Superman/Wonder Woman, Issue #6 (DC Comics, 2014) Review

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Initially, I was pretty excited for this comic. The idea of two strong, iconic characters joining together seemed like a great idea, but the execution of it is falling super flat.

Ok, so Wonder Woman does a Han Solo on Superman in this issue, but…that’s it. Well, there was also a lot of blood. But, there’s just not enough chemistry between Superman and Wonder Woman nor in the storyline itself. Truth be told, I don’t even quite understand why they’re together.

After reading Black Widow, I can’t bring myself to continue with this series. I have now been exposed to amazingness and everything from here on out has to be on par with that.

I really wanted to like it. Oh well…

When the Phantom Zone is breached by Zod, Superman and Wonder Woman are forced to do the unthinkable to stop the tyrant from global destruction. But can they do what must be done – and will the world forgive them?

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Black Widow, Issue #4 (MarvelNow, 2014) Review

Black Widow, Issue 4 (MarveloNow, 2014)

Oh lady, issue #4 did not disappoint. It has all the pieces that I enjoy — spying, action, adventure, and a strong kickass female lead. I couldn’t stop turning the pages on this one. I don’t think I’ve enjoyed a comic book title like this in a long while.

I may just stop reading the other two books that I’ve been reading from before.

From the cold streets of old Russia, the Hand of God reaches out to crush Black Widow–and it is merciless. Outmatched by the brute force of a powerful new villain, Natasha finds a deadly plot unfolding that spans the entire globe.

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Black Widow 2014 (MarvelNow) Review

Black Widow MarvelNOW

I hadn’t even planned on starting a new comic book title. I have so many new books that I have yet to read and then others that I feel committed to continuing. But then, I saw the beautiful cover art for Black Widow and HAD to pick it up.

I read the first couple of pages and was hooked. So I grabbed the other available issues, #2 and #3.

Let me just say that I have a huge girl crush on Natasha now — moreso than from The Avengers movie. The story, character development, and art are perfection.

Published: January 08, 2014
Rating: Rated T+
Writer: Nathan Henry Edmondson
Cover Artist: Phil Noto
You’ve seen Black Widow as an Avenger and even an Agent of Shield. But on her own time she searches for atonement for her past as a KGB assassin—in ways of which those teams just wouldn’t approve. From the darkest corners of the Marvel Universe, Nathan Edmonson (Who is Jake Ellis?) and Phil Noto (Thunderbolts, X-23) bring you a new ongoing series as gorgeous and mysterious as Nastasha Romanov herself!

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What I also most appreciate is that unlike the typical comic book covers of featuring ginormous boobs and bootie, it’s Natasha being cool and doing amazingly cool things featured. THANK YOU!

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K-Pop Will Unite Us All: Meet Latin America’s Fans

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I seriously had no idea that K-Pop was that prevalent and widespread. But seeing the video footage of a packed stadium for a Super Junior concert filled with Latin Americans singing along to Korean lyrics was quite amazing.

If you want to get a sense of what Mexican teenagers are up to these days, here’s an unexpected place to start: A Korean bakery in downtown Mexico City.

Every Sunday, dozens of teens — mostly female — convene here to eat Korean snacks and geek out about their favorite boy bands. They’re known as los k-popers – a growing subculture of Mexican kids who are crazy for Korean pop music.

“K-Pop really changed my life,” says Samantha Alejandra, 18. “I’m addicted to it.”

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What is so addicting/appealing about the magic that is K-Pop?
For me, it’s the manufactured pop beats, dance moves, cute faces, and the fact that I have no idea what they’re singing about.
[via NPR]
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Everyone Wants to Date an Asian Woman, Interview with Kristina Wong


ahaha! Kristina Wong cracks me up! And I do agree — let’s file this under:

  • best interview ever
  • that’s how you do an interview

New data shows that of all races, everyone prefers dating Asian Women the most. Funny lady Kristina Wong breaks down how hot an Asian woman is in this AMAZING interview with “Alicia Menendez Tonight” and Josh Fischer of Facebook’s “Are you Interested?” app. On the Fusion Network.

[via Hyphen]
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Never Give Up: Jim Lee co-publisher of DC Comics

We all started from somewhere but we rarely get to see the very beginnings.

