Before I begin, let me ask you a couple of questions.
Have you been wanting to dive headfirst into the emotional maelstrom of comics and have zero idea where to start?
Are you particularly interested in what Marvel has to offer?
If the answer to both of these is a yes, then this will be the article for you.
Marvel NOW! is a shifting type of relaunch instead of a full reboot, with creative team changes, as well as resetting the issue numbers to #1, following the events of Avengers vs. X-Men. There are still 10 titles to be released in the next couple of months, but what should you consider picking up out of what’s been released? More importantly, will you need past knowledge to enjoy all of the titles?
While a few of the titles require some past knowledge (mostly X-Men and Avengers titles), many are easy to flip open and enjoy. Here are my top five recommendations in no particular order.
All New X-Men
All New X-Men is absolutely one of the titles you need previous history to fully appreciate the story. I’d recommend you read Avengers vs. X-Men, as well as the mini-series immediately following, AvX Consequences, before picking this up. Beast’s mutation has taken a turn for the worse, leaving him dying and refusing to leave the world as it is. He makes the decision to travel back in time in the hopes that the past version of Cyclops will be able to smack sense into the current Cyclops. It is by far the most emotional of the titles so far as this choice of Beast’s has many repercussions, perhaps even some even he hasn’t thought of.
Thor
Instantly engrossing, you need absolutely no background reading and absolutely no foreknowledge of the Norse god of thunder to enjoy this story. Gorgeous art, perfect pacing and a story featuring the Godkiller, an entity killing off every god he can find, is right up your alley if you’re a new reader and a fan of Thor. The viewpoints alternate between a youthful Thor, present time Thor, and an elderly Thor, who bears a striking resemblance to the Allfather. Barely three issues in and I can already tell you it is my favorite of the titles so far.
Deadpool
When it was announced that comedian, Brian Posehn, would be writing the Merc with the Mouth, I considered myself intrigued. A slightly painful pun-filled first issue disappointed me, but luckily the second and third issue had me laughing out loud and enjoying Deadpool as he takes on dead presidents. This title is also a wonderful series to try out the Marvel AR app as pages range from pre-colored sketches to how Posehn comes up with the dialogue. This is another series where you need no background reading or information.
Captain America
American’s hero meets hardcore science fiction in this series, so most of that Captain America trivia can fly out the window. I genuinely don’t want to spoil any bit of this serious side of Cap, but suffice to say that it’s a ride a lot unlike any other. I’ve never been a fan of his solo series but this one is full of intrigue and he faces real dangers, so it will be fun to see where it goes.
Morbius: the Living Vampire
Hold back all that frustration aimed at vampires due to a horrendously written book series turned movie saga. Hold back all the objections to picking up a title about a villain the vast majority of people have never heard of. Morbius was created through science instead of traditional methods, and although he is not the villain to spring to mind when you think Spider-Man, the first issue in his new ongoing series is downright fun and worth a chance.
HONORABLE MENTION: Avengers Arena
Which titles have you picked up?
Leia Calderon
Co-Editor
@ladyvader
…Or, you know, year ’round “things I generally want but don’t have” list.
Koalaintheusa shared his nerdy Christmas Wish list two weeks ago, so now I’m sharing my (significantly longer) list with you all as well. While the list is DEFINITELY specific to my outlandish desires, I hope it inspires you and helps you pick something out for even the most stubborn of geeks on your shopping list.
1. Yogibo Bean Bag Chair(s): My sister and I tried these out at CTCon, and they were amazing. Seriously, Rapunzel wouldn’t even get up for her photograph, and I totally understood why. I have read very good reviews of them, as well, and they come at a reasonable price. Eventually, I want a whole collection, including the Max, Midi and Caterpillar. But the first order of business would be a Midi for my reading corner, where I would prop it up right between the Young Adult Fiction and the Comics shelf. Both Lauryn and Rapunzel are lounging on Midis in their photos, and Lauryn is also making use of a Caterpillar.
And yes, I organize my library by genre.
