Comic vs. Video Game Showdown #6

I took a short break from Comic vs. Video Game Showdown. But I'm back on schedule. I had a lot of response from Aquaman vs. Gyarados, and I'm so glad so many took part. So without further ado:

Marvel's Immortal Iron Fist versus Street Fighter's Ryu!

Iron Fist has immense powers! He plunged his fist into the molten heart of the dragon Shou-Lao the Undying. He has super human strength, speed, stamina, durability and reflexes can all be heightened when focused. He can also focus his his energy into his fists, given them glow, and also makes them "like iron" great for punching through things (and people).

Ryu is the main character of the Street Fighter games, possessing extreme strength, reflexes and agility. Both are trained in martial arts, but Ryu holds no "immortal" abilities.

It's up to you to decide how this fight will go! Comment right here, tag @thecomicblog or @tommygamerblog on twitter, or on Facebook! You can be creative by giving a description of the fight, or just give me the name of who you vote to win. Thanks everyone!

Comic Vs. Video Game Showdown #5 results

Your votes are in, and against all my best wishes:

Here's the deal folks, in any showdown featuring a Pokemon, I am going to choose the Pokemon over the comic character. In these types of battles, consider me the Pokemon Master. So, you know how much it sucks to lose with an awesome Pokemon like Gyarados. It's hard for the master to admit defeat.

But defeat is mine. Aquaman was immune to Gyarados's water based attacks, and was too fast a swimmer for a recharging attack like Hyper Beam. Gyarados lies fainted before me, as I call him back to his Pokeball and high tail it to the nearest Pokemon Centre.

Make sure you stay tuned for more Comic Vs. Video Game showdown on twitter with @thecomicblog and @tommygamerblog  and on Facebook, and of course, right back here! And don't forget, I need your votes to make this happen, or else it's just me choosing the winner and what fun is that? Also, you can't complain about the outcome if you don't participate. Thanks to everyone who voted, this one got a lot of attention!

Comic Vs. Video Game Showdown #5

It's time for the showdown to head to the sea. So it's pretty obvious who the comic character is, less obvious who the video game character could be!

That's right! Put all you Aquaman jokes aside for this one, he's up against one serious Pokemon: Gyarados!

Aquaman is actually pretty remarkable. His ability to survive in the deepest of oceans makes him a serious contender. His most notable power is his ability so mind control any marine animal. But beyond that he can also withstand machine gun fire. He can swim as amazing speeds, and has super human strength and durability. He's tough, and although he could summon a massive army of sharks to eat Gyarados, let's keep it within reason.

Gyarados is one Pokemon I think everyone still remembers. He's a badass angry sea serpent. That fact may seem like a disadvantage, that Aquaman could just mind control Gyarados. But let's be honest, a Pokemon can only obey his owner! For the sake of this fight let's assume Gyarados knows the following moves: Hyper Beam, Surf, Dragon Rage, Hydro Cannon. Beyond his moves, he is also an avid swimmer, able to create whirlpools. He is a fast swimmer and a vicious fighter.

So, remember, YOU decide the outcome here, not me! I have no control over who wins! So, who will it be? Reply in the comments below, or to the hashtag #ComicVsVideoGameShowdown under @thecomicblog and @tommygamerblog and of course, Facebook! (Remember to click LIKE while you're there)

Comic Vs. Video Game Showdown #4 Results

Apparently these two entities are not very popular. I had assumed that fact alone, when pitted against each other, would draw some attention. Three votes in total, with a vote of two to one:

It seems that Galactus' need to feast on planets had its drawbacks again. Since the Reapers had taken over the galaxy, they sort of just...over took the big guy when he was too weak to fight. No one said the Reapers were fair.

I was really stoked for this one. I'm getting ready for the next one as soon as the results here are posted. Please take the 5 seconds to vote, in the comments below, on twitter by replying to @tommygamerblog and @thecomicblog or on facebook. Get pumped for the next Showdown!

Comic vs. Video Game Showdown #4

An epic universe destroying battle between Mass Effect's Reapers and Marvel's Galactus!

The Reapers from the Mass Effect Universe are a sentient race that purges the galaxy of all life every 50,000 years. They have a massive army of ships capable of destroying entire planets with enough focus. They also posses the technology to take living creatures and turn them into husks with heightened powers who will obey any command. I won;t go into detail about how Commander Shepard takes care of the reapers, but I can so it's not something Galactus can just do.

