Now this is only the fourth issue in the series but thus far, I’ve relatively enjoyed Zeb Wells work on the title. He writes a good “quippy” Spider-Man, plenty of silly jokes and sarcastic remarks to go around. Issue three lacked a tad bit in the “silly humor” department, and I was hoping this issue would pick back up on that quality. In this issue we have our first “new flavor” of the title. For the first three issues Spidey teamed up with Gen. Ross himself, Red Hulk. This issue we have Spidey teaming up with everyone’s favorite archer, Green Arrow. Uh, I mean Hawkeye…he teams up with Hawkeye. The way Wells writes Hawkeye kind of reminds me of The Human Torch, and I hope eventally Pete does team up with Johnny in a future issue. Hawkeye is a little full of himself, and actually brings the first dose of seriousness to the book. There’s a moment where Hawkeye talks about his place on the Avengers, and its such a downer. That moment, as well as the ending made me depressed. I expect silliness from this title, and while it delivered early on, it ended on a low note.

The art in this issue is by Greg Land. Land’s art differs greatly from that of Joe Madureira. Madureira’s art fits the light tone that this series is supposed to have.  While Land’s art is more realistic, and by no means did I not enjoy it, it feels misplaced. Like I said, the purpose of this series was to present the lighter side of Spidey. Simple concept, full on humor, and plenty of bad guy punching. This type of art, and the more serious tone have their place, and unfortunately their place is not this series.

I hope this series returns to its young roots in the next issue, where Spidey teams up with the Red, White and Blue Avenger himself, Captain America. I have high hopes for this book, I found the first three issues highly entertaining and enjoyed the art immensely. While I did enjoy this issue for the most part, it was by no means the story I was expecting.

Do you feel like this series can continue? Who’s art did you enjoy more? Let me know in the comments below.

The Long Halloween is a 13-issue romp through one of the greatest Batman mysteries. Revolving around the Holiday killer, who, as the name suggests, claims his victims on various holidays throughout the year.  Set within the Batman: Year One storyline, Jim Gordon, Harvey Dent, and Batman make a pact to bend but not break the rules in ending the mob’s stranglehold on Gotham.  Shortly thereafter they get some unexpected help as the murderer strikes out first against a member of the Falcone family, triggering a chain of events that provides an intimate look into the alliances of Gotham’s finest with the Dark Knight.

If you’ve seen The Dark Knight or Batman Begins then elements of The Long Halloween will jump out of the page with familiarity.  Chris Nolan in the foreword openly explains how inspiring this book was for him in concocting his vision of the Caped Crusader and frankly, it’s hard to think of another work that would lend itself so well to a treatment of Bruce Wayne more steeped in reality.

Gotham’s streets crawl not only with super-baddies like The Riddler with his dastardly manipulations or the grip of Mr. Freeze’s misdirected sufferings- it’s also rife with political corruption, crooked cops, and the every day bad guys like the mob that we face here in the real world.  The Long Halloween illustrates this deftly, punctuating small victories with the harrowing reality of a city that’s tearing itself apart regardless of super-powered madmen with men like Gordon, Dent, and Batman standing apart in a depressing minority that won’t let go of the idea that with enough work, Gotham might actually have a shot at redemption.

The palate used in Sale’s artwork is minimal. It sets an appropriate tone in complimenting the action.  Gotham is dirty.  Dangerous.  Nearly devoid of color or any semblance of hope save for a bright few, but even with the muted color scheme they shine, complimenting the dialog so convincingly delivered.  Sale’s use of light and shadow in particular lend an ominous aesthetic at many key points in the book and watching the subtlety with which Gotham trots through the seasons of the year really reinforces the depth of the investigation.

The Long Halloween covers an entire year in Gotham and runs the gamut of its terrors and their impact on every facet of Gotham life.  We see how everyday citizens are affected along with politicians, cops, devils, heroes, and the families on both sides of good and evil.

There’s just a ton to love about this book.  The main plot aside, you’ll even rethink elements of Batman’s relationship to his foes.  If you’ve ever stared into a super villain on the screen or in a book and wanted to know what could possibly drive someone to embrace the kind of darkness they inflict on others, The Long Halloween won’t disappoint.  Think of every horrible person you ever met and despite you’re disdain you’ll likely agree that it wasn’t an on/off switch that the wrong situation flipped, but rather a long, arduous process by degrees that turned them to what they are.  Granted, a lot of the characters had already been through this in The Long Halloween, but seeing so clearly the toll a year of frustration takes not only on heroes, but the villains who are just as on edge is satisfying.

