December Comics

Happy New year everybody! Welcome to 2015 and an all new season of the show and to start it off we have our comic picks for December. Enjoy! Let us know what your reading!

Season 3: Episode 66 – December Comics

Pick #1 – Captain Midnight #18

Publisher: Dark horse

Art: Fernando Dagnino

Writer: Joshua Williamson

Cover: Michael Broussard

Characters: Captain Midnight, Charlotte, Joyce, Jones

Synopsis – Captain midnight is a man out of time who is an adventurer and a genius inventor. He created a suit that allows him to fly, protection super strength?

The story starts out with Captain Midnight discussing plans to attack and capture a villain named Chuck Ramsey(was his ward 70 years ago) from a secret stronghold in Mexico. The location of the base was provided by a villain named Helios – Cap restored his powers(teleportation) and made him a new arm, along with control over helios’s powers. Cap sends him to a volcano to keep him out of trouble. They assault the stronghold and it goes badly, jones and charlotte are wounded and have to retreat, while midnight continues on his own taking out drones and guards alike. Midnight finds Chuck and destroys a evil looking device that is drawing energy from another dimension only to discover that chuck has funneled the powers into a super suit.

Ratings –

Art – 4 out of 5

Story –  5 out of 5

Pick #2 – Magneto #13

Publisher: Marvel

Art: Gabriel Hernandez Walta

Writer: Cullen Bun

Cover: Dan Panosian

Characters: Briar Raleigh, Magneto

Synopsis Starts with Briar going to a dvd sales man in a refuge camp.  She tells the man to quit selling footage of Magneto destroying Seattle.  Next the man selling DvD’s tells his story of Magneto hurting him when he destroyed LA. Next is a story of young gild idolizing Briar for her injury.  The girl then goes into how Magneto hurt her.  You find out that the story is untrue.  Then next she buys the rest of the dvd’s and tells him to never sell it again.  Finally shield comes in and wants Briar rest of the refuges disappear.  She know something of where Magneto has gone.

Ratings –

Art – 2 out of 5

Story – 2 out of 5

Pick #3 –  C.O.W.L. #7

Publisher: Image Comics

Art: Rod Reis

Writer: Kyle Higgins & Alec Siegel

Cover: Trevor McCarthy

Characters: The Grey Raven, Arclight, Eclipse, Radia, Blaze, Grant Marlow

Synopsis: Chicago 1962 – Chicago Organized Workers League

the worlds first super hero labor union

Cowl is on strike and a union scab is murdered by someone with powers. The book starts out with a shady character in a small shop, he takes some food and heads for the door. the store owner pulls a gun and tells the guy he cant leave without paying and the guy unleashes a wave that shacks the building

 

Ratings –

Art – 3 out of 5

Story –  2 out of 5

Pick #4 – The New 52 Wonder Woman #37

Publisher: DC

Penciler: David Finch

Inker: Sonia Oback
Writer: Meredith Finch

Cover: David Finch, Sonia Oback, Richard Friend

Characters: Wonder Woman, Clark Kent,

Synopsis Starts out with these birds attacking amazonia, then goes to Diana sparring with Clark Kent,  He is worried about her she has lost her mother and almost had killed Clark.  Next you see a dark woman sacrificing what you think is a child but you see that it is actually an adult woman for a dark ritual.  Next you see Diana back in Amazonia,  They insist that she either rule Amazonia and give up other men or give up her right to the throne.  You also find out she killed Ares and is now the god of war.  Then the birds attack again you find out that they were Ares.  Wonder Woman vows to set things right.  All of a sudden Cyborg contacts her and she flies back to help the justice league.  Back to the old woman who was doing the dark sacrifice you see Donna of Troy rising out of the pot.