Galactus is known as a world eater. He must feed to stay alive, but he can transport anything, anywhere. He can change the molecular structure of anything. There is really not much else to say other than that he is the second most powerful being in the Marvel Universe.

So, who will win? Do the reapers have enough numbers to overpower Galactus before he can use his power? Or could Galactus just teleport them galaxies away? You decide! Vote in the comments below, on twitter with @thecomicblog or on facebook!

Comic Review Off! Archer and Armstrong #1

When Valiant comics relaunched in May with X-O Manowar #1, the entire comic world turned to watch. When Valiant relaunched Harbinger #1, the same effect took action. Bloodshot #1, same effect yet again. And each time one new relaunch was getting close I told to myself I wouldn't read it. Harbinger first, my reluctance didn't last. Bloodshot next, speculation: hitching a ride in the desert. I was adamant since I first caught wind of this "Archer and Armstrong", the 4th relaunch in the "Summer of Valiant", that this one I was NOT going to read. Now if that were true, I wouldn't even be writing this right now. So was I wrong about Valiant again? Yes, and at least I'm man enough to admit it.

First thing's first, what is Archer and Armstrong? As much as I hate spoiling comics in reviews, I'm going to walk a very fine line with you here.  The story starts off in ancient Mesopotamia, right in the middle of a dilemma. A powerful artifact is about to be deployed without knowing what it does. The brother of the man trying to use this artifact tries to stop him. A short battle takes place, one thing leads to another, and BOOM, world cataclysm.

Fast forward 10,000 years, we meet Archer, a young man highly trained in all forms of martial arts. His parents have convinced him it's time to pursue his destiny and go on a holy quest to rid the world of ultimate evil. He says farewell to his many sibling, departs his secluded home, wanders the streets of New York, taking note of all of the "sin" that is strewn about on display. He is directed to a bar, where he picks a fight, and receives a helping hand from a drunk bouncer named Armstrong. But Armstrong isn't just any boozing, muscle bound bar bouncer. And Archer soon finds out his Holy mission might not be all he thought it was.

Now, I haven't read much of the original Valiant series. Furthermore, none of the original series I read were an Archer and Armstrong issue. Now that that's out of the way, I can tell you what I really think of the writing. Fred Van Lente has a real grasp on where he thinks the series should be going. Religious deception, intense fight scenes, international conspiracy that goes back 10,000 years. And all of it done with bold enthusiasm. Both of the main characters are very likable, their history is smothered in intrigue. Half of the anticipation for the next issue is wanting to find out more about what really happened decades prior, and who Archer's parents really are.

If there's one thing Valiant has proven lately is that the artwork standards on their titles are very high. Clayton Henry shows just how up for it he really is. Some action scenes in comics are a tad hard to follow, but those in A&A are stunning and realistic. Besides the high level of detail involved  in every panel, every facial expression, the colors by Matt Milla are perfect. Especially the facial expressions. It all fits in with the feel of the story, and shares hints of the ongoing "theme" of the art style in all of the new Valiant titles.

Archer and Armstrong is another perfect addition to the Summer of Valiant line-up. So fresh and delicious, the story and the art are flawless in my opinion. I tried really hard to find something I didn't like about this comic, and there's really only one thing to mention. A lot of the comic felt a bit rushed and incomplete. I had to make a double take, and not the good double take, the one where you're just not sure exactly what's going on. There was also quite a lot of ground covered in such a short space. We are introduced to so many characters and so many places and things that some of the details get left behind. The comic was a bit rushed, but I'm sure that was simply to get us involved in the story and interested enough to read the next issue. Hopefully the rushed feeling will be alleviated further down the road. And yes when I say further down the road, I really mean I'm with this series for the long run.

Story: 8.5/10
Art: 9.5/10

Comic Review Off! Thun'da #1

If there's one thing that can win over my undivided attention without question, it's dinosaurs in a comic book. It stirs something inside me that goes back to being a kid playing with dinosaur toys. Or watching Jurassic Park for the first time, or the second, third, fourth time. Well, my friends, if you feel the same nostalgia for dinos, Thun'da might just have the right amount of prehistoric creatures for you.

