Welcome, Guest. Please login or register.
March 28, 2024, 05:20:00 PM

Login with username, password and session length

Search:     Advanced search
we're back, baby
*
Home Help Search Login Register
f13.net  |  f13.net General Forums  |  General Discussion  |  Comics  |  Topic: Quick reviews (Toe Tags, New Thunderbolts, Armor X) 0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.
Pages: [1] Go Down Print
Author Topic: Quick reviews (Toe Tags, New Thunderbolts, Armor X)  (Read 6401 times)
Velorath
Contributor
Posts: 8980


on: March 17, 2005, 05:07:54 PM

Toe Tags 1-6

Writer:  George Romero
Pencils: Tommy Castillo
Inks:  Rodney Ramos


If there's one thing George Romero knows, it's zombies.  Unfortunately that doesn't really show through in this comic.  Bland characters and lack of any real direction make this book often painfully dull to read through.  Nonsensical side plots, like being able to tell if someone is evil by looking at their blood under a microscope, come out of nowhere and seem to leave just as quickly.  Romero gives us an intelligent zombie as the main character (he was injected with some prototype serum that was originally designed as an alternative to cryogenics) which of course leads to the expected angst over his condition and what side he should choose.  6 issues and several plot holes later the story ends and he still doesn't have an answer.

New Thunderbolts 1-6  (will be collected as New Thunderbolts: One Step Forward

Writer:  Fabian Nicieza (with help from Kurt Busiek)
Pencils:  Tom Grummett
Inks:  Gary Erskine

One of the few Marvel books I read, New Thunderbolts picks up some months after where the first series and the Avengers/Thunderbolts mini leave off.  As before the basic story is super-villains trying to reform.  This time around we have Mach IV (formerly the Beetle) along with other original Thunderbolts Songbird (Screaming Mimi) and Atlas (Goliath) attempting to rehabilitate Blizzard, Speed Demon, Joystick, and Radioactive Man.  Also popping up is the current Captain Marvel (son of the original), and a new Swordsman.  I've always liked Thunderbolts since unlike most Marvel or DC comics it focuses heavily on characterization and characters changing and evolving.  You can do more to develop characters like the Beetle than you can with Captain America or Spider-man who have to maintain a certain status-quo.  It's a fun book, and while readers of the first series will get more out of it, it's worth picking up for new readers as well.  The artwork is also solid.  Nothing too flashy, but it gets the job done.

Armor X #1

Writer:  Keith Champagne
Artist:  Andy Smith

Picked this up just for the hell of it.  High School student Carson Deeds is an outcast.  He's beat up by bullies, and even the blind girl at school he tutors won't go to the prom with him.  So Carson decides he's going to take a shotgun to the prom and start killing people.  On his way there he comes across a sentient suit of armor which he proceeds to use to fly to the moon to test out it's powers.  The armor seems to exert some control over Carson, more or less teaching him how to use it, while telling him that the world has given him nothing but pain and violence.  He then proceeds to fly to the prom, here he starts attacking the other kids and the issue ends with him about to fry one of the bullies.  So far I'm interested enough to give the next issue a look since I think the concept is at least different enough from other comics out there.  The main drawback here is that a lot of the book is so fucking cliche.  We've got bullies, we've got abusive relatives, we've got heartbreak, we've got the fucking Marylin Manson posters on Carson's wall.  The book could have used some subtlety, and the basic concept still would have worked.
« Last Edit: March 17, 2005, 05:21:38 PM by Velorath »
HaemishM
Staff Emeritus
Posts: 42628

the Confederate flag underneath the stone in my class ring


WWW
Reply #1 on: March 18, 2005, 07:46:54 AM

Toe Tags 1-6

Writer:  George Romero
Pencils: Tommy Castillo
Inks:  Rodney Ramos


If there's one thing George Romero knows, it's zombies.  Unfortunately that doesn't really show through in this comic.  Bland characters and lack of any real direction make this book often painfully dull to read through.  Nonsensical side plots, like being able to tell if someone is evil by looking at their blood under a microscope, come out of nowhere and seem to leave just as quickly.  Romero gives us an intelligent zombie as the main character (he was injected with some prototype serum that was originally designed as an alternative to cryogenics) which of course leads to the expected angst over his condition and what side he should choose.  6 issues and several plot holes later the story ends and he still doesn't have an answer.

