Blogcritics

Comic Book Review: DC Comics' 52, Week 50

Vichus Smith — Tue, 1 Jul 2008 12:12:11 EDT

52, a weekly DC Comics series. This week, starring Black Adam, and many other DC Universe characters.
War has never looked so astounding. In a series that has had some cool covers, this is yet another cover I adore completely. The cover has Black Adam standing at the top of rubble with his back to the reader. He is facing a golden collage of everyone who has been involved in 52 so far. Black Adam is in a “come and get it pose” while his...

Comic Book Review: DC Comics' 52, Week 48

Vichus Smith — Sun, 23 Dec 2007 11:00:05 EST

52, a weekly DC Comics series. This week, starring Batwoman, Nightwing, Bruno Mannheim and The Question (Renee Montoya).
Another really cool cover for 52. This week is a Question-centric issue where everyone involved in the Crime Bible’s prophecy. Right away, a few pages in and I have a problem. I like Darick Robertson’s art and everything I’ve read with him on it (The Boys, Transmetropolitan) I’ve loved. His style is “ugly” to...

Comic Book Review: DC Comics' 52, Week 46

Vichus Smith — Sat, 1 Dec 2007 07:39:44 EST

My review of 52, a weekly DC Comics series. This week, starring Black Adam, Chang Tzu and mad scientists.
In a battle between Magic and Science, who would win out in the end? Teth Adam, also known as the god-powered Black Adam, has realized who has brought death and sorrow to his doorstep, and he has once again reverted to the ferocious being that he was at the beginning of 52. His wife, Adrianna Tomaz, is now dead. Black Adam knows that he has the...

Comic Book Review: DC Comics' 52, Week 45

Vichus Smith — Fri, 2 Nov 2007 16:55:22 EDT

52, a weekly DC Comics series. This week, starring Black Adam, Bruno Mannheim, Checkmate, Atom Smasher and Amanda Waller.
Wow, wow, wow. The cover of 52 Week 45 tells you all you need to know. Black Adam is not a very nice man, and he does not look like he has ever looked up “diplomacy” in the dictionary. The Four Horseman have taken everything from Black Adam, and that has forced him to walk closer to the line of murderous maniac. Renee Montoya crosses...

Comic Book Review: DC Comics' 52, Week 43

Vichus Smith — Wed, 10 Oct 2007 11:49:56 EDT

52, a weekly DC Comics series. This week, starring Animal Man, Black Adam, Osiris, Isis and the Marvel Family.
If you think you have problems with your family, then you need to look at the life of a young man called Osiris. He started out as the brother of Adrianna Tomaz, but then he was captured by the mutated anthropomorphic minions of Whisper A’daire. He was beaten so brutally that his legs were destroyed, and then he was saved by the magic of...

Comic Book Review: DC Comics' 52, Week 42

Vichus Smith — Sat, 8 Sep 2007 00:14:47 EDT

52, a weekly DC Comics series. This week, starring Ralph Dibny and others.
I love this issue! I absolutely and totally love this issue, despite the cover that makes little sense to me. There are no tentacles in this issue, but there is some closure, some damn fine closure. The issue starts with some more silly hinting of Renee Montoya becoming the next Question. Just get it over with it already! Right after that, the...

Announcement: Short-content feeds

Phillip Winn — Sun, 26 Aug 2007 12:00:00 EDT

Sunday, August 26, 2007, marks the switch of all Blogcritics.org article feeds from full-content to short-content. This is the result of several converging factors, and is unfortunately a permanent decision (as permanent as any decision can be on the web, that is). We are aware of all of the reasons that this is a Bad Idea, and we are aware that some of you will be quite upset about having to click on something to read the free content, and we're sorry. Unfortunately, despite great effort, full-content feeds are not currently economically viable. Two other factors are involved: full-content feeds have resulted in an unprecedented level of content theft, with BC content appearing on many websites, usually spam sites, without attribution or permission. This duplicate content causes a cascading set of problems, not the least of which is that search engines generally aren't favorable to duplicate content, and don't always guess correctly. Finally, our RSS advertising partner is strongly in favor of short-content feeds. We hope that you'll continue to subscribe to BC via RSS, and when an article grabs your eye, it's only a click away, still free on the BC website. Thank you for your understanding.

Comic Book Review: DC Comics' 52, Week 41

Vichus Smith — Sun, 26 Aug 2007 11:04:03 EDT

52 takes it to Khandaq for a look at how Renee Montoya's doing since she's lost her newest friend, Vic Sage. Renee has some decisions to make, chief of which is what she'll do with her life from now on. When in doubt, I guess trading punches and kicks with Richard Dragon is the way to go. Maybe having a martial arts master tossing you around is the best remedy to indecisiveness. There is little doubt that Renee Montoya is going to be the next Question. The fact is being bashed over your head in this episode. I just hope that Renee Montoya retains most of her uniqueness. To only be Question II eliminates a woman who is more interesting as a normal hero instead of a superhero. In surroundings far less sacred than Nanda Parbat, Ralph Dibny has an uncomfortable encounter with an elderly mad scientist so Dibny can get closer to getting what he wants. Ralph also takes a last look at the room where Dr. T. O. Morrow vanished into thin air, detailing just how Morrow ended up on Oolong island. We then go to Adam Strange and Starfire facing the dangers of space without Animal Man, who they left and supposedly thought was dead. This is my favorite scene of the entire issue, because of the great moment at the end. I'm not one for spoilerage, but I'll just say that the Green Lantern corps is an incredibly diverse group. So it's three stories for one this week, topped off with some unique art from Joe Benitez. It's the story of Starfire, with very poofy hair, mind you, but the story of Starfire nonetheless. She looks like she hails from the planet of Long Island, circa 1980, but at least she looks good.

