The Bionic Man

Writer: Kevin Smith with Phil Hester
Artist: Jonathan Lau
Colors: Ivan Nunes
Letters: Simon Bowland
Publisher: Dynamite Comics
Release Date: 08/24/11
Price: 3.99

We can rebuild him, better…stronger…faster….  These words resonated from the classic introduction to the Six Million Dollar Man, the television show upon which this series is based.  To be clear, the series itself is based on a novel called Cyborg so now we’re talking a story two steps away from the source material, I’ve never read the book but from what I remember of the show it was Steve Austin (The Six Million Dollar Man) versus commies, robots and Bigfoot. So lets see what we get.

Big Foot, or as I like to call him. Uncle Ted

First off, six million for a cyborg sounds like a deal nowadays, so the title change to the Bionic Man is more apt to have staying power.  Most of the iconic parts of the story are intact, Steve Austin is a test pilot, Jamie Summers is around as an already established love interest for Steve, Oscar Goldman is the scientist in charge what seems to be the newest in army aircraft and also a secret agenda.  Bionics…we know, big whoop.  So here we have it, the classic elements all ready to be updated to todays standards by any writer up for the job.  So who gets a shot at it, Kevin Smith.  Ugg….

Lets be clear here, I feel Kevin Smith is a talented comedian and writer but he NEEDS to step away from his comfort zone of toilet humor.  Its all over the dialogue of characters that shouldn’t have it.  Steve Austin making his grand debut in comics on the toilet, no way.  Smith portrays him as a pilot who doesn’t seem to care this is his last day and one of his biggest test flights all in one.  Already fast friends with Oscar Goldman, Steven Austin doesn’t know what Goldman does as is primary job and doesn’t seem to care.  Thats fine, but certainly as a high ranking and highly thought of pilot Austin shouldn’t be the sort of half caring man he’s shown as.

The pacing of the comic itself wasn’t where I would have liked it either.  The story begins with an action sequence setting up what will only be our ongoing mystery regarding Bionics and possible test subjects preceding the events of this book.  Other then that we have page after page of Steve Austin going poop, brushing his teeth, flirting with his girlfriend and taking the long way to his job that will, as we all know, lead to his becoming the Bionic Man.  The issue doesn’t even end with the crash, only the classic “She’s breaking up, she’s breaking up” screams as Austin plummets towards the earth.  Honestly, couldn’t they have speed this up a little bit.  I was really looking forward to this series and if the remainder of the first storyline is as unimpressive as this i’ll be passing on it.  Lets just hope the next issue takes it up a notch.

Street Fighter Hero Clix

Retail: 2.99
Wizkids by NECA
Release Date: 08/12/11

The newest CLIX release from Wizkids by NECA is out and its time to take it to the streets.  As in Street Fighter from the classic Capcom Fighting game involving martial arts masters from across the globe battling it out for the title of ultimate Street Fighter.  This release follows NECA’s new format of releasing smaller sets sold in individual blind box format for a lower price point.  This allows players to pick up a box or two and play the game right away as the Street Fighter franchise itself has always been a one on one fight, so NECA introduces rules for having that sort of game no matter the point difference.  In the one on one game, players choose their fighter and set out against each other in a series of rounds, players can choose the round limit as they see fit.  The player who wins the best of 2 out of 3, etc wins the game.  Victory points are awarded matching the point value of the miniature, there are rules for working out the range if the values are drastically different.

As for the set itself, the miniatures are really well done.  The quality of the miniatures are much better then some of the earlier sets released like the last Marvel and DC set which had some of the most unimpressive sculpts i’d ever seen.  Thank god Street Fighter stands out on its own.  I can’t wait to pit some of these fighters against Clix from other sets, imagine a team of villains lead by Akuma or Heroes lead by Ryu.  My only complaint….this set is so nice, I’m addicted to the game again.  “Just when you think you’re out….They PULL YOU BACK IN!!”

Iron Man The Iron Age

I’m surprised some of these things make it past me.  I’m browsing the comic shelves last weekend and low and behold I notice a title that has the classic Dazzler on the cover along with her classic logo under the headline, The Iron Age Featuring…  Being an old school comic fan I had to check it out only to find out that this was the third in a three issue mini series.  Turns out Iron Man’s had this mini event unfolding and I didn’t even know it, involving classic versions of some Marvel Characters.  I had to check this out.

In total, when finished, this will be a five issue mini series, beginning in The Iron Age Alpha, then unfolding events in The Iron Age Featuring issues 1-3 and ending in The Iron Age Omega.  So far everything except for the Omega issue is out so I was primed and ready to read up to date this weekend.  Here’s what I thought.

