Graphic Novel Reviews: The Dark Knight 0

The Story

After his parent's death, Bruce spends years trying to find the meaning behind their murder. He grows up, goes to school, graduates, always trying to find the reason behind his parents deaths. He reasons that someone must be responsible. His father was a powerful man that stepped on a lot of toes. But once Bruce tracks their killer, Joe Chill, down he discovers the man to be a drunk. Not a mob killer, an assassin, or a gunman. The reason his parents died is because one man was down on his luck and needed some money to buy another bottle. His world view shattered, Bruce sets out to find meaning in the world, beginning the training that would lead to him becoming Batman.

The Review
This story has been repeated to exhaustion. The horse is no longer just dead, it's been resurrected and kept alive long enough for its flesh to rot away in undead putrification. THEN they started beating it again.

Graphic Novel Reviews: Catwoman 0

The Story

After being caught stealing, a young Selina Kyle is offered a job in the Mayor's office as part of a program to help street children. While searching through her file in the data base she finds that Selina Kyle is an alias, along with a different name, written in Russian. The man who gave her the position finds out she searched her file, and tries to get her to forget about it. When she refuses he pushes her off the building. Somehow she comes back to life and tries to track down information on her would be killer, only to discover that she was never in the database.

The Review
You know what annoys me more than the fact that New 52 Catwoman's backstory is a variation on both movie versions, it's the fact that this issue introduces a mystery that we have no idea when it will be resolved. It's the fact that suddenly she has super powers. Or at least that's what we're meant to assume? And the mysterious past is probably linked to those powers.

Comic Reviews: Attack of the Deranged Mutant Killer Snow Goons

This marks my last review of an individual Calvin and Hobbes collection. As of this most recent Black Friday I find myself the proud owner of the complete collection in paperback, except a review shortly. By which I mean abandon all hope to ever see it, and then be surprised when it finally does come out.

There are two reasons why this collection is a must have, well, three. The first being that if you don't have the complete collection then you need this volume.

The second reason is that this collection contains one of the quintessential, and the best, Calvin and Hobbes stories. Attack of the Deranged Mutant Killer Monster Snow Goons is possibly one of my favorite stories. It's the first time that there was a legitimate threat in the series story. Granted, it was all in Calvin's head, but as we are seeing the story in his reality the Goons were as much of a threat as he wanted them to be. And there's something really cool about evil snowmen. Well, except for all the other times it's been done before. Still, there's something fun about the idea of a snowman zombie apocalypse.

Cartoon Reviews: My Little Pony Friendship is Magic Episodes 53 – 54 - The Crystal Empire

The Story
When the Crystal Empire returns after vanishing for a thousand years, Princess Celestia sends Twilight and her friends to help Shining Armor and Cadence protect the crystal ponies from King Sombra, an evil unicorn who once ruled the Crystal Empire.

Editorials: The DC Valentine Special

Ah, love, the thing I despise most in all the world. And never am I more the Grinch than upon St Valentine's feast. So imagine my confusion, when confronted with the thing I hate most and the thing I love most. That's right, this February DC will be publishing a Valentine's special (possibly as part of their nefarious Superman/Wonder Woman push), and Batman will be involved. Better yet, Catwoman will be sharing his story, as DC finally acknowledges the pairing after a good year or so. Though, I am amused by the synopsis for their story:

Following the events of “Death in the Family,” how can Catwoman ease Batman’s troubled soul? 

I'm going to say, yes, yes she can. And it's probably going to look something like the end of Catwoman 001. 

Still, I'm not one to look a pairing gift horse in the mouth, even if that horse wants me to put $7.99 in there first. 

Take a look at the summaries, and let me know if there's anything you're excited for or disappointed about..

Editorials: Darth Vader to Return?

Well then, the Star Wars rumor mill has certainly taken a spin for the worse. According to my highly reliable internet sources Vader might be returning for the new movies. A quote from an unnamed source states that:

“He’s an integral part of the franchise. Replacing him is virtually impossible. The plan is for him to return and play a significant role in the new films. This is science fiction remember, Darth Vader will rise from the ashes.”

While that is a valid point, few things are outside the realm of possibility in science fiction and fantasy, what this quote reveals is a lack of understanding of the Star Wars franchise. The first six movies were very much Anakin's story, from his fall to his redemption. Bringing Vader back, after his story was concluded, reveals that not only is the crew in charge of the new movies not confident enough in their own ideas, but they are willing to dig up resolved plot lines to cover up that lack of confidence.

I am almost confident that bringing Vader back into the game could be the game breaker for this new trilogy. Or, I've got a bad feeling about this.

Editorials: Star Wars VII Has a Writer

According to various sources around the internet, Michael Arndt, screenwriter for Toy Story 3 will be writing the screen play for the upcoming Star Wars movie. Not much is known at the moment, except that apparently Arndt has put together a treatment for the next upcoming Star Wars movies. This makes me hopeful, that they are planning the movies at the same time, which with any luck will result in a more coherent trilogy.

I have to say this development has raised my hopes for the upcoming Star Wars movies. Toy Story 3 was a well written and wonderfully entertaining family movie, and while Star Wars is a slightly different beast than a movie about living toys, I think that family movie element Arndt has already proven he can write will be a crucial part of this upcoming trilogy.

The most lucrative type of movie is the family movie, and after the amount Disney spent to purchase the Star Wars franchise it can only help for the new movie to be as successful as possible. While I doubt Disney would shut down the franchise after one flop, it's too resilient for that, it would give their future plans a definite boost.

Overall I'm optimistic, a good writer most likely means a good movie. Sure there are exceptions, but no point being pessimistic just now.

Stuff You Should Buy

If there's one thing that Amazon Prime has taught me, it's that shipping charges are the only thing keeping me from spending all my money on dvd and blu-ray sets. That being said, here's some cheap blu-rays for you.

Firefly: The Complete Series [Blu-ray] - $18.49

For some reason I didn't own this series yet, borrowed it from friends when I watch it. But at just eighteen dollars for the blu-ray I have no excuse for not owning this.

Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood - Complete Collection One [Blu-ray] - $29.99
Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood - Complete Collection Two [Blu-ray] - $29.99

If you like the Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, and haven't bought the individual collections yet, this is literally the cheapest you could get the entire series. Keep in mind that the individual sets were around fifty bucks a piece. Of course they're cheaper on Amazon, but if you want the whole series this is the perfect time.

One Piece: Collection One - $18.96

Speaking of individual collections...I'm starting to wish I hadn't started buying the individual voyages for One Piece, because these collections are so very, very affordable. Curse my collector soul!

That's about it for now. If you find any other good deals on Amazon, let me know in the comments.