It’s a twisted tale that leaves you guessing throughout, weaving endless possibilities for who could be behind the Holiday slayings.  Jeph Loeb masterfully dangles hints of motivation, painting plausible scenarios for a variety of suspects, almost daring you to set your mind on your prediction before ripping it away in the next panel.  All the way to the climactic end and with nary a break in pace this continues and even then you’ll be shocked on the next page turn.

Even after all the wacky origins that these characters have had over the decades, what has survived in many cases is a developed character that we can relate to or find some inspiration from.  They’ve become more than their ridiculous beginnings (I mean seriously, how stupid must’ve the words bat-man sounded in 1937?) and grown into the heroes and legends that we all know and love today.  All that exposition said and done, I present a question that’s been nagging me for years: Why does everyone hate Superman so much?

I’m not the biggest Superman fan in the world, but the character holds meaning to me, something just seems to work.  His origin isn’t more or less silly than Spider-man’s or Green Lantern’s, maybe it’s even less so.  It echoes the myths and legends of Hercules or Noah.  It’s a classic story of an outsider being accepted into society and consequently becoming its greatest champion.  Superman’s an immigrant for all intents and purposes.  I could go on about the change in feelings about immigration from 1939 to present, but I don’t feel it’s necessary to do so.  He is the perfect example of the American Dream.

The biggest complaints that I’ve heard of him are that he’s too powerful, or that he lacks pathos like Batman or Spider-man who lost their families, but people forget that he didn’t lose his family, he lost his whole world.  Everyone knows Kal El is the sole survivor of an extinct world, but that doesn’t seem to hold any weight to most simply because that is so (and excuse the pun) alien an idea to them.

I feel that the key component to understanding the strength and realism of Superman’s character is look back to the two kids from Cleveland,Ohio that created him.  Jerry Siegel and Joe Schuster were the children of Jewish immigrants who came to America in order to escape the horrors of the holocaust and WWII.  Their families left the old world behind in favor of one less terrible at least in those days.  Superman is that immigrant.  He has found a new home, but that doesn’t mean he’ll ever forget where he came from or what happened there.  Superman, though seen many a time decorating a Christmas tree, is a Jewish superhero in every facet of his mythology.  Like Noah before him, he was sent away from certain death only to rise up again and become the greatest hero of his new people.

I’m not trying to make Superman your favorite character in any way.  I just wish people could see the beauty in such an important character.  Yes, his powers are vast and sometimes seem a little superfluous, but isn’t Green Lantern just as powerful in a different way?  Or Wolverine?  Superman is virtually indestructible, but so are a lot of other characters in comics.  The thing of it is, it’s not the powers that make the hero, it’s the strength of the character behind those capes and cowls.  Heck, Batman doesn’t have any powers and he’s arguable the most popular fictional character in the world, Animal man also has abilities that sound pretty lame but that fact hasn’t stopped the character from flourishing and becoming one of the most interesting characters in comics.

If I had to venture a guess about the dislike of Superman, it would be that people see him as a relic, something that was relevant to their fathers, but holds no weight to them.  The same thing has happened with the Fantastic Four over the years.  It’s easy to see this big strong authority figure as something to despise or rebel against, but why?  There’s no reason to rebel if you doing it just because you’ve got nothing better to do.  Maybe it’s harder to see ourselves in Superman, or to see him in our modern world, but he is there.  There was a Vertigo book that came out in 2005 called It’s a Bird about a writer being offered the job to write Superman for DC comics.  The story shows the transition of the protagonist from dismissing to understanding and embracing Superman as a character.  It’s a beautiful story, and if you haven’t read it give it a shot, it describes my feelings on the matter better than I ever could.

Superman is important to a lot of different people in a lot of different ways, but it seems a lot easier to find someone who hates him than someone who loves him nowadays.  If you are one of those fans who hate Superman but you don’t quite know why, I’d give him another try.  Ask for a suggestion of a good Superman story, or watch the Christopher Reeve movie another time.  Superman’s ethics and beliefs aren’t made for the world we live in today, that’s probably true of all superheroes, but just because Superman lives on a different world than us doesn’t mean it can’t hold value, it just means that sometimes we have to look a little harder to find it.