The Iron Age Alpha
Writer: Rob WIlliams
Artist: Rebekah Isaacs

This is the set up, what makes the Iron Age so important to Tony Stark and the rest of the Marvel Universe.  We begin as Tony Stark promotes the grand reopening of a library destroyed in the Super Hero Civil War with Luke Cage (Power Man) and Danny Rand (Iron Fist) in attendance.  The event, like anything attended by super heros doesn’t go smoothly.  Insert bad guy attack here.  Turns out a second rate villain of Tony’s sent some high tech robots to disable and retrieve Stark to bring him to his lair for a first hand view of the end of the world.  Turns out this villain, Donald Birch aka The Phantom, hates Tony Stark and the rest of humanity for destroying his life.  Let me add that Mr. Birch lives in a super fancy undersea base with an army of robot servants in what appears to be a comfortable lifestyle even in his last days as Birch is dying of cancer. Oh, and he hates the world…

So how does this Mr. Birch plan on destroying the world.  I’m glad you asked.  Turns out he somehow spent enough money and energy to not only gather pieces of Doctor Dooms time machine but he was able to assemble it in working order.  His plan, snatch the Dark Phoenix from the past, piss her off and let her destroy the Earth.  Awesome.  I can think of cheaper ways getting revenge but what the heck, he’s dying in a few months anyway right.  Anyhow, his plan works.  The Dark Phoenix is pissed, Earth is destroyed.  Hows Tony going to fix it?  By going back in time and getting the time machine before Birch can get his hands on it and, I don’t know, destroy it or something. Stark isn’t entirely clear on this part of the plan.

So here we are, one issue in and it sort of sucks.  Hope the rest is good.

Rather then dragging out the next three issues of The Iron Age Featuring, I’ll say its only saving grace is that each issue are both written and drawn by different artists giving something new to each issue.  Some of which have two stories each.  My favorites are the Avengers story written by Christos N. Gage and drawn by Lee Weeks.  This is really the highlight of the series in my option followed only by the amazing art by Roberto De La Torre in the third issues Phoenix story.  So all in all, i’m not surprised this slipped past me in a summer of “Fear Itself” and “Flashpoint” events dominating the shelves, and even with its faults its a fun salute to the Marvel Universe of the past when things where a little less intense and people like Dazzler and Power Man and Iron Fist had their own titles.  Check it out just for a laugh.

Vintage Toy Commericals

Thought I’d share some old school toy commercials with you all while I get my act together and finally write a few more reviews.  This months has been ripe with pop culture media with Captain America, Rise of the Planet of the Apes, all the news from the San Diego Comic Con, the relaunch of Thunderc and the upcoming changes for DC that I’ve got my hands full trying to decide what to write about next.

So, in the mean time, enjoy these vintage toy memories.

Cloak and Dagger: Spider Island #1

Writer – Nick Spencer
Artist – Emma Rios
Colorist: Javier Rodriguez
Letter: VC’S Joe Caramagna
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Release Date: 08/10/11
Price: 2.99

Cloak and Dagger.  Just the mention of the name brings back memories of picking up Peter Parker: The Spectacular Spiderman #64, back when comics were only 60 cents a book and found on spin racks in grocery stores, pharmacies and of course, the newsstand.   Back then Spectacular and Amazing Spiderman where right up there on my monthly buy list, I’d ride down to the local newsstand just to see what sorts of adventures ol pete was up to, and in the Spectacular title things had taken a more mature tone.  As Spiderman fought local crime and drug runners, issue 64 introduced us to two teens, Tandy Bowen and Tyrone Johnson, each running from something, ending up kidnapped and forced to test designer heroin.  These two teens somehow survived while all the other kidnapped teens died.  In an doing so became something more, Cloak and Dagger.  Together, a force for good in a dark world, protecting runaways and troubled teens when no others would in a world when it was easier to look away.

So as you can see, my love for these characters goes back quite a way.  I’ve seen them get their own title, lose it and somehow, somehow end up as second stringer support cast, showing up in event titles but never getting their just due.  So when I heard that the duo was getting a Spider Island tie in I had mixed emotions, both one of excitement for seeing this team in a title of their own again and one of dread, since it was a tie in to a Spider Man mini event.  I mean, how good could it be, only telling the tale of their fights against the hordes of Spider Powered folk in NYC.  Well, I can tell you, its definitely worth the time and money to pick this one up.  Nick Spencer does a great job putting the reader in the eyes of the characters, a brief introduction of the team in the first page leads right into the every day life of Tandy and Ty as they find themselves evicted from their classic lair, an old abandoned church they’ve used for their home since day one.  Everything from their eviction to their run in with the Avengers flows in such a way that any hesitation I had for this title was washed away.  Its actually pretty funny since the “Tie In” lasts for only page and a half and Tandy casually dismisses it as a waste of their time. As for the quality of the book, the art by Emma Rios has grown on me so much since I first saw it in the Osborne Mini Series that I’m finding myself more then a little upset that this is only a three issue mini series.  If you’ve waited like me for the team of Cloak and Dagger to get another chance at the limelight or even if you’ve only seen them in X-Men or the Event tie ins and thought they where pretty cool, give this book a try.  Here’s hoping for more from this creative team in the future!

Pure Evil

 

John Carter of Mars Trailer

First look at the Disney Produced John Carter of Mars.

This teaser is pretty well done.  No explosions, no over the top maddness, seems like they may be paying some level of attention to making a good sci fi movie and not a “summer blockbuster”

See for yourself.  John Carter of Mars

Heres a look at the poster as well, not a huge fan of this but I like the JCM symbol they chose to go with.  It comes off much better in the preview.

New Marvel Ads

Its been years since I thought of myself as a Marvel Zombie but since DC has found a new way to drive me to drink (at least until I’ve had a chance to read it myself and see the results of their upcoming changes) I’ve turned headlong back into the House of Ideas for the time being.  Titles like the Avengers, New Avengers, Incredible Hulk(s), Alpha Flight, Mystery Men, FF, Amazing Spiderman, Ghost Rider, Daredevil and Thunderbolts keep me coming back time and time again without fail.  The last year has me back at Marvel and I’m happier for it.  DC may waver and I’ll always be a staunch fan of theirs but for now, Marvel has my eye and its like going back home after being away for a long long time.

So to say that this new ad campain from Marvel doesn’t have me interested would be lie.  The basic design isn’t unique but really fits the characters and grabs the eye and I’m interested in seeing what this leads to.  From what I’ve read the colored letters are a sort of easter egg on this upcoming “event”, “relaunch”, or “title” whatever it may be.  Check out some sites like CBR or Newsarama for info on what the letters form if your interested.  In the mean time, I’ll post whats been released so far here for your enjoyment.

Nuff said…

Batman: Year One Trailer

I was hoping to be able to post this video directly to my blog but I’m unable to.  Going to have to settle for this link to check out the trailer for the upcoming DVD animated movie Batman: Year One.

 

 

Go check it out!

Batman: Year One

Battle Tech Introductory Box Set

Classic Battle Tech Introductory Box Set
Catalyst Game Labs
Price:  39.99

This anniversary release of Battle Tech from Catalyst Game Labs brings back so many memories.  Originally released by FASA in 1984, this science fiction miniatures combat game is centered around the theme of giant humanoid shaped Battle Mechs waging warfare for various factions in the 31st century.  Using images from popular Anime series at the time helped promote the image of the Mechs and for me was a draw into the game.  Being able to pilot huge Mechs with cannon arms against my friends sounded like a win win to me and it was.  Now its 2011 and Battle Tech has seen many changes in ownership and presentation but now with the release of the Classic Battle Tech Introductory Box Set brings everything back full circle.  Once again we have a set that not only includes the time tested and sound rules set of Battle Tech but also includes not 4, not 8, not 10, but 24 ready to play plastic miniatures.  How awesome is that.  Heres what you get.

The Classic BattleTech Introductory Box Set thrusts you onto the battlefields of the 31^st century. This box contains everything needed to play:

• 24 unpainted, instantly ready-to-play plastic BattleMech miniatures
• One 12-page full-color quick-start rulebook will have you into the action in minutes
• One 32-page book of pre-generated BattleMech Record Sheets
• One 80-page full-color rulebook
• Inner Sphere at a Glance, a 48-page full-color book containing universe background and BattleMech technical data
• One16-page full-color Painting and Tactics Guide
• Two heavy-duty cards of compiled tables
• Two 22″ x 27″ full-color mapsheets, with two different maps printed on either side
• Two six-sided dice
• One full-color, poster-sized map of the Inner Sphere circa 3067

If you’ve never tried Battle Tech nows a great time to get on board.  The community is strong and always has a big showing at game conventions like Gen Con each year.   Its time to climb into your Mech and show em what your made of my friends.  See you on the battlefield!

Battle Tech Website