Movies to watch in 2016: Updated with what I've watched so far and thoughts.

Batman vs Superman - Not holding out too much hope. I didn't really like Man of Steel and this looks like it's in the same mold. - Was strange and confusing with moments of great dumb. Some of the action sequences and perfomances were good though. Not a complete disapointment but close.

Captain America: Civil War - Yes. 100% stoked for this. Looks great. - Was great. IMO the best MU Movie so far. Another great chapter in this franchise.

Ghostbusters - Why yes, I do think I will call. - Booking tickets for this weekend.

Hail! Ceaser - Cohen brothers latest offering in the comedy mold. - Was pretty funny with some excellent sequences. Overall slight disapointment as the finish of the movie was flat.

Dad's Army - For pure nostalgia reasons. - Did not get to see this. Was it even released in Australia???

Deadpool - Even though I'm not a big fan of the comic book. - Awesome. Exactly what is said on the tin and Ryan Reynolds was fantastic.

Doctor Strange - Yes, I am a sucker for Marvel CU movies. - Not out yet.

Free State of Jones - Mathew McConaughey in a Civil War drama about a white man that marries a slave. - Not out yet.

Hateful Eight - Released in Australia in 2016. - Violent, bloddy and well done. Again the finish was a bit flat for me but overall enjoyed.

Star Trek Beyond - I actually missed the last one... Still haven't seen it. - Waiting...

Suicide Squad - Out soon.

Kung Fu Panda 3 - Excellent Sequel to the previous movies. Fun and enjoyable.

X-Men Apocalypse - You had me at Psylocke - Overall I enjoyed it but it was a close run thing. A few 'What the Dumb' moments. Some excellent sequences. And, of course, Psylocke was woefully underused and no English accent.

Rougue One - Which is due out at the end of December, which is Star Wars time.- Waiting.

Movies to watch in 2016:

Batman vs Superman - Not holding out too much hope. I didn't really like Man of Steel and this looks like it's in the same mold.

Captain America: Civil War - Yes. 100% stoked for this. Looks great.

Ghostbusters - Why yes, I do think I will call.

Hail! Ceaser - Cohen brothers latest offering in the comedy mold.

Dad's Army - For pure nostalgia reasons.

Deadpool - Even though I'm not a big fan of the comic book.

Doctor Strange - Yes, I am a sucker for Marvel CU movies.

Free State of Jones - Mathew McConaughey in a Civil War drama about a white man that marries a slave.

Hateful Eight - Released in Australia in 2016.

Star trek Beyond - I actually missed the last one... Still haven't seen it.

Suicide Squad -

Kung Fu Panda 3 -

X-Men Apocalypse - You had me at Psylocke

Rougue One - Which is due out at the end of December, which is Star Wars time.

Crisis on Infinite Earths

DC

Writer : Marv Wolfman

Artist : George Perez

Inks: Dick Giordano, Mike De Carlo, Jerry ordway,
Colours: Anthony Tolkin, Tom Ziuho, Carl Galberd
 Letters: John Costanza
Reconstruction: Tom McCraw


I picked this up as a collected TPB in a massive job lot of DC and other random stuff from a friend who wanted to clear space in their house for normal human possessions.

There is an introduction from the writer, Marv Wolfman, who explains that he thought it would be really cool to have all the DC characters from all the different DC Universes meeting up to fight off one giant threat to the 'Multiverse' - The idea that there are many different Universes all sat next to each other where slightly different realities play out. DC used the idea to try and squash much of their characters backstories together, trim up characters and explain where other properties had come from. -DC had purchased other properties from other companies over the years and then created comic books for each one.

The story was run over 12 issues from 1985 through to 1986.

The story starts with a massive white void consuming a whole Universe, throwing all the people in it out of reality. The Monitor, a being who sits outside of reality, is murdered by Harbinger, his assistant. In his dying throes he launches the last five parallel Earths into Limbo. Here the Anti-Monitor, the villain behind the destruction of the different universes, can not destroy them. Instead he sets about conquoring them through the use of Earth villain - The Psycho Pirate. This triggers a massive war between the heroes and eventually the villains of the five Earths to try and stop the Anti-Monitor. There is much convuluted story telling as we weave different Supermen and throw other characters from other realities all in together to fight the common enemy.

I mainly grew up reading Marvel titles, although I had gotten a hold of different DC titles over the las forty years. In 1978 I bought a copy of The Atom and The Avengers and my comic book buying habits could easily have shifted the other way. My main problem in reading this story was getting attached to any of the characters. Also much of the action takes place 'outside of reality'. When the big bad releases his awesome powers of destruction it is a huge white light that devours reality. This does not allow me to feel too much attachment to the characters undergoing destruction.

I won't spoil the ending but the continuation of DC comic books since 1986 can tell you the outcome.

I can see why DC ran this story. It was a good idea to clean up their continuity and try and make their characters backstories match up a bit better. Overall it was a success simply because DC sold more comic books after the story than before. Reading it all these years later it is hard to connect, especially knowing that a lot of the characters they killed off eventually came back. Added to this they have run very similar stories, even using the same 'Crisis' theme. Still it is a recommend because of the history of the work.