2.LEGO Lord of the Rings, for Xbox 360: I have played every single LEGO video game up to this point, on multiple platforms. I’m not about to stop now. Well, every game so far except
3. LEGO Batman 2, for Xbox 360: same reasoning, different game. Plus, I heard that when your avatar is Superman, the Superman theme plays to congratulate you on your choice. I love the LEGO games, I often play them with my boyfriend, my sisters, friends, sometimes even with my Mom, who doesn’t often indulge in video game goodness. Additionally, they have led to my writing of “Dude Drives Like a Lady” and my sister writing “A Park Bench That I Used to Know”.
4. Poster Frames: I am tired of my DB/DBZ poster of awesomeness* not being framed, like it deserves. In fact, the only posters I’ve managed to frame in my life are Star Wars related, and while that’s all well and good, a girl has got to display pride for more than one geekdom.
I’ve found relatively inexpensive frames at Target, and considering I live a relatively inexpensive lifestyle (or…would like to…) these will do quite nicely. Unless you have a better idea, in which case, please share it in the comments.
5. Pink controller for the PS3: I would ask for one for the 360, but mine already looks like C3P0, and you can’t really get cooler than that.
6. Tea Infusers: I can never have enough infusers for loose leaf tea.
Think Geek has a few awesome ones (I already have the one shaped like a robot), but they’re also available pretty much anywhere that sells kitchen goods. I like drinking tea while I read. This, along with my new bean bag chair, would make my reading corner significantly more luxurious.
7. Flash Gordon: There are three volumes of this. I want them all.
8. Thor comics: I like looking at Thor. I like reading about him even more.
9. Doctor Who Comics: HINT HINT, LEIA. Specifically “The Forgotten” where Ten has to work with ALL THE OTHER INCARNATIONS OF THE DOCTOR IN ORDER TO SAVE THE WORLD or something like that.
10. Classic Doctor Who on DVD, to continue my collection. Although anyone starting from Square ONE needs to go ahead and procure “The Unearthly Child”, “The Daleks” and “The Edge of Destruction”.
11. Flesh Gordon: Yep. It’s exactly what you think it is.
Nope. I’m not kidding. There’s a “sex ray”.
12. Tenchi Muyo box sets: New DVD box sets were recently released for both Tenchi In Tokyo and Tenchi Universe. Shhhh, don’t tell anyone Tokyo is my favorite series.
13. Cowboy Bebop: I already own a complete DVD set, however it took me forever to realize it’s a really REALLY well made bootleg. The gmail address on the back cover, under “questions? comments?” should have tipped me off…
14. Kindle Keyboard: Have I ever explained how much I HATE touch screens for typing? I HATE THEM.
15. The Writer’s Idea Book: For ideas about writing. I took this book out from the library and it has so many good prompts and suggestions about the writing life that I’d like to have my own copy to mark up and use more regularly.
16. Doctor Who T-Shirts: Specifically this one, from the BBC America shop. Actually, what I want is one that doesn’t exist, celebrating Roronicus Pondicus in order to clear up any future confusion on my mother’s part, as she can never seem to remember that I’m a Rory fangirl, and consistently chides me for having a crush on such a weird looking man in a bow tie. It’s okay, guys. It’s a burden I must carry.
17. Bettlejuice on Bluray: which would be an upgrade from my $7.00 scratched to shit DVD copy. Everyone needs hi-def proof that Alec Baldwin was once human-sized, and that Michael Keaton has actually done good for the cinematic world.
18. Ray Bradbury’s 100 Stories: Bradbury is one of my heroes.
19. Squishables: I want a billion of these to make my reading corner the most adorable and squishy corner in the universe. My top five, however, are a Massive T-Rex, a Mini Cthulu and Phoenix, and a regular sized Shark and Sloth.
20. Ukelele music. Okay, this one isn’t inherently nerdy, but I really need to get back to my Uke. I miss him!
That’s my insane, dare-to-dream list of acceptable Holiday gifts from…really, anyone who wants to send me a present. What’s on your list?