I love being dropped right into action in comics. Maybe you do to, but if you don't then don't buy Thun'da #1 from Dynamite Entertainment. The story starts out with a helicopter going down in flames, and our protagonist radioing a distress call. Helicopter crashes into water, and our guy is the only survivor. But when he awakens he can't remember his name. Luckily for him, and us as viewers of his unfortunate disaster, he still remembers all of his combat training. Which will come in handy, because he just crash landed in the land before time.

Suspense ensues, action and adventure, and very little reading compared to some comics. It really was a quick read, simply because there was so little actual reading to do. But even so, the little narrative all takes place inside the protagonist's head. And the lovely thing about following a character who can't remember who he is, is that we don't know who he is either. We are automatically on the journey with him, and apparently we are going to find out about who he is, but more importantly, who he will become.

Robert Place Napton does a great job scripting Thun'da. But honestly how can you go wrong? Like I said there was very little reading to do. And even though I enjoy the concept of it, I can't shake the feeling that the story has been done before. And no, not because this Thun'da is actually a remake, the original of which is actually printed at the back of this issue. I don't know enough about Turok, so feel free to correct me here, but it has a very Turok like feel to it. Man vs. Dinosaur in a mysterious land. I suppose that also bears a slight resemblance to Jurassic Park 3. It may not be the most original idea, but all in all the story is compelling, and I will probably keep reading it for that part.

The art by Cliff Richards though, is the real selling point of Thun'da. It is so appealing that even without much to go on for story, it grabbed my attention right from the start. Like I said, you can't go wrong with dinosaurs in a comic. But you really can't lose when those dinosaurs are exceptionally drawn. There's a page that involves a baby sabre tooth tiger that made me just stop and study the art work. Great attention to detail by the artist.

All in all this book was a fun read. The writer does do a great job attracting you to the character, and after reading the original Thun'da at the back of this one, he is doing a much better job than Gardner Fox did at that. I really did appreciate that the old-school Thun'da #1 was printed for my viewing pleasure. Although it begs the question, are relaunches in comics a fad now? There seem to be so many, but so many that are an improvement on the original. This one is no exception to that, but how many relaunched titles will the public gobble up? I really liked this comic, it's not much like anything I'm currently reading. It's new a fresh, and has dinosaurs. 'Nuff said! 
Story: 7/10
Art: 9/10

Comic Review Off! Gambit #1

Marvel is making it apparent that it's time to hit the reset button on some well deserving characters. They've also made it obvious that they don't want to reset these characters so much it will shoo away long time fans. Hawkeye #1 was the first example of the new direction Marvel NOW is taking, and hopefully how easy it will all be to digest. Gambit #1 is no exception.

Although Remy Lebeau has been appearing in X-men: Legacy, he has given up a lot of the spotlight lately. Needless to say, he needed a bit of attention, a little insight into his deep thoughts and dreams. Now, I've been a big fan of Gambit for many years, but have only recently truly learned who he really was. And one thing that can be hard for writers to accomplish is capturing the essence of a long beloved character. James Asmus, in my humble opinion, has done a exceptional job doing this.

Gambit #1 starts out with Remy in the shower. Settle down ladies, this is a pg rated comic. Yes, Remy is in the shower, but he's also spilling his guts to you, the reader. Telling us how he needed some time away from all the hustle and bustle of the X-men to rediscover his roots. Those specific of his many roots are the thieving roots he's so famous for. He admits he is a bit rusty when it comes to breaking in to peoples treasures, but the action that ensues really shows how skillful he still is. Along with his famous thievery skills, he also gets a chance to flaunt his lady-killing skills. We all know he's a lady charmer, and why should he stop now? There's something subtle the ladies love about Mr. Lebeau, and the art style really captures that side of him

The artwork is just great. Slick and clean, professional and beautiful, Clay Mann does an excellent job penciling in this book. From the action sequences to the facial expressions, all of the artists involved know how to communicate the feel of the story.

The only problem I had was with the main action scene in the comic, the one where Gambit is trying to do some robbing. Some of the panels, although well drawn, are a bit hard to follow from on to the next. I like to use my imagination a lot, but there were just some panels I wasn't sure exactly what was happening. But really, there wasn't a whole lot of those moments. And when they come right before the astounding cliff hanger of the final page, one quickly forgets the small flaws of the previous pages.

