Most Anticipated #NCBD Releases 8/13/14

Another HUGE week, so here's the Top 5 (+1) books I’m looking forward to this week!

Wildcard: Wolverine #11

This Wolverine arc has been one of the more enjoyable Wolverine runs in recent memory, and I'm curious to see where it goes!

5: Hulk #5

With a new writer jumping on board, seems like the perfect time to give this book another shot. Not that I didn't enjoy it before, just looking for something different.

4: Inhuman #3

Always worth the wait for some Joe Madureira art! Love Soule's writing too, so the wait will pay-off (I hope!)

3: Astro City #14

Speaking of "worth the wait," Astro City NEVER disappoints! I don't care how long each issue takes, when you get this kind of quality!

2: Ghosted #12

I've said enough about this title over the last few months, so it should come as no surprise that it ranks as highly as it does on my "read pile." I'm not even going to give a reason, just read this book!

1: Batman #34

If Batman isn't reason enough, add the amazing art of Matteo Scalera (Black Science) to the Dark Knight, and you have a "MUST READ" in my book!

What books missed my cut that you think I should read?

#TGINCBD 8/13/14

#TGINCBD everyone!

 

Post picks of the books you'll be picking up for #NCBD using the tag #TGINCBD

 

Join in, won't you?

#NCBD On My Radar 8/13/14

Tomorrow is NCBD once again, and here’s some new titles that are “On My Radar!”

Wildcard: The F1rst Hero #1

Seems like an interesting premise, might have to check this one out!

5: Godzilla: Cataclysm #1

IDW is celebrating 60 years of Godzilla with a new book from Cullen Bunn, and it looks pretty good if you ask me!

4: Dark Ages #1

The tagline says it's a mixture of Starship Troopers and Kingdom of Heaven...SOLD!

3: Transformers: Primacy #1

The final chapter of Cybertron War Trilogy, and it look pretty cool.  Properties from my childhood never seem to go away, and I'm okay with that :)

2: Hexed #1

The original Hexed mini-series introduced us to Emma Rios (who did this amazing cover, BTW), and the new artist looks to be the next big breakout artist, reason enough to give this one a try!

1: Nova Special #1

The final chapter of the "No End in Sight" story arc that spanned Uncanny X-Men, Iron Man, and Nova, which I've been enjoying.

What new titles are coming out this week that you think I should try?

Most Anticipated #NCBD Releases

Without further ado, here are the Top 5 (+1) books I’m looking forward to this week!

Wildcard: Rocket Raccoon #2

Such a fun book! So many other great books coming out today, though, that this one has to take the "wildcard" slot.

5: Green Arrow #34

I've been raving about this book for months, and with this team's run coming to a close soon, I'm very sad. Hopefully they can team up on another DC title in the future, because Lemire & Sorrentino are a great team!

4: Miracleman #9

This is probably the most controversial book in comic book history, with the accurate (albeit graphic) depiction of child birth.  Loving this book as a first time reader!

3: Earth 2 #26

Taylor and Scott have created one of my new favorite characters in Val-Zod, Superman, and this issue is the show-down between the old and new! Can't wait!

2: Miles Morales: The Ultimate Spider-Man #4

Just look at that cover! Looks like "show-down" between old and new is a recurring theme this week :)

1: Superior Spider-Man #32

MORE SUPERIOR SPIDER-MAN!!! And it leads directly into the Spider-Verse saga! Hopefully we get to see more of Spidey-Ock after Spider-Verse is over, too :)

What book are you looking forward to reading today?

#TGINCBD 8/6/14

#TGINCBD everyone!

Post picks of the books you'll be picking up for #NCBD using the tag #TGINCBD

Join in, won't you?

#NCBD On My Radar for 8/6/14

Tomorrow is NCBD once again, and here’s what’s “On My Radar!”