Edit: Also found out after writing this that DC had run 'Crisis' stories before this one. I guess they kind of like that word.

Captain America Winter Soldier

Writer : Ed Brubaker
Artist : Steve Epting

I picked up a whole stack of graphic novels and collections at the Lifeline Bookfest. I meant to go in and get one or two but came home with twelve.

Of course I had heard of the story line. After all Marvel made a small movie about it you might of heard of.

I'm not giving anything away to say that Bucky Barnes is postulated to be the mysterious killer used by the Soviets during the Cold War. The evidence is presented to Cap, who at first won't believe it. Livov, Bucky's Soviet handler, has discovered the cosmic cube.

Most of the story is the chase and pursuit of Bucky and the Cosmic Cube. All the while this is happening Cap is agonising over the betrayal of his friend.

The ending is a bit deus ex machina and to avoid a spoiler I won't reveal it. One case where in my opinion the movie ending was better than the book.

The artwork is gorgeous and the story does grip still the whole piece did leave me feeling a little flat at the end. Still it was a good read and enjoyable throughout.

I recommend this book. I also recommend Brubaker and Epting stories they have worked on together with Image comics. I currently read Velvet which is amazing.

Uncanny X-Men

Uncanny X-Men : 214, 215, 216, 217, 218, 219, 220, 221, 222, 223, 224, 225, 226, 227, 228
Annual : 10, 11
Fantastic Four vs X-Men: 1, 2, 3, 4


Writer: Chris Claremont
Artists: Barry Windsor-Smith, Alan Davis, Jackson Guice, Marc Silvestri, Art Adams, Jon Bogdanove

All of these were collected in Essential X-Men volume 7.

I managed to pick this up on sale at my local comic book store (Comics Ect. in Elizabeth Street). It was sat on a shelf by the counter on special. I do have a lot of the issues in my collection seperately.

Uncanny X-Men 217 holds a special place in my heart as it was the first ever issue of Uncanny X-men I ever read. These stories lead up to the fall of the mutants story line, where the X-Men 'die'. 

We start these books with a trip to the Mojoverse. Just some background: Mojo is a large slug like creature that runs his own TV channel in an alternate dimension. He uses his shenanighans to shrink the X-Men back into babies. Of course the X-Men get out of this scrape and gain the addition of Longshot, who is not actually a mutant but a cloned creature created by Mojo. He is always included as an X-men but I feel his membership should only be honourary.

The X-Men tangle with Malice. She has an incorporal form and can posses other people by inhabiting a body. This is shown by a small choker appearing on the victims neck.

Dazzler, an actual mutant and budding rock star, takes on Juggernaught. This is one of the X-Men's toughest foes and poor Dazzler gets owned. Luckily Jugs is a big fan and does not murder the crap out of Alison. This was my first issue and was a great introduction to the book.

In this story Storm has lost her powers due to her partner/lover Forge. Yes, these things happen if you're an X-Men. She tangles with three veteran mutants and manages to get up despite the lack of weather based abilities.

We have a brief sojurn into FF vs X-Men where Doom and Richards argue over how to save Kitty Pryde, who received injuries in the Mutant Massacre (which happened just before these issues). Eventually they decide to stop being whiny bitches and save the poor girls life.

The stories build to the Fall of the Mutants. The Trickster faces off against Roma, the guardian of the gates of reality. If he wins, well, bad shit is going to go down. As his pawns he uses the Second Brotherhood of Evil Mutants, who get re-named Freedom Force and are given a government mandate to be dicks. Of course the outcome is the peak of the story so instead of spoiling I'll go to my review  of the books.

As you may know Chris Claremont wrote the books for many years (1975 - 1990 off the top of my head). He writes the books really well, getting into the head of each character and giving each of them their own goals and purpose. There is a big weave as relationships develop and the team builds and sinks. The artists change but they all match the story quite well. Claremont also stacks the roster with female characters. As a fourteen year old reader it was really easy to get into the books and the characters hooked me. The stories stand up to re-reading and I have a thirst to get the books before this one and read the ones after, which is what every good comic book should do. I recommend these stories, which you can pick up more easily in a collection than the old classic issues, which can get pricey.

Movies for the Year

As well as reading comic books a lot I also watch a lot of movies. I usually try to go once a week. My tally for the year is twenty, so I failed completely there. Over once a month is good I suppose.

I will rate the movies out of five. Just so you know I always judge the movie on the context on which it is made. So while 'Creed' isn't the greatest slice of film making ever made it is a fantastic boxing movie.

I have tried to list them in the rough date order in which I saw them.

Ex Machina - 4/5. Domhall Gleeson and Oscar Isaac fight over a replica android. Beautifully shot and well acted, it was taught and delivered. I really liked this movie.