*A million years ago, I bought this flippin’ sweet poster at a comics shop in Georgetown. It’s got Goku in the middle of the poster, growing up in age and power, from the top of the poster down to the bottom. Around him are all the other characters that appear in all three Dragon Ball series, in “chronological” order. The poster itself looks like a Where’s Waldo, if you don’t pay close attention. I’m in love with it, and it has layers of tape on the back from where I’ve put it up and taken it down a thousand times.
Jen Schiller
Staff Writer
Twitter.com/Jenisaur
The Avengers. What else do I need to say?
Well for starters, “Go see it” comes to mind. I would normally be all like, “Want to know if it is good or bad? Well hit the jump to find out.”. But really. Just go see it.
Hit the jump if you would like to read a SPOILER FREE review of The Avengers. Also hit the jump if you are awesome ;)
Pop quiz time: Name the two things the following movies have in common: “Terms of Endearment, “Steel Magnolias” “Sex and the City: The Movie” and “Beaches.”
Answer:
- They are all on the “Top 10” or “Top 20” lists from several movie sites of the best Chick Flicks of all time, and
- I couldn’t sit through any of these if you had me tied up Droog-style in a straight jacket.
You know the drill, geek moms, we try and try to fit in and get with the program. We give these saccharine romances and strong-yet-sensitive “himbos” a go, but halfway through the weepy, sappy, whiney, everyone’s dying and hugging, and way, way, waaaaay-too-beautiful women to be having man trouble movies we think “Gerard Butler looked so much better lopping heads off Persians in red skivvies…. lose the polo and Dockers, dude and yell ‘SPARTAAAA!’”
There is a truth we geek moms must face: we have our own definition of “chick flick” and it isn’t heavy on the “chick.” We know what we want — and it all comes from comic books. Yes we are women, and we have our emotional, romantic, motherly cinematic needs, but make no mistake, we get them met through different means, often with body armor, super heroes, alien invasions, capes, death rays and a bat signal.
Therefore, through completely scientific and hormonal means, here are all the elements “experienced” movie critics say make a great “chick flick” easily found in Comic Book/Sci-Fi properties.
The retelling of famous fables in bold, and often action-packed ways, is nothing new. So, it shouldn’t come as a shock that the latest incarnation of Snow White is doing just that. Gone are the birds, and animals that flock to the delicate princess. They are instead replaced with demonic winged creatures, and crows with eyes like blood. All the key elements are still there: the envious Queen who seeks everlasting beauty, the innocent(well, maybe not in this version) beauty who was born with the misfortune of surpassing said Queen, and of course Thor er…. the Huntsman. Oh and the dwarves, who work for the Huntsman it seems. Still, the trailer does its job. It makes the movie look exciting, fun, and like a possible summer blockbuster. However, what it doesn’t do is show us exactly how the star’s acting is. The main girl, Kristen Stewart, does not have so much as a single line of dialogue in the trailer. Concerning, especially considering the less then amazing acting that has been provided in the Twilight franchise. Still, the trailer does kind of pull you in. Don’t believe me? See for yourself.
So a bunch of college age kids decide to go on a trip into the woods and partake in drinking and sex. Heard this one before? If you have you know what happens next.
First, they will party in a creepy cabin in the middle of nowhere.
Secondly, they will get isolated from one another.
And then, a giant energy field will show that they are tra… wait… let me re watch this trailer again.
Yep. And then a giant energy field will show they are trapped in some twisted, government-run, psychological nightmare….
Oh.
Please enter the url to a YouTube video.So this movie starts of normal and then pulls the rug out from under you in what looks to be a delightful horror romp with a fresh take on the old formula alongside a good sense of humor. The script was leaked a couple of years back and was met with an extremely positive response and the movie looks like it might be shaping up to deliver.
With Chris Hemsworth (AKA Thor, the defender of Asgard) starring as the leading man, a script written by Joss Whedon, and directed by Drew Goddard (Cloverfield) I am pretty excited for Cabin in the Woods.
What do you guys think?