A really well done comic that stays true to the character, and shows just how much weight he has to hold down his own series. The cliffhanger at the end of every comic is an essential element to keep the readers coming back. The final panel that Asmus leaves us with is, in fact, exactly what the final cliffhanger should be. I will be returning to Gambit! 
Story: 8.5/10
Art 8/10

Comic Vs. Video Game Showdown #3 Results!

On Sunday I left you with a great match up between two strong lead female characters, Final Fantasy XIII's Lightning versus the amazing Wonder Woman. They went head to head, but alas:

It would seem that Wonder Woman's strength along with her bulletproof bracelets proved too much for Lightning. She may have been fast, but here gun proved useless against WW's bracelets, and the sword was not much of an improvement. Lightning couldn't gain enough of an upper hand to call her faithful steed to aid here, and Wonder Woman ultimately brought Lightning down with the lasso of truth.

Once again, I wish I could animate these battles, but use your imagination, I know you've got one. Thank you all for voting, this week I received the most votes so far! Let's keep the trend going, tell you friends, retweet on twitter and share on facebook! The next Showdown will be announced tomorrow, Sunday August 12th!

Comic vs. Video Game Showdown #3

I'm having a ton of fun coming up with these matchups and plotting out the fight in my head. I hope you're all with me on this one. This weeks showdown is between two powerful female lead characters:

Final Fantasy XIII's leading lady Lightning vs. the Amazonian Wonder Woman!

Lightning posses many unique abilities and weaponry. In her regular state she carries Blaze Edge, a gun that doubles as a sword. Neither component of which is just a regular weapon. She also wears an amulet that allows her superhuman strength and speed. She has a wide variety of ranged and melee attacks. In her special gestalt mode, she can summon Odin, who carries dual blades. She can command him to transform into a horse, in which case he hands his large blades off to her. She is a cold, hard beauty with amazing talents.

Wonder Woman also comes fully equipped with unique weapons, most of which having to do with Greek mythology. She wears bulletproof bracelets which she can smash together to put out a shock wave. She also uses the Lasso of Truth, which she uses makes it's captives tell the truth. It may sound lame, but it can be used to tie down her foes. She is a master strategist, acrobat, and highly trained in martial arts. She has super strength and wisdom, and is really not of this world.



So, who is going to win? The powerful lead lady, or the powerful lead lady? You decide! Vote in the comments below, on twitter @tommygamerblog and @thecomicblog or on facebook. Results will be posted on saturday, and the next showdown announced in a weeks time. Remember, these showdowns rely on your votes to decide the winner!

CVSVGSD #2 Results

On Sunday, July 29th I pitted The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim's main character, Dovahkiin, or Dragonborn against the demi-god from Asgard and Avenger, Thor. The votes are in, and it would seem that Skyrim is a very popular game, indeed:

I wish I could animate these battles but here's a summary. Dragonborn wore heavy armor and swung the heaviest warhammer available in the game. He called a thunderstorm and became invulnerable to Thor's lighting. He called a dragon to keep Thor grounded, threw him around with Unrelenting Force, froze him solid with frost breath and took him down with the Daedric Warhammer. Watch out Avengers, Dovahkiin is a force not easily reckoned with!

The next Comic vs. Video Game Showdown will be announced tomorrow. I've got a ton of these, and I really want everyone to get involved. Please take the 5 seconds it will take to cast your vote in the comments here, on twitter with @tommygamerblog and @thecomic blog or on facebook. Thanks!

Before Watchmen of July

The second month in to the controversial Before Watchmen series in now behind us. I did a quick review of each book in June, and now you get to read me do it again for July! I think we get how this works. Here is what we saw:

Ozymandias #1: There are very few words to say about this comic. Jae Lee's artwork in this comic was astonishing. As soon as I picked the book up I was hooked. As you would expect a comic about the smartest man in the world it was a pretty heavy read at times. But I'm not going to complain. The art and script married perfectly and went on a their honeymoon. Although a lot of what was covered in this comic was touched on in the original Watchmen, it was great to see it elaborated on. This was my favorite book in the series so far. Script 10/10 Art 10/10

