Tuesday 25 February 2014

Top 10 Countdown: February 22, 2014

Music is my misery, and this is my cure. Saturday means new countdown!!

10. The Used - Cry
Last week: NEW!

9. Silverstein - On Brave Mountains We Conquer
Last week: 10.

8. July - What We Signed Up For
Last week: 6.

7. Bayside - Time Has Come
Last week: NEW!

6. Paramore - Ain't It Fun
Last week: 7.

5. City Lights - See You At The Top
Last week: 2.

4. Save Your Breath - Harrow Road
Last week: 5.

3. Rescue Kid - Make You Mine
Last week: 4.

2. Simple Plan - The Rest Of Us
Last week: 3.

1. A Day To Remember - Right Back At It Again
Last week: 1.

Comic Shop Corner: February 26, 2014

Dark Horse Comics

Tomb Raider #1

Following the game acclaimed for its bold and sophisticated new vision, this series launches Lara Croft on the formative adventures that will change her life forever! Superstar writer Gail Simone picks up Lara Croft's story where the smash hit Tomb Raider game left off-in a new ongoing comics series. And if there is one thing we know about Gail is she knows how to write a strong female lead.

Also available: Mind MGMT #19, Vandroid #1, Serenity: Leaves On The Wind #2, King Conan The Conqueror #1, Star Wars Legacy II #12, Halo: Escalation #3, Massive #20, Mass Effect: Foundation #8, Furious #2, Captain Midnight #8, and many more!

DC Comics

The Wake #6

Superstar writer Scott Snyder continues his creator-owned horror series with issue #6 which kicks off the 2nd half of the story. 'My name is Leeward, and this is where my story begins...' Our story jumps two hundred years into a flooded future where nothing is the same.

Also available: Teen Titans #28, Batman/Superman #8, Aquaman #28, Superman: Lois Lane #1, Justice League Dark #28, Forever Evil: A.R.G.U.S. #5, Superman #28, Dead Boy Detectives #3, Flash #28, World's Finest #20, Catwoman #28, 100 Bullets: Brother Lono #8, All-Star Western #28, Talon #16, Batman: The Dark Knight #28, DC Universe Vs. The Masters Of The Universe #5, Scooby Doo Where Are You? #42, Larfleeze #8, Adventures Of Superman #10, Beware The Batman #5, and many more!

IDW Publishing

Samurai Jack: Director's Cut

As the evil demon Aku takes over the ancient world, the fate of the world rests in the hands of a noble samurai warrior. But when Aku blasts him into the future (a future ruled by the shapeshifting demon), Samurai Jack must find a way to return and right the wrongs of the past! This special Director's Cut reprints the classic adaptation of the first three episodes of Samurai Jack, along with bonus pages and commentary from creator Genndy Tartakovsky and artist Bill Wray!

Also available: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #31, X-Files: Conspiracy - Transformers #1, Ghostbusters #13, Powerpuff Girls #6, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Utrom Empire #2, Transformers: Regeneration One #99, Star Trek: Khan #5, My Little Pony: Friends Forever #2, and many more!


Image Comics

Deadly Class #2

It's Marcus's first day at the Kings Dominion High School for the Deadly Arts. A locker full of death threats, a schedule full of brutality, and whispers in the hallway about his mysterious past...which is fast catching up to cut out his freshly broken heart. It's the book everyone has been talking about! Hot off the issue #1 sellout, Rick Remender's action packed masterpiece has been flying off the shelves!

Also available: The Walking Dead #122, Satellite Sam #6, Bounce #10, One-Hit Wonder #1, Chew #40, Rat Queens #5, Sex #11, Black Science #4, Manhattan Projects #18, Three #5, Super Dinosaur #22, Revenge #1, Artifacts #35, Umbral #4, Elephantmen #54, Dead Body Road #3, Sheltered #7, Five Weapons #7, and many more!

Marvel Comics

Fantastic Four #1

The world's greatest comics magazine begins anew with Marvel's First Family, the Fantastic Four! But as the brilliant Mr. Fantastic, the compassionate Invisible Woman, the ever lovin' Thing & the hot-headed Human Torch embark on a strange mission, they aren't met with new beginnings, but an untimely end! As the family of cosmic explorers head towards their darkest hour, who could possibly be behind their downfall? And how is one of their oldest enemies, the sadistic dragon known as Fing-Fang-Foom involved? Prepare for the fantastic!

