Monthly archives: February, 2006

Feb142006February 14, 2006August 21, 2007NoCommentby Fin Fang Doom

Legion of Doom’s Worst of 2005- Artists

Posted in year in review - 2005 by

Pat Lee. See Reggie Hudlin. The worst qualities of Anime with none of the more sophisticated qualities, like school girls or tentacle rape. -Colonel Doom

Pat LeeI don’t really remember being horribly turned off by an artist this year. Though the news that Joe Madureira is coming to Ultimates has me geared up for the 2006 year in review. -Jim Doom

I typically don’t buy something unless I like the art. I remember flipping through Nick Fury’s Howling Commandoes and thinking the art in it sucked [Fing Fang’s note: that was Edu Francisco]. Also, one of the artists on The Other dropped a stinkbomb, though I didn’t buy the book so I can’t recall who it was [probably Pat Lee]. -Jean-Claude Van Doom

Pat Lee. I hear he draws some pretty sweet robots, but that must be the only thing he’s good at. His work on Marvel Knights Spider-Man was some of the stiffest, most emotionless art I’d ever seen. I guess that makes sense for robots. Too bad Spider-Man isn’t one. -Fin Fang Doom


Feb142006February 14, 2006August 21, 20071Commentby Fin Fang Doom

Legion of Doom’s Worst of 2005- Writers

Posted in year in review - 2005 by

Reginald Hudlin. There’s few things in comics that piss me off more than a new writer with no regards for what’s come before him. His first six issues of Black Panther, which threw out nearly all of the character’s past and left it riddled with continuity gaffs, is about the worst example of this in recent memory. The man almost single-handedly ruined The Other. From flying horse poop to a Skrull gaining super-powers because he believes in Jesus to Aunt May and Mary Jane donning Iron Man suits and storming Castle Doom, Hudlin’s writing just got worse as the year went along. Plus, he calls you a racist if you criticize his work. -Fin Fang Doom

BET REGINALD HUDLINReggie Hudlin. What could make me hate Spider-Man? This guy. -Colonel Doom

I’d probably have to go with Peter Milligan. I had such high hopes when I heard he was going to take over X-Men after how much I enjoyed X-Statix. If I wouldn’t have known better, I’d have had no idea that Austen left the book. -Jim Doom

Reggie Hudlin. Amazingly, The Other actually could have been decent. Yeah, the Peter Parker metamorphosizing into a new creature has been covered before (as recently as a year ago). But there were some neat moments in the 12-parter. However, none of those came in the issues penned by Hudlin. His efforts were so groan-inducing they pretty well sunk the whole ship. -Jean-Claude Van Doom


Feb092006February 9, 2006January 12, 2009NoCommentby Jean-Claude Van Doom

This week’s comics 2/8/06

Posted in reviews by

In the order I read them:

Green Arrow #59
– Judd Winick has made this series enjoyable if unspectacular over the past few months. As far as the buildup to Infinite Crisis goes, it’s been about as good as Wonder Woman. This issue finally sees the big GA vs. Merlyn throwdown (last issue was all fluff), and the end really surprised me. It’s just amazing, the mega chaos DC is unleashing on its universe. SPOILER – Let’s just say, another city bites the dust.

Jonah Hex #4
– Just another strong, fun, bad-ass issue. I love the stand alones and the old-school cowboy storylines, both of which spit in the face of the Bendis-dom of comics. Only complaint is Howard Chaykin’s cover = bleh.

Superman #226
– The first of three stories chronicling the life and times of Earth 2 Superman. This is a strong start, and with all the emotional weight it cranks up for the original big guy, I can’t help but expect him to meet his end once IC #4 hits. I was surprised that the story was interspersed with little glimpses of the fight between Supermen. Once again, DC has hit just the right note in building up their biggest event.

Marvel Zombies #3 of 5
– It’s just amazing to see somebody have such free reign to completely defile all the trademark Marvel heroes (and a few villains). The big reveal of Galactus as a zombie of sorts was just one of many fun moments.

Young Avengers #10
– In a way, this is the most old-fashioned super hero team book on the shelves right now. Remember when battles lasted only a single issue, only to give way to another adventure? That’s what you find here. Also, Allan Heinberg writes the most realistic teenagers of about anyone.


Feb032006February 3, 2006January 12, 20093Commentsby Jean-Claude Van Doom

Hulk Gray

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Any time Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale get together, I’m sold. Their three Batman books are my favorite in the Dark Knight library. Yep, I like them even more than Dark Knight Returns or Year One.

Image hosting by PhotobucketOf the duo’s (Loeb and Sale, not Bats and Robin) Marvel efforts, I found myself entertained but not blown away like I was with “Long Halloween” and “Dark Victory.” Long story short, that’s why I missed all but a single issue of “Hulk Gray” when it first came out more than a couple years ago.

The other day, roaming the bookstore, I was looking for a good read and happened upon the trade.

It may not be nearly the lengthy, engrossing read that Loeb and Sale put together for Batman, but it’s an extremely fun take on the early days of the Hulk that manages to stay very relevant to the current goings on of the character (and when does that ever happen?). I won’t spoil it, but the conclusion brings a very personal realization to Bruce about his most important relationship.