Minutemen #2: I really wanted to like it as much as the first, but the art had some inconsistencies that bothered me. I think Cooke is trying to match his style to the original series, but some of it seemed a bit rushed. Some of the humor was a bit cliche, but I think it is because it is set so much further behind than the other books in Before Watchmen. Overall though, the story is progressing, maybe a bit slower than I would normally like, but it's heading in the right direction. Script 8/10 Art 7/10

Silk Spectre #2: Was as well done as the first. It's goes deeper into the hippy and drug culture that she got herself mixed up in, and the origin of how she really started fighting crime. There are some cameos of some big stars from the 60's, and it was cool to see how they incorporated real history into the fiction. The art is stunning, bright and colorful and nails the mood on the head. Script 9/10 Art 9/10

Comedian #2: just as I found in the first one, the story is a bit jumpy to me, tries to be discreet and cover a lot of ground at the same time. And even though I know Comedian was the type of guy who had a lot of one-liners and such, I think it was a bit played up in this one. It was like a big show. But I can't really blame Azzarello, Comedian had a lot of coverage in Watchmen. Trying to add history that no one has read before can be a bit challenging. And that's the sort of thing that will only fuel the fires of the ones in opposition of Before Watchmen. It could be said that since there is so much fluff here, the series is not needed. But, the art is phenomenal and the story, although fluffy, is taking us down the right path, I hope. Script 8/10 Art 9/10

Comic vs. Video Game showdown #2 7/29/12

The second in my weekly installment of Comic vs. video game showdown, the brawl where we pit two characters, who would normally never meet, against each other. Their strengths, weaknesses and special abilities are taken into account. But I need you to vote for who you want to win, and if you can, tell me why you chose the character you did. Without further ado: (slight spoiler ahead)

 From the Elder Scrolls: Skyrim, the hero of the world, born of dragons blood, Dovahkiin, the Dragonborn himself versus Thor, the demi-god of thunder from Asgard.


Dovahkiin is Dragonborn, born with dragons blood in his veins, carries an unusual ability, one that dragons themselves carry: he can speak words of power into existence. There are words in the dragon tongue to summon thunder storms, a flying dragon, fire breath, ice breath, an unrelenting invisible force, an incredible dash, a sap on life force, and slowing down time to name a few. He has above average strength, and for the sake of this fight, he will wear what my Dovahkiin wears, heavy Daedric armor, swings a heavy two-handed warhammer, and also possesses destruction and healing magic. He has conquered the most powerful dragon of all time, the world eating Alduin. His is a force to be reckoned with.

Thor also has a unique ability: he is the only one who can use the hammer of Thor. He has god-like strength, has the ability to fly and can summon lighting and thunder storms. He swings his hammer with destructive force, and throws it just as hard. He can call his hammer back to him when thrown, and as stated before, is the only one who can lift it. He will not be taken easily.

So, who do you think can win? Comment on this post to vote, or follow @tommygamerblog and @thecomicblog and reply to tweets under the hashtag #comicvsvideogameshowdown to vote. The winner will be announced on Saturday!

Showdown: Batman vs Link results 7/28/12

The showdown between Batman and Link from the Legend of Zelda has ended. I wouldn't be lying if I said I thought it would have been a much closer result. Batman was certainly the fan favorite, but Link stood a real good chance against him. Over the years, Link has faced many foes. From Flying dragons, sea serpents, giant spiders, ghosts, phantoms, giant wild boars, and the most evil enemy of all time Ganondorf. Batman has been around much much longer, and has faced many difficult situations. Physical and psychological villains alike, Batman has faced giant brutes and his darkest fears.  I was really rooting for Link in this fight:

But it would seem that Batman's popularity has won this fight. Link only received two votes, one of which was mine. Despite being faster and more agile than Batman, and having the master sword and hylian shield, he was no match for Batman's combat training and brute strength.

The next showdown is going to be a good one! I've got a ton of matchups already written out, so stay tuned on twitter with @thecomicblog and @tommygamerblog and of course, right here! Thanks to everyone that took part, let's get this thing going even further!

Comic vs. Video Game Showdown 7/23/2012

This week is the first of many weeks I will be featuring a Comic book character versus a video game character. Trying to create even match-ups isn't as easy as it sounds, but I've come up with 30 so far. I will be posting weekly via this blog, and my two twitter accounts @tommygamerblog and @thecomicblog and asking for votes. You can vote by replying to the blog post, or by replying to the twitter post hashtagged #comicvsvideogameshowdown. Are you ready for the first of many show downs?