Free Comic Book Day is rapidly approaching and we couldn’t be more thrilled at the store.  If you’ve been in lately no doubt you’ve noticed our constantly playing Ghostbusters 1, 2, and the Animated Series on the TV whilst stuffing our faces with Twinkies (or Zingers, which, I hear are just as good) in anticipation of Ernie Hudson’s arrival.

But, what should you do in preparation for Free Comic Book day at your favorite store?  Any special considerations?  Well, of course, or I wouldn’t be writing this!

For starters…

Don’t Forget to Ask for the Day Off!

For those of you who have to work on the weekends, make sure you remember to ask for May 5th off so you don’t miss any of the action!  Which, brings me to my next point since you won’t be donning that work attire…

Dress Comfortably

Not THIS comfortably, mind you.

I suppose officially Free Comic Book Day only lasts from open to close, but unofficially the party keeps going until well past midnight this May 5th.  In years past Packrat has had thousands of visitors throughout the day because it’s one of the most exciting days of the year for us.  With that in mind, you might find so much to do that you underestimate how long you’ll be hanging out with us snatching up free comics, mingling with artists and writers, and plotting to steal the Ecto 1 when it arrives.

So tempted as you might be to don your 3-piece suit and monocle, remember you could be trotting around looking all dapper for a long time. Speaking of which…

Bring Snacks

If your’e gonna be here a while, might not be a bad idea to have something to munch on.  Granted, we’ll probably have some food available and Luigi’s is right across the street if you’re in the mood for pizza, but don’t run out of energy before you get the chance to have Dirk Manning sign your copy of Nightmare World.  Oh!  Which reminds me…

Don’t Forget Your Signables!

With the likes of Ernie Hudson, Josh Peters, Seth Lyons, Molly Durst, and way, way more don’t forget to bring in prints, comics, DVDs, games, or anything else you want signed by your favorite comic artists. Unless of course you want to get stuck having Matthew Swift sign your forehead.  Which, come to think of I might do anyways, but that’s neither here nor there.  Also, if you’re aiming to acquire NEW stuff to be signed…

Bring Some Cash

I know, it seems like it defeats the purpose of Free Comic Book Day, but not all of our vendors take credit cards plus it can save you some time having cash ready to go for purchases not made in the store.  This is not an invitation for you to start placing high-stakes bets on impromptu games of Magic: The Gathering though, so don’t go getting all Atlantic City on us in the middle of this family friendly event- save the poker for charity later in the evening!

Amidst all this swag talk it’s also important that you…

Don’t Forget Your Swag Bag

Backpack, rolling luggage, hobo sack, bag of holding, whatever it is, it might be a good idea to have something to carry all of your stuff in.  If you’re anything like me, even when I swear I’m not going to load up on stuff at conventions or other events as prestigious as this one, I always end up snatching every shiny object I come across and then end up wondering why I didn’t have the foresight to bring something to hold it all comfortably.  So, make sure you learn from my mistakes lest you force one of your poor friends to load up their less-than-fashionable Old Navy cargo pants with your swelling collection of shirts, buttons, comics, prints, twinkles (I’m kidding, you can’t have any of my twinkies).

Which reminds me (and this is very important).

TELL YOUR FRIENDS!

Here’s the deal- last year we had around 3,000 people at the store enjoying the spoils of FCBD- this year we’d love to double that because the more the merrier for one and two, the bigger the turnout the more fun stuff we can plan for next year.  Help spread the word by:

• Liking us on Facebook/Following us on twitter
• Join the Free Comic Book Day Event we’ve set up on Facebook and invite all of your friends (yes, even the ones that you’re only using to borrow their original, Frank Miller Daredevil books.)

Alrighty, that’s all we’ve got!  What other preparations are you making for Free Comic Book Day?

That being said, there are still those forgotten gems that slipped through the cracks of comic culture that deserve a polish and close examination once more.

Late one night, I noticed that a two hour and thirty minute video interview with Moorewas posted to Bleedingcool.com.  As you may have guessed, I watched it and found it very interesting with topics from Before Watchmen to the practice of magic present, but was intrigued by the work that Moorefound to be his most underappreciated.  It was a book drawn by Oscar Zarate, called A Small Killing.  Upon his description immediately I paused the video and ordered a copy.  About a week later it arrived and I knew why he held it in such high regard.

