Donomark

Batgirl #35 (2019): Babs vs the Terrible Trio. Good issue. Batman Beyond #32 (2019): Good. Single Issues: 178 Trade Paperbacks: 6

Batman vs. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: I went in with decent expectations, having not read the main crossovers and only a few issues of the animated versions. LOVED IT. This is a stunningly entertaining movie with a witty script and a true realization of how these characters would interact if they really did have a team-up adventure. What helped my viewing was me going in not knowing how violent the movie is. You seeing the Nickelodeon logo at the beginning, so you think it's a kids movie. And for the most part, it's *not* not a kid's movie. But it's also a PG-13 movie hiding to surprise you. There's blood, tons of murder and light swearing. Much more at home tonally with the DC DTVs than anything they might show on Nick. That went a long way for me, as there was little holding back on the stakes. But most everyone's voices were great. Troy Baker has been doing Batman (and the Joker) for years now, so it was cool seeing him featured in something that wasn't strictly kids fare. Rachel Bloom is perfect as Batgirl. Part of it is that Babs is written flawlessly, with the Burnside version very much at the forefront of the interpretation, and works well with the Turtles. Damian is the only one that's less than perfect, mostly because the voice is much more nebbish than Stuart Allan, who's going on his sixth performance with the upcoming Hush film. The four Turtles were all solid, with Mikey being really funny. Shredder was badass, and his two fights with Batman will light up fanboys hearts from the jump. I can't say enough great things about this film. It's funny, the action is great, everyone is in character, and it's overall a blast. 9/10, highly recommended.

John Wick Chapter 3: PARABELLUM: A great time at the movies. The action sequences in the first and third acts are wild and brutal, and this time out the film has more fun with itself. There's more gleeful humor in the action that just adds to the badassery. And I found all of the world-building expansion in this film more interesting than in 2. Can't wait to see what happens next.

S'cool.

Justice League vs. The Fatal Five: 100% an extended JLU episode, about as enjoyable as any given season 2+ ep. There's scant language and some bloody violence they couldn't really skate by in the old show, but otherwise it's JLU like it's never left. Very much enjoyed it. The three new young characters are all solid with really strong characterization, although Ms. Martian is the least integral compared to Jessica Cruz and Starboy. And the continuity is pretty fascinating to eagle-eyed DCAU fans. Various references and off-handed mentions will have you guessing as to what's gone on in between the end of JLU and this film (the DCAU history of the GL Corps, the whereabouts of Hawkgirl). Harley and Ivy even pop up for a cameo, having me wonder when this takes place in conjunction with Batman and Harley. But this was one of those things where it was just simply nice to see everyone again. Sure, Newburn, Eisenberg and Conroy have voiced the Trinity before, but this is strictly in the DCAU continuity, and seamlessly at that. The music was the same, the storytelling was the same, and the action scenes were solid. Again, a nice, one-off JLU episode that keeps me wanting more from the show.

Burning: Starring Yoo Ah-in, Jeon Jong-seo and Steven Yuen. Based on a short story from Haruki Murakami's book "The Elephant Vanishes", this film watched as a much better representation of the man's writing than the movie adaptation of "Norwegian Wood". It was a million percent a Murakami story, even if the director was only loosely adapting the main beats of "Barn Burning". At two and a half hours, it's a helluva slow burn, but the hypnosis of following only three characters locked me in before long. I was never bored, never restless, and by the third act on the edge of my seat. This won't be for everyone, and I can see people crossing their arms and nope-ing the crap out of the movie for its inexorable pace, ambiguity, and eye-raising presentation of it's chief female character. But I'm such a Murakami fan, this rang so true for me that I loved it.

King's been playing with himself for months now. The book's become super pretentious, and this attempt to "break" Batman doesn't land as believable or suspenseful compared to the last couple of times it's happened (Morrison with RIP and making him believe his father was alive and evil, Scott Snyder with the Court of Owls). I'll say this, the man knows how to write for his artists. But you read Batman being driven to such anger that he clocks Tim Drake in the face and you don't buy it for a second. Spider-Man: Life Story #3: I love this series. It's dark, depressing and compelling. Pretty much exactly how I love my Spider-Man. James Bond: 007 #1-#7: I love the various Dynamite Comic Bond runs, and this current series with the re-imagining of Odd Job is my favorite yet. Greg Pak has written an intriguing, fun character who bounces off of Bond nicely in a way that I'd love for this to be put on the big screen as a film. Tons of fun, these issues. Single Issues: 176 Trade Paperbacks: 6

Two Words:

RIP

Batman #70: Bleh Batman and the Outsiders #1 (2019): This was good. I don't like the modern new 52/Rebirth voice for Cassandra, in how she speaks in broken language. It probably makes sense, but before she just spoke slowly in ellipses. Now reads like an attempt to make her cuter by sounding dumber, and really bothers me. That being said, this was solid and I like the roster of this team. Single Issues: 167 Trade Paperbacks: 6

Happy B-Day!

