Thor #615

The new creative team of Matt Fraction and Pasqual Ferry take over with issue 615. After a lackluster, 4-part (ugh) Mephisto stoyline, I was interested to see where the series is going. With the Thor movie coming out this summer this title will be one to watch.

Fraction does an pretty good job of setting up the next chapter in Thor's life; he asks the simple question of "if Asgard is here on earth, then what is in Asgard's place?" An interesting point, and since nature abhors a vacuum, we are treated to the invasion of whatever used to be Asgard by a mysterious new foe. However the book drags in places, and the overall story could have been told in half the pages.

The art works well and I am happy to see a lighter, brighter tone in a lot of the Marvel books since the Heroic age started. Ferry does a good Thor and I will be interested to see how he deals with large scale Ragnorok-type fights scenes.

The stuff with Volstagg is priceless, but all in all this was a pretty boring jump on point for new readers.

Tale of the Tape

Cost: $4

Length: 20 minutes

Is it worth it?: No, not really. Not enough happens for this to be a key issue in a new story arc. 

Collection Update: Fan Expo 2010

I made some choice acquisitions this past weekend at Fan Expo 2010. First off, I picked up a bunch of Marvel Team-Up issues for very cheap (about $1 each) so now I am half way to completing that series. I also grabbed a very nice Ray Harryhausen art book.

The big finds of the weekend were a copy of Strange Tales #89 (first appearance of Fin Fang Foom) and I traded my copies of X-Men #12 and #13 to Big B Comics for a very nice copy of Hulk #181.

In addition to completing Marvel Team-Up, I have also decided to search for Star Wars Tales (24 issue run) and Treehouse of Horror issues (15 issues so far).

Epic Mickey Opening

I am looking forward to checking out Epic Mickey. The opening cinematic can be seen here. The game has some very interesting and creepy visuals. And I need some reason to play my Wii. 

Superman #702

Well, it only took 2 issues for the Grounded storyline to get annoying and pretentious. Superman plays basketball with some kids, discovers hidden aliens, and meets with an old man who works in a closed down car factory.

Oh and he also blackmails the aliens to use their superior technology to created a booming medical industry in the depressed former auto-city. That right folks, Superman is all about meddling in the affairs of regular people now. I can only assume that he will fly back in time and stop WWII next. The concept of Grounded is okay, but I am not pleased with this issue’s heavy handed execution.

Batman shows up at the end, so maybe if we are lucky he will tell Superman to stop being so high and mighty. Hanging out with regular people might be fine once in a while, but he has real, world-saving problems to deal with. While he was playing basketball alien super-robots took over Canada (okay that last part didn't happen but you get my point).

Tale of The Tape

Cost: $3

Length: 20 minutes

Is it worth it?: Not really. This was a pretty lackluster outing for JMS and crew. Barrows draws a great Supes though. 

Ratchet and Clank: All 4 One Trailer

A pretty interesting trailer for the next title in the R&C series can be viewed here. 4 player simultaneous action can be fun, but also brutal and filled with many, unnecessary deaths. I will be interested to see if there is a good single player game or if it will be only online.

The Expendables

For any fan of 1980’s action movies purchasing a ticket to this testosterone-filled explosion-fest was a no-brainer. Action movie fans will not be disappointed. The plot is fine and actually unnecessary. The cast is the real draw and the audience is treated to find out who would win if Stone Cold Steve Austin and Rocky Balboa fought each other. Or maybe you always wondered how a Jet Li/Ivan Drago fight would end. You will find the answers within.

Stallone does a good job of directing this band of tough guys and kudos to Sly for not using camera work so fast that it creates motion sickness in the viewing public. The movie is not Citizen Kane, but you will have two hours of fun.

Tale of the Tape

Cost: $12

Length: 1 hour 44 minutes.

Is it worth it?: Yes, but only if you love action movies. Anyone else will find the movie "stupid", and they would be wrong. Dead wrong. 

G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #156

G.I. Joe is back! And is written by Larry Hama! And it continues the story from the Marvel comics series! Needless to say I was pretty excited about this issue and fans of G.I. Joe will not be disappointed. We join the story in media res and the Joe team has gone into hiding as Cobra now works for the U.S. Government as mercenaries.

We see various members of the Joe team fend off (and kill) Cobra assassins while gathering to formulate a plan against Cobra. Hama does a great job with the characters he created and the art by Augustin Padilla fits the feel of the book well.

I did find it strange that the book abruptly ends. It seemed like there was a page missing. However, this did little to detract from a great read for a G.I. Joe fan.

Tale of The Tape

Cost: $4

Length: 20 minutes

Is it worth it?: Yes, but only if you are a G.I. Joe fan. New readers will find this issue a pretty strange starting point.