As much as I love comic books (Current power rankings: 1. Wife (might read this, you can never be too sure) 2. Comic books 3. Burritos… Dead Last. Sucka MCs), it’s shockingly difficult to find comic book gear I’d like to wear. Sure, I’ve been rocking the same Green Lantern and Flash tees since my honeymoon (“It’s too late, honey buns!!!! *cue maniacal laughter*), and yeah, I’m probably wearing Batman pajama pants over superman boxers right now (and yes that’s a statement about how I rank the characters). [Read more…] about Review: Captain America Warrior Jacket!
Reviews
X-Men: Apocalypse Review! – The Unique Aging of A Comic Book Franchise
The most amazing facet of X-Men: Apocalypse, a middle-of-the-road X-Men movie, is the fact that it marks 16 years of X-Men movies. While 2008’s Iron Man gets all the glamour for kicking off Marvel’s MCU, it was 2000’s X-Men that launched Marvel proper, and 2003’s X2 that solidified a lifelong love of the X-Men for me.
Yet here we are 16 years later, and the X-Men franchise has found a way to navigate 6 X-Men films, 2 Wolverine offshoots, and the technically connected goodwill of Deadpool. [Read more…] about X-Men: Apocalypse Review! – The Unique Aging of A Comic Book Franchise
The New Thanos Infinity Trilogy Review!
In the great pantheon of Marvel villains, you could make a case that Thanos reigns supreme. You’d be wrong of course (All hail Doom!), but whether you’re talking sheer cosmic might, sheer number of times he genuinely ended all life, or sheer Marvel Cinematic Universe Big Bad Q Rating, Thanos is an all-time great. [Read more…] about The New Thanos Infinity Trilogy Review!
Captain America 3: Civil War Review!
You’ll hear a lot about how good Captain America 3: Civil War is over the next few weeks, and about all the box office success it’s having, and it’s true, but that’s not what makes it amazing. I had impossibly high expectations, and Civil War met all of them and then raised me the best version of my favorite comic book character of all time, but that’s not what makes it amazing.
You know what makes Civil War amazing? [Read more…] about Captain America 3: Civil War Review!
The Audacity of Hope: Daredevil Season Two Review!
Among the many conflicts left in the wake of Batman v Superman (critics vs audience, fans vs “true” fans, Zack Snyder vs the Kent family), the greatest battle is almost shockingly simple: light vs. dark.
I’ve described it as grim, dour, and self-serious to the point of parody, but the less wordy summary of Batman v Superman is “dark.” Those who would deem Batman v Superman a bad movie (I’m partially among them) simultaneously have turned their noses at dark comic book stories. Give us joy, they say, celebrating the camp of Supergirl x Flash. Gives us smiles, they say, retweeting gifs of Spider-Man underoos from the upcoming Civil War. Give us hope, they say, waving a copy of All Star Superman
What has frequently been lost in all the declarations of DC’s failure (or success depending on your point of view) is the recognition that there are many shades of dark, and not all of them are flawed.
Which brings us, finally, to the second season of Netflix Daredevil. Daredevil season two looks at the great war of light and dark and echolocates a third option:
Why not both?