your first entry into their line. And you won’t for a second be upset by this.

Guy: 5. FBP (Federal Bureau of Physics a.k.a. Was Collider) – What more can I say about one of my favorite new series? The Padre is digging the story progression and world building of a reality where the laws of physics are turned upside down, inside out, and sideways, sometimes all at once. Issue four saw a game changing event occur that has seen some fun new characters introduced and some clearer glimpses into some of the mysteries surrounding this world where the laws of physics are not as set in stone as we thought they were.

Oh, the sports fathers get their boys involved with!

CW: 5. Battling Boy – Back to more superheroics from me, this time by gentleman Paul Pope. The dude is a comic genius. A comic saint. The forefather of badassery and kickassedness if there ever was one. I flew through this book (and still need to get The Death of Haggard West one-shot that lead into this book) and re-read it immediately. Like so many of my other favorites this year, it’s bombastic, it’s fun, it’s an epic comic that should be enjoyed for a moment, for a weekend, for a year, it doesn’t matter. This is wide-screen comic awesomeness that feels like a frigging Hollywood blockbuster waiting to happen. Battling Boy features a young dude with no real powers beyond the clothes on his back fighting to help save a city from monsters and other bad men. Paul Pope is a comics entity in and of himself and you need to read this book, dammit. Do it now. Get. Go.

Guy: 4. The Wake – Paul Fuckin’ Pope. Aww hell yeah dude! You nailed it with that one. Definitely one of my favorites of the year as well. My next best, though, is an intriguing scientific adventure story that I couldn’t put down once I started reading. I missed the individual issues. Thankfully Vertigo dropped The Wake: Part 1 on Wednesday collecting issues 1-5. I sat down to read it, loved it and immediately shot it into the top five on my list. It’s rare for a comic to give me chills. Most attempts at injecting horror elements into comics either fall into the category of predictably bad homage to Eerie Magazine strips of the 70’s or cheap thrills gore-fests that forget to bring a story along for the spooky ride. No worries here as Scott (Batman) Snyder along with Sean (Punk Rock Jesus) Murphy deliver a moody (not Monsignor Travis) scientific, and, on occasion, frightening thriller. The ending to this first part of the tale will leave you stunned and breathless. If you love smart comics, The Wake returns in February 2014 with issue #6. For now, catch up on the first part of the story if you haven’t already.

A movie that’s NOT about the End of the World? We’re all so there.

CW: 4. Dark Horse Superhero Line (Dream Thief, The Answer!, Black Beetle, Catalyst Comix, etc.) – I realize this is something of a cheat, but I couldn’t decide which was my favorite.. so I threw them all together. Dream Thief by Jai Nitz and Greg Smallwood has hometown awesomeness for me, but also incredible ideas and a story that again feels like a movie mixed with some of the best artwork ever put to paper by any artist ever (by the seemingly new but a lot of us have known about him for a long time Greg Smallwood). There’s The Answer by Dennis Hopeless and Mike Norton that was just a rollicking good time that made me want more. There’s Black Beetle by the incredible Francesco Francavilla who again is a comics god that deserves to be in the upper echelon of awesomeness; the whole world should know his name and speak it happily. Catalyst Comix by Joe Casey and the incredible gang of artists he had just makes me salivate. Catalyst relaunched an entire line of comics (Comics’ Greatest World) from a bygone era called the 90s that I thought had been forgotten about by everyone but me. I just LOVED the book with its amazing ideas and fantastic art and fun. Fun, I say fun. One of the best things to come out of Dark Horse Comics for a long time was the superhero line that brought a huge amount of great art and bold ideas. Another thing I wish I could have been involved in or had a say in, but enjoyable. Lovely stuff all around.

Guy: 3. Velvet – Hey look, another one that I reviewed. My self-promotion meter is set to shameless. I’m a sucker for sexy brunettes. Yeah, I know what you’re thinking, CW (“And the sky is blue and water is wet Padre, what else is new?”). I’m also a sucker for a well-told spy story (hello, Ed Brubaker) that comes out of the gates shaken, but not stirred. Add in a sexy lead who proves more mysterious and ass-kickingly fantastic than the male protagonists, well then Velvet is my huckleberry. Bru’s book is only up to issue two, so it isn’t too late to snatch them up and join the fun.

Oh, in case you forgot! RASL.

CW: 3. Tuki Saves the Humans/Rasl (Color Collected Hardcover) – Jeff Smith is one of my favorite creators. He and Mike Allred (Marvel’s FF) could work on a comic book version of the phone book and I’d buy it. I love everything they touch. Jeff Smith’s Rasl is one of my favorite stories ever and the collected color edition totally counts because it has some new pages, some changes in the book, and it’s in FULL-COLOR and it’s a hardcover. Lovely, again. And then there’s Tuki Saves the Humans. Go to the Boneville website and read through it. Only a few pages have been published so far but it’s beautiful stuff. It’s amazing stuff. It’s wonderful and all the other words that can be used to describe it could just be fluff. There’s hardly any words in the story, yet I can’t stop myself from wanting to look over it and love every minute of it — poking my head around the world as often as possible. You should give it a shot. It’s free online and you might just get swept away as easily as I did.

