Batgirl’s Ghost of Christmas

Batgirl #4 courtesy DC Comics

  Batgirl #4 is set on Christmas Eve as Barbara is haunted by the most horrific night of her life. Batgirl’s war with Mirror leads her to relive the nightmare that left her paralyzed. This made Batgirl confront her past and evolve as a character. Barbara uses the Mirror’s tactics to force him to face his own tragic past.

 

Gail Simone has created a thrilling cat and mouse story that also serves as an empowering survival story. Adrian Syaf’s art make Batgirl dangerous and sexy with heart and strength. Fight scenes are kinetic. Barbara’s scenes with her roommate around the Christmas tree are heartwarming and relatable. I hope critics who were against Barbara getting out of the wheelchair will read this. This is the beginning of a great new era for Batgirl.  Barbara receives a holiday miracle in the final panel that should lead to new mysteries for Batgirl.

 

By Editor

 

Cable’s First Shot in AVX

Avengers: X-Sanction #1 alternate cover preview courtesy Marvel.com

  Jeph Loeb and Ed McGuinness bring Cable back with full impact in Avengers: X-Sanction #1. This time Nathan is not a father figure, freedom fighter or platoon leader. Cable is an effecient super soldier on a focused mission.    

  Nathan and Steve Rogers are two determined soldiers with brilliant tactical minds. The fight is big and physical but you get a sense of the strategy behind every move.

  I think you can get a sense of the battle strategies Captain America and Cyclops will execute in Avengers Versus X-Men. Cap may even learn something from Cable that could give him an advantage to beat Cyke – knowing when to make sacrifices.

  We learn how Cable survived “death” in Second Coming, see a blast from Nathan’s past who sets him on his new mission and learn why he must destroy the Avengers in 24 hours.

  The script is tight. The art is big, brash and bursting off the pages. The issue is one big giant teaser for the upcoming AVX but this first shot in the war in a fun yarn on its own.

Not a Good Bond Girl

 

"The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo" premiere courtesy MI6.

  Daniel Craig and Rooney Mara walked the red carpet at The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo premiere. Craig plays the crusading reporter hero of the trilogy of novels. Director David Fincher casts Rooney Mara as Lisabeth Salander after The Social Network and an extensive audition process.

  Reporters are asking the young actress about being Craig’s star again in a Bond film. Mara tells Metro that while she enjoyed working with Daniel Craig she doesn’t see herself in a 007 movie.

  “I don’t know that I’d be a very good Bond girl”.

  I’m not sure Bond could handle Lisabeth Salander!
  Thanks to MI6 for the scoop.

Winter Soldier Doomed!

The Winter Soldier 3 courtesy Marvel.com, Comic Book Resources Exclusive

  Bucky Barnes is an absolute bad — but taking on Doctor Doom! I was checking out Marvel Heroes March previews on Comic Book Resources and this teaser blew my mind.

  The Winter Soldier #3 shows Doom bringing the pain. This is one my most anticipated new series of 2012.

Prometheus Teaser Poster?

 

Prometheus Movie Poster? courtesy Collider

  Is this the teaser poster for Ridley Scott’s Prometheus? Entertainment Weekly had exclusive photos. Collider posted what could be the first official poster which showcases the giant head image from the EW photos with the line:

“The search for our beginning could lead to our end.”

Every little detail gives me chills because I know Ridley Scott’s return to sci-fi will redefine the genre he defined…so to speak.

At my blog station…everyone can hear me scream….with geek-tastic delight!

Prometheus arrives June 8, 2012.

What If James Bond Worked for Darth Vader?

“The name is Cross…Jahan Cross.”

Star Wars: Agent of the Empire #1 cover courtesy Dark Horse Comics

  Star Wars: Agent of the Empire – Iron Eclipse debuts this week from Dark Horse Comics. The hero is a secret agent working for the Empire 3 years before the events of A New Hope tracking down stolen droid technology.

  This new series is the latest from comics veteran John Ostrander. He’s created action tales from various time periods in the Star Wars universe and tells USA Today  that Agent Cross’s mission will have him encounter smugglers Han Solo and Chewbacca before they became Rebel Alliance heroes.

  Ostrander says Cross is influenced by Jason Bourne and John Le Carre spy novels .

  “Still, there’s a lot of overlap in the Bond and Star Wars franchises: charismatic lead character, beautiful women, exotic locales, large-scale villains, intense action, chases, technology and gadgets. It’s like peanut-butter cups: two great tastes that go great together.”

I think the challenge will be making a hero out of an agent working for “the bad guys” but Ostrander’s writing is outstanding. This could be a new way to see the Star Wars canon from an Empire insider. 

Age of Apocalypse Ongoing

Age of Apocalypse #1 courtesy Marvel.com

  The X-Men have been drawn into the nightmare reality that is the Age of Apocalypse time and again. Today Marvel revealed a new series set in the horrific alternative timeline that spins out of The Dark Angel Saga in Uncanny X-Force #18 which wraps today.

  David Lapham and Roberto De La Torre are the creative team on Age of Apocalypse launching in March.

  “We start sort of spinning out of Uncanny X-Force. There are events that happen there that we directly fall out of. Basically, we open with Weapon X, who’s the Big Bad Overlord of the Age of Apocalypse world, and he’s just sort of wiped out the last enclave of humanity.” Lapham said in today’s presser.

  The roster of characters includes alternative versions of William Styker, Graydon Creed, Donald Pierce and Bolivar Trask – all mutant hating X-Men enemies in the Marvel universe but are could they be seen as heroes in this dystopian world ruled by Apocalypse?

Age of Apocalypse #1 variant courtesy Marvel.com

  Lapham confirmed the AoA versions of Wolverine, Jean Grey and Sabretooth will be part of the series is about “humans versus the mutants.”

  The Age of Apocalypse is a cool place to visit but an ongoing series? I love the AoA Jean Grey, she’s ruthless and definitely Wolverine’s match. What do you think? The adventures begin this March.

 

 

 

 

The Equalizer Returns

The Equalizer never got his own comic book but he should have! Bruce Wayne and Frank Castle would have been impressed with ex-operative Robert McCall.

A cool concept, a killer theme song and Edward Woodward as a retired secret agent making up for his dark past by bringing justice on the streets of New York made The Equalizer one of my favorite shows.

Variety reports that Denzel Washington will star in a big screen version inspired by the classic television series.