Wildcard: Usagi Yojimbo: Senso #1

The only familiarity I have with Usagi Yojimbo was his breif stint in the TMNT universe, but with all of the real world problems Stan Sakai is having, I figured now would be a good time to jump on board.

5: Superman/Wonder Woman Annual #1

Ok, this is kind of a cheat, since it's part of an overall larger story arc, but it is TECHNICALLY a #1 issue ;) I've been enjoying the Superman: Doomed storyline, and this new annual helps bring it toward it's conclusion, can't wait!

4: The Sixth Gun: Days of the Dead #1

I've not read any of the Sixth Gun saga yet, but I've heard nothing but great things! My buddy Chris will be happy to know that I'm gonna start reading the trades from the library. So, although I probably won't be actually reading this book next week, I am gonna pick it up once I'm up to date :)

3: Harbinger: Omegas #1

Valiant has been on fire, and Harbinger has been one of the best titles since the relaunch, so this one is a no-brainer for me! Just look at that beautiful cover, too! Harada Unhinged...bad things are coming, I can tell!

2: Captain Victory and the Galactic Rangers #1

Dynamite has been, well, dynamite on the old Kirby properties, and I have been eagerly awaiting the relaunch of the Kirby-verse!  I'm ready for a space epic, worthy of the King himself!

1: Terminal Hero #1

If you dig the quirky super-heroics of X-Statix and Doop, this might be the book for you!  Written by Peter Milligan (the mastermind behind X-Statix and Doop), it looks to be right up his (and my) alley: a "hero" with a moral dilemma of using an illegal treatment to treat his own inoperable disease, but the side-effects are WHY it's illegal.  Sounds like an awesome premise for me, and I've enjoyed Milligan's previous works, so it's definitely "on my radar."

Anything new coming out that I missed?

Spoiler-Free Review of Guardians of the Galaxy

Let me start off by saying "I LOVED it!"

Now that that is over with, here's my critique of the movie:

The cast was perfect! Pratt does a great job of playing the rogue gone good "Starl-Lord", and provided plenty of laughs throughout the movie. Saldana's "Gamora" plays quite a pivotal role in the movie, and does well as the "Leia" to Pratt's "Han."  (I know, I can't help but compare it to that other recently acquired Disney franchise, Star Wars...don't judge me!).  Bautista's "Drax" was good for a few laughs as well, but he also does what he does best...kick some MAJOR @$$!  Cooper lends his voice talents to "Rocket" and pretty much steals the show, but you can tell Disney/Marvel anticipated that with so much Rocket merchandise out there.  And Groot...the man (plant?) of few words (3 words to be exact...I AM GROOT!), Diesel does an admirable job of inflecting those 3 words differently throughout, but the animators did an even better job, making a walking, talking tree into a fan-favorite. Pace's "Ronan" is a formidable adversary for our ragtag band of misfits, and Gillan's "Nebula" is a good foil for "Gamora." 

Cast: A- 

Warning, here's another Star Wars comparison: Just like C-3PO and R2-D2 in the Star Wars universe, Rocket and Groot are a packaged deal that act as the glue for the team!  Star-Lord is the reluctant leader, Gamora the bad-girl trying to make good, and Drax is the destroyer with nothing left to lose, but without Rocket and Groot, I don't feel that any of these characters would have stuck around as long as they did.  The story is the basic "team-formation" with a "MacGuffin" that you'd expect from a new franchise, but I never felt like it detracted from the overall story, and if nothing else, actually linked this newly launched franchise squarely into the Marvel Cinematic Universe (again, no spoilers, but those that have followed the MCU probably know where this ends up).

Story: B+

Overall, there was plenty of action and adventure to go along with the laughs and great retro-music soundtrack.  If you are a comic book fan, or just a fan of the Marvel Cinematic Universe in general, this one is a must see. Even if you aren't a comic book fan, but like good sci-fi, action/adventure, you'll probably enjoy it as well.

Overall: A-

What did you think of the movie?