Guy: 2. Black Science – Oops, I did it again. (Pat on the back, self hi-fives.) I just reviewed the first issue of this series a couple of weeks ago. While it was mentioned it in my latest indie comics review, it’s worth repeating that Black Science is the perfect blend of classic Metal Hurlant sci-fi fantasy and the type of hard sci-fi you find in the novels of Alastair Reynolds. The art team of Matteo Scalera and Dean White is on a whole other level. With the release of the second issue this week, the story just keeps getting better and more complex. This book is shaping up to be a big cosmic, multi-dimensional cocktail of Fuck-Yeah poured into a happy glass of classic pulp adventure. With issue two comes a bit more of a spotlight on the other members of the Anarchist League of Assassins as new danger, shocking revelations and humor abound. Plus, we get WWI German troops fighting Native American conquerors in spaceships. Yes parishioners, this comic is that crazy. Now, if you want to really see me kiss this series’ ass, check out that review I mentioned earlier. So, CW, while I pucker up to shower more love on Black Science, hit em with your numero dos.

Black and White Science.

CW: 2. Bad Karma – Again, more hometown pride here, but it doesn’t matter in the slightest. I love this book with the same kind of love that Guy shows to Rick Remender and Michael Fiffe. It was a huge success on Kickstarter and it is completely deserved. Fantastic art, wonderful stories, and you name it when it comes to a genre and it is in there. Noir. Time travel. Phil Hester. All of it. It will knock you down, punch your teeth in, and drag you kicking and screaming into a brand new world of comics beauty. With a lineup of creators including Seth Peck, Jeremy Haun, B. Clay Moore, some guy named Alex Grecian, and a number of artists that you will no doubt know all about later on in comics, this book is just a treat. Prose. Short stories. All the wonder and beauty of comics that you could ever ask for. I’m trying not to just heap praise on this thing, but for the love of all that is holy, this is a Kickstarter book that goes above and beyond what you would normally expect from a Kickstarter. Bad Karma is a book you should seek out. You should meet these gents at a comic book show of your choosing or buy it on their website and buy a t-shirt at the same time. IT IS A BLAST. I want to tell you more about the stories but if you look at the other comics I’ve listed as my favorites of the year, you might get a taste of some of the things you can find in here. Buy it. Read it. Then talk to me about it later.

Only at the Copra… the Copracabana!!!

Guy: 1. COPRA – The best superhero comic of 2012 is the best superhero comic of 2013. Shocker! Winding down its initial run with the recently released Issue 12, Michel Fiffe’s ode to classic Suicide Squad and dysfunctional 80’s team books is the oh-wow-fun you’ve been craving in comics for a long time. The design choices, often mixing an abstract graphic design sense with 60’s comic bombast, particularly when it comes to the books special effects, are mind-blowing and inspiring. The best way to describe it is “Ditko meets Picasso in a threeway with Grant Morrison’s Doom Patrol“. From the colored pencil color technique to the experiments in page layout, COPRA is just a beautiful book. The story is both big (when it wants to be) and small (really nailing character development and progression) when it has to be. Fife has promised that this is not the end of COPRA. 2014 will see the return of the strangest, most creatively designed collection of anti-heroes and villains you will find anywhere in comicdom today. For comic fans that’s a very good thing.

Honorable Mentions:
-Codename: Action (Dynamite)
-Battling Boy (Paul Pope)
-The Private Eye (Brian K. Vaughan & Marcos Martin)
-Lose #5 (Michael DeForge/Koyama Press).

GodLovesYou, yeah – yeah – yeah!

CW: 1. The Fifth Beatle – All of my praise and admiration were pretty much saved for this book. Everything else I’ve read this year has been wonderful and fun and groovy and badass and amazing and just all kinds of awesome. I’ve never been a big fan of the Beatles in any capacity, so a comic/graphic novel that can sweep me up in this story so effectively and then break my heart a number of times before it’s done is just about the best thing I can think about. A book that beat Rasl for my favorite comic of the year had to be incredible, and The Fifth Beatle, the story of Brian Epstein, is heartbreaking and lovely and beautiful to look at. Written by Vivek J. Tiwary with art by Andrew C. Robinson and Kyle Baker and edited by Philip Simon, The Fifth Beatle is like watching the story of the Beatles unfold behind the scenes, watching Brian Epstein start as a manager in a record store and ending up the heart and soul of the biggest band in the world. Seeing some of the story from this aspect is wonderful: we get the human aspect of it without having to have the voice of one of the Fab Four as our narrator and possibly be swayed by their opinion or their facts. We get to the meat of the creation of this universal hit band, and it’s an amazing story. The foreword and afterword break my heart. The story breaks my heart. It’s a story that should be told as a film. It needs to be told as a film. It better be told as a film because I will be there opening day with my friends and family and I will watch their reactions to the beauty of this. If you haven’t read it, get it. Read it. Put it down and cry a bit. Then try and allow yourself to listen to some of the Beatles song and remember: All you need is love.

Honorable Mentions:
-Hawkeye (Marvel) (and yeah, it’s pretty damn close to an indie book)
-Superior Foes of Spider-man (again, shut up)
-Imagine Agents (Boom!)
-Saga (Image)
-The Five Ghosts of Fabian Gray (Image)
-Harbinger (Valiant)
-A Voice in the Dark (Top Cow)

From GodHatesGeeks, we’d like to send out our best Holiday wishes…and, nearly as importantly, Happy Reading!