The story focuses on a Brit named Timothy Hole (pronounced Holly), an advertisements representative working inNew York City.  Through the four chapters, we travel with him from his current home in theUnited Statesback to his home in theU.K.and see moments from his life through his eyes and with twenty-twenty hindsight, and like any good Alan Moore story, it has an ending that leaves you with more questions than answers.

As you might expect, the story is expertly written and paced, feeling deliberate and organic at the same time.  Tim’s inner monologue feels very real and adds a human touch and emotion to scenes from his past. And speaking of emotion, this story is packed with loads of authentic, human feelings.  You both care for and despise the protagonist on different panels the same way you might feel about a friend that’s made some questionable choices along the way.  Mooremakes it real.

The art is equally beautiful, though it may appear rough on the outside.  Zarate conveys so much emotion in the few lines and splashes of color that are oddly reminiscent of a children’s book at times.  He changes styles so subtly at times that when he switches back from a dream sequence or flashback, you feel the jolt back into reality, a feat not accomplished without great talent and expert control.

I had never heard of A Small Killing before that interview withMoore, and I’m pretty sure that a lot of you haven’t either.  If that is indeed the case, then do yourself a favor and check out one ofMoore’s very best.

Cheers!

Well, for the uninitiated Marvel.1 was actually started in February 2011 and any issue with the .1 at the end is meant to serve as a jump off point for new readers.  Typically they include a summary of what’s transpired prior to the issue and proceeds to tell a story centered around that character, group, or team-up to help new readers ease into the Marvel universe without getting confused.  They’re $2.99 instead of $3.99 (as of this writing anyways) and having never read one until Jamie and Teresa recently discussed Amazing Spider-Man 679.1 I definitely see the appeal.

It’s true that a lot of comic books will start with a summarized version of the book’s history, but not all so it’s nice knowing that if you see the .1 you’re guaranteed a digestible plot that can catch up quickly if you decide you wanna give Deadpool a shot after all.

See? The more you know.

Those of you who are also huge Kevin Smith fans (or just wanted to catch a preview of next week’s The Walking Dead) no doubt checked out his latest show, Comic Book Men on AMC this past Sunday.  Having recently gotten my Smith fix at Kevin Smith’s Live from Behind event, I was ready for more and the thought of a mainstream comic book show certainly got me excited.  So, how was it?  Read on.

Comic Book Men is set in Kevin’s Jay and Silent Bob’s Secret Stash comic shop in Red Bank, New Jersey.  The cast consists of Walt, Ming, Brian, and Mike as they get into a variety of fun situations around the store, make deals with customers selling rare comic book and pop culture memorabilia, and also a round-table discussion/podcast where Kevin weighs in on what’s happening in the store.

The discussion with Kevin is easily the highlight of the show, and not just because Kevin’s the obvious draw either.  Seeing a group of comic book fans earnestly debate the history, artists, and current trends in the comic book industry is fun to watch. Even better as they reference important artists or events from comic book lore there’s plenty of onscreen helper graphics that explain the subject matter in greater detail.   The discussion has a great flow to it and stays lighthearted and entertaining throughout.

That’s not to say that the anecdotes in the store aren’t fun; They are, but there’s definitely a scripted feel to the clients that come in to do business at Jay and Bob’s.  Granted, this is a bit of a necessity but it’s also pretty obvious in some spots.  Spending most of my time in a comic book shop nowadays I can say with fair confidence that the amount of furious bargain hunters looking to offload their holy grails of comic book swag is a fairly rare occurrence.  Of course, what do I know about New Jersey?  Maybe it’s just an economic difference. Still, while it is a minor gripe I can understand its necessity. It may be unclear how many rabid comic book fans are willing to tune in every week to a show like Comic Book Men, but the amount of Americans willing to watch shows like Bargain Hunters, Pawn Stars, or Storage Wars has been more than proven so it stands to reason that catering to that demographic would make sense from a marketing perspective.

The chemistry between those working the shop is fantastic.  You can’t help but feel a little bad for Ming though as he seems to get ripped on constantly.  They might come off as a bit archetypal, but they also seem entirely genuine and it’s either a testament to the producer who constructed the cast or Kevin’s good choice of friends that the four can interact so harmoniously and make hanging out in a comic shop look so fun because in truth?  It totally is.  Granted, I’m a bit biased but I digress.