Ratings –

Art –  5 out of 5

Story – 4 out of 5

Episode 56 – September Comics

Episode 56 – September Comics

 

Pick #1 – Futures End: Booster Gold #1 (one shot)

Publisher: DC comics

Art: Dan Jurgens and 10 other artist

Writer: Dan Jurgens

Cover: Jurgens, Rapmond & Hi-fi

Characters: Booster Gold, Booster Gold, Blue Beetle

Ratings –

Art – 5 out of 5

Story –  4 out of 5

 

Pick #2 – Dresden Files #4

Publisher: Dynamite

Penciler: Carlos Gomez

Colors: Mohan

Letters: Bill Tortolini

Writer: Jim Butcher & Mark Powers

Cover: STJepan Sejic

Ratings –

Art – 4 out of 5

Story – 2 out of 5

Pick #3 –  Usagi Yojimbo – Senso #2

Publisher: Dark Horse Comics

Art: Stan Sakai

Writer: Stan Sakai

Cover: Stan Sakai, colors by Tom Luth

Characters: Usagi, Jotaro, Lady Tomoe, Lord Hikiji (enemy army), Lord Noriyuki, Chizu (neko ninja),

Ratings –

Art – 5 out of 5

Story –  5 out of 5

The Sakai Project

Pick #4 – Constantine #17

Publisher: DC

Colorist: Richard & Tanya Horie

Letter: Taylor Esposito

Inker: Jay Leisten

Penciller: Edgar Salazar

Writer: Ray Fawkes

Cover: Juan Ferreyra

Ratings –

Art –  5 out of 5

Story –  4 out of 5

 

 

Episode 50 – Batman – Son of the Demon

Episode 50 – Retro Comics

 

5 out of 5! One of the best Batman Graphic novels we have read yet!

Find it on Ebay

About the creators:

Mike W. Barr

“As I was working on the plot of the story, originally, I had the concept of Talia getting pregnant and then losing the child in some pitched battle, when she was injured in some conflict at the end of the story. But then I realized that as soon as Talia says “I’m pregnant,” the reader, knowing how little permanent change there is in comic books, is going to be waiting for the moment where she says later on in the story “I’ve lost the baby.” They’re going to be waiting for it, they expect that, so she does say that and the reader, at that point, kind of figures “okay, I knew that was coming, that’s fine.” Then, at the end of the story, she was lying about that. She does have the child.

I thought that would be a double-punch that the reader would never forget, and I don’t think any reader ever has forgotten it”.

Read More: Mike W. Barr On Batman: The ComicsAlliance Interview, Part One |

List of works from Comicbookdb

Jerry Bingham

Wiki

Bio – Comicvine

Episode 43 – Retro Comics: Green Lantern Fear Itself

 

 

Episode 43 – Green Lantern: Fear Itself

 

• Series: Green Lantern Series
• Hardcover: 80 pages
• Publisher: Dc Comics; illustrated edition (May 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 156389310X
• ISBN-13: 978-1563893100
• Product Dimensions: 0.2 x 7 x 10.5 inches

Episode 38 – Captain America

 

 

Episode 38 – Retro Comics & Movie Review: Captain America – The Winter Soldier

 

On this episode of the Geeks Menagerie, the Rambler and I review Captain America(2005) issues #8, 9, 11-14 and Captain America 2 – The Winter Soldier staring Chris Evans. Dont worry! We went spoiler free on the movie! I was also thinking about how I could help those out there that dont know much about some of the characters and their comic book histories.

 

 

Captain America (Marvel)(01 – Steve Rogers) click here for more details on this characters comic appearances COMICBOOKDB

Real Name: Steve Rogers.

Powers:
Captain America represents the pinnacle of human physical perfection. He experienced a time when he was augmented to superhuman levels, but is no longer. Captain America has a very high intelligence as well as agility, strength, speed, endurance, and reaction time superior to any Olympic athlete who ever competed. The Super-Soldier formula that he has metabolized has enhanced all of his bodily functions to the peak of human efficiency. Most notably, his body eliminates the excessive build-up of fatigue-producing poisons in his muscles, granting him phenomenal endurance.

Bio:
When fine-arts student Steve Rogers enlisted with the US Army during World War II, he was determined to be 4-F; unfit for duty. Seeking to help the war effort any way he could, Rogers signed up for the secret program known as Operation: Rebirth. Given an experimental Super-Soldier Serum and “vita-rays”, Rogers is near instantly transformed into the perfect human being.

Using his new abilities to further the US war effort, Rogers was made a symbol of the US fighting spirit, Captain America!