Loeb’s Hulk is big, nasty, dumb and funny. His Bruce Banner is scared, nerdy and in love. His General Ross seethes, Betty provides a female foil in the vein of “King Kong’s” Ann Darrow and Tony Stark is an egotistical schmuck with a fancy suit in need of a good SMASH!

Of course, just as good are Sale’s drawings. And here he has a project that suits his style well. The outlandish size, strength and emotion of the Hulk comes across perfectly, as does the chaotic scenery of the southwest. One panel, where Betty comes to the door and sees only a huge eyeball through the peephole, had me flipping back to the page again and again.

And now, I have my favorite Hulk book.


Feb022006February 2, 2006July 27, 200711Commentsby Fin Fang Doom

Wolverine vs. Batman

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It’s an age old debate amongst comic book fans (at least the ones I know): Who would win in a fight between Wolverine and Batman? Wolverine is undoubtedly the toughest fighter in the Marvel Universe, and Batman is unquestionably the craftiness superhero in the DCU. But what wins out in a fight?

Jim Lee WolverineImagine some cosmic entity plucks Batman and Wolverine out of their universes. He sets them down somewhere and says “Fight. Whoever wins, lives. Whoever loses, I destroy.” They have to fight. There’s no outthinking the entity. There’s no teaming up to defeat the actual villain. It’s just a fight between two guys. And Wolverine would win.

Batman’s two greatest weapons are fear and knowledge. He puts out such an air of being a scary badass that not only villains, but other heroes are downright afraid of him. And he studies everyone he considers a potential threat to such a degree that he knows exactly how to take down every single hero or villain he knows of. Take those away, and Batman’s a great fighter with some cool weapons. And we all know how that worked out for Hawkeye and Blue Beetle.

wolverine-vs-batman

Since the Marvel and DC Universes crossover so rarely (and even more infrequently in-continuity), Batman’s two greatest assets would be nullified. Wolverine wouldn’t be afraid of Batman because A) Wolverine doesn’t know of Batman’s nasty reputation as a cruel dude, and B) he’s Wolverine. And Batman wouldn’t know how to put Wolverine down since he’s never met him before and Wolverine’s abilities aren’t immediatley obvious from looking at him (unlike, say, Iceman).

Jim Lee BatmanBatman tries to punch Wolverine, he breaks his hand. He throws a batarang, the wound heals in seconds. He uses a gas pellet, Wolverine’s enhanced metabolism breaks it down so fast it can’t affect him. Batman just doesn’t have the power necessary to wear down Wolverine and take him out. His only hope would be going for a nerve, but that’s assuming he could get close enough and Wolverine’s healing factor couldn’t counteract it.

We all know that under the proper circumstances, anyone could take out anyone. Squirrel Girl beat Doctor Doom once. Dazzler beat Galactus. Wolverine has fought the Hulk to a stand still. Batman has beaten Superman more than once. But in order for Batman to defeat someone, he needs to know his opponent. Since Wolverine’s from a different universe, that just isn’t possible. Giving enough time and planning, Batman could certainly defeat Wolverine. But there’s virtually no possibility he’d ever get the chance to do so.

Wolverine’s more ruthless than Batman, he’s a better fighter, and he has a healing factor that could compensate for virtually anything Batman could throw at him. Thats’ why, when the chips are down, he’d come out on top.


Feb022006February 2, 2006August 21, 20071Commentby Fin Fang Doom

Legion of Doom’s Best of 2005- Surprises

Posted in year in review - 2005 by

Alex Luthor revealed as the other Lex Luthor. Nowadays, thanks to the internet comic book community, there are very few surprises for me. I knew Quicksilver was behind House of M, I knew Spider-Man was going to die and then come back, I knew Ronin was Echo, all months before it was revealed. Come to think of it, maybe it’s just a Marvel problem, because DC had plenty of surprises. Wonder Woman snapping Max Lord’s neck, Max Lord killing Blue Beetle, Villains United. But the surprise that topped them all was the end to Infinite Crisis #3, when Alex Luthor’s master plan was revealed. Not only was Alex revealed as the alternate Lex from VU, but Superboy was the one who attacked Martian Manhunter in JLA #119 and they were assembling one of the Crisis on Infinite Earths tower thingies with characters from all the multiple Earths strapped to it. Wow! Now that’s an ending! -Fin Fang Doom

Luthor SuperboyAlexander Luthor and Superboy as villains. I did not see that one coming. -Jean-Claude Van Doom

The personification of DC’s writers and editors as the creative forces in the universe. Return of Donna Troy #4 and JSA Classified #4 amazed me in that real-life actions and decisions were given fictional characterization in the DC universe, and that fascinated me. While Marv Wolfman may have be the most powerful entity in the DC universe, Frank Miller has essentially become the DC Universe’s biggest villain. In the 90s, when “dark” comics were cool, he was given credit for introducing that darker element with Batman in the 80s. Now, the darkness in DC is apparently the plague that infects the universe. -Jim Doom