Millar's Legacy

Jumpin Jupiter! I almost forgot to post anything here for April! Well, actually, I really did ---i'm back-dating this post (it's already May 1st now ---Happy Labor Day btw ---uhmmm...Labor Day is a worldwide holiday right? I gotsa Google it but I'm pretty sure it is....). Anyways, I had kinda "resolved" to blog away this year....well, at least get one in...at least, once a month for all my blogs....so here's my comic pick for the month of April: (I had been waiting for it since late last year)

I dunno who did this cover but I sure would like to get this er, spread...
....i mean, variant cover ;-p

This is kinda why I'm kinda late posting any comic blog stuff in here for the whole month, I've been waiting for this Mark Millar / Frank Quitely collaboration to come out this April (knowing Millar and Quitely--- I thought it was going to be delayed) ...and I wanted it to be my "special" recommendation for those who want to begin a series right from the very start. I might as well tell you, Millar is one of my most favorite comic book writers ---(probably second only to BKV who I wrote about in my March blog). Mark Millar is actually one of the more prolific writer favorites of mine ---uhmmm...Bendis and Kirkman are the other two but I think Mark's got more "creator-owned" serieses which I followed/follow: Wanted, Kick-Ass, Nemesis, Superior, Secret Service,Hit-Girl, ....and ok, not really creator-owned but c'mon he basically started Marvel's Ultimate universe with his Ultimates run...which now that I think about it...seem really made for the movies ---like all of them really! He practically created Samuel Jackson's Nick Fury for the Avengers (which is really an Ultimates adaptation imho) He's also the one responsible for getting me re-introduced to Marvel (616) "events" several years ago with his "Civil War" ---still one of my all-time favorite Marvel "event"  (which I wouldn't be surprised if it becomes a movie event for maybe the Avengers Movie no. 4 or 5) Especially since he's become a "movie executive/consultant" of sorts for Marvel based comics (?) aside from his successes with  his own Wanted and Kick-Ass movies. So yeah, Millar's the Man! Now, for Frank Quitely....the one and only collaborative work which he did that I think is the best ever Superman book you should all read: All-Star Superman (with my early favorite comicbook writer Grant Morrison...(up until he "killed" Batman in RIP and Final Crisis ---see? I was a DC reader before)

So, is Jupiter's Legacy worth a read? It's too early to tell from the first issue obviously, but if any of the titles I rattled off above is any indication of what this Millar/Quitely tandem might be able to come up with, its definitely worth following up for a couple of more issues. Ok, I'll give you guys a hint of what I think it might "turn out" into: i get the feeling that it might be a cross between JMS Rising Stars or Squadron Supreme (Super-humans with a "global agenda") and BKV's Runaways (coz there are "children' involved) that might turn out into a full-blown "Civil War" ---it is after all, Millar's "legacy".

BKV's SAGA: Simply A Great Artist

I know, I just acronynm-ed SAGA because this really less about the comicbook Saga and more about my...ok, Im gonna state it here for the record, my most favorite comicbook writer of all time...maybe even just writer of anything and all things is: Brian K Vaughan. I adore the guy. He's the closest thing to a "man-crush" that I could have (and I have difficulty even admitting that,but I did). Put it this way, the only other guy I look up to in terms of talent and skills is Michael Jordan. Brian K Vaughan is the Michael Jordan of writing stuff in my book. And I have read and re-read comicbooks and anything vaguely Vaughan (even tracked down stuff that he mentions in his letters column and I only watched Lost so I can get to Seasons 3 to 5 so I can sample some of his TV work)watched & read...at least 2-3 times, and ...and I intentionally try to "read them slowly and to forget it somewhat " (so as not to memorize the storyline). Why you ask? So I would always "want to read them again and again" I know, this is kinda weird and hard to explain...but aside from the "trifles and trivia" that most of his writing is peppered with (which I often look up btw), I just want the "humor" to "hang in the air" (again, drawing comparison to Michael Jordan taking flight) so I can like be in awe for awhile longer. If I'm a bit sad or down, I only need to watch old Michael Jordan games to pick me up from the dumps...its the same way when I read a BKV book. Now that I think of it...both BKV and MJ are bald...hmmmm.....