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TOP 10 TV SHOWS of 2013 [Face-Off]: The Downward Spiral.

Tyler McPhail — Mon, 16 Dec 2013 22:15:41 +0000

It’s that time of year again, where GHG looks back at the year that was. The first of many “Best” lists, our boob-tube experts “Father” Tyler McPhail and “Divine” Derek Vigeant offer their distinct Top 10 TV Shows of 2013. We tried to keep it “geek-centric”; but there’s no doubt even the most diehard sci-fi/fantasy dweeb loves a little laughter — and sitcommie romance — every now and then. Hell, that’s what our honorable mentions lists for.

Happy Holiday Viewing, congregants!

“Divine” Derek Vigeant: 10. Sleepy Hollow – The creators of “Fringe” come back with a scary and crazy ride into the world of the Four Horseman of the Apocalypse…as they charge forth onto 2013. Each episode, we’re given a large helping of Washington Irving’s rich myth and folklore that continually drives the mystery ahead. The rogues gallery of supernatural and magical villains is equal parts crap-your-pants and gasp-in-amazement. And as Ichabod Crane (a thankfully not so hokey Tom Mison) continually tries to adjust with life in the modern world, his partnership with the lovely police Lieutenant (Nicole Beharie) adds a unique and fun balance to the already twisted subject. While the first season finale comes this week, don’t expect FOX to get off this saddle any time soon.

“Father” Tyler McPhail: 10. Castle – Zzz… Huh? Oh, Divine, did you say something? Look, Nathan Fillion can take the sky from anyone…even a remake of an average Tim Burton movie. I love “Castle”… and especially Stana Katic. With great character development, writing, and nerdiness, this is by far the first cop/investigation show I don’t hate. There’s not much else to be said other than “Castle” is one of those ultimate nerd shows that needs to be on more Top 10 lists — even yours, D.

It’s not a Green Lantern ring, I swear…I think.

Derek: 9. Continuum – “Firefly” that is not. Speaking of sci-fi, time traveling law enforcement officer Kiera Cameron (Rachel Nichols) returns for a second season of deliberating the Liberate, a group she must stop before they become a future terrorist organization. While last season watched the group lose its leader, Kagame (Tony Amendola), the group only watched its strength grow in numbers. And it surely doesn’t help that police aren’t buying her (false) background story, with the ongoing threat of risking her own secrets. Will she be able to hold her own psyche together during this time of bleak and dire threats? I know I’ll sure be on board to see if she can survive a world away from everything and everyone she knows.

Tyler: 9. Ultimate Spider-Man – Sounds… continuus? Boy, do I remember everyone hating “Ultimate Spider-Man” when it came out. Hell, even the creator had to get off Twitter and Tumblr because of all the hate. But not this Father, I loved it. I found the second season — which saw the likes of super guest stars Deadpool and Guardians of the Galaxy — to be much different and especially funny. There are only a few super heroes that this “reality” formula would work for and, aside from the Merc With the Mouth, Spider-Man is it. This show is just fun, amazingly animated, and hilarious. How could people hate it so much? And their Doc Ock is the shiznit.

Cereal?

Derek: 8. Sons of Anarchy - I know some “webheads” in Charming, who were ready for yet another round of bikes, guns, and backstabbing with everyone’s favorite MC SAMCRO. Oh, backstabbing.. that’s all I kept thinking about with this season. There’s been so much strength in the unity of the brotherhood of SOA in the past; but this season had more player have their own agenda than ever before — a season that went to a new level of smacking you in the face while hitting you below the belt. So much tragedy, lies, and heartbreak… Sounds like the initial reviews for “Ultimate Spider-Man.” Where’s Dr. Melfi when you need her? (see more).

Tyler: 8. Community – If I wanted anything “SOA”, I’d just play the Trevor levels of GTA V. Look, season 4 of “Community” didn’t have showrunner Dan Harmon. I know, I know, I know. BUT I still loved me some. Despite a seemingly rocky season, there were plenty of favorites to stand out. I personally loved the “Inspector Spacetime” ep; and the one paying homage to Scooby Doo, with the whole gang in Pierce’s mansion. Now, while it’s not hard to get behind Harmon’s return, losing Pierce Hawthorne (Chevy Chase) and, eventually, Troy Barnes (Donald Glover a.k.a. Wu-Tang Clan affiliate emcee Childish Gambino) might just be too much to handle. Oh, and just to add.. it’s quite disgusting that Jim Parsons is considered more talented than Danny Pudi. There’s no doubt Abed is a harder character to pull off than someone being stressed out all the time. America has clearly overlooked Abed and have used too much of their time watching the ultimately crappy “Big Bang Theory.” I hate that show…

Greatest “Kim first night with Kanye” impersonation ever.

Derek: 7. Under the Dome – No worries, Father; you won’t see any BBT on my list either. The summer’s big –and perhaps even surprise — hit show of 2013 about a small town trapped underneath an impenetrable dome did its thing! What worked for this CBS series was, not only the ongoing mysteriousness of the dome, but the crazier interactions between townsfolk. Greed. Lies. Murder. And that was just Dean Norris’ sheriff! “UTD” offered all of the chaos that people trapped against their will would see fit, but it’s the backstories and conflicts that unfold that also keep one watching. It also found a way to avoid getting “Lost” in the shuffle, because the people of this town had me a lot more invested than some lonely island (see more).

Tyler: 7. Adventure Time – “Adventure Time”? What??? Yeah, it made my list. I LOVE “Adventure Time”. It is random, makes me feel things without any use of a substance, and is really weird. However, the past couple of season have been absolutely amazing. Introducing Ice King’s curse, Marceline’s life, and a numerous number of references to their world of mere wasteland following nuclear war. Feed me more.

Mr. Terrific? I like the sound of that.

Derek: 6. Almost Human - The biggest sci-fi example of the year goes to J.J. Abrams and J.H. Wyman. Not saying it’s the best show of the year, but this futuristic take a human police officer (Karl Urban) partnered with a smarty-pants android (Michael Ealy) has been the genre’s finest representation. FOX wasn’t playing with the budget, either. “Almost Human” packs plenty of next-gen tech, wondrous architecture, super cool weapons, and smart crime cases (even if one episode did see a nod to Vince Gilligan). I mean sex bots?! You won’t find that on “NCIS”. Through its first 5 episodes, the series has only baited us with hints of where exactly the story is meant to go, and there’s no doubt there’s a bigger picture at play here. And, the “buddy” cop quips between our leads are just fantastic (see more).

Tyler: 6. Looney Tunes Show – Sounds loony, man…or Dreddful. If you have not watched “Looney Tunes Show”, I gotta tell you, you are absolutely missing out… Sure, the concept of Looney Tunes set in a sitcom environment doesn’t sound like the best idea, but the delivery is a pleasant surprise. The writing is stellar, voice talents (like Fred Armisen, Kristen Wiig, Maurice LaMarche, and June Foray) are superb, and the animation style is indeed a blast. Definitely makes me Top Sitcom list.

Ragnarok: Dark Avenger.

Derek: 5. Vikings – Sitcoms? Who’s here to talk about Sitcoms!? In a year like this? Even the History Channel became major players in the world of geek drama, with a series that delivered a few hundred hungry “Vikings”. The show follows Ragnar Lothbrok (Travis Fimmel) as an ambitious Viking father and husband who knows there is more out there in the world for the taking — but is held at bay by a king who wants to keep his people sheltered from the unknown. “Vikings” quickly shifts from a show about family values and tradition to conquest and power. Because the show focused so much on these strong characters early on, that made it difficult for fans to distance themself from these barbarians who unabashedly took and destroyed the lives of others. In the end, the show left so many seeds for the stories to grow that Season 2 promises to be one that will dwarf the first (see more)!

Tyler: 5. Mad Men – Ahh at least we have this in common: we both love angry, depressant human beings. “Mad Men” was my favorite show on television from seasons 1-4. This season however — despite making my Top 5! — was a little disappointing, despite the riveting downward spiral of Don Draper/Dick Whitman (John Hamm). I loved the new characters brought onto the show, however, too many things were happening, which lead to nothing at most times (drunk Sally and Bob’s beach shorts?). And with the introduction of new characters, a lot of my favorites from past seasons became useless and nonexistent — except for the saving grace Hershey speech and that one night stand with youknowho. Expect an even juicier, twisted fate for the Don come its last and final season.

You left out HOUSE OF CARDS?

Derek: 4. Arrow - Season 2 of the hit CW take on the DC Universe’s “Robinhood” has jumped off to a huge start. While Oliver Queen has taken an oath to not kill anymore, this only gave the criminals of Starling City a free pass to start wrecking havoc. The series is even more action packed and faster paced than the first. I especially favored Ollie’s flashback journey on the island, which has certainly evened out the simultaneous stories. With the addition of Black Canary (Caity Lotz), Brother Blood (Kevin Alejandro) and Oliver’s new boss, Isabel Rochev (Summer Glau), Queen Consolidated has only gotten richer (see more).

Tyler: 4. Arrested Development - Welcome back, old friends. Finally the Bluth Family has come back. After almost 7 years of no chicken dances, America was feeling lost after finishing season 3 on their DVD players. But Mitch Hurwitz brought them back, with more vodka, more never-nude, and more lighter-fluid. It had a fantastic start, got lost with too much story in the middle, but made up for everything in the end. When the story got kind of weird with relying on guest cameos, it still didn’t affect me too much. I was just happy to see my favorite messed up family again.

I’ve been fighting terrible paintings my whole life…

Derek: 3. Fringe – You know what’s messed up? Witnessing one of the most creative and puzzling sci-fi shows in years coming to an end. Now, was it the best season? Not by a long shot. But because of what it gave us over the five seasons it aired it deserves some recognition. Continuing with the alternate timeline that they had been going with lately the show was weird and cryptic as usual but that’s why we love it. The series finale was both sad and complete at the same time. Glad the FOX network gave the show the chance to run its course and go out properly.

Tyler: 3. Legend of Korra - I cannot emphasize how much I love the Avatar world. Not the one of James Cameron, but the exceptional animated show on Nickelodeon. “Legend of Korra” is also connected to the show “Avatar: The Last Airbender” — the fantastic show, which so happen to turn into one of the worst films of all time by M. Night Shamalamadingdong. “Korra” is back in it’s second season titles Book 2: Spirits, and although it isn’t as dark as the first season, it opens up the universe to so many amazing possibilities. Season 3, hurry.

The Knicks had a worst 4th quarter tonight than “Dexter” did…

Derek: 2. Breaking Bad - So how many people were chomping at the bit waiting for this one to come back in the summer? Not as many Korra fans, of course. But, hey, even though there were only eight episodes for the second half of Season 5, each one of them was packed with enough show-stoppers that left everyone jumping on social media just to say “Ohhhh shit!” Bryan Cranston continued his Emmy worthy performance as drug lord Walter White/Heisenberg and was all the more evil and cunning as ever. A man so conflicted in the sense that all he wanted to do was provide for his family, but somehow got sucked into the power and ego of being the monster from which he could not let go of. There were a lot of deaths, tears, and people called “BITCH!” by Jesse Pinkman (the breakout Aaron Paul) but in the end was one of the most satisfying series finales ever.

Tyler: 2. South Park – Jesse’s cool, but no one bitched out more people this year than Trey Parker and Matt Stone. This season was astounding. It definitely was one of the best out of the 17 seasons of airing. ‘Let Go, and Let Gov’ had me tearing at times from laughing. But the Console Wars episodes were pure brilliance. The last episode of the season also had an amazing message — that has been blowing up on the internet — about airbrushing ala “photoshopping” women in advertisements. The Kanyeezy-meets-Hobbit episode was a great season ender, unlike some from the past. “South Park” really nailed it this season.

There’s only room for one Nick Fury in this universe.

Derek: 1. The Walking Dead – Yet their game is still coming out for current-gen. Riiiiiight. Anyways, AMC owned. The network’s zombie-dominating, blood-drenched, scream-filled champion of 2013 began a little slow with Season 4, but picked up in the prison our frightful friends had inhabited from the last. Here, “TWD” focused even further on the relationships within the group, the new folks from Woodbury, and, of course, everyone’s emotional state. But that didn’t last long. Throw in a viral disease turning everyone into zombies and the anticipated return of the Governor and the show everyone knows and everyone — but Father McPhail? — loves was indeed back. Why is “TWD” #1? The show challenges. “Dead” draws you in with sympathetic individuals who can instantly become terrifying in an ugly situation, a struggle to become lost to the brutality of a mindless enemy. The mid-season finale brought many tears to eyes of fans, but also applauded the perseverance of the group past the ongoing evils that threaten their existence. Can’t wait till its February return in 2014!

Honorable Mention (yes I need about 7 DVR’s):
-Scandal
-The Following
-American Horror Story: Coven
-Being Human
-The Blacklist
-Justified
-Person of Interest
-Masters of Sex
-Falling Skies

I can borrow that domino when you’re done, right?

Tyler: 1. Arrow – You’ve got more crap on your DVR than a landfill. But, in the end, we both loved “Arrow.” And who in their right mind wouldn’t? Season 2 — thus far — surpassed its first season with amazing pacing, character introduction, less romance crap, more island flashbacks, and lots of Felicity (Emily Bett Rickards). The CW caper has certainly found its audience: people who love GHG. After the two-part episode with Barry Allen (Grant Gustin), how excited can one possibly get for The Flash! If you aren’t watching “Arrow”, you deserve a big fat bullseye on your back. It’s been real, D. Til’ next year!

Honorable mention:
-Parks & Recreation
-Teen Titans Go!
-Modern Family
-How I Met Your Mother

What… no “Game of Thrones”, kids??!!?! Hell, stay tuned to GHG for more “Top 10″ lists leading to the New Year!

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COMIC BOOK MEN [Season 3 Premiere Review]: A Graphic Tease.

Eva Ceja — Sun, 13 Oct 2013 13:43:35 +0000

Hey all you GHGer’s! I’m back with a nungence. What’s airing tonight?!! Is it the new HBO series “Hello Ladies” with an episode that I so happen to have co-starred? (shameless plug for “The Date”, I know) Yes… more importantly! AMC’s third season of their original series, “Comic Book Men”!!

Yusssss.

And you wonder why the government shut down?

What is on everyone’s mind? Is Kevin Smith the only one that is stoked to have long time friend Ben Affleck announced as the new Batman?? Yup. What was the response on Twitter to the casting massacre? 71% negative response to this decision, 16% neutral, and the other 13% was Kevin clogging the twitter feed with “Holy shit.. BEN AFFLECK IS THE NEW BATMAN!! Do you know what this means? It means that I’ve seen batman naked.”

Once again, Kevin, Walt, Bryan, Michael, and Ming encounter comic book misfits alike in S3 of “Comic Book Men”. Main things to note in these first two episodes: realism. Yup, folks. Spoiler alert: BUT I learned a few things. First off, Lou Ferrigno, the original Hulk on television before CGI. This man is the Hulk. No doubt. And, realistically, the last person to actually play the Hulk without CGI. This man is cut. He regales the boys about an episode where he has to wrestle a real life 705 lbs. baby bear in the water. #nojoker

Look on the bright side: you won’t have to charge for autographs.

This iconic Hulk whips Bryan into shape, at least, for the episode. Good luck with that, Lou.

Cut to the second episode: To the Bat Cave. Incredible. A grown man has his own secret Bat cave… and all I kept thinking was… I WANT ONE!

You will have to watch the episode to see what I am talking about, but it’s undoubtedly wild to see the type of comic book fanatics out there… and the lengths they will go to be #superfans.

Over all… They obviously threw in a girl in the first episode, because let’s face it: there’s probably not a whole lotta cool chicks in the NJ area who like comics. I’m pretty sure Kevin Smith would have to ship us Naughty Nuns out to the Dirty Jerz. I’m willing to go KS. It would be a small mecca, but a mecca journey to be certain. I want more girl. But then again, I’m bias.

It’s entertaining, surprising, and a little sad. It’s a #humpday at a comic book shop, but with staged collectors to divert from the cashier lifestyle. Regardless, I’m gonna continue to watch AMC. You have taken my “Breaking Bad” away. It’s time to get hooked to something new.

3 (out of 5) Bibles = Check it out!

Well, I’m out. I have nun-stuff to bide my time while I wait for, wait… what was that? Yes, I’m keeping the peace in the streets while we have no government. Duh. What kind of super girl do you take me for?? Check out “Comic Book Men” 9pm Sunday AMC and then 10:30 PM check out my episode of “Hello Ladies” on HBO.

This is The Priestess, over and out… yo.

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SDCC [Chapter II, Verse III]: Who won the Delicious Double-Hour of Death & Despair?

Sherice — Wed, 31 Jul 2013 19:02:56 +0000

Sister Sherice here — and finally rested after all the craziness that is Comic-Con. As usual there was too much to do and too many panels to see. That said, I got to the San Diego Convention Center’s infamous Hall H line at around 5 am Friday morning to ensure I would catch the highly anticipated, back-to-back panels featuring “The Walking Dead” and “Game of Thrones.” Praise Jesus! The Sister in fact got in. As you can imagine, there’s nothing like experiencing a live Q&A with 6,000+ other folks for arguably – and that’s arguable — the two most popular shows on television. The energy level is typically high and everyone is excited to see new footage (even though they could perhaps YouTube it later that night…).

With that, who came out the victor in this one afternoon’s air-conditioned double-death showdown: TWD or GOT?

(Shit wouldn’t make a bad crossover comic, right Robert? George?)

Believe it or not, this Deathmatch wasn’t even close. As an avid viewer of both critically acclaimed series, I was equally anxious for both presentations. “The Walking Dead” panel didn’t disappoint in frightening fans with loads of info (even Moody, who’s witnessed 3 Dead presentations in the past couple years, would have been satisfied), where as “Game of Thrones” drank like stale mead.

Don’t these Throneheads know I’m INVINCIBLE?

Although each panel was represented to capacity, there’s no doubt that “Dead” had more zombie power coming from the crowd. To greet us with their presence was executive producer/co-creator/comic book author Robert Kirkman, executive producer and showrunner Scott Gimple, executive producers Gale Anne Hurd and Dave Alpert, special effects supervisor Greg Nicotero, and actors Andrew (Rick Grimes) Lincoln, David (Governor Without A Home) Morrisey, Norman (Daryl) Reedus, Chad L. (Tyrese) Coleman, Danai (Michonne!) Gurira, Lauren (Maggie) Cohan and our favorite one-legged oldman, Scott (Hershel) Wilson.

“Thrones” had Peter (Tyrion “Don’t Call Me Bolivar Just Yet” Lannister) Dinklage, Michelle (Catelyn Stark) Fairley, John (Samwell Tarly) Bradley-West, Kit (Jon “OMG!” Snow) Harrington, Rose (Ygritte) Leslie, Richard (Robb Stark) Madden, and the all-too-lethal Queen of the Dragons, Emilia (Daenerys Targaryen) Clarke. Joining the cast was esteemed Thrones series author and exec producer George R.R. Martin in tow, along with showrunners D.B. Weiss and David Benioff.

One would think after earning 16 Emmy nominations (and having a 9.4 IMDB score, holy hell!) the panel would have been livelier. Maybe it’s a Brit thing. By the way, Michelle Fairley was snubbed of an Emmy nom. That bone-chilling wail she released in the “Red Wedding” episode — one of the nuttiest TV eps of all time — was worth recognition alone; and although I love Miss Clarke, her acting this season was nowhere near Fairley’s, which was simply captivating beyond. But I digress…

“Perhaps we could make the panel a little more exciting next year?”

Perhaps this afternoon’s solemnness was also due to Richard Madden’s lethal exit. Interesting enough, Madden’s disposition was cheery despite the Stark fact the third season would be his and his TV mom’s last. “I knew how many years I signed for,” Fairley said. “I knew [Winter] was coming.”

How would Tony feel?

Instead of a fun blooper reel (well, you know, “fun” for GOT) or new character announcements (which, according to Moody, they spent the bulk of the panel last year doing), HBO presented a deleted scene between “The Lord of Casterly Rock” Tywin Lannister (the always creep Charles Dance) and Grand Maester Pycalle (Julian Glover).

Despite this exclusive, the video impaled in comparison to “The Walking Dead’s” nerve-juicing 4-minute Season 4 trailer, which was met with an unsurprisingly raucous applause.

Thankfully, not all 60-minutes were a snooze for the Grand Theft Kingdom.

Hall H-ers were quite taken aback when Jason Momoa crashed the panel and surprise-kissed Clarke — and unfortunately only Clarke; thanks buddy! But all Drogo hunkiness aside (“My Sun and Stars!,” Clark yelped), the “Thrones” panel was flat. Missing were a few fan-favorites that could have brought things to life. Where was Kristian Naim? His character Hodor has inspired many memes.

And what of the sniveling Joffrey, played to annoying perfection by Jack Gleeson? Interaction between man-child and Dinklage off camera would have been a Comic Con classic.

Then, there’s the major absence of comic character level-cult favorite Maisie Williams. Arya has the spunk and a sense of humor to set off 6600 peasants, as evident by this…

Perhaps when it comes to Season Fours, “Walking Dead” just owns all the momentum.

“Dead” is still a mega-hit comic book, and it is Comic-Con, after all. I think. The trailer alone sets a pretty magnificent — and now different — tone. It’s also now glaringly apparent the survivors must leave the prison due to a breech. What’s worse, this compound breech may have been made by someone from the inside. And, just when things couldn’t get any more dire, you’ll no doubtly receive the ‘Holy Ghost’ when Michonne gets her ride on…a horse! The footage also depicts a now tall-ass Carl, who was arguably the scariest of the bunch in his own right. And, of course, Daryl doing what Daryl does.

Plus, there’s a talk of possible romance between Michonne and Rick — who have that whole 90s Storm and Wolverine thing going on. Lincoln, who was seated next to Gurira joked, “We’re playing footsie right now.” Norman Reedus, not wanting to be left out of the equation, quipped, “Both characters are loner characters. Death will bring Michonne and Daryl get together. Maybe Rick can join.”

If we’re all going to die… we mind as well die as one at Comic CON!

As my “girl” Madea would say, “Hallelujah!”

New “Walking Dead” showrunner Scott Gimple, now taking over the reigns from Glen Mazzara who took over for Frank Darabont (you got that?), let it be known that things would get crazy very quickly, and what was shot over the past two weeks goes above and beyond what we’ve watched so far. “All bets are off,” the director of last season’s awesome ep “Clear” said. The Governor — who I wished would have died at the end of season three — is still around. Unfortunately, Kirkman was pretty closed-lipped about when the former maniacal headof Woodbury would reappear and what havoc he would wreak upon Rick and crew. “When he returns will be a big mystery this season.”

When it comes to reading the best-selling source material for “Game of Thrones,” who does and who doesn’t? Peter Dinklage, who in his latest X-Men endeavor, perhaps doesn’t have the time, chimed, “In four or five years when ["Thrones"] is all over, I think I’ll go back and read all the books. But, I don’t want to know what is coming, so I stay away.” Martin reflected his concerns. “Some of [the actors] don’t want to know, and some of [the actors] do want to know, so when I visit the set I tell them. But things change. The books are the books and the show is the show.”

When we last left the gang after the wild ambush at Woodbury, Rick brought the surviving residents back to the prison with him. Stu-pid. As shown in the aforementioned “Clear” episode, this was a jackass move that went against all of Rick’s principles. Carl, Rick and Michonne, on their hunt for more guns, came across a lone backpacker whom Rick refused to pick up! Rick playing savior to an entire town just no longer made sense. So, why? Well, Lincoln said of this change of moral ethics, “”I’m not sure I can answer it, because we answer it in this season.” Ah! But of course. Perhaps his motive may have something to do with his son Carl, who’s become quite the little sociopath. Think: Damien from The Omen, or, hell, even Damien from Batman & Robin. And, who’d be better to play the Son of the Bat?

“The Walking Dead” returns to AMC on October 13 at 9PM. “Game of Thrones” Season Four premiere is set for next spring on HBO.

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LOOPER: Bruce, I’ve a feeling we aren’t in Kansas anymore!

Eva Ceja — Wed, 03 Oct 2012 06:02:08 +0000

Another Sister? ON GHG??? Did I just blow your mind?

But all sexual innuendos aside… mind blowing is quite serious. Looper definitely wanted to blow my mind… in every possible way.

Now that’s what you call “Live Hard.”

Did it just get hot in here?

Okay, if taking a trip on a train creates an idea for the theory for relativity, then bumping your head on a toilet creates time travel… in 2074.

But, sadly, It’s only 2044. The economy has suffered, causing social decay and increase crime rate. Ten percent of the population has developed minor telekinetic powers to float small objects which are mainly used to get pussy — less Jean Grey, more SuperBoy. Oh, and there are men called “Loopers.”

Are you up to speed?

Good. Loop with me.

Kansas City is the home of Joe Simmons (a never more intense Joseph Gordon-Levitt) who works for a mafia company as a “Looper”. Joe becomes stupefied, Harry Potter-style — Brucified? — when his older version (Willis) appears and realizes his contract is ended with the crime bosses from the future. As the story of any hired gun goes, Older Joe gets away. Younger Joe gets fucked over. And the plot thickens.

Look.

I am not about to give away too much of this plot, since I need you to see Looper– not only because of “The Bruce,” but from a humanitarian perspective. Christopher Nolan, M. Night Shyamalan (early, of course), and now Rian Johnson, have molded movies fit to our generation. During the Great Depression, we had Shirley Temple and Charlie Chaplin. In 2012, on the eve of the Mayan Doomsday/Zombie Apocalypse (October 14, your welcome AMC), we have an increasing number of movies that note the counteractive “Loop” that we’ve created as human beings.