The Legend of Zelda's Hero of Time himself, Link. He has been equipped with many different tools and weapons over the years, but for the sake of this contest we'll stick to the main ones: Gale Boomerang, Bombs, Bow and Arrow, Hookshot, Master Sword, and Hylian Shield. He carry's a lot of ranged weaponry, including explosives, but also the Master Sword for melee, and the Hylian shield for defense. He's very agile, good at dodging attacks, and quick between making attacks. He may not be strong, but he makes up for strength in agility.

Gotham city's hero, the dark knight himself, Batman. He's a rich guy with lots of tools and weapons, and years of combat training. For the sake of this contest he will be equipped with Batarangs, Explosive gel, Bat-hook, and of course, his suit, which also acts as a weapon in some cases. He is fast, powerful, and extremely intelligent.

So, who will win and why? I want to hear your thoughts! Results will be announced after votes are taken on Saturday, and next weeks match-up will be announced next monday. Let's GO!

Review of Before Watchmen: June

I met DC's controversial Before Watchmen series with open arms. Many people didn't. To each their own, but I'm just jotting down my honest thoughts of BF thus far, feel free to disagree. I base my reviews of comics based on a few things. 1) Artwork. Is it sloppy? Is it clean? 2) Story. Do I find myself scratching my head at every page? Am I compelled to continue reading this series? Are any emotions stirred inside my cold dark heart while I read? 3) Do the art and story match up? Is the art amazing and the story dull? Is the story compelling but the art convoluted? Now you know my guidelines, let us continue.

The first strike, Before Watchmen: Minutemen #1
Honestly, this was the one series I was least excited for. Was being the key word. I will tell you I was most excited for Nite Owl, Rorschach, and Dr. Manhattan. After all is said and done, I might have to rearrange them. Minutemen was drawn simply, yet sophisticated. The story was well drawn out, each character was given pretty equal page-time. It wasn't rushed like you might expect. I will definitely suggest minutemen! 9 out of 10

Second: The Silk Spectre #1
I was absolutely blown away by this comic. So well drawn, I could hardly believe it. The story is about a young girl, and could be identified with chick-flicks, but with enough action for guys to dig. It was well paced out, at no point was I left unfilled. Highly recommend this! 10 out of 10

Third: The Comedian #1
This one left me intrigued, but a bit disappointed. It was well drawn with a great story line, but I felt like I was missing a couple of pages. Looking back it mostly all makes sense, but I wanted those 2 extra pages! And the Comedian should have been the one with the best back story. The problem is that so much of his back story was covered in the original Watchmen series. I give this one a 7.5 out of 10

Lastly: Night Owl #1
I thought this issue was a mess. So much ground was covered in so few pages. Dan goes from being 17 years old in the beginning to being paired up with Rorschach by the end. Much too rushed for my liking. These are prequel stories, to expand on the history! They should never just be to be. Although it is well drawn and no collection of BF is complete without it, I give it a 6 out of 10.

Creator VS. Publisher

I hope you've been keeping up to date on the controversy revolving DC comics and the new Before Watchmen series. I don't want to get in to a bunch of boring details so here it is in short form. DC comics owns the Watchmen series, created by Alan Moore, and illustrated by Dave Gibbons in the mid 1980's. They own the series based on a contract drawn up for Moore that states ownership would revert back to Moore after Watchmen went out of print. It never went out of print and DC has been rolling in the dough for years, against Moore's wishes. Creators and creator sympathisers claim Dc "tricked" Moore out of ownership. Moore also objected to the production of the Watchmen movie in 2009. Moore also detests the Before Watchmen series, calling DC shameless. Gibbons, on the other hand, has given his blessing thus far.

So what's the problem, and who's in the wrong here? Is this a case of the big bad publisher versus poor writer? Or a case of children fighting over a toy? I for one can sympathise with Moore. He had a vision for the series. It had a beginning and an end. And I'm sure you've heard this very argument regurgitated over and over again. But I agree in a sense. Watchmen made its point in 12 issues, and left the series with no possible furtherance. Watchmen was phenomenally written and illustrated. But does the fact that it was well written with a beginning and end mean that the history of the Watchmen universe shouldn't be explored?