Jim Lee, artist, writer,  editor, and co-publisher of DC Comics gives us a peek into how it started — and just how persistent he was.

Now I feel like an absolute lazy bum with only two rejection letters under my belt. Only two because I stopped hounding publishers…not that two even constitutes any hounding whatsoever — more like a ‘hello and ‘bye.’

Anyhow, check out the rest of the letters Jim Lee dug up on his Instagram as well as his first finished piece for Marvel.

Quite inspiring.

[via AngryAsianMan]
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Gene Luen Yang brings The Green Turtle back in “The Shadow Hero”

I finally ordered my copy of Boxers and Saints the other day and now I’m learning that come July 2014 there will be new work by Gene Luen Yang!

He and artist Sonny Lieu are teaming up to resurrect the first Asian American super hero — The Green Turtle.

In the U.S. comics boom of the 1940s, a legend was born: the Green Turtle. He solved crimes and fought injustice just like the other comic book characters. But this mysterious masked crusader was hiding something more than your run-of-the-mill secret identity… The Green Turtle was the first Asian American super hero.

The Green Turtle comic had a short run before lapsing into obscurity, but the acclaimed author of American Born Chinese, Gene Luen Yang, has finally revived this character in a new graphic novel that creates an origin story for this forgotten character. Hank just wants to enjoy his quiet life running the family grocery store with his father, but his mother has other ideas for him… she wants him to become a superhero, and to clean up their Chinatown neighborhood!

With artwork by Sonny Liew, this dazzling, funny comics adventure for teens is a new spin on the long, rich tradition of American comics lore.

I’m looking forward to some great story-telling and art 🙂

[via Boing Boing]

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Friday Fabulousness: Marcello Barenghi Draws a Potato Chip Bag Like a Bawss

I’m gonna file this under “holy shit that’s F*n amazing.”

Really love seeing the artist work with combining different mediums — watercolor, colored pencils, and markers. I wish that my art professors could’ve shown us the possibilities. There was one in particular who even poopoo’d on the notion of using markers.

Now, I’m gonna experiment 🙂

Thanks Marcello Barenghi for the inspiration and for sharing your techniques!

[via Boing Boing]
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SUPERHEROES: A Never-Ending Battle

Joe Quesada describes the feverish pace of modern comic book production.

SUPERHEROES: A Never-Ending Battle is the first documentary to examine the dawn of the comic book genre and its powerful legacy, as well as the evolution of the characters who leapt from the pages over the last 75 years and their ongoing worldwide cultural impact. 

Among the notable on-camera talents in the film are Stan Lee, Adam West, Lynda Carter, Pulitzer Prize winners Michael Chabon and Jules Feiffer, and interviews with the late greats Joe Simon (co-creator of Captain America) and Jerry Robinson (who helped create the Joker).

Hosted and Narrated by Liev Schreiber.  

It premieres October 15th on PBS. However, if you should miss it — which I most likely will — PBS will offer full episodes online.

Suh-weet!

[via PBS]
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Coming Soon! Superman / Wonder Woman: Issue #1

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Superman / Wonder Woman: Issue #1

I actually can’t wait to start getting into this new storyline.

The series debuts with an issue that focuses on reactions to their romance from suspicion to outright fear. In addition to the story from writer Charles Soule and artist Tony Daniel, the couple also are given the spotlight by artists Aaron Kuder and Cliff Chiang in variant covers for the issue.

Superman/Wonder Woman will be available Wednesday

However, I am a bit torn.

I’ve been watching the Justice League TV series and the chemistry between Wonder Woman and Batman is electric…and full of comedy. I love it.

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Wonder Woman and Batman in Justice League TV series

Regardless, the comic coming out on Wednesday should make for a fun read *fingers crossed*

For an exclusive look at the new Superman / Wonder Woman #1, here are the opening pages for the issue and the variant covers.