...there must be something to this "baldness" business

Anyways, back to BKV (he's the one on the right, just in case you dont know), one other "great" thing about him is (and again, I may draw some similarities with MJ) that he's on of those few artists who are quite "old-school" (very low-key& simple in his approach but consistent) which means he does what he does purposely; bringing his personality (personal life) into his body of work(s) but without compromising his principles and/or privacy. Furthermore, the guy's not a sellout to uhmm...."mass media", he doesn't write comics so as to just sell it for a tv series or movie later on (I'm looking at you Mark Millar...and Brian Michael Bendis). Although, I'd probably be the first one in line to watch Y: The Last Man, or Ex-Machina, Runaways, Pride of Baghdad if it ever came to the big screen (but I would really much like to see them all as a tv series). The guy simply writes because he loves doing so (and he's not tied down to just one publisher). Like MJ, he seems to have that "love of the game clause" mentality that allows him to do what he does in any way and any time he chooses to do so. Which brings us to his latest adventure/collobaration with the very talented artist Fiona Staples...

I "shit" you not this book is the "shits" (that's in a good way!) right from the opening scene! (literally!)

Grab the 1st 6 issues here

Start with Spidey

Hello again comicbook fans! (and to whoever else who happened to wander into my silly, sometimes sanguine blogs). I'm trying to revive this blog you see (it's been pretty much dormant ---ok fair warning, i kinda use woids that you may have to look up in the dictionary at times) and a couple of other Blogger blogs I have about stuff that interest me (and perhaps also you - hopefully) and keeps me busy both online and offline. For example, the "sister" blog of  this comicbook blog of mine is StuffTheClogUpMyPC. As the blog title might read, that's exactly what that blog is...I've collected an absurd amount of comicbook / cartoon tv serieses that are literally clogging up my laptop and tablet. So, I'm gonna be uploading, erm, updating that blog this week and weeks after with a lot of comicbook-related "stuff". So do make a visit there too. Then there is my brand "new" blog for this year, RunningOnEmpty. Like I said, I try to keep "busy" not only with online stuff that keep me glued to the boob tubes but also with physical activities --- running to be exact. I've kinda become a running buff of sorts the past several months starting last year. It's also a starting block or jumping point for a "personal project" of mine called the ChroNikeler™ purvey (or preview) that's pretty much a pitch to the NikeAccelerator program. (Sigh), now if only I find the right partners and like-minded peeps....Anyways, those are pretty much the stuff I wanted to blog/share this year (more continuously and consistently, I hope). Read, Run, Review Repeat. 

 Anyways, enough of that, onwards to what you actually came here for....COMICBOOKS!!!! There is no better time like a relatively "new" year (if you follow the Chinese lunar calendar, this falls this Sunday, Feb.10) than picking up a new hobby, like say, collecting/reading comicbooks. I know, there's a lot out there to choose from out there and they're not that cheap; but don't worry about that yet. I'll hook you up ;-) So which one to choose? You're in luck!  Marvel comics has recently "relaunched" or "rebooted" a lot of its titles so most of them are still quite "fresh" and are only still in their early issues or arcs (not more than 5 have come out) for major characters like The Hulk, IronMan, Captain America, Hawkeye, Wolverine etc. and of course, the Avengers and the X-Men...so they're pretty much easy to follow even if you're a "first-time / newbie" reader. Of course, for "old-timers",  familiarity with each character(s)' background will make these "rebooted" titles even more, uhm, interesting and engaging (well, we can only hope). So, as an "old-timer" myself which one Marvel title shall I recommend for everyone as a must-read or must-follow (if they just have one to choose from?) There is no question in my mind (after only reading the 2nd issue), whether you're a total newbie or a long-time comicbook addict: The Superior Spider-Man is a must read! Why? Almost everyone (male or female, comicbook reader or not, young or young once etc.) "knows" who Spider-man is right?!? Wrong. Well, he's not the same Spider-man anymore. Peter Parker the original Spidey died in issue no.700 of Amazing Spider-man title. Yeah, on his 50th anniversary issue, they killed Peter Parker. He "died" of cancer in the body of his arch-nemesis Doctor Octopus or Doc Ock...who has now become the new "Superior" Spider-man (read my blog before this) and nobody among his family, friends or fellow superheroes (as well as previous partners in crime) "knows" about this sinisterly secret switch (yet) but "us readers" (really very Hitchcockian in this way) for now, anyway. So, shocking and suspenseful right? Especially since you "know" but don't really "know" if and how Spider-man will be as a mad-evil-genius with a "ghost" conscience will act like and I guess more importantly if and when and how Peter Parker will ever return from this predicament....so pick up a copy of: 

 

The Superior Spider-Man by Dan Slott issue no. 001

Published by Marvel Comics

Interesting? Well for those who are uhm, "intrigued" by this surprising development, here's where this Doc Ock-Spidey saga began, check out the Ends of the Earth arc in the Amazing Spider-man and Avenging Spider-man titles. Need help finding them all? Rapidly Shared here

To "Sad" Endings and "Superior" Starts

Happy New Year! ¡Feliz Año Nuevo! Manigong Bagong Taon! Gelukkig Nieuwjaar!С Новым Selamat Tahun Baru!Voorspoedige Nuwe Jaar! Годом! नया साल मुबारक हो! Ευτυχισμένο το Νέο Έτος! 新年快樂！מזל ניו יאָר! سنة جديدة سعيدة!

I hoped that I got the translations right, if I didn't well, blame Google Translate for that. I tried to greet everyone who may visit here in their own language at least covering the 5 populated continents (as far as I know nobody really lives in the Arctic or Antartica yet) Well, I'm back! It's been a quite a long time since I've posted here coz I've been frozen in Antarctica while living with penguins the past couple of years. I'm kidding! (wished I wasn't though). Let me correct myself while I'm at it...people do live in the Arctic---Eskimos! but Google doesn't have any translation for Eskimo-speak so to any Eskimos that may happen to wander into my blog...Hamingjusamur Nýtt Ár!! (Ok, that was Icelandic)....Of course, a little more googling and I could have just said: jadepa newva anyo! (that's Inuit, i believe) Ok enough with Eskimos and penguins....but where to begin or more aptly re-start my blog?  Well, there is NO BIGGER (and sadder, if not controversial) news this year as what happened in the dying days of December 2012 (no, not the Mayan Calendar apocalypse prediction) but the "Death of Peter Parker" in Amazing Spider-Man #700 (yeah, major spoiler alert here)

Yeah, I know, "not again" you say as Spidey Peter Parker also recently got killed in the "other" Spider-Man (Ultimate) series (yeah, the Brian Michael Bendis comic). So what makes this "more shocking"? Note: This is an appended blog which I started 2 weeks ago (so, Superior Spider-Man#1 already came out awhile back so a "lot" has already happened since December 27,2012 --including "death threats/tweets" to ASM writer Dan Slott). Anyhoo....so what's so "Amazing" about Peter Parker's Death in ASM#700? (this time around? I remember him also dying in The Other before---for those spider-geeks who want further and full reference, please visit this site: SpiderFan.org) Well, in a word (to me, at least) ---"Relate-able". I mean, I can relate and understand how and why Peter Parker (the original Spidey) had to "die" that way...it's shocking---yes, but it does make sense. Peter is killed by Doc Ock and replaces him as the new "Superior Spider-man" (WTF!?! aaaagggghhh) But these "axioms" come to heart & mind-- "You can't win them all, not all the time" and "sometimes, the "bad" guy just wins" or "nothing lasts forever" or simply put, "All good things must come to an end" ---its like love...or life...it sucks! Peter Parker after being the good all-around alter-ego of Spidey for 50 years...is dead. Killed by one of his original "greatest" enemy -- Doctor Octopus. Ironic? Yes, very much so. I think this is what the die-hard Spidey fans are sooooo angry about....its NOT that Peter Parker died...but who replaced him (WTF?!? Doctor Octopus?!? ---most were speculating it was going to be a "good guy", not a hard-core criminal mastermind)  Another, "heart-wrenching" reason why this pissed off a lot of Spidey fans and why Dan Slott is getting death-threats is how Peter Parker got killed ---he got "killed" off as Doctor Octopus (what?!?) ---so basically dying not as a hero but as a villain (this is so f*cking unfair!!!).  Epic? Hmmmm....fairly...it could have been better (Ultimate Spider-man's death was a lot more epic), but again, another of life's axiom is...Life is unfair! But then, like I said ASM700 hits close to home for me....what a year to end 2012 and begin 2013. We can only hope and carry on.