I see no reason why it shouldn't. The argument that it's not needed is beside the point. Is anything needed? Watchmen in itself wasn't needed. But it's there. And it shows history. But not all of it. I for one am very interested in the prequels. I want to delve further into the history of what Moore created. That being said, I am disappointed the series went ahead without Moore. As, I'm sure, most people are.

The Watchmen is held in such high regard by almost everyone who has ever read a comic book, that taking on the prequels was probably a very daunting task. These talented people all hold Watchmen in high regards and want to do nothing that would harm the integrity of the series. So far, they have done just that. Minutemen #1 was so refreshing, I think I sighed that sigh of relief we all love when I read the final page. Anything DC does with this series that is short of great, would obviously be met with much more scrutiny than it already has. Not only would the creator enthusiasts have more wood for their fire of constant grumbling, but the ones who were excited for BW would also be enraged.

So back to the dilemma, did DC trick Moore? Or is this a case of "That's MYYYYY toy!". I think it can be summed up just like that! "Here's a toy Alan" "thanks! It's my favourite!" "Hey we need to share that, it's the rules!" "But I don't wanna share, it's mine! You can't use it like that!" "But we have to follow the rules". Fact here is, Moore made the Watchmen, for DC comics. They series was so popular it never went out of print. DC owns it due to this. DC is upholding the contract. If Moore didn't like handing over ownership, he should have taken it to an indie publisher that let him keep ownership. Pretty plain and simple. What do you think? Follow me on twitter and let's talk! @thecomicblog

Can you EVER be satisfied with your comic collection?

I just had a thought. My comic collection, compared to 6 months ago, is pretty great. Am I satisfied with it? No. Am I anywhere near a completed series? No, again. Am I still ecstatic about my comics? You bet yer ass!

But I find myself always caught up with filling in the holes. I'm still very new to comics. That being said, I started collecting in January 2012, and currently own 333 issues. Needless to say I get a little excited about my hobby. I would seem to myself much further ahead if I had stuck with 4 or 5 main series to collect. That's where it started. But now, as I discover new series, new creators and characters, I find myself pulling 16 titles currently, probably adding 2 more, and am set to pull all 7 of the Before Watchmen series.

Maybe you can be satisfied with your comics. But as far as I can tell, most series release once a month. Some more, some a bit less. That says to me that the majority of readers and collectors can't get enough. I know that's just the way it's always been. But seeing as sales have dropped so drastically, I'd say it's the one thing brining people back. The constant hunger for the next issue, or the last 129 that you're missing.

I'm rambling now. The point is, I don't think I will ever be satisfied with my comic collection. Happy with it? Absolutely. Done with it? Never. Tommy, out.

Noobs

Being new to a hobby, any hobby, can come with its fair share of hardships. From making financial blunders when collecting, to being on the receiving end of scrutiny from long time knowledgeable hardcore hobby hipsters, it can be overwhelming. Learning the ins and outs of a collecting hobby can mean long hours of research. For people with jobs, family, and other commitments, this can be very hard to accomplish. So sometimes, as a newbie, you may ask stupid questions. You may be trying to establish yourself in a community, yet finding yourself knowing less and less than you thought you did at every attempt at sounding smart. I'm not throwing a pity party for myself, but I am tired of hardcore fans in any hobby who feel the need to put down those less knowledgeable than themselves rather than lend a hand.

I have been known to be a part of many different hobbies, from Herpetoculture (the care and breeding of reptiles), Music, Pokemon Cards, Gaming, to my most recent addition, Comic Book Collecting. All of these hobbies patrons consist of three types of people. Those more-hardcore-than-thou who believe if you don't know as much as they do, you are not a real fan. They laugh at noobs. Although they are knowledgeable, they are full of themselves. They are my least favourite part of any hobby. There are those who have been in the business for so long, they know so much, and all they really want is to pass what they know on to the next generation. They see noobs and want to help them along their way. These are my favourite people to associate with, although they make up the minority of the hobbies population. Lastly, there are the people who are in the hobby for themselves, and keep to themselves. Any politics, dilemmas, or controversies are of no concern to them. These people are fine, too. I have respect for the ones who just want to enjoy their hobby and keep to themselves.

