The Ponderings of a Media Junkie

Comic Pull List for the week of June 18th

bakers25 — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 23:02:23 +0000

Well, another week has gone by and I have been pretty busy at work. I did manage to get out and see the Hulk over the weekend and it was quite good. I think I will try and get a small review of it up soon. Her goes the list for this week:

Checkmate #27
DMZ #32
Justice League of America #22
Scalped #18
Incredible Hercules #118
Iron Man Director of SHIELD #30
Ultimate Fantastic Four #55
Ultimate X-men #95
X-Factor #32

Looks like a decent sized week for me. The book I am most looking forward to out of this bunch would be Incredible Hercules #118. I have loved this book since it began, it is really a great all around book that I had no expectations of being so good. My only problem is I want a real HULK book! Ok, the book I am least looking forward to is Checkmate #27. I have been picking these up on back issues and Rucka has been awesome, I am just not sure I am settling in to the new creative team just yet. I will decide on this by issue #30 for sure. I am excited by this batch and should be a great week, lots of other goodies out there that I am just not getting right now. If you have a suggestion let me know.

Comic Pull List for the week of June 11th

bakers25 — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 21:22:55 +0000

Hello again, lets see what we have on the shopping list this week:

100 Bullets #92
Invincible #50
Eternals #1
New Universal Shockfront #2
Skaar Son of Hulk #1

Not a particularly thrilling week for me. A couple of #1′s, I just added 100 Bullets, the only one I have been collecting a while is Invincible. I would have to say the book I am most looking forward to would probably be Eternals #1, only because I am interested in seeing what the Knaufs can do with the book. I am least looking forward to Skaar Son of Hulk, but I am giving it a try as I like Hulk books and lately the best “Hulk” book is Incredible Hercules! Hulk books stink right now. Good luck on your shopping, hope you have a better list than mine. If so throw me a recommendation.

Book Review: World War Z by Max Brooks

bakers25 — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 22:06:08 +0000

Well, a few days ago I finished this book. It is easily the best zombie book I have read. The book is essentially a collection of interviews with people from around the world telling their tales of World War Z, the zombie apocalypse. The interviews are all very different and come in a wide variety. Most describe the individuals struggle to survive in a world with roving hordes of zombies. Other touch on what the governments choose to do. What happened to the people on the orbiting space station. The harrowing ordeal of a downed pilot trying to get to a rescue point in the thick of zombie country.

The book is an awesome read from start to finish and the individual interviews tell an incredible story of man’s ability to endure and overcome even the undead. Many topical issues are covered as the interviews stretch from China, India, the Middle East, and all around the world. Even when faced with zombies everywhere, some where still not willing to come together and survive. I greatly enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone looking for a good scare, love zombies, or apocalyptic tales. Also if you love this, check out Max’s Zombie Survival Guide! 10/10

Comic Pull List for the week of June 4th

bakers25 — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 22:20:55 +0000

Lets see what I am putting int he basket this week:

Abe Sapien The Drowning #5
Manhunter #31 (Welcome back!)
Criminal 2 #3
Invincible Iron Man #2
Secret Invasion #3
Ultimate Origins #1

So a fairly light week compared to last weeks monstrosity. Easily the book I am most looking forward to reading would be the return of Manhunter. Andreyko is back and I expect this title will be just as good as when it departed. I think Gaydos is a good choice of artist for the book too, his work on Alias lends itself to this book in my opinion.

The book I am least looking forward to would be Abe Sapien, not because it is bad, but I feel I reall did not get much in this five issue arc. Loved the first issue and it just took a long time to develop. Overall, I still like it just not at the top of the list this week. I hope you find some goodies on your visit to the shop.

Andromeda Strain on A&E!

bakers25 — Tue, 27 May 2008 23:26:42 +0000

I watched the first hour of the two hour start to the movie and I would say it was an OK beginning. I am not all that impressed with it so far, but it looks like it has some potential. The special effects are not to good, but the acting is decent, I also like the take on the story too. It is worth a look for those interested in some High Def Sci-fi. Give it a look and let me know what you think.

Additional thoughts:

Well, I finally watched the rest and I am sad to say that the first hour was the best. The last three were horrid. The movie was much more interested in being politically correct than telling a good story. They were really focused on covering all the political hot button issues, racial diversification, environmental rights, women’s rights, everything about the military is bad. Of the three white male leads in the movie, one is a druggie, one is gay, and the other is a president that does not care about the earth, because he wants to harvest minerals from the ocean. Yuck.

Not to mention the science is extremely dumbed down. The scientists find it so easy to figure out whats going on they have time for long coffee breaks and phone sex. Great stuff! Do yourself a favor and go rent the original movie or better yet, crack open the book. This was a horrible adaptation.