So it's essentially like all Romero's other work, just in comic form? No thanks. A more overrated hack I cannot think of.

schild
Administrator
Posts: 60345


WWW
Reply #2 on: March 18, 2005, 09:24:51 AM

So it's essentially like all Romero's other work, just in comic form? No thanks. A more overrated hack I cannot think of.

Quintin Tarantino.
HaemishM
Staff Emeritus
Posts: 42628

the Confederate flag underneath the stone in my class ring


WWW
Reply #3 on: March 18, 2005, 10:10:07 AM

No, because Tarantino managed to get three movies directed that were good, and some of his screenplays (True Romance) were fun.

schild
Administrator
Posts: 60345


WWW
Reply #4 on: March 18, 2005, 10:16:43 AM

No, because Tarantino managed to get three movies directed that were good, and some of his screenplays (True Romance) were fun.

True Romance was fun. I'll grant that. And I also enjoy Resevoir Dogs, even though it was shot for shot nothing more than an orgy of John Woo movies. After Kill Bill though, he is, by far the most overrated hack in the industry. Well, wait, there's also George Lucas. I'd pay real money to see a cage match between them or their fans.
Velorath
Contributor
Posts: 8980


Reply #5 on: March 18, 2005, 11:57:11 AM

Romero is overrated, but I didn't think anyone could fuck up a comic about zombies so bad.  Hell, the main character has a device that shoots arrows where his hand used to be.  He rides a fucking elephant!
schild
Administrator
Posts: 60345


WWW
Reply #6 on: March 18, 2005, 11:58:59 AM

Hell, the main character has a device that shoots arrows where his hand used to be.  He rides a fucking elephant!

Urk. You joke? Rite?
Velorath
Contributor
Posts: 8980


Reply #7 on: March 18, 2005, 12:19:50 PM

Hell, the main character has a device that shoots arrows where his hand used to be.  He rides a fucking elephant!

Urk. You joke? Rite?

I can't make shit like this up.
« Last Edit: March 18, 2005, 12:21:41 PM by Velorath »
schild
Administrator
Posts: 60345


WWW
Reply #8 on: March 18, 2005, 12:21:20 PM

Hell, the main character has a device that shoots arrows where his hand used to be.  He rides a fucking elephant!

Urk. You joke? Rite?

I can't make shit like this up.

Dead link. Well, no hotlinking allowed. But I believe you. And that's depressing.
Velorath
Contributor
Posts: 8980


Reply #9 on: March 18, 2005, 12:22:49 PM

Strangely if I copy and past the link in a new window it works, but then I've never understood the mysteries of computers and the internet.  Feel free to give it a try.  http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/previews/dc/1204/ToeTags3.jpg
schild
Administrator
Posts: 60345


WWW
Reply #10 on: March 18, 2005, 12:26:11 PM

Strangely if I copy and past the link in a new window it works, but then I've never understood the mysteries of computers and the internet.  Feel free to give it a try.  http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/previews/dc/1204/ToeTags3.jpg

Why does that zombie look like he feels pain? I thought zombies don't feel pain. And why are they running away from an elephant? What kind of shitty zombies are these? Romero makes me cry. So does this Wrightson fellow.
Velorath
Contributor
Posts: 8980


Reply #11 on: March 18, 2005, 12:43:21 PM

Even worse, the zombies are being led by a living guy pretending to be an intelligent zombie.  And he has evil in his blood.

Why the zombies can't tell the guy isn't dead is never explained.
HaemishM
Staff Emeritus
Posts: 42628

the Confederate flag underneath the stone in my class ring


WWW
Reply #12 on: March 18, 2005, 01:35:32 PM

That sounds horrible. Don't diss Bernie Wrightson, though. He is one of the true horror comic greats, old skool style. I'm sure he can't help it being saddled with such a ridiculous comic to paint for.

Pages: [1] Go Up Print 
f13.net  |  f13.net General Forums  |  General Discussion  |  Comics  |  Topic: Quick reviews (Toe Tags, New Thunderbolts, Armor X)  
Jump to:  

Powered by SMF 1.1.10 | SMF © 2006-2009, Simple Machines LLC