I pretty much just told you what you already knew. But nonetheless I felt the need to vent my frustrations here. Hell, as I'm addressing you, you may not even exist. All I know is, I want to know more about comic books. I love the lore involved. I love how writers have created worlds that, when jumping in halfway, make you feel welcome, but also drive home a desire to read every issue prior, and probably every issue after. I know one cannot simply read every comic series ever, but it is a tempting idea if your wallet allows it.

Back to point, don;t be a hipster douchebag. Don't be the person who needs to belittle newcomers and those less in-the-know. Be the wise one, who passes on knowledge without condescending. Or be the one who keeps to themselves. Either way, don;t be "that" guy. Thanks. Tommy out.

Avengers movie...plus Amazing Spider-man movie...coincidence?

I had a strange, yet tempting thought yesterday. We all know Marvel's "The Avengers" movie hits tomorrow in North America. We already know its going to be great. We also know there is going to be a new Spider-man movie, this time without Toby Maguire (a sigh of relief). But we already know the origin of Spidey, we covered that in the first Spider-Man movie. So why now? Why recreate and recast the series? Well if you are familiar with the current comic book series of the Avengers, you would know Spider-Man joined them. Yes, Peter Parker is in the Avengers now.

That's where my ears perked up. Could the Avengers 2 (God please let this be a real thing) feature the joining of Spider-Man? How awesome would that be?

Then I got thinking even further, who else could join them? Could the next Hulk movie be about Red Hulk? Or She-Hulk? The possibilities! I'm getting goosebumps just thinking about it!

Then after Avengers 2, let's get an Avengers X-men Crossover movie and make my life complete! Tommy out

Suggestion to the Calgary Expo Organizers

I know anyone can read this, and I am sure someone else will, but for the sake of the post, please note it is directed towards the group of people who organize the Calgary Comic and Entertainment Expo. As I am sure you are aware, this past weekend, April 27-29 2012, was a bit of a disaster. The show was over sold. The building was stuffed. Admissions were shut down by the fire marshal.  I am not sure at exactly what time, but I know a lot of people personally that waited 3 to 4 hours just to be turned away. Most of them were advance ticket holders. I heard no real news of refunds. But I do know, most of the people who had advance tickets were from out of town. Some booked hotels, took time off work to travel to Calgary just to be turned away with nothing. But I'm sure you've heard it all, and probably in much less polite terms. So, the question is, how much damage has this past weekend done to the reputation of the largest comic expo in Canada?

If you ask me, I will be there next year. I will be very early, but I will be there. But how many people from far out of town are going to risk  a waste of money again? Or how many of them are going to go with the same idea as I, and over crowd the venue even earlier? I think it's quite obvious the venue needs to expand for this. I don't know the building very well, but I really think it needs to be spread out to the point there are 3 designated entrances, 1 for VIP's, who can get in earlier, 1 for advance ticket holders, and 1 for general admission. There should be a designated area for food only. Not only was the food court stuffed, but it was were everyone entered the building, and where everyone lined up for photos and autographs. The lines were mixed, and enormous. Besides that, there were concessions open in the back of the trade show area, stuffed behind booths, making solid lines, and people sitting on the floor in any open area to eat.

I know you know it goes beyond question the expo needs more space. Expand into the entire BMO centre, but also take over the big four building. I think its obvious the demand is there. Perhaps holding autographs and photos in there would open up a lot of the BMO and allow room for lines and more chairs and tables.

I am also pretty sure I am just a drop in the ocean right now, so now I'm getting to my main suggestion. It has to do with drawing back the out of town crowd who are all pissed. You can expand the venue as much as you want, but if you don't make multiple, large announcements about it, via website, social networks, and TV (news, ads, etc.) no one is going to be the wiser. Make sure your fans KNOW you understand you made a mistake last time, and that you are taking every measure to ensure it does not happen again. But, all of this should point to one thing: a map.

Make a map of the stampede grounds in use. Highlight the areas you used in 2012, in description, then highlight  in a different colour the areas you have expanded in to. Point every outlet to the map. Then further down the road, release a detailed map of where everything will be this year and describe the changes made. If you tell everyone by any means possible, and SHOW everyone how you're fixing it, you WILL retain your fans. You don't need me to tell you how to organize the venue, but please, consider my suggestion. Make it so well known that no one can miss it, and I'm sure you will draw a much larger crowd next year. Be ready for that. Tommy, out.