Comic Pull List for the week of May 29th

bakers25 — Tue, 27 May 2008 23:21:37 +0000

This week is really going to hit the wallet hard, here we go:

All Star Superman #11
Green Lantern #31
Legion of Super-Heroes #42
Daredevil #107
Giant Size Astonishing X-men #1
Immortal Iron Fist #15
King Size Hulk #1 (This one will get a glance through, may not purchase)
Marvel 1985 #1
Thor #9
New Avengers #41
Ultimate Spider-man #122
Uncanny X-men #498
X-men Legacy #212
Northlanders #6

I guess it all evens out on the weeks I have only 5 or 6 to pick up, but this is a haul. I am really looking forward to reading Northlanders, USM, and Astonishing X-men, but the book I will crack open first will be All Star Superman. This book is the best superman I have ever read. It has a sporadic schedule, but is a wonderful treat when it arrives. If you have not had a chance to read it you are missing a special book.

The comic I am least looking forward to would probably be New Avengers #41. I am giving it a shot as I got almost all the New Avengers back issues very cheap and I am picking this up to stay current and see if I would like to continue with the title. I have not had a chance to read the back issues though, World War Z by Max Brooks has been eating away at my free time.

Have fun on your trek to the store. Do something nice for a soldier this Memorial week!

Bionic Woman Cancelled

bakers25 — Sun, 25 May 2008 22:36:13 +0000

I should have known! Sometimes I get so frustrated with TV, just when you start to get into a show, poof, its gone. At least BSG, of darn, I mean, The 4400, wait, well hmm. We still have the Sarah Conner Chronicles for another year.

Comic Pull List for the week of May 21st

bakers25 — Tue, 20 May 2008 23:12:23 +0000

Hello again, here is this weeks list:

Justice League of America #21
Scalped #17
Walking Dead Special Edition #1
Captain America #38
Incredible Hercules #117
Iron Man Director of SHIELD #29
Mighty Avengers #14
Ultimate Fantastic Four #54
Ultimate X-men #94
X-Factor #31

Well this is certainly the large list. The book in here I am most looking forward to reading would be a tough pick, but I will go with Captain America #38. I could have easily said Walking Dead, Incredible Hercules, Scalped, or X-Factor, they are all amazing reads. Brubaker’s Cap run is absolutely one of, if not the best comic out there right now. The book I am least looking forward to would be Ultimate X-men. It seems Marvel really has no big plans for this book, as it has faded from its former glory days. There is hope as a new writer takes over this issue.

Comic Pull List for the week of May 14th

bakers25 — Thu, 15 May 2008 21:52:05 +0000

I went to pick up my books this week and here is what was on the old list:

Casanova #14
Walking Dead #49
Guardians of the Galaxy #1
New Universal Shockfront #1
X-men Legacy #211
Project Superpowers #3
Hercules #1 (sold out last week)

Pretty good stuff this week, some old favorites and hopefully some new ones too. The book I am most looking forward to reading is of course Walking Dead #49. After last issue, I am really looking forward to seeing what transpires and where Kirkman intends to take the story now. The book I am least looking forward to would probably be X-men Legacy, nothing wrong with it, but the x-men have been pretty boring for the most part.

Hope you like the titles you picked up. I am still considering adding DMZ and 100 Bullets to the list. The back issues and trades I have been reading are awesome.

Iron Man Movie Review

bakers25 — Sat, 10 May 2008 18:11:16 +0000

I saw Iron Man last week and with the trailers that were out there on the net and TV I was pretty excited to see what the movie had to offer. I have never been a huge Iron Man fan as far as comic collecting is concerned, but I always like Tony Stark and the Iron Man concept. This is Marvel’s first movie it has had full control over and from what I saw it is a very good thing.

The movie is an awesome origins story and does a great job of establishing Iron Man as a movie hero to base movies around. The story was well rooted in established Iron Man comics, and brought a lot of fun aspects from those stories to the screen. Tony is a total bad ass on the screen thanks in no small part to Robert Downey Jr’s spectacular acting. I could not think of anyone better suited to the task of bringing Stark to the movies. Jeff Bridges and Gwyneth Paltrow are excellent as Obadiah Stane and Pepper Potts. Overall the acting and the story are A+

The special effects in the movie are tremendous. I knew after seeing transformers that the Iron Man effects on the ground would be impressive, but I was a little worried about the dynamics while Iron Man was in flight. Well after the first few seconds of the flight scene where he is flying with the jet, that fear was quickly put to rest. They nailed the effects. From the first armor in the cave to the final red and gold armor we are accustomed to, the armors looked brilliant. I could not give a higher mark to the effects team.

Favreau did an outstanding job of making a high quality movie that happened to be about a super-hero. The success that Iron Man is reaping at the box office is extraordinary and well deserved. If you have not had a chance to get out to see the flick yet, I whole heartedly recommend it. Be sure to stay after the credits too, a nice little surprise follows. Have fun! 10/10