New Age Ideas: Zombies, Ghosts, Foil and Batmen!

New Age Ideas, coming at you in full variant foilogram 3-D!

Resident Evil comics: the lost opportunity

Taking one look at Wildstorm’s use of the Resident Evil franchise for comics all I can say is a resounding “what a waste” I mean seriously. One of my favorite video game franchises just gets the big middle finger from a company that couldn’t give less of a shit about it. How sad.

Their big tie-in comic to the epic 5th installment of Resident Evil? Some crap about a team of BSAA agents fighting B.O.W’s in nowhere. Plus some random Sarah Palin look alike fighting zombies in space. Didn’t we already get a get with zombies in space? Oh yeah, and that comic adaptation for it kicked ass.

Honestly, I couldn’t be more frustrated with Wildstorm. These guys have done a really great job with the New Line Cinema horror comics they’ve been doing the last few years, but god they just don’t give a damn about their video game adaptations. Now, I haven’t read Resistance or Gears of War but I know enough about the Resident Evil comic to know that Wildstorm ****ed it up.

Maybe I’m just a fan ranting, but I think there is serious potential in a Resident Evil comic. Hell, Sheva (Chris’ partner in RE5) had a bit of back story. Use that. Ask Capcom if you can inject some African Zombie madness into Sheva’s back story and you’d have an awesome new comic that would definitely kick ass.

Oh well, maybe Marvel can get the rights to Resident Evil in the future so we can get a decent comic. Or even better idea, give it to Image, those guys know how to adapt a horror video game right.

Foilogram, good or bad?

There seems to be a big outcry from the comic fan base over Marvel finally bringing back foilogram covers. Now so far it’s just variants and it’s for the new line of Ultimate Comics but fans believe this could lead to regular covers being plagued by the gimmick once more.

Now as a child who grew up through the 90’s I saw tons of these covered comics and I admit that I thought they where awesome. When I was 8. Nowadays though I can’t seem to get as angry as everyone else is. Sure their a stupid gimmick, but at the same time it’s not like they ruin comics as a whole and will bring forth a crash that none shall survive from.

Maybe this is a dumb decision, maybe not, either way I’m not buying the variants so what should I care? Still it’s a gimmick. Gimmicks never work for long in this business.

Pick a writer, DC.

A while back it was announced that Judd Winnick and Ed Benes are getting the boot from a regular gig as the writer/artist team for the main Batman ongoing series and that Tony Daniel will be taking their place. Daniel will be writing and drawing a six part arc just as he did with the three part exercise in pointlessness entitled Battle for the Cowl.

I love Daniel’s art a lot so if he where just going to be the artist that would be cool and no problem. But damn, pick a writer already. If Winnick wasn’t the main writer for the series then why did you say he was? If Benes isn’t the real artist for the series why even have him on for one issue? This is a literal definition of wasting my time!

Hopefully Winnick will be back after Daniel’s story arc. (never thought I’d say that I want Winnick back on a comic I like) and that DC can actually hold up their promise for the established Batman Reborn status quo. If not, well then that just proves that no one knows what the hell their doing in the DC Office and their just running around like children making random decisions out of nowhere. Hopefully I’ll be proven wrong on that.

The serious approach to comic books.

I may get some heat for saying this, but I think you can only be serious about certain types of comics and only look on them with a deep critical mindset if that is the goal the comic is going for to reach that especially high standard. For example, Final Crisis. This is clearly an event that’s shooting for high grades and much love so if it screws up or comes off as stupid to a reviewer then they have every right to tear it a new one under their opinion. (not saying Final Crisis sucks or anything, it’s an example)

But then you have a comic like Marvel Zombies that isn’t shooting for some high amazing marks and understands that it’s a silly, even stupid at times, comic that still can have somewhat serious method of storytelling even if it’s over the top. If Marvel Zombies screws up and sucks, it’s harder to be really harsh on it because the standards weren’t all that high to begin with.