Also available: Superior Spider-Man #28, Wolverine #2, Hawkeye #15, Cataclysm: The Ultimate's Last Stand #5, Guardians Of The Galaxy #12, Miracleman #3, Thunderbolts #22, Origin II #3 and many more!

Spotlight

Archie Comics' Life With Archie #34

Archie Marries Veronica-'Up in the Air!': Archie and Veronica are doing their best to not let the tumultuous events of their lives effect the love they have for one another. They're doing pretty well, too, but is love enough to keep their legal battles at bay? Speaking of love and battles, Jughead and Ethel have some planning to do but hopefully their stubbornness won't get in the way! And Kevin's trying his best to not let people's perceptions of him effect his Senate job, perhaps some encouraging words is all he needs. And Clay's back to work-but things still seem new and strange. Could it just be his imagination?

Archie Marries Betty-'Not So Great Expectations!': Archie's finally had enough of Betty's busy schedule-and he's not the only one! Will all of her hard work have paid off or has it only made matters worse? And who is it Archie's really mad at-Betty for neglecting him? Or himself for being selfish and feeling guilty? Meanwhile, Kevin dives head first into the investigation on the nearby mall shooting after discovering that the tragedy hit closer to home than he ever could have imagined. And Jughead's waiting on bated breath as Midge's due date draws closer and closer. Oh baby, things are crazy in Riverdale!

FCBD Spotlight

Fantagraphics' Uncle Scrooge & Donald Duck: A Matter Of Some Gravity

Disney finally returns to Free Comic Book Day with a story featuring they're biggest comic characters, the Duck family. In "A Matter of Some Gravity" by fan-favorite Don Rosa, saucy sorceress Magica De Spell turns Scrooge's life sideways - literally! - when she distorts the forces of gravity! Then, in "The Sign of the Triple Distelfink", Lucky Gladstone Gander faces a 24-hour luck jinx - and battles to hide it from a gloating Cousin Donald! Only ever published in the USA in under-printed mid-1990's editions, these Rosa classics are back like you've never seen them before!

Tuesday 18 February 2014

Comic Shop Corner: February 19, 2014

Another new age is upon us... The new age of February 19th comic releases. Let's take a peek at what you should be reading this week...

Dark Horse Comics

The White Suits #1

Who doesn't like some violent noir action? Hippies thats' who! And you do not want to be associated with them do you? Didn't think so. That's reason 1 to pick up The White Suits. Reason 2? It's about Mysterious killers dressed in white, they savaged the Cold War Russian underworld-then disappeared. Now they have resurfaced in New York, leaving a trail of dead mobsters. In this bloody wake, an amnesiac and an FBI agent search for the answer to a single question: Who are the white suits?

Also available: Star Wars: Dawn Of The Jedi Force #4, B.P.R.D. Hell On Earth #116, Terminator: Enemy Of My Enemy #1, Dark Horse Presents #33, Strain The Fall #8, Skyman #2, Conan The Barbarian #25, Star Wars: Darth Vader And The Cry Of The Shadows #3, and many more!

DC Comics

Trinity Of Sin: Pandora #8

Pandora and The Justice League Dark race to save the world's mystics from The Crime Syndicate! Part 13 of 18! Forever Evil: Blight continues in Justice League Dark #28!

Also available: Justice League #28, Harley Quinn #3, Batman And Two-Face #28, Fables #138, Green Lantern: New Guardians #28, Teen Titans Go #2, Batwoman #28, Batman Beyond Universe #7, Animal Man #28, Scribblenauts Unmasked: A Crisis Of Imagination #2, Supergirl #28, Batman '66 #8, Red Hood And The Outlaws #28, He-Man And The Masters Of The Universe #10, Wonder Woman #28, Unwritten Volume 2 Apocalypse #2, Birds Of Prey #28, and many more!


IDW Publishing

Jericho Season 4 #5

The grand finale of Jericho Season Four changes everything! Everything hangs in the balance as Jake Green and Robert Hawkins are faced with a terrible choice, one that could change everything for the residents of Jericho and the Allied States of America! Don't miss the stunning conclusion of Jericho, brought to you by the writing staff of the acclaimed series!

Also available: X-Files Conspiracy: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #1, G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #199, Ben 10 #4, G.I. Joe: Special Missions #12, Godzilla: Rulers Of Earth #9, and many more!



Image Comics

Undertow #1

Atlantis is the world superpower, and Redum Anshargal is its worst enemy. If you want to break free of the system, he can offer you a place at his side, exploring the wild surface world in his watertight city barge The Deliverer. He and his hostage-protege Ukinnu Alal hunt the Amphibian, a legend that could be the key to an air-breathing life on land. But as they become the hunted, can Anshargal's team survive long enough to turn the tables on the godlike beast they set out for? A brand new pulp monster adventure with Ray Harryhausen at its heart and a look at Atlantis like never before from the up-and-coming team of writer Steve Orlando and artist Artyom Trakhanov.

Also available: Protectors Inc. #4, Savage Dragon #193, Alex + Ada #4, Peter Panzerfaust #17, and many more!

Marvel Comics

Iron Man Annual #1

Fatal Frontier is over. The moon is safe. The Earth is safe. But is Tony's sanity? What comes back from the moon with Tony? What new friends and new enemies? Once you've passed the fatal, final frontier, can you ever go back?

Also available: X-Men #11, New Warriors #1, Daredevil #36, Dexter Down Under #1, Nova #13, Avengers World #3, Captain America #17, Disney Kingdoms: Seekers Of The Weird #2, Savage Wolverine #15, Punisher #2, Superior Spider-Man Team-Up #10, Amazing X-Men #4, A+X #17, Night Of The Living Deadpool #3, Uncanny X-Men #17, Marvel Knights: Hulk #3, and many more!



Spotlight

Avatar Press' God Is Dead

Jonathan Hickman's vision for the end of the world through divine retribution continues as an ongoing series from his co-writer Mike Costa! After the cataclysmic battle of gods in the first arc, human religions are in tatters. A victor has laid claim to Earth and very few dare to oppose such a ruler. But oh so many gods have yet to make their play, this time they plan and plot and prepare to bring Armageddon! And now...the things we prayed to have come once more. Mike Costa turns the intensity and darkness up a notch with his dramatic new stories about humanity at the brink. Available with not only a Regular cover but also a End of Days cover, Iconic, and Gilded Order Incentive copies by Jacen Burrows and a special Carnage Wraparound by German Nobile!

FCBD Spotlight

Hermes Press' Scratch 9

Scratch 9 is by far my favourite all-ages comic right now, and although currently we've only been teased with mini-series, Scratch is finally getting an ongoing this summer and what better way to celebrate than to get Scratch 9 fever with a free comic! He's back for Free Comic Book Day! The world's greatest superhero cat returns in this all-ages, all-cat, all-free funny-book featuring all-new stories! Scratch is an ordinary cat who can summon his nine lives to get himself and his pet posse out of a jam. This new edition is a direct lead-in to the summer's monthly Scratch9 series: Cat of Nine Worlds! The fur starts flying here!

Saturday 15 February 2014

Top 10 Countdown: February 15, 2014

10. Silverstein - On Brave Mountains We Conquer
Last week: NEW!

9. Less Than Jake - My Money Is On The Longshot
Last week: 6.

8. The Downtown Fiction - Some Place On Earth
Last week: 8.

7. Paramore - Ain't It Fun
Last week: 9.

6. July - What We Signed Up For
Last week: 5.

5. Save Your Breath - Harrow Road
Last week: 7.

4. Rescue Kid - Make You Mine
Last week: 4.

3. Simple Plan - The Rest Of Us
Last week: 3.

2. City Lights - See You At The Top
Last week: 1.

1. A Day To Remember - Right Back At It Again
Last week: 2.

Sunday 9 February 2014

Special: The LEGO Movie Review

We've all played with those brightly coloured bricks in our youth. Whether or not we were building the highest tower we possibly could before it tipped over or if we got a kit and were following the instructions so we could build our own space ship just like the one on the box, we all have (mostly) fond memories of LEGO. It's a highly recognizable name brand, but how would it translate into the movie world? The LEGO movie gave us that answer...

But before we jump into whether the movie worked or not let's delve a little deeper... Contrary to popular opinion this is not the first LEGO movie, they have previously used popular icons in order to make LEGO movies similar to what they did in the video game realm producing hits like "LEGO Star Wars" and "LEGO Batman" which translated to films "LEGO Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Out" and "LEGO Batman: DC Superheroes Unite". Now granted this is the first theatrical attempt which does mean a higher budget and conversely higher stakes. Even higher when you consider that animated fare is generally not released in February. Over the last 4 years we've seen 2 animated films open in February and take home more than 50 million. Last year's "Escape From Planet Earth" (57 million) and 2011's Gnomeo And Juliet (99 million). Normally it's not a bad idea to open up family films apart from others but with Frozen and The Nut Job still holding well nothing is guaranteed even to a major player like LEGO.

So what exactly is The LEGO movie about? Essentially we follow our hero(?) Emmett as he is the chosen one to save the LEGO world from the evil Lord/President Business who plans to use the deadly Kragle to end the world. The only problem is no one believes Emmett to be the chosen one, hell he's not even a master builder and until he meets the attractive Wyldstyle he has always followed President Business' rule as law. He's always been generic and never stood out in a crowd and has to have the burden of stopping this evil mastermind with no one believing in him and his past-life friends never actually liking him or even caring that he's missing. Luckily Emmett isn't alone however, on top of Wyldstyle he receives a helping hand from Batman, Vitruvious, Space Man Benny and many more colourful... Err... Yellow characters.

Now my thoughts are simply an opinion of what I got out of the movie... It can be as varied from person to person as what that person would create given a box of LEGO, but I thoroughly enjoyed the movie. Did I over-hype it? A bit... Maybe. But that didn't take anything away from the film experience in general. It could have very easily rested on the fact that LEGO is a well known name brand and regardless of what they throw on the screen some people would go see it, but instead the creators became fully invested in the project and their hard work showed, from the beautiful animation to the wonderful characters you were fully pulled in. It gets a little convoluted in the third act but as we watch the two scenarios play out side by side we see the film in a new profound way.

In short the LEGO movie is not without flaws, but considering most movies like this simply try to use the film as a lengthy ad to see the merchandise (**cough**Transformers**cough**) The LEGO movie went above and beyond and instead of being an hour and a half of corporate crap with just enough slapstick to allow for 5 years olds to beg their bewildered parents into buying officially licensed merchandise, we got a good solid movie that had a laugh a minute for kids and adults alike that also had more heart than most of what major studios are putting out these days all in a wonderful toy world.

I give The LEGO Movie four bricks out of five.

Saturday 8 February 2014

Top 10 Countdown: February 8, 2014

10. Forever The Sickest Kids - Nice To Meet You
Last week: 7.

9. Paramore - Ain't It Fun?
Last week: 10.

8. The Downtown Fiction - Some Place On Earth
Last week: 9.

7. Save Your Breath - Harrow Road
Last week: NEW!

6. Less Than Jake - My Money Is On The Longshot
Last week: 6.

5. July - What We Signed Up For
Last week: 3.

4. Rescue Kid - Make You Mine
Last week: 5.

3. Simple Plan - The Rest Of Us
Last week: 4.

2. A Day To Remember - Right Back At It Again
Last week: 2.

1. City Lights - See You At The Top
Last week: 1.

Friday 7 February 2014

Monthly Movie Madness: February

First Friday of the month kids! Let's look at what is hitting a multiplex near you soon...

5. The Bag Man: Though De Niro and Cusack are no longer the box office draws they once were (Cusack's last movie that he lead and made $50+ mil at the box office was Hot Tub Time Machine) though the thought of a gritty thriller with the pair is enough to give The Bag Man a chance.

Synopsis: THE BAG MAN is a taut crime thriller that follows the story of Jack (John Cusack), a tough guy with chronic bad luck but human touches. Hired by Dragna (Robert De Niro), a legendary crime boss to complete a simple but unusual task, the plot centers around the anticipated arrival of Dragna who has summoned Jack and a host of shady characters to a remote location for unknown reasons. Over the course of a long and violently eventful night awaiting Dragna's arrival, Jack's path crosses that of Rivka (Rebecca Da Costa), a stunningly beautiful woman whose life becomes physically and emotionally entangled with Jack's. When Dragna finally arrives on the scene there are sudden and extreme consequences for all.

4. Non-Stop: Oh hey! Liam Neeson is shooting things again! Derivative? Sure. Absolutely awesome? Damn straight. Neeson is a big time box office draw. His last movie to fail to hit $50 million was all the way back in 2010 when The Next Three Days was released, that was 8 movies ago... 9 if you include this month's Lego Movie which is a guaranteed success at this point.

Synopsis: Global action star Liam Neeson stars in NON-STOP, a suspense thriller played out at 40,000 feet in the air. During a transatlantic flight from New York City to London, U.S. Air Marshal Bill Marks (Neeson) receives a series of cryptic text messages demanding that he instruct the government to transfer $150 million into an off-shore account. Until he secures the money, a passenger on his flight will be killed every 20 minutes. Non-Stop, which reunites Neeson with Unknown director Jaume Collet-Serra and producer Joel Silver, co-stars Golden Globe Award winner Julianne Moore.

3. The Wind Rises: From acclaimed director Hayao Miyazaki (Director and/or screenwriter of pretty much every Studio Ghibli movie ever released including Spirited Away and My Neighbor Totoro) comes his swan song as The Wind Rises will be his last feature. Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Emily Blunt lend their voices to the hit from film fests around the world as Miyazaki pays tribute to Japanese engineer Jiro Horikoshi.

Synopsis: Jiro—inspired by the famous Italian aeronautical designer Caproni—dreams of flying and designing beautiful airplanes. Nearsighted from a young age and thus unable to become a pilot, Jiro joins the aircraft division of a major Japanese engineering company in 1927. His genius is soon recognized, and he grows to become one of the world’s most accomplished airplane designers. He meets and falls in love with Nahoko, and grows and cherishes his friendship with his colleague Honjo. A tremendous innovator, Jiro leads the aviation world into the future.

2. RoboCop: Had I not have liked Dredd this would not have been on this list, but that movie proved bad movies can be remade to be good.

Synopsis: In RoboCop, the year is 2028 and multinational conglomerate OmniCorp is at the center of robot technology. Overseas, their drones have been used by the military for years - and it's meant billions for OmniCorp's bottom line. Now OmniCorp wants to bring their controversial technology to the home front, and they see a golden opportunity to do it. When Alex Murphy (Joel Kinnaman) - a loving husband, father and good cop doing his best to stem the tide of crime and corruption in Detroit - is critically injured in the line of duty, OmniCorp sees their chance to build a part-man, part-robot police officer. OmniCorp envisions a RoboCop in every city and even more billions for their shareholders, but they never counted on one thing: there is still a man inside the machine pursuing justice.

1. The LEGO Movie: The animation looks simple yet beautiful, the voice cast is as funny and charming as one could hope for. The trailer depicts laugh-a-minute gags that promises to be just as entertaining for adults as it is for kids. What's not to love? Oh and BT Dubs... The movie currently boats a fantastic 97% score on Rottentomatoes.com... That's on par with Gravity and better than American Hustle, Frozen and 12 Years A Slave.

Synopsis: "The LEGO (R) Movie" is the first-ever, full-length theatrical LEGO (R) adventure. The original 3D computer animated story follows Emmet (Chris Pratt) an ordinary, rules- following, perfectly average LEGO minifigure who is mistakenly identified as the most extraordinary person and the key to saving the world. He is drafted into a fellowship of strangers on an epic quest to stop an evil tyrant, a journey for which Emmet is hopelessly and hilariously underprepared.

Wednesday 5 February 2014

Comic Shop Corner: February 5, 2014

Sorry folks no pictures this week as I am typing this on my girlfriend's laptop which is not blogger friendly... But who can be sad on new comic book day right!?!


Dark Horse Comics


Lobster Johnson: Get The Lobster #1


Dark Horse Comics is pulling out all the stops while celebrating 20 years of Hellboy. Including giving everyone's favourite goggle-wielder a new mini series... A Manhattan sporting event goes terribly wrong as the ref is killed in front of a live audience by two crazed-and seemingly bulletproof-wrestlers. Who is behind this new reign of terror?


Also available: Juice Squeezers #2, Star Wars #5 (Lucas Draft), Terminator Salvation: The Final Battle #3, Baltimore: Chapel Of Bones #2, Occultist #5, Bad Blood #2, and many more!


DC Comics


Green Arrow #28


The Outsider's War continues with part 3!! If you're still in shock over the end of last issue, just wait until you see happens next! Nothing could have prepared Green Arrow for this! Jeff Lemire shows that although most, including himself, were skeptical about how well he'd write Ollie he shows he was born to pen this title.


Also available: Forever Evil #5, Green Lantern/Red Lanterns #28, The Joker's Daughter #1 (One-Shot), Action Comics #28, Forever Evil: Arkham War #5, Detective Comics #28, and many more!


IDW Publishing


Haunted Horror #9


This issue digs up a bevy of more grisly, gory, gratuitous comics that were banned in the fifties and should probably be banned again--but we're publishing this sick stuff anyway! Amazing spine-tingling art, bizarro stories the kind horror fans love!


Also available: Transformers: More Than Meets The Eye #26, Deadworld: Restoration #3, My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic #16, Judge Dredd: Mega-City Two #2, G.I. Joe #13, and many more!


Image Comics


Sidekick #5


For weeks, super-villain Julia Moonglow has been feeding off the body and energy of Barry 'Flyboy' Chase while keeping him from remembering this. Now she's ready to let him remember, and reveals why she's been stalking him and the fate of her late twin sister. But that's just the warm-up for the big reveal, as Barry learns for the first time that the Red Cowl may be alive, a discovery that shatters him down to his very core.


Also available: Apocalypse AI #1, Secret #5, Invincible Universe #10, Drumhellar #4, Five Ghosts #9, Lazarus #6, Artifacts #34, Minimum Wage #2, Aphrodite IX #8, and many more!


Marvel Comics


Ms. Marvel #1


The legend has returned! Marvel Comics presents the all-new Ma. Marvel, the ground breaking heroine that has become an international sensation! Kamala Khan is just an ordinary girl from Jersey City--until she is suddenly empowered with extraordinary gifts. But who truly is the all-new Ms. Marvel? Teenager? Muslim? Inhuman? Find out as she takes the Marvel Universe by storm, and prepare for an epic tale that will be remembered by generations to come. History in the making is NOW!


Also available: Captain America #16, Loki: Agent Of Asgard #1, X-Men #10, The Punisher #1, Black Widow #3, Superior Carnage Annual #1, Avengers A.I. #9, Wolverine #1, and many more!


Spotlight


Dynamite's Turok: Dinosaur Hunter #1


THE GOLD KEY UNIVERSE BEGINS HERE! Classic Characters by some of Comics Hottest Creators! - Magnus, Solar, Turok and Dr. Spektor! Dynamite is proud to present an all-new adventure ongoing from superstar Greg Pak (Batman/Superman, World War Hulk) and incredible artist Mirko Colak (Red Skull: Incarnate, Conan)! Shunned from his tribe, a young Native American named Turok fights to survive, making a lonely life for himself in the unforgiving forest. But his hard-won cunning and survival skills face the ultimate test when man-eating Thunder Lizards attack his people! Why are dinosaurs here? How have they survived? And will Turok use his abilities to save a society that's taken everything away from him?

Saturday 1 February 2014

Top 10 Countdown: February 1, 2014

A new month is here! After dominating January will July hold on to the top spot??

10. Paramore - Ain't It Fun
Last week: NEW!

9. The Downtown Fiction - Some Place On Earth
Last week: 10.

8. We Are The In Crowd - The Best Thing (That Never Happened)
Last week: 4.

7. Forever The Sickest Kids - Nice To Meet You
Last week: 7.

6. Less Than Jake - My Money Is On The Longshot
Last week: 8.

5. Rescue Kid - Make You Mine
Last week: 6.

4. Simple Plan - The Rest Of Us
Last week: 5.

3. July - What We Signed Up For
Last week: 1.

2. A Day To Remember - Right Back At It Again
Last week: 3.

1. City Lights - See You At The Top
Last week: 2.