"Vichus Smith" (K.L. Jr) also reviews movies and anime on Epinions.com and video games at GameInfoWire

Comic Book Review: DC Comics' 52, Week 40

Vichus Smith — Sun, 15 Jul 2007 03:19:31 EDT

Steel returns to his old costume to bring the pain to one Lex Luthor. For months, the Steel story has only been faintly interesting, and this week in 52 you get something of an ending to Steel’s post Infinite Crisis journey. His niece, Natasha Irons, has also gone through a lot since the day her uncle decided that she should become her own hero. She has gone from a hero who fights with the aid of a suit built with technology to someone who has benefited from Lex Luthor‘s everyman project, allowing her to have superhuman abilities. Either way, she hasn‘t really become a hero in her own right. Making the wrong choices is what has gotten her into the situation she is now, a hostage of Lex Luthor. Natasha did not believe her Uncle John until it was too late, and not only does she have to depend on him for help, but John Henry Irons has to go through a metagene enhanced Lex Luthor to save her. That looks like a job for superman, but Steel busts into Luthor’s offices with younger heroes like Beast Boy and Raven. Steel does most of the dirty work, knocking down every remaining member of Infinity Inc. with no problem. They try to halt John Henry Irons, but he’s come with a game plan.The fight is pretty much one-sided until Steel finds Luthor, who has as many abilities as Superman. The fight is brutal and somewhat bloody, but you cannot call it unsatisfying. It’s finally time for John Henry Irons to shine after so many weeks of his storyline not being terribly fulfilling. This is a great payoff; it’s good versus evil, with the good guy appearing to be the underdog. Many who have been reading 52 have been clamoring for this story to bear some sort of fruit, and it has, in an incredibly strong issue. Steel going to rescue his niece takes up 99% of the issue, with just two pages about Osiris and his crocodile friend Sobek. It’s a dark rainy day in Khandaq, and it could only mean that Black Adam has a terrible mess to sort out in his kingdom.

"Vichus Smith" (K.L. Jr) also reviews movies and anime on Epinions.com and video games at GameInfoWire

Comic Book Review: DC Comics' 52, Week 39

Vichus Smith — Sun, 8 Jul 2007 01:08:38 EDT

The thought of a ruthless scientific genius possessing enough power to take on Superman on his own is frightening. When it turns out to be Lex Luthor, it’s terrifying. For the past few weeks, Lex has been tested and retested to see if he could become a met human. Results were negative, or so he was led to believe. The truth came out, and one unlucky scientist has had to take drastic measures for deceiving his boss. I’ve often wondered what motivations scientists had in working for supervillains and whether they even had any remorse over taking part in illegal and insidious activities. Apparently, they do, but if one of those scientists had acted earlier, Lex Luthor wouldn’t even have had the chance to gain met human abilities. It’s a case of too little, too late, as Natasha Irons learns some very important lessons about the acquisition of power and the consequences for the decisions you make.In deeper, wetter territory, Ralph Dibny continues his magical journey. He goes down to what remains of Atlantis, where he finds a curious old man who tells him what he knows about Aquaman’s whereabouts. Ralph is in Atlantis for something more, and as usual, he has to go to great lengths to get it. Back on Oolong Island, the temporary home of DC’s mad scientists, three of the four Horsemen have taken off for their destination. They are headed straight for Khandaq, and it seems they are having an effect on all the nature around Black Adam’s kingdom. I would say that messing with Black Adam is a bad move, but who’s to argue with the Horsemen of the Apokolips? What I’d like to know, at this moment, is where is the fourth Horseman? I think that fingers are pointing in one direction.As Week 39 comes to an end. Natasha Irons learns what her uncle had been trying to teach her for many months. Power cannot be given. It should be earned. Maybe someone should have taught Lex Luthor this lesson as well. Again, it’s too little, too late. It’s a very good week of 52, but it’s a set up for some more exciting action down the line.

"Vichus Smith" (K.L. Jr) also reviews movies and anime on Epinions.com and video games at GameInfoWire

Comic Book Review: DC Comics' 52, Week 37

Vichus Smith — Tue, 29 May 2007 01:20:38 EDT

As the weeks tick down, some big questions get answered. For the junior detectives who had guesses as to the identity of Supernova, your suspicions will be confirmed here. In issue 36 of DC Comics' 52, the last image we see is of Skeets spying on the bottled city of Kandor, the refuge of Supernova and the Time Master Rip Hunter. Skeets is a much different robotic sidekick than he was at the start, and he’s willing to destroy the microscopic city, just to get to his prey.One half of this strange puzzle is revealed in issue 37, and there is quite a detailed explanation as to who Supernova is, and why he’s behind that mask. All that’s left is why Skeets went schizoid on Booster and became this crazy menace out for blood. While Supernova tries to defend himself from Skeets, the space heroes have a solemn moment amongst the stars. Solemn for them, and shocking for the readers of 52.There are no words for how great this issue was. Supernova’s identity was somewhat expected, but the final panels of this issue were jarring, and astounding. I take my hat off to the writers for catching me off guard and hitting me with a joyous twist. If only this week’s bio wasn’t about a C-list hero like Firestorm, the Nuclear Man. Dan Didio’s column in the back is written in cryptographic form, and it does indeed reveal a huge spoiler.

"Vichus Smith" (K.L. Jr) also reviews movies and anime on Epinions.com and video games at GameInfoWire