During the final days of World War II, Captain America and his teen sidekick Bucky seemingly died stopping a drone plane programmed by Baron Zemo, but in reality, Rogers was knocked unconcious and frozen in a block of ice. Sustained by the super-soldier serum, Rogers survived for 20 years in the block of ice until he was accidentally thawed by the Sub-Mariner.

Discovered by the Avengers, Rogers would join their ranks and continue to uphold the American ideal.

First Appearance: Captain America Comics (1941) #1

 

Falcon (Marvel)(02 – Sam Wilson)  click here for more details on this characters comic appearances COMICBOOKDB

Real Name: Samuel Wilson

Powers:
The Falcon used to have an empathic link with his bird, but that has grown to encompass and ability to call(command) a large number of avians ; and to look throught their eyes. He flies by means of hard light wings that can deflect high caliber weaponry. This flight suit was designed by the Wakanda design group.

Bio:
Former partner of Captain America, brother of Sarah, uncle of Jim. Father and mother killled by muggers, developed multiple personality disorder. “Snap” identity used to deal with anger, original personality returned, with empathic bond with the falcon Redwing enhanced by Red Skull using Cosmic Cube. Sent to become partners with Captain America to be used as a weapon at a later date. Snap identity has resurfaced in periods of extreme personal stress. Social worker, unsuccessfully ran for councilman.

First Appearance: Captain America (1968) #117

 

 

Nicholas Joseph ‘Nick’ Fury (Marvel)

 

Nicholas ‘Nick’ Fury (Marvel)(Ultimate) click here for more details on this characters comic appearances COMICBOOKDB

Notes:
While some characters that debuted in Ultimate Marvel Team-Up may act inconsistently from their other, later appearances, The Official Handbook of the Ultimate Marvel Universe: Ultimate X-Men/The Ultimates 2005 #1 confirms this character’s appearance to be in-continuity.

The Ultimate version of this character is not an alternate identity of the regular Marvel character as the Ultimate universe is a distinct reality. See here for more information.

First Appearance: Ultimate Marvel Team-Up (2001) #5

 

Black Widow (Marvel)(02 – Natalia Romanova)  click here for more details on this characters comic appearances COMICBOOKDB

Powers:
The Black Widow has received a variant of the Super-Soldier Serum which has enabled her to remain in peak physical condition for the past several decades, as well as slowing her aging process to some degree.

Weapons:
Bracelets that contain both the “widow’s line” which fires her cable, and the “widow’s bite” which releases electric bolts to stun her adversaries with a charge of up to 30,000 volts. Her gloves and boots are equipped with miniature suction cups which enable her to cling to surfaces. Her belt contains plastic explosives.

Bio:
Natalia Romanova, known to most as Natasha Romanoff, is rumored to be a relative of the Romanoffs, the last ruling czars of Russia, but nothing else is known of her family. During World War II, a Nazi assault upon Stalingrad set the building she was in on fire. A woman, possibly her mother, threw her into the arms of a Russian soldier named Ivan Petrovich before being consumed by the flames.

Ivan brought Natasha under his protection and soon had to defend her from her many enemies. In 1941, Natasha was sought by the Nazi Baron Strucker, who presented her to the Hand to become their master assassin. She was saved from Strucker and the Hand by Ivan, the American super-hero Captain America, and the Canadian adventurer Logan.

 

And dont forget to Subscribe to our Youtube channel and LIKE our FACEBOOK page!

Episode 32 – Star Wars Dark Empire

Original Covers

Episode 32: Retro Comics – Star Wars Dark Empire

On this episode of Retro Comics The Rambler and I review Dark Horse Comics Dark Empire tpb edition. This is the first episode of Retro Comics that Greg joined me on and I think it turned out really well. If you have read Dark Empire feel free to leave us your thoughts on the book. Thanks again for listening!

Interior art by Cam Kennedy

I really enjoyed re reading this book, it was a lot of fun. Do yourself a favor and go read it!

Episode 29 – Death: the High Cost of Living

 

 

Episode 29 – Retro Comics

 

Hello everyone! Welcome back to another Retro Comics episode of the menagerie and Roy is finally back after a busy January. We chat about Death- the high cost of living and we even have a short post show: @ 1:17:55

 

For more information on Neil Gaiman check out his website : Neilgaiman.com

More info on Death, swing on over to the Wiki