Wednesday, July 11, 2012

Tracie's Pull List - Week of July 11, 2012 (plus a "Why So Skeptical?" rant)


For the record, I loved Amazing Spider-Man. LOVED it. I've seen it twice now so I can confirm that that's not just the new movie glow clouding my judgement. It definitely resonated with me on levels I wasn't expecting and I think it's a very smartly done reboot and I can't wait to see these people come back and do it again in two years.

Now, it feels like the only thing we fanpersons have to live for in the movie world is The Dark Knight Rises, next week. I've seen weird reactions from both close friends and internet stalking victims. I thought we were all on the same page with this you guys. Remember how much we loved Batman Begins and what a glorious breath of fresh air it was for both the Batman franchise and comic book movies in general? Then remember when The Dark Knight happened and completely change the landscape and all of a sudden a dude can dress in a cape and mask and still have his movie be legitimized as art and get nominated for awards and bring in insane amounts of money? It was like the culmination of everything we've been working towards as comic fans to show people that we're not just trapped in some sort of state of perpetual childhood, that there are actually compelling stories to be told with these characters that can and should be enjoyed by everyone and not those with a predilection for people in tights.

So then what happened to where all of a sudden we're just... not sure about this Dark Knight Rises movie? Why. So. Skeptical? I hear concerns about Anne Hathaway as Catwoman which make me feel as though you've never seen an Anne Hathaway movie that didn't have the word "Princess" in it or maybe that you've just never seen her, period, or maybe don't know what beautiful, intelligent women look like. That's certaily a possibility. Then there's all this being iffy on Bane stuff which is fine I guess but I, myself, don't get it because I think he looks and sounds scary as hell. I mean, I'm sorry he's not covered in tubes full of mutant juice, dressed in a luchador outfit. That's all well and fine for comic books and Schumacher movies but that's not the world Nolan has built here. Clearly you must understand by now, there have BEEN two movies, and this is a very particular world that has been set up very carefully and there are things that don't work in this reality like they do in the comics but that doesn't make them any less valid. Nothing about these films has been about being a slave to canon. We've seen enough different versions of Batman by now to realize they all have their place, they all have validity. This is Nolan's version and it's been a danged masterpiece thus far so I have no reason AT ALL to think he'll suddenly fail to stick the landing when, if anything, he's gotten better with each and every film, Bat or not Bat.

And let's please all take a moment to remember how wrong we were about Heath Ledger. Remember that? I was skeptical once, too, and I was wrong, wrong, wrong, so you know, maybe this Nolan guy knows just what the heck he's doing so let's all stop our hemming and hawing and GET EXCITED. Please.

Oh, also there's comics out this week and I want them and two of them even have Bat Men. Read on!



AvX Vs #4

Daredevil versus Psylocke by Rick Remender and Brandon Peterson! Remender has written the most interesting Psylocke stories I've read in AGES in his Uncanny X-Force series and fighting ninjas is what Daredevil does best but... psychic mutant ninjas with mind knives?? ALSO Thor versus Phoenix Frost by Kaare Andrews who has been turning in some way too computery covers on the Ultimate books so I hope this is a return to his great pencil and ink work as seen in Spider-Man: Reign or even his cartoonier stuff.

Avengers Assemble #5

A little surprised to hear that there's only 3 issues left of Bendis's run on this title but I guess if it's sole conceit was to reintroduce Thanos and the Guardians of the Galaxy to the Marvel core then I imagine it should do its job.

Avenging Spider-Man #9

Spider-Man meets the new Captain Marvel by CM writer Kelly Sue Deconnick with art by Terry Dodson? YES PLEASE. Sign me right the heck up. I'm already super psyched for Kelly Sue's Captain Marvel series and I think launching it through a higher-profile book like this is a GREAT idea and the preview pages look like so much fun.

Batman #11

"The Court of Owls" concludes! Last issue already stirred up a lot of debate here at CBXF, let's see what this issue has in store.

Batman And Robin #11

What isn't up for debate is how much we love this book and especially this current story featuring all of the Robins being total jerk siblings to each other. It's just lovely is what it is. I missed this family dynamic between the Waynes and Wayne wards.

Before Watchmen Minutemen #2

Robb may not have been too impressed with the first issue but I think this one's going to be a slow burn and that's fine. We're getting what I figured the conceit behind Before Watchmen was meant to be (aside from MAKING MONEY), we're getting backstory for characters and events that were never fleshed out in the original series. We saw bits and pieces of the Minutemen but here we are getting in on the ground floor and seeing the formation of the team with hints toward the events we know from Watchmen and more that we don't. Also, Darwyn Cooke is a genius at comics.

Buffy The Vampire Slayer Season 9 #11

A new chapter in the life of Buffy Summers! No longer a one-armed robot, it is time to Get It Together. Also: Kennedy!

Captain America #14

Poor Dennis. Poor, poor Dennis.

Dark Avengers #177

Big problems for the time-lost Thunderbolts and just what the heck is with the Dark Avengers? WHAT, I ASK.

Defenders #8

JAMIE MCKELVIE JOINS DEFENDERS AS NEW ARTIST AND THAT IS JUST THE BEST NEWS GUYS, REALLY and this is tied with Iron Man for my favorite Fraction book at Marvel right now so I'm hoping it remains untouched when Fraction wraps up Iron Man and Thor.

Mega Man #15

Mega Man must thwart a terrorist plot by an anti-robot/pro-human group and this is seriously way too good a book for a children's video game comic published by Archie.

New Avengers #28

AVENGERS PRISON BREAK! I've been so into the Iron Fist/Phoenix history lesson this book became, I hope I can adjust to it being about the New Avengers again.

Spider-Men #3

OH WHAT I GET ANOTHER ISSUE ALREADY THANK YOU BRIAN AND SARA. Peter and Miles versus ALL OF THE ROGUES.

Swamp Thing #11

It seems a minor printing error kept this book from shipping last week like it was supposed to so here we are with part 2 of Anton Arcane's introduction to the New 52 and a shocking last page is promised! I expect Snyder and company to deliver in spades.

Uncanny X-Force #27

X-Force gets a new member! Then bad things happen to EVERYONE.

Wolverine And The X-Men #13

Gladiator and the Shi'ar Death Commandos versus The Phoenix! My favorite X-Book infuses me with happiness!

'Til next time. Excelsior!

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