[via The Hollywood Reporter]

 

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Hello! My New Favorite TV Show: Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

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Melinda May (Ming-Na Wen) doing some dispatching.
So I watched it a day later thanks to online streaming because the only time I get to watch anything during the weekdays are at midnight 🙂
Anyhow, it was super fun, didn’t dwell on the dark/sinister, and I got to see my three fave characters: Coulson (Clark Gregg), Hill (Cobie Smulders), and May (Ming-Na Wen).
Looking forward to the next episode.
And now, I wonder what the defunct Wonder Woman TV series in 2011 could’ve been if it had been in the hands of Joss Whedon instead.
*sigh*
To dream, to hope…
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MICE: The Massachusetts Independent Comics Expo 2013

Phew! Thought I had missed this as I lamented last weekend. But nothing to fear because it’s taking place THIS weekend at the Porter Exchange building in Cambridge, MA.

There’s a great schedule of events!

September 28-29
Saturday 10am – 6pm
Sunday 11am – 4pm

University Hall at Lesley University
1815 Massachusetts Ave (Porter Sq.)

Visit www.micexpo.org for more info.

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Fan Undergoes Surgeries to Look Like His Idol Superman

Not quite a whizz in a phone box: Superman fan has 19 surgeries over 16 years to look like his favourite comic book hero 

The 35-year-old, from Calamba City, Philippines, has had nose jobs, skin whitening, lip liposuction, jaw realignment, pec implants and even abdominal implants to become a real-life Clarke Kent after falling in love with the TV programme aged five. 

He has splashed around 300,000 Pesos (£4,400) on his obsession – a fortune compared to the average 90p hourly wage in the Philippines. Read More

Or he could’ve just been his own superhero and retained his Filipino heritage.
That was the part that really disturbed me — that he had to ‘whiten’ his features.
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The Wolverine? Heck no. Yukio All the Way!

Yukio played by Rila Fukushima

Yukio totally stole the entire The Wolverine film for me.

“Yukio is an occasional thief by profession, as well as a rōnin, a masterless samurai. Yukio has been portrayed as a free spirit with an almost careless disregard for personal danger. While she is highly skilled in the martial arts, Yukio is not a mutant and possesses no super powers. Her specialty weapons are scalpel-like shuriken, of which she can hurl several at a time with deadly accuracy.”

She was the one saving grace to what would’ve been complete disappointment.

More Yukio badassery, please!

Look, I don’t mind predictable story lines as long as they’re done well, which means the actors and actresses really have to come through. Unfortunately, not everyone did here. And so, most of the characters weren’t memorable like the evil blonde lady mutant or even Mariko, who was Wolverine’s love interest (which I dunno why since there was zero chemistry between the two…like, nada..nothing.)

Yukio, played by Rila Fukushima, was such a badass — with her shocking red hair; with the sword skills; with her WTF-did-you-just-say?! expressions; and, with her unwavering loyalty. I was seriously bummed during the times she wasn’t on screen.

Kudos to Rila for making me fall in love with Yukio.

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Fun Times at Boston Comic Con 2013

Mr. Lee and I made our way to the Seaport Hotel Saturday afternoon. The plan was to meet up with the Lee crew.

First Thing First
signed comics by Mike Choi; indie comic called “Tuna Time”; and 10 issues of Batgirl / Cassandra Cain for $6
I needed to get to Mike Choi‘s booth so that he could sign my copy of X-23: Target X. What was the rush? I don’t quite know, but I just wanted to get to him and get to him Mr. Lee and I did. While waiting in line, the guy in front of me brought along a book to be signed, which was great and all except…
it wasn’t Mike Choi’s work.
#FAIL
Mike Choi signing my copy of X-23: Target X
When my turn came up to meet him, I asked if he could sign the book. He was super nice and I also purchased a copy of Lookbook 2013-2014. I’m shit when it comes to small talk or anything of the sort so the only thing I could say to him was, “I really love your work!”
Jeeze. I’m lame. I know.
Anyhow, onwards to the cosplay which was most impressive this year. Here are a few of my faves:
Michelangelo. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Why, hello there, Michelangelo!
Voltron
Voltron, the cardboard edition
random booth prop
some booth decor
R2-D2, Star Wars
A working, motorized R2-D2 making his exit
Bumbleebee, Transformers
It’s a Bumblebee Crossing! This costume was ginormous.
Batgirl / Cassandra Cain Back Issues
Batgirl / Cassandra Cain back issues
It was a great Con — way bigger and more people than what I expected.
Fortunately, I found some Batgirl back issues missing from my collection. Picked up six issues — even found the final and last one #73. Yay.
The Lee crew and I hung around until the close of the show. By then, the crowds had petered out considerably and we finally were able to check out stuff we’d missed/didn’t have a chance to see.
Smells Like…Tuna Time by Christopher Clayton Holt
Like, this one comic — Smells Like…Tuna Time by Christopher Clayton Holt. The cover art was graphic and funny. And then, when I was told that it was a compilation of food service clerk experiences, I was sold.
It’s seriously a great and super funny read.
All in all, it was a great time spent with friends, bumping into old ones, getting some back issues, meeting an artist I admire, and discovering a new fellow indie comic artist.
Me as Paul Bunyan with Big Toe Uglydoll and Babe the Blue Ox during the 2012 Superhero 5K race
I should’ve brought out my Paul Bunyan costume to cosplay in.
🙂
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Boston Comic Con, Aug 3-4 at Seaport World Trade Center