Nothing beyond the original comic has been worthwhile or necessary when it comes to Watchmen. Every permutation misses the point of the comic, and while that alone isn't cause to not do more, the products have been so crass and commercial and basic that it really is head-spinning how superficial they keep being.

Part of me feels bad whenever the bros drag Kelly on her movie choices, because she sounds totally sweet. Liking Armageddon because it hasn't aged badly cracked me up.

Yeah, after last time I learned not to even glance at the Spider-Man trailers. The one for Homecoming seriously blew the whole goddman film.

Also Fury and Star Wars existing.

RIP

I am a Sonic fan, and I'm not as outraged as everyone else seems to be eager to be. Now, this doesn't look good. Who wants to see a Sonic film where he's out of his element for the first one? But Jim Carrey doing a 90s throwback performance looks fun. IDK, this looks pretty lame but I can't really get upset over it. Maybe I'll see it, maybe not. 🤷‍♂️

The Infinity Gauntlet: By Jim Starlin, George Perez and Ron Lim. Talk about living up to the hype. This is a Comic Book in all the best ways, from typical Marvel bombast to the wealth of character, powers and concepts. The imagination that went into every issue, the wonderfully purple prose and the continually escalating stakes made this an utter joy to read. Unlike the movies, the greater celestial and godlike beings are really at the center stage in this story, because the story calls for it. Thanos is inarguably the most powerful, omnipotent being in all the cosmos with the Infinity Gems in his possession. The heroes that grand stand against him merely serves as a distraction, while beings such as Adam Warlock and the Silver Surfer think of a better plan, and as a result are purely lambs to the slaughter. But it's terrific action. Characters like Dr. Strange are lucky to be included in the final conflicts, but his place is worthwhile as well. Because the MCU have yet to dole out the more powerful godlike beings such as Eternity and the Gods of Order and Chaos, the movies are ultimately saddled with their Earthbound heroes, so there's no real foul there. But I have to say, the actual comic book Infinity story blows both movies out of the water. In the first issue, Thanos uses the soul gem to rip out the souls of the Silver Surfer and Warlock, for openers. The movies are still a lot of fun, but in comparison come off as quaint compared to the monster Starlin, Lim and Perez accomplished back in 1991. There's just far more imagination, but again, they had access to far more characters. Single Issues: 165 Trade Paperbacks: 4

I do also like that they cosplayed him as himself from the 70s

Rewatching Infinity War and viewing the commentary this week made me like it a lot more. It's far better balanced tonally than I gave it credit for. I don't have any complaints. Gonna give Endgame a second watch before I rate it better. MCU films always are clearer in my head with second viewings. Fracture: With Anthony Hopkins and Ryna Gosling from 2007. Moderately interesting courtroom thriller that loses luster at the halfway mark when it devolves from anything truly intriguing into a macho battle of masculine wits. Hopkins is playing every smug, three-steps-ahead villain ever with no real meat or nuance. Gosling is solid but the character is also fairly cliche'd. Rosamund Pike was slumming it in this film, but this was before her career really blew up.

I completely forgot what his cameo was in AM/W

Detective Comics #1002: I get the appeal of the blank white eyes explained as slits filled in with glass, but Brad Walker makes that so apparent with his otherwise solid artwork that I don't care for it. That approach is better in live action films like Black Panther. Heroes in Crisis #8: There's no way anyone can read this issue and not immediate recall every time Dan Didio strong-armed a character to get his way. Even if he's not the culprit here, what the issue and story at large basically amounts to is character assassination of an order that reaches the heights of Leslie Thompkins killing Stephanie Brown in War Games. It also makes little sense. Probably the worst comic book I've read in years. Action Comics #1010: Decent Batman Beyond #31 (2019): Good Batgirl #34 (2019): The writing is fine and the artwork is good, but I am just not a fan of a dark Barbara Gordon Batgirl. For all the character's historic protestations of most things Batman throughout the years, she's become increasingly hypocritical since the new 52 in being short tempered, needlessly violent and reactionary. There's no real attempt to understand this parallel, and it always reeks of writers not knowing what to do with her or trying to legitimize her as a character. It's annoying to read. Amazing Spider-Man #820-#821: I was getting worried this story was going on too long, any maybe it is, but it's too well written for me to mind that much. Great characterization of all the characters. Single Issues: 165 Trade Paperbacks: 3

I see no reason not to watch this.