I guess what I’m trying to say here is that every comic is different usually, and that as a reviewer I think it’s best when you not hold every comic to the same high standard as your favorite comic or you’re never going to be ale to enjoy it and review it for what it is. I’m not even directing this at any specific comic reviewer, I’m just getting my thought out there on this.

So while it’s fine to hold a comic up to a standard, hold that standard to what the comic is, not what the comic could never hope to be. Don’t expect Final Crisis when you’re reading Marvel Zombies.

Supergirl’s costume, seriously?

It’s been said time and time again, but I have to admit I’ve really come to hate Supergirl’s costume. It’s just bad. Really, really, really bad. I’m talking Sci Fi Channel original movie bad. The kind of bad that just make you want to grab Thor’s hammer and beat yourself to death with it.

Some people think we merely need to update and edit it a bit, no, no, we’re long gone from simply editing this problem out. We need to do a complete costume overhaul, get her in something decent and as far away from a skirt as we can.

Some may want her new look to homage the old one, no, that’s a bad idea. It would be like paying homage to the guy who shot uncle Ben. It’s too bad to pay tribute to. Just completely remake the costume, ditch the skirt and the mini-top that hugs her breasts and give her a decent outfit.

Haunt Needs to come out. NOW.

Seriously, I can’t think of another comic I’ve been this excited for in all my years of reading comics. Todd McFarlane and Robert Kirkman and Greg Capullo and Ryan Ottley….all on the same comic? How can you not want to read this book! This just may replace Invincible as the premier Image Comic. It just may.

It was originally to be solicited for June this year, but of course, like all great things it must be pushed back. Now I can understand a little, maybe a month or two delayed that would be all right. After all Ottley will be working on 2 books at the same time, that’s a lot of work for one artist to handle even one comic monthly, let alone two.

But when you’ve got such a hot product, why not get it to the fans? If this comic where pushed back to August I could be a little forgiving, but still nothing by September? That’s just stupid. And a preview book is coming out at Comic Con this year, and from a preview of it they’ve got at least a few pages done. Maybe even a few issues of the comic done!

But either way I patiently wait at my desk for when they announce the solicitation for my most anticipated comic of the year.

Games that need to be Comics

I already mentioned in the first edition of New Age Ideas that the deliciously violent Wii game Madworld needs to be a comic. The comic book panel style of storytelling, the awesome story, events and characters and the Sin City inspired look prove it would make for a perfect comic book.

Now keep in mind these are comics I think they should be turned in to, not Manga’s. If these games actually do have a Manga, well that’s cool, but I mean an American comic book.

Megaman: The blue bomber has had a few Manga’s and that’s fine but he would fit perfectly with a comic. Though if not the original, maybe X or the Zero series as they’ve always had great stories and characters.

Splatterhouse: Put in the right hands of someone who truly appreciates horror and gore and crazy monsters this could work incredibly well. Splatterhouse has a very cool mythos to explore that could make for a great comic alone, plus Rick is an enjoyable character who could have lots of great moments.

No More Heroes: Another more recent game, but with memorable design, cool characters and a really great story No More Heroes could make for a unique and fun comic book experience like no other.

So those are my only ideas for now, though if I have more in the future I may post them.

Robert Kirkman should write all silver-age heroes

That picture should explain enough.

A Question for you All

This is something I meant to write at the end of my Deadpool Commentary, but I was curious if you guys liked that or not and want to see more stuff like that. There are other great characters who I’m sure I could find cool moments for like Wolverine and Batman and really just about any character with at least 10 years of being in comics.

Though would you guys like to see that or not? It’s a bit of a departure from what I usually do as I rely more on the moments themselves then just my 2 cents on them. If you’d rather not see more then that’s cool, and if you would then that’s cool as well, I’d simply like to know.

Storm’s Reaction to Ultimatum

God of War comic, could it work?

Going back to the waste of time that is Wildstorm’s game adaptations, the recently announced God of War comic. Some people are really excited, and hey I’ll admit I love God of War and find it to be one of the most enjoyable new gaming experiences in the last decade or so of gaming.

Well one thing it has going for it is Marