Archive for October, 2010

I just think of a few of my favorite things…

October 28, 2010 · Filed under Uncategorized · Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Compared to the last couple of weeks, this nine-book review is going to seem tiny. Well, all I have to say is, tough tomatoes, I refuse to pick up more Marvel than I have to.

For some reason, Time Masters made no impression on me other than, “Boy, Hal Jordan is a prize douchebagel.”. Anyone else see that? I mean, there he and Booster are, stuck in a cell made of nothing before it turns into a crushing cage, and all Hal does is bitch about how Booster is a famewhore. Yes, Harold “Highball Hal” Jordan calling someone else a thrillseeking famewhore. The irony just rolls off the page in freaking waves. Oh well, only two more issues to go of this…this. I can’t even think of a word to describe it, and fail train is already taken. Moving on.

What was it I was saying about the lovely ladies of the Dark Knight last week? Something about how they’re awesome? After reading this week’s issue of Zatanna, I stand behind that statement even more. I mean, the girl managed to wriggle out of a deal with Mammon, the demon god of wealth and greed, by the skin of her teeth, that’s something to respect. Not to mention how she handles Zach when he goes all teenager-y on her. Yeah, Miss Zatara has worked long and hard to be the best the magical world has to offer, and I think she deserves to be there.

Okay, so the last two The Road Home one-shots are this week. My general opinion? Ehhh. I mean, the Oracle one-shot wasn’t terrible, but it also wasn’t something I’m planning on buying. It was nice to see Hawk and Dove in something other that Brightest Day, though. The final issue in the set, the Ra’s al Ghul one-shot, wasn’t great. It was interesting, don’t get me wrong, and Vicki Vale is officially in on the secret, part of the Batclan, but but just didn’t pull me in like some of the others did.

God damn it, Judd. Do you just hate Tora, is that it? You break up her and Guy, make her a whiny emo bitch, have her get so riled up that she goes completely beserk and turns into a killer icicle, and now you change her backstory completely. Seriously, patricide? Was that really necessary? You know what? Screw you. I’m not letting this into my canon. Tora is awesome, she’s not a killer.

What do you get when you cross Deadpool, the Thing, and professional wrestling? About 30 pages of references I don’t get that make me laugh anyway.

Before I review the Supergirl Annual, I want to tell y’all a little story. Back at the Tate’s tent sale in 07, I found an issue of Legion of Superheroes from the same week that Supergirl died in Crisis on Infinite Earths. In it, Brainy was mourning Kara’s death, and watching clips of her from a thousand years hence. It was that issue that really made me get it. Kara and Brainy were one of those couples that was destined to never end up together, no matter how hard they tried to. A thousand years is a pretty big age gap. And while in my personal canon, Brainy always ends up with Lyle (I grew up reading Reboot, bite me), the tragic love story that is Supergirl and Brainiac 5 will always be one of my favorites. Now, onto the issue. It was pretty good, touching on how Kara had gone to the future once before when she accidentally hopped dimensions as well as timestreams. And then it brought to mind this one little question; how is Kara going to die this time? Her last death wasn’t even a death, it was an erasing. She was one of the big sacrifices made in Crisis on Infinite Earths, though the Supergirl character itself was reborn a few years later. But if this death is recorded within the halls of time, obviously she wasn’t erased again, just killed. So what’s going to happen? How many more years of Supergirl do we have to look forward to? Your guess is as good as mine, Superfans.

So for weeks I’ve been hearing about how this new issue of Teen Titans is gonna rule. New creative team, new team within the book, Bart and Kon are back, Rose is gonna be bringin’ the sexual tension…it was supposed to be awesome. Well, I’ve read the issue.
Damnit, they got me again! I’m not gonna say that that was the best Teen Titans team I’ve ever read (sorry, nothing beats the New Teen Titans lineup by Marv and George for me), but this was definitely the best the Teen Titans have been since 03. Nothing against the 03 lineup, but with Tim, Starfire, and Cyborg out of the way, there’s more of a chance of seeing a Bart storyline, or something focused on Rose, like the Dark Side Club arc was. Here’s hoping that this series doesn’t become something of “The Kon and Cassie show featuring the Teen Titans”, because that would suck. The ending really makes me look forward to the next issue because frankly, Damian just makes everything better.

Oh man oh man oh man. I’m trying not to add emoticons here. I swear to aiesha, I just joygasmed. He wasn’t dead! He was just…having a hallucination of Death as we know her, and arguing his head off! Oh, Lex. I do so love you. The Jimmy Olsen second feature has, wait for it, drunk aliens! No, Supes didn’t go on a bender, the Dalwythians are in town. Who are these strange creatures? Well, they’re partiers from another planet (didn’t Power Girl do that in her second arc?), and they can get drunk on oxygen. Unfortunately, the planets they party on don’t always survive the experience, so in order to save the world, Jimmy has to make Metropolis the most boring place on Earth! Well, Lex isn’t there so for me, check.

That was this week in comics, lords and ladies. I think I’m gonna hurl a little, so, I’m gonna go lie down.

If you’re in Broward (or Dade or West Palm or South Florida in general), take the time this weekend to stop on by Tate’s Comics’ annual Halloween tent sale! Fill up a longbox for $35, and all back issues inside are 50% off! There’s more info on their website, http://www.tatescomics.com , or on their Facebook page. Speaking of Facebook, if you haven’t yet, add Touchof Grey to your friends list, because that’s me! Well, actually, it’s The ToG Blog, but still.

But wait, there’s more! Finished with the Tate’s sale? Still have money jingling around in your wallet? Stop by the grand opening of Florida Super Comics in Davie! Yes, Florida Supercon has a store now, holy crap! For a limited time only, subscribers with FSC save 40% on their comics! Look for me at both sales, dressed as the Flash! This is ToG, reminding you to spay and neuter your children. Peace!

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If this week got any bigger, I’d have to start cracking jokes

October 21, 2010 · Filed under Uncategorized · Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Is this a big week? Does the pope have a balcony? Fourteen books this time around, god help me. Well, let’s just jump right in.

The fail train rides again! Actually, and I’ll deny saying it later, this week wasn’t terrible. With the exception of the Firestorm pages, this issue combined the few things I like about Brightest Day. The J’onn story has been keeping me on the edge of my seat, and it really came to a head now that he’s confronted psycho Martian chick, D’kay D’razz. She’s the exact meaning of the term mindfuck and I can’t believe I’m saying this, but check out the issue yourself for the twist of all twists the last five pages. A brick was shat.

What is it about the Bat-women that rocks so hard? Of the Bruce Wayne: The Road Home one-shots that have come out so far, only Batgirl and Catwoman have been truly excellent. I’m not a Batfan, really I’m not, but something about the Dark Knight’s leading ladies always reels me in. You go, girls. You go.

On the opposite side of the spectrum is the Commissioner Gordon one-shot. Jim has never been one of my favorite Bat-guys, but he’s pretty badass for a powerless man in his 50’s. Even though the issue was written by Adam ‘Sonuva’ Beechen, I dug it. Go ahead and check it out, if you’ve got the time to spare.

Legion of Superheroes is finally getting good for me. I think it was all the Green Lantern stuff and Earth Man-centric issues that were spoiling it for me. Legion has always been about having a large, rotating cast of characters, not fixating on just one or two. Anyway, rant over. I’m gonna call this issue “couples a-go-go”, because everyone is making out. Seriously, this issue was full of romance. Shady and Earth Man, Ultra Boy and Phantom Girl, Gim and Yera, Garth and Imra, Ayla and Salu…no, seriously. It was a cute nod to the Pre-Crisis Legion stories where they were lovers. Hopefully this is canon again, the Legion needs more lesbians.

I don’t normally pick up Superman/Batman. I mean, I get backissues from conventions and tent sales, and my boyfriend buys the trades, but I don’t follow it regularly. I may have to, though, if all the issues are as funny and interesting as #77 was. Any Supergirl/Robin teamup is worth picking up, but a Kara/Damian teamup? Oh, yes please. My only complaint is that he never once calls her fat. He calls her an alien constantly, though, in true Dami fashion. I love that kid.

Justice League is growing on me again. I haven’t read anything from the main JL series since Cry For Justice (BOOOOOOOO), but since starting last month, I’m cursing the fact that I can’t seem to put it down. The Crime Syndicate of Amerika is back, y’all! Also, Tangent Earth Green Lantern makes an appearance. I’m telling you, I’m getting some heavy JLA-esque vibes from this current arc. I hope I’m wrong, because that arc of the old JLA series sucked. This issue, while text-heavy like whoa, was actually pretty readable. Let’s hope this trend continues.

I haven’t followed Gen13 for two issues now…so what the hell happened?! Last time I checked in with them, the Gens were in, like, the frozen wastelands, and Roxy and Grunge were going into space. I’m totally confused. Ah, well. Next weekend is the tent sale at Tate’s, and backissues that aren’t under the tent are half off inside the store. I’ll go grab them if I can’t find them outside, and hopefully clear up my confusion.

Is it just me, or are the Teen Titans stories the only decent ones in the Holiday Specials that DC puts out? Unless you plan on spending $5 for one story, I suggest skipping it.

Reading a Grant Morrison book is a double-edged sword. On one hand, it could be the best thing you’ve ever read. On the other hand, it could be so completely nonsensical that your head does a 360-spin trying to keep up. I think the entire latest issue of Batman and Robin was just a lead up to the fact that Dr. Thomas Wayne is actually, wait for it, Dr. Tommy Elliot. Big shocker, right? Tommy is a notorious face-stealer, and they share the same name, so…ahem. Moving on,

Remember how I said that Bat-ladies could do no wrong? Well, I feel the opposite for Superman’s supporting female cast. Lana Lang is a lovestruck bimbo, Cat Grant is a self-possessed bitch, Supergirl is the new DCU emo kid, Power Girl is being written by Judd Winick (WINIIIIIIIIICK), Lois Lane spent 50 years trying to get Superman to marry her…I swear, the only decent female character that’s come out of the Supercast recently is Bizarrogirl. And maybe Mercy Graves, who was badass in the Infinity Inc series post-52. If there is one thing I can say about this issue of Supergirl, it’s that it was drawn incredible well. The page comparing Supergirl and Bizarrogirl was superb. And that last page, with Cat Grant? Mascara tracks have never looked so good.

Power Girl confuses me. It looks like Judd Winick (WINIIIIIIIIICK) has been taking banter cues from Keith Giffen, but aside from that…is Peeg hitting on her new info man Nicco? What’s with the lady-reveal on the last page? Seriously, who the hell is she. Looks kinda like a badly-drawn Atlee, except she’s supposed to be a Kryptonian. I’m gonna write this issue off as “Confusing as Hell” and call it a day, mmkay?

Is there anything better than seeing someone slug Sinestro? In a Green Lantern series, no. In Green Lantern Corps, maybe. In a final page splash shot? You bet your ass there isn’t. I love Green Lantern Corps. Tony Bedard is honestly one of the coolest comic writers I’ve ever met, if not one of the best comic writers DC employs (sorry, Gail). His natural element seems to be space, because he was obviously born there. Don’t believe me? No one but a star-traveller could write space stories this well, I’m convinced. This new arc is going to be focused around Soranik and Kyle (didn’t I predict that?), and the weaponers of Qward. Looks promising, I can dig it.

Okay, so, lemme get this straight. The Steve Rogers that invited Deadpool to be part of his team last issue was an imperfect clone built by a man named Doctor Bong?! Seriously?! Deadpool, you have a terrible taste in friends. Next issue.

Hey, some of you may have heard of this comic-turned-movie from a couple years ago? About a kid that made himself into a superhero in a setting like the world we live in? I think it was called Kick-Ass? I have the first issue of the second series in my hands. Care to come along for the ride? Two words for you: Justice Forever. What is it, you ask? A TV show? A comic series? No, my friends. It’s the main plot of the new Kick-Ass series, the superteam he joins. Yes, an honest to god superteam. I’m going to stand up in a minute, and I won’t be surprised at all if I find a brick on my chair.

Well, that’s this week in comics, ladies and gents. I myself have a date with Gaia Online’s Exchange forum. Hope to see you all back here next week, same time, same place. Peace.

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I don’t wanna lick a doorway!

October 14, 2010 · Filed under Uncategorized · Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Holy cow, big week. I’m not even kidding. Fifteen books, you guys. And all of October is looking like this. Well, let me just crack my knuckles and get down to it.

It wouldn’t be the horror month without a return to Blackest Night. I know, even with Brightest Day halfway over, we just can’t seem to let this putrid corpse lie still. Untold Tales of the Blackest Night features a handful of stories from behind the scenes of the series. You have your longer stories, like the Donna Troy turning into a Black Lantern and the Scarecrow embracing fear fully upon recieving his Sinestro Corps ring, and then there are the one/two page stories, like the Rainbow Raiders thing. They never even got to face off against the Flash, the real Flash, not counting the time Johnny Quick and Power Ring fought them while disguised as Flash and Green Lantern back in JLA, and they drank poison and died. What the hell, man?! I am disappoint, DC. The Animal Man story was pretty kickass. He was a White Lantern for a time, too? Sweet! Oh, and then there was this thing about Lyssa Drak escaping from the Book of the Black, so I think we’ll probably be seeing her again soon in Green Lantern Corps.

The Return of Bruce Wayne is back, holy crap! We’re approaching the home stretch, folks! I can’t tell you how long I’ve been waiting for this…to end. I’m not a Batman fan by any stretch of the term, but I’ve been reading this series to keep up with the things that will be happening with the Batfamily members I do like. Bruce has made it all the way to…his childhood? In the days following his parents murders, no less. It’s an interesting concept, but I’m a little disappointed that big Bruce never got to meet little Bruce. That would have been cool.

I’m just going to combine the three Bruce Wayne: The Road Home one-shots into one review, mainly because I’m feeling lazy. Bruce Wayne on Dick Grayson: “He is poetry in motion, calm, confident.” We get it, Bruce. Your boner for him is HUGE. So, Bruce is god now? I mean, I’m sure people have been thinking he’s god for awhile, but the Redone-shot is pretty much confirming it. I’m not sure I can even finish reading this, you guys. I just…I’m not digging it. This isn’t even Brightest Day quality bad. The Batgirl one-shot is the only one I’m buying. I mean it, even if it takes me a month to get it. It’s on my list. Steph slaps Bruce across the face! It was awesome!

Adventure Comics is such a sweet book. I mean that in both the d’aww version of sweet, and the awesome version of sweet. Where else are you going to get to see Legionnaires help the Kents raise a barn? Or Brainy as a ‘human’? I swear, if it didn’t have that shitty Atom second feature, this would be up there on my list of top books.

Holy Mothra! That sonuvabitch killed the Coyote Kid! But…wasn’t he already dead? Welcome to Tranquility isn’t my favorite of Gail’s books, even though it originally appealed to my undeserved sense of Golden Age-nostalgia, but this is just…you can’t kill the dead. It’s impossible. There’s nothing alive left to kill. But Derek, he managed it. He ripped off limbs. And he may have killed Seresa Lindo. He tried to rape Minxy Millions. Gail, you’ve created a monster. You’ve created something that shakes me to my very core. Thank you.

Knight and Squire starts this month! Only six issues, but I’ve been looking forward to it for soooo long. Something about British heroes just tickles my fancy in the best of ways. It seems like these are going to be six done-in-one books about superhero life overseas, and I’m just fine with that. It’s definitely a change in pace from the other minis that have been coming out lately. This first issue involves an altercation in an old pub protected by truce magic. It was an interesting read, and I’d recommend it to anyone interested in that sort of thing.

So long as the Green Lantern title doesn’t focus solely on Hal Jordan, I think I can stomach it. This issue we meet Adara, the triple-beaked pedo bird of hope. Why is it a pedo? It’s host is a 14-year old girl. We also get to see a bit of relationship angst between Hal and Carol, which is just so nice. Hear the sarcasm? But the real star of this issue is Larfleeze. Somehow, Larfleeze has gone from loathed ultra-hoarder to woobie of the DCU. He’s even going to have his own Christmas special, if you can believe it. You go, Larfleeze!

Oh no, Guy. Say it ain’t so. Last issue, he was gonna get purged of the red. This issue, he isn’t, all on Bleez’s suggestion. There’s honestly very little I can say about this issue. It was…alright, I guess. And it’s kinda cool to know that the Big Bad is planning on steering the willpower train of the universe via telepaths, but it just didn’t wow me. Sorry, Emerald Warriors.

I see what you did there, Generation Lost. And you thought I wouldn’t notice that the dreamstate human personification of Gold looks more than a little like our dear Booster. Also, Max Lord a sociopath? Really, DC? You’re trying to say that the fast-talking lord of the schmooze is a sociopath? I don’t believe a word. What? What is this? The Metal Men have combined Voltron style to form a giant monster? Sigh, okay. I’ll buy it. One last thing: badass Ice? Probably one of the coolest things I’ve ever seen, pun so very much intended.

Oh god, I can’t stop laughing! I hope we have this creative team on Booster Gold forever. This entire issue, from the eating and regurgitating of chipmunk!Ted to Booster crossing himself and praying (and isn’t he supposed to be an athiest?) before socking Estrogina in the gut…it was all too brilliant. Go buy this comic, I command it of you.

Well, that was this week in comics. Sorry it’s a half-hour past deadline, my internet was out. I was quite angry. Do, do I still have to lick a doorway? Guys? Er, this is Touch of Grey saying goodbye for now, and please don’t make me lick a doorway.

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This isn’t Becoming a Habit, I Swear

October 7, 2010 · Filed under Uncategorized · Tagged , , , , , , , , , , ,

Relatively large week, y’all. Six books; five scheduled, and the last issue of Gotham City Sirens my LCS was shorted. Hang on, it may turn out to be a bumpy ride.

First up…geez, is the Fail Train still chugging along?! Seriously? How much longer is this going on? Twelve more issues?! Okay, where’s the emergency brake on this sumbitch? Sigh, anyway. So, this looks to be a Firestorm-heavy issue. Hooray. The Firestorm Matrix is activated by…holding hands? Really? Really, DC? Skip to later in the issue where Deathstorm (yeah, I know) has a microphone for no reason. None at all. He just has one. Can we just declare this over? Please? Guh, twelve more issues…

JSA: All-Stars made me baw. It did. Out loud. When Brainwave had each of the heroes give up something, and Courtney chose to give up on Al…my heart broke a little bit. And then just a few pages later, he’s hitting on Anna Fortune. Bad Al! No cookie! The second feature also reached it’s not-so-dramatic conclusion this week, and boy was I sad to see it come. Mainly because…I like seeing Liberty Belle and Hourman interact as partners instead of just a sappy married couple. Anyway, it’s worth picking up, if you haven’t already. New arcs start next month.

I only have one thing to say about Gotham City Sirens this month, and then I’ll be done. Gotham? Batman? They have the most badass women in comics. That’s all.

Red Hood: The Lost Days is one issue from over, and I’m very sad. This has been a quality series, and I’ll miss it once it’s gone. This time around, we get to see Jason beat the shit out of Russian mobsters, always a treat. And the drama meter goes up tenfold when some deadbeat hitman hints that he knows where to find the Joker. Shenanigans? Oh hell yes.

Secret Six, you never fail to amaze me. Nuclear threats, teams in the Savage Land, Amanda Waller scared shitless, naked Catman. Oh, and possibly a dead Bane. Am I disappoint? I am not disappoint. Gail, my dearest, you amaze me every time I open one of your books.

R.E.B.E.L.S., oh, R.E.B.E.L.S.. Lemme give y’all a little riddle. What do you get when you take Lobo, hot Coluans, and awesome Green Lantern fight scenes? The latest issue of R.E.B.E.L.S.. Seriously, Tony Bedard. Never stop writing series’ that take place in space. This is your calling. This is why DC pays you.

Sorry this post is a day late, you guys. I wrote it on Wednesday, but I was stuck without internet until…now. Next week will be on time, or I’ll record myself licking a doorway. Until next time. Peace out.

Oh! Last shout out to all Broward County manga and comic fans! West Regional Library wil be hosting their Manga and Comic Mini-Con this Saturday from 1-4 pm. Be there for some neat panels, a costume contest, and to buy some cool stuff from me. Because I actually have a table! Hope to see y’all!

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