At the end of the day Comic Book Men is definitely entertaining whether your’e a die-hard comic book fan or a casual viewer who gets into shows where rare and treasured items true value is revealed.  Do I think it’s hitting its full potential?  Not quite, but there’s only been one episode so far and I’m definitely looking forward to what else is in store for Comic Book Men.

Plus it’s not nearly as good as The Packrat Show which, frankly is mankind’s greatest creative achievement ever, for always and infinity for reals.  Seriously, I’ve heard the people that watch that show (in a way science can’t explain) live longer and are regularly solicited for unsavory late night adult activities by Victoria’s Secret models and Chippendales Dancers.  Sorry, Kevin.

How did you feel about the debut episode?  Did Kevin and his cohorts nail it or are better things coming down the pike?

So, I came into the store this morning to find out that Jamie and Teresa shot the show anyways yesterday despite Jack and I being unavailable.  This is the fruits of their labor so check it out and enjoy Jamie and Teresa’s spin on The Packrat Show!

Hello, Packrat masses! My apologies for being so late reviewing this, but I still need to get my opinion out there, because my opinion matters! But my review coming out today has relatively good timing because the reprint of issue one has hit stores this week, so this is the perfect opportunity to jump on the series! If you are unfamiliar with  Scarlet Spider, let me sum this up for you. Scarlet Spider is the story of Kaine, a “formally imperfect” clone of Peter Parker. Post-Spider Island, Kaine is cured of his prior physical and mental imperfections, but is still haunted by those demons. Kaine flees New York, and is heading for Mexico, taking a little “pit-stop” in Houston, Texas. Does he make it to the border? I’m not telling you; Buy it, read it, thank me.

Now, I love Spidey and Spidey-related books (my pull list actually contains most of the Spider-Family titles), so I wanted to give this book a try. Christopher Yost is the writer, and while I had never read a book by Yost before, I was familiar with his work on Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes. I love that show, so it was just another positive for this book. Yost’s writing so far in the series is well paced. We were promised more action in this issue, and we got it! Kaine’s kind of “stumbling” through his first fight has a great Spider-Man feel to it. It’s got a great kind of trial-and-error vibe, especially at one point when Kaine tries firing a gun at him. Kaine’s style is definitely more violent than Pete’s, but it works for the character, and I wouldn’t expect anything less.  Action aside, I also enjoyed Kaine’s inner struggle of trying to get involved and I enjoyed the personal connection Kaine had with Aracely.  Another moment I enjoyed was a little “easter egg”. This is a reason why I love the little benefits that twitter has to comics.  I can’t actually remember who pointed it out, but the mayor of Houston’s last name is Parker. So on twitter, Yost talked about how he would have to use that, and so he does. (I’m still waiting on Stegman to incorporate his vultures).

Ryan Stegman is the artist for the issue, and wow, does he do a great job. I always feel like my words never do the art of a book justice. Stegman’s art is just superb. I love the character design, and I love the Spider-Man-esque poses that he puts Kaine in. I love the Scarlet Spider costume, especially the red eyes. Its just so intimidating. One of my favorite segments of the book was the part where Kaine was pummeling Salamander panel by panel. Stegman’s art, in a way, gives you that feel like you’re watching something. You can clearly imagine the movements panel by panel, and that’s always something I enjoy.

No single panel can do this series justice

Its not difficult people. Pick this book up. Personally, I can’t get enough. I want to see more villians, I want Kaine to have an awesome rogues-gallery. I really want to see where this book goes, and I hope it sticks around for a long time.

For those of you unaware, I host a radio show, weekly at my college’s radio station. I play a lot of metal but have segments where I talk about comics, and the WWE. This week on the show, I will be talking with the artist for Scarlet Spider: Ryan Stegman! I’m really excited and I hope you can listen! The easiest way to do so, is to listen through iTunes.  You’ll find it under Radio, College/University, and then WWSU 106.9 FM. The show is Sunday from 8-9 PM EST. For those of you unable to listen, I plan on posting the interview some time next week.

Plan on checking this out? Disagree with some of my points? Let me know in the comments below, and follow me on twitter @Teh_Stof.