This Sister left the theater with Einstein looping in my head: “Insanity is repeating the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result”. With that, our generation has found its “Shirley Temples” in superheroes. Surely, we need them to help us through this tough political, economical. and socialist driven age. Surely, this entertainment business can be more than just Adam Sandler movies and the next big summer blockbuster. And, surely, there are still an increasing number of movies with heart.

Yeah, I know. Yada, yada, yada.

Die Hard 17 and a 1/3rd… coming right uppp.

But this movie has heart. Hell, I’m a lady who loves a good action movie, but this one had a nice chakra balance of romance, action, drama, sci-fi, and mutant abilities to leave this pretty little lady moist as a wet nap. That’s to say, thank you R.J., for keeping Looper simple and character driven.

Before we indulge with Bibles, there’s two things I noticed about this film that particularly stand-out: no extended over-exaggeration of the whole time travel gimmick, and, of course, that 3-hour makeup job on Levitt. And, despite these mere trivialities, I was more pleased to focus on story and Levitt’s amazing job at recreating facial movements and character building to those of “The Bruce.”

Perhaps not yet a household name, this isn’t Rian Johnson first rodeo with directing projects packing time constraints. Most notably, Johnson directed two episodes of “Breaking Bad” (Fly, 51) and an episode of the cult FX series “Terriers”.

But don’t get it twisted: Looper is his baby through and through, a sort of Twelve Monkeys meets Blade Runner teardrop submerged into giggles. I’m eagerly awaiting to see what this man comes up with next.

4 (out of 5) Bibles. Awesome Sci-Fi action with a little bit of everything. Terrific third film from “Brick” director Rian Johnson. Bruce is still Bruce and that’s how we like him!

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Sister Emma’s Confessions: Or, lack thereof

Emma Fyffe — Thu, 23 Aug 2012 02:12:37 +0000

Alas, brothers and sisters. This week, I am sorry to report, I shall make no confession.

What can I say? I can’t resist a man with messy hair cut and good fur collared cloak.

Blame my piety on the emotional turmoil of having completed Dance with Dragons and, not only have to change my carefully crafted bio (I’m getting to it!), but also being faced with a literary void in my life that, for the past two years, was filled with A Song of Ice and Fire. What do I do now? How can I possibly read a different series when I am so thoroughly, emotionally invested in the future of Jon Snow? I need closure before I can just forget him entirely, move on, and lavish my attentions upon another semi-scorned bastard turned badass with an animal sidekick of mythic proportions.

And don’t even get me started on the immense sympathy I have for the plight of Daenerys Targaryen. Like we’re pretty much the same person, except my brother isn’t an insane person who traded my virginity for an army of semi-barbaric horse-lords. He also never had any illusions of reclaiming the throne of Westeros and wasn’t killed by having molten gold poured over his head in a sick similitude of a coronation. And I didn’t magically hatch three dragons by walking into my husbands funeral pyre.

Like I said, minor differences.

But the real reason behind me, let’s be honest, slacking off this week is that I have been occupied with other professional pursuits. I am delighted to share with you all the inaugural installment of Fyffe Club a segment, written and hosted by yours truly, that is part of a new video game news show, entitled Hot Coffee on Egotastic! a division of BUZZMEDIA.

There are lots of women in varying states of undress all over the rest of the website, but the gaming section is significantly more modest. For every one photo of a girl in her underwear there are at least four legitimate articles on gaming news. This ratio is reflected in the show too, where the only hint of naked comes in the form of The Gamer Girl Diaries a segment featuring ladies, thus far all from Girls Gone Wild, stripping down to their skivvies and pretending to play video games.

Yes, she is too good to be true. Girl doesn’t even know where the “start” button is.

Okay, so they actually are playing the games you see during the segment. But the gameplay clips you’re seeing are not direct screen caps from their play session.

Here’s the link to the full show.

I would love to include a direct link to my segment, but alas, the direct link/embed code only seems to be working properly on facebook at the moment. So, if you want to skip everything else and just feast your eyes and ears on this sassy sister, click on the “menu” icon in the corner of the video screen and drag your pointer across the thumbnails that appear until you find the segment entitled “Hot Coffee – 8/12/12 – Fyffe Club”, click away and there I will be.

Or, you could always check out the direct link on my super cool facebook fan page. And while you’re there you could “like” me too.

You do all like me, don’t you?

God Hates Geeks » Naughty Nuns

TOP 10 COMIC WRITERS of 2013 [CB/GHG]: Star-Crossover.

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TOP 10 VIDEO GAMES of 2013 [Face-Off]: World War G.

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TOP 10 MOVIES of 2013 [Geeks vs. Oscars]: ‘Stuck’ in the Middle with You..

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TOP 10 DC/MARVEL COMICS of 2013 [Face-Off]: The Color Purple.

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TOP 10 INDIE COMICS of 2013 [Face-Off]: Whatcha Gonna Read, BROTHER!?!!

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TOP 10 TV SHOWS of 2013 [Face-Off]: The Downward Spiral.

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COMIC BOOK MEN [Season 3 Premiere Review]: A Graphic Tease.

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SDCC [Chapter II, Verse III]: Who won the Delicious Double-Hour of Death & Despair?

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LOOPER: Bruce, I’ve a feeling we aren’t in Kansas anymore!

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Sister Emma’s Confessions: Or, lack thereof

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