Three Reviews and Two Randon Thoughts

First off the random thoughts. For those of you who don't know Ron Paul (my candidate of choice for President) raised $5,000,000 in the third quarter. More then many other candidates and proof that there is a growing discontent within this country. Everyone has told me that he can't win and I say he can if enough people believe that he can. The intellectual dissidents in this country is growing and I believe that there will be a revolution of thought within my lifetime that will call a massive change and essentially an overthrow of the way the system works today.

Football, as much as it pains me to say this, the Patriots are that good. Is there any team right now that is more fun to watch then the Patriots. Last year Brady carried the team to the AFC Championship game with inferior receivers and a defense that was hurting and flawed. Even with all the rules in place to make the league have parity the Patriots have been the exception to the rule and so far this edition of the Patriots looks unstoppable. Someone said to me that "They haven't played any good teams" and my answer is there any good team compared to the Patriots this year. Still there is a target on their backs as I believe that any team that beats the Patriots can point to that as there best game of the year. It's funny even though the Colts are playing well and won the Super Bowl last year, the team everyone is watching is the Patriots.


Metamorpho Year One #1 (of 6) - Published by DC Comics
Dan Jurgens Story and Layouts & Jesse Delperdang Finishes.

There is essentially nothing wrong with the execution of this book, yet I'm dropping it after only one issue. Dan Jurgens is a good writer and knows how to layout a comic. I prefer Norm Rapmund's finishes over Dan's work, but Jesse Delperdang does a good job. The Kevin Nowlan cover is really well done.

The actual story is set in almost current time as Rex Mason is a reality TV star for Simon Stagg enterprises and they make a point to say it is being broadcast in HD. The actual origin itself remains essentially unchanged and at the end of the issue Rex is transformed by accident into Metamorpho. Simon Stagg had ordered Rex killed by Java and was left to die, but comic book circumstance led instead to his exposure to a mysterious meteor. All told in a straightforward and well rendered story, yet I'm not signing up for the rest of it.

My problems are that it is the same story and the timeframe on when this occurred is moved forward to almost just a couple of years ago. I know timelines are slippery in comics, but Metamorpho is firmly established as a hero who has been around for years and this makes it seem like Year One was just a couple of years ago. Second issue is that nothing is really changed at all. I want you to respect the origin, but have something fresh to tell us about the character (as Diggle did in Green Arrow Year One). Third with my list I have decided no more free passes for a mini-series. If the first issue does not grab me, then time to move on. If I hear that issues #2-#6 have great things happening I'll get the trade.

Net Net: Even a book that is done well can get cut if is telling me the same story I have read before.


Loki Trade Paperback - Published by Marvel
Writer Rob Rodi Artist Esad Ribic

I had heard a lot of good things about this mini-series and when the trade came out I decided that I had to try it out. I first checked with a friend and asked him if it was worth it and he said he had the hard cover, so that was enough for me to try it out.

I love picking up stuff like this and having the chance to read the entire story at one time. First off the artwork is absolutely great looking. There are moments when it is not perfect, but he portrays Loki so well in his look, that you actually start to understand how he felt around these perfect gods. Loki's gnarled teeth, lined face, pointed noise and chin, compared the the perfect Asgardians is shown as never before.

Then the actual story itself is also well done. Loki has won and is now Lord of Asgard, but still something is missing and he starts to ruminate about his life. His ultimate solution is unexpected, but is logical as the story is laid out.

Net Net: - For $12.99 you are getting a bargain, well worth your time and money.


The Punisher Presents : The Barracuda Trade Paperback- Published by Marvel Comics
Writer Garth Ennis and Artist Goran Parlov

Garth Ennis is a writer who I sometimes love and sometimes just don't really understand him at all. This is one of the latter times.

The Barracuda was an enemy of the Punisher who gave him a run for his money and ultimately it appeared the Punisher won and killed him. The popularity of this villain gave raise to him surviving unbeknownst to the Punisher and then spawning a mini-series of his adventures. Well written and solid artwork, but just juvenile humor, gore and sexual perversion for no real discernible reason. At the end of this story I guess we are supposed to be rooting for a cold blooded killer so that he and the Punisher can go toe to toe again. The joke about the Christopher Walken like mob boss, the overly endowed porn star and the transvestite Rambo warrior, the defrocked pedophile priest and on and on and on; are all just perverse cartoon characters. An examination of the seedier side of people with a reason for why the story is going there is fine, but this is just fanboy excess and worries me on some level why some fans revel in this type of trash.

Net Net: - Professionally done, just not something I enjoyed or needed to read. Save you $17.99.