It’s happening this weekend so make sure to check it out!

I’ll be noodling around the convention on Saturday and most likely devoting most of my time learning more about the indie comic artists.

Some of my friends have a list of all the artists they want to see. Errr…maybe I should follow suit? I was even asked if I’d dress up in cosplay. Errr…I gots no time nor patience for that — I leave that to the experts 😛

Anyhow, it’s going to be a fun convention.

Check out the Boston Comic Con website for a listing of events and special guests!

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The Burka Avenger Is Way Cooler Than Curaré the Assassin Lady

What a breath of fresh air!

A caped crusader is on the loose in the mountains of Pakistan, but she’s not your traditional superhero. The Burka Avenger wears a flowing black veil — only her brown eyes are visible — as she fights corrupt politicians and religious zealots. Her weapons of choice: pens and books.

Burka Avenger, which made its debut on Pakistani TV this week, aims to empower young women in a country where attacks on girls’ schools and repression of women remain enduring problems. It’s the brainchild of Pakistani entrepreneur and pop star Haroon Rashid, who tells NPR’s Audie Cornish that he was inspired by current events in Pakistan. “I thought of an idea of sort of, like, a protagonist protecting a girls’ school. And that’s how the idea for the Burka Avenger developed.”

Read More


She kinda reminds me of the assassin Curaré from Batman Beyond…except Curaré wears less clothes and is hell bent on murdering everyone..errr…so maybe not a great example of what to aspire to. But, The Burka Avenger? She’s some good awesome.

Anyhow, applause for Haroon Rashid and what he has created — another voice and another strong kickass lady for kids of all ages to look up to.

[via NPR]

 

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Amazon Publishing to Launch…Jet City Comics

This is interesting news…

Amazon is about to take on Marvel and DC with a new publishing imprint for comics, the company announced today via press release. The new publishing brand is called “Jet City Comics,” and will begin with a series penned by Neal Stephenson called Symposium. Later this year, it’ll get a George R. R. Martin story adaptation, and then in 2014 it’s going to turn dystopian novel, Wool, into a serialized graphic novel. 

Read More

[via TechCrunch] 

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On Scott Pilgrim and Race in the Words of Brian Lee O’Malley

Q: This isn’t meant to be an insult or a rant or anything of the sort, but I was wondering why in scott pilgrim vs the world (which I loved a lot btw) there aren’t very many people of color? There was Matthew but not any or many others, unless I was very silly and I missed them. Is this because the setting? (it is my understanding that there aren’t as many people of color in canada as in the us) or you didn’t think of it? Im just curious and i hope I didn’t come off as rude! thanks! 

A: I’ve always wanted to make some kind of definitive statement about this but I think i’ll probably just ramble instead… first: I think it sucks that Scott Pilgrim came out so white!!!!!!!!!!! I am mixed (white + korean) and grew up being told that race didn’t matter — that race was kinda over. As with many things you’re told as a kid, it took me many years to realize that it wasn’t really true… It was kinda wishful thinking on the part of my parents, who were in a mixed relationship. I mean, I wish it was true, we all wish it was true, but it’s not true.

Read Full Post

Really interesting read. Thanks Brian Lee O’Malley for the ramble!

Also, my favorite character was definitely Knives Chau. Hell, I was wishing my last name were Chau as I left the movie theatre ‘cuz she was the most badass of them all.

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