Mr. Holmes - 4/5. Ian McClellan is a very old (90+) Sherlock Holmes trying to write his memoirs and also bond with his house keepers son. Really well done.

Avengers: Age of Ultron - 4/5. The Avengers have to tackle a new menace, one that has come from an unlikely source. Well shot, packed with gags, great action sequences. They really did another great job on this one. Enjoyed it from start to finish.

Pitch Perfect 2 - 4/5. The Bellas are at the top of their game when it all goes wrong. Can they climb back up? Funny from start to finish and warm without getting schmaltzy PP2 was another fantastic movie I really loved.

Mad Max: Fury Road - 4/5. Adrenaline filled orgasm of dust and blood. Really loved this movie.

Spy - 3/5. Melissa McCarthy takes over from Jude Law in the spy business. Solid comedy throughout. Very enjoyable.

Sicario - 5/5. Taught thriller about America's response in the 'Drug Wars'. Gripping, edge of your seat violence. Never fails to make you feel in danger. My movie of the year.

Aloha - 2/5. Bradley Cooper is a milatary contractor with a mixed past trying to move forward in his life. Although this has some good point, overall this one left me flat and wondering what the point was?

San Andreas - 2/5. Dwayne Johnson is a rescue pilot in San Fransisco determined to save his family in the face of the greatest earthquake to hit the world. Large, noisy with seeming never ending waves of disaster. The film grew ever more cheesy as it went on.

It Follows - 4/5. Horror movie about a presence that tracks and kills young people. Shot around Detroit it's worth watching for the cinematography. I get lost in a lot of horror but this one worked. Worth a watch.

Jurassic World - 2.5/5. Chris Pratt warns against making super dinosaurs but nobody listens. Pratt is great and the action sequences are good too but overall I had to throw my brain out of the window to like it.

Minions 2.5/5 - Kevin, Stuart and Bob help their clan by seeking a new villain for them to work for. Family fun but without Gru, the jokes dragged for me and there was no centre to the film. Still it was fun in a lot of places.

Southpaw - 3/5. Jake Gyllenhaal is a boxer who loses his wife and his title. He fights to get one back. Good in a lot of sections there is a huge plot point that annoyed me for the rest of the film. The boxing was good but, without spoiling the film, the title is wrong. Worth watching for Forest Whitaker's turn.

Terminator: Genisys - 3/5. Emilia Clarke takes over as Sarah Conner and is helped by origional Terminator Arnold trying to defeat Skynet. Although this wasn't warmly recived it hit a lot of high points for me. Enjoyed it from start to finish.

Ant-Man - 4/5. Paul Rudd tries to rob Michael Douglas and end up becoming the titular hero. Yhis one hit my sweet spot and while not massive enough to be the best SH movie, it's my favourite of the year. Warm and heroic. Glad to hear Ant-Man will be in Civil War.

Fantastic Four - 1/5. Miles Teller leads his friends to become a super team after gaining mysterious powers. This started okay then changed movies 2/3 of the way through. Ended as a disaster. I hope Fox give up the FF license and let someone else try to make a movie with them.

Black Mass - 4/5. Johnny Depp with a wonderful turn as James 'Whitey' Bulger. Crime and corruption in Boston. Gripped me from start to finish, even though I knew the story pretty well.

Spectre - 3/5. Daniel Craig has his fourth outing as Bond in this follow on from Skyfall. Enjoyable through a lot of the film it does drop the ball on a few things. It seemed a logical end point for Craig as Bond but the word on the street is there will be a fifth follow up.

Creed - 4/5. Michael B Jordan is Adonis, Apollo Creed's illegitimate son. He teams with Sly's Rocky to become a pro boxer. Really enjoyed this. Avoided many of the traps of later Rocky movies and Sly was really good. maybe as good as the original.

Star Wars Episode 7: The Force Awakens - 4/5. I finished the year with the most anticipated film. Disney's take on Star Wars. They included the original cast well and the new characters . The new guys are wonderful and made the movie for me. The plot is a re-hash of Episode 4 and I didn't like the 'Big Bad', which stopped it being perfect. Still, I've been 4 times already and I'm making plans for number five. So excited for the next movie.


 So best of the bunch was Sicario. Favourites were Ant-Man and Star Wars. It Follows was a left field choice worth checking out.

That's 2015 wrapped up. I'll try and run through what I'm looking forwards too in 2016.

Planned Reading for the Year

This isn't much of a plan and it's subject to change at a moments notice.

I am planning to get some supplies, dividers, short boxes and new long boxes, and do a big sort through on Australia Day.

(Which is on 26th January and celebrates Australian Federation in 1901 if you're interested)

Then I will lay out my planned reading for the year. I have a stack of TPB to read:

I have the following issues I'd like to get too:

X-Men volume 3 - I have the first few issues then a huge hole before I have the last few in the series. Not sure whether to finish collecting or read some of them first.

Avengers volume 1 - Which was the first book I started collecting waaay back in 1987. The obvious thing was to start with these issues.

I'll be looking to add to this list because right now it's a bit shit really.