Comic Book Conversations

* Yes, this review has SPOILERS ! Do yourself a favor and make sure you've read #44 and #45 before reading this. * So, that  happened. Unless you read the solicitation first or the internet spoiled you, odds are Donatello's vicious defeat at the hands of Bebop and Rocksteady was quite a jaw-dropper. The whole time that fight was going down, I kept thinking of different ways my favorite Ninja Turtle would make it out of the situation just fine. "Maybe Alopex and Nobody will show up at the last second. Maybe there's another device in the lab that'll save him. Maybe..." But no, nothing happened to save the mutant from the evil duo's brutality and I was left wondering just one thing: is Donatello really dead or is he barely alive? This latest issue wastes no time answering that question as we quite literally see that Donatello hasn't "walked towards the light" just yet. Let's talk about the developments with Donatello since, you know, th...

We all knew Valiant was working on bringing some of its characters to the big screen, but there hasn't been any especially detailed news in quite some time. We know some of the properties the publisher's interested in and we know it's teaming-up with DMG to make these movies happen, but now we finally know when the first set of movies will begin to drop and which characters will be the first ones to step into the spotlight. Working with Sony, Valiant is going to create two Bloodshot movies and two Harbinger movies before unleashing a Harbinger Wars film. To Valiant fans, this is obviously exciting news. To everyone else, there's understandable concern about the world having one too many comic book movies. Well, I'm here to tell you why you should  be thrilled about Valiant creating its own cinematic universe. I have a pretty big confession to make, okay? Before Valiant rebooted back in 2012, I wasn't a fan of the publisher. In fact, my only experience with Va...

Back in 2011, writer Justin Jordan, artist Tradd Moore, and colorist Felipe Sobreiro introduced the world to Luther Strode. Think Spider-Man meets Kick-Ass, throw in a lot of totally over-the-top gore and you pretty much have a decent understanding of this character. Luther and his girlfriend, Petra, have gone through a lot of craziness in the past two limited series, but now their story is apparently coming to an end. The Legacy of Luther Strode is expected to be the last chapter in Luther's tale, and thankfully, it's off to a ridiculously fun start. When it comes to the bigger picture, Jordan isn't giving too much away. We get just a bit of insight into the big villain and then it's mostly a character-driven experience as Luther and Petra once again find themselves in all kinds of madness. You can tell there's a couple of building blocks for bigger plot elements in the issue, but this one really is all about telling us who Petra and Luther are and seeing what...

Well, it's looking like the Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice trailer is every bit as polarizing as Man of Steel . Some people loved the footage and think it'll be an amazing movie; others hate it and hope it's not an accurate picture of the entire movie. Me? I'm someone who loves Man of Steel  (we can still be friends if you hated it, you know) and I've been very, very, veeeeeery excited for Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice . So, did I love the debut trailer and it now has me exclaiming, "ZOMG BEST MOVIE EVER"? No, unfortunately I can't say that I loved it, and honestly, I was left feeling incredibly down the middle in the moments immediately after my first viewing. However, I do like it and if you'll give me a minute or two (because you're nice like that, right?), I'll explain why. When Warner Bros announced the movie's first trailer was on the way, I immediately began to think about what it would include. You probably did, ...

*Since Deadpool #45 went on sale a week ago, this review contains plenty of spoilers. It would be tough to talk about the big moment without using some, after all. Also, this review only covers the main story (which is about 31 pages), not the several extra chapters.* When a big event takes place in the Marvel Universe, the story usually bleeds into various titles. For example, Civil War  had a whole lot of tie-in story arcs as we got to see how the big debate between Captain America and Iron Man was impacting other heroes and villains. Who was on Tony's side? Who was on Steve's side? Who was just trying to avoid all of the craziness? After a few issues or so, these titles would then go back to business as usual. However, Marvel's upcoming event, Secret Wars , is so much more than "yet another" big event. This one is totally reinventing the Marvel Universe by destroying the one we've come to know. Instead of simply appearing in several titles before it fade...

When you think of Bloodshot, what immediately comes to mind? Over-the-top violence? Pale skin with red eyes and a red circle on the chest? Even more vicious violence? Jeff Lemire tells you what he thinks about Bloodshot right in the opening (while also providing some exposition for new readers) and then spends the rest of the issue completely redefining the character. So yeah, you can bet the title of this series is pretty literal. If you were brainwashed by a shady organization and used as their hitman for God knows how many years, how would you feel if you were finally free from their control and that life of violence? And what if your final mission ended with a tragedy? Would you bury those feelings deep down inside of you as you embrace your freedom and see what it's like to finally live like an ordinary person? Or would the weight of your previous actions crush you? After all, it's unclear just how many lives you've taken. With Bloodshot, Jeff Lemire makes it clear ...

I love Damian Wayne. I think the little dude is simply an awesome hero. Quick-witted, hilariously blunt, and surprisingly formidable, he quickly became my favorite Robin. Damian's had some great stories in the comics, but unfortunately, his animated debut in Son of Batman  wasn't exactly the strongest feature from the new DC Animated Universe. However, he's getting a second chance in the spotlight with the appropriately titled Batman vs. Robin . Yes, the father and son technically do fight, but the "vs." really applies to their relationship. Can Batman be a father and a hero's mentor? Can Damian earn his father's trust? Does he even want to earn it or will Bruce's methods push him away? This one is all about character, readers. Don't worry, there's plenty of punching and kicking as well! This animated feature doesn't draw any strong parallels to Grant Morrison's "Batman vs. Robin" storyline (at least none that I recogn...

*Don't worry, there are no big spoilers in here.* Marvel and Netflix's first limited series, Daredevil , is finally here and man, it was so worth the wait. Before I get into why I think it's all kinds of terrific, I want to make one thing crystal clear: this article isn't a jab at the other comic book shows. I'm absolutely loving The Flash ; Arrow's quality jumps around yet it still has my attention; The Walking Dead's latest season showed a lot of promise; Constantine  was solid; Nick's TMNT  is a total joy. I hear Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. has made significant improvements, but I'm way too behind and don't see myself catching up with it in the near future. Sorry, S.H.I.E.L.D. fans. "But Gregg, what about Gotham , Powers , and iZombie ?" Hey, random reader, I'm trying to get to why I really enjoyed Daredevil , but sure, I'll quickly answer that. Gotham : wasn't a fan, sorry. Powers:  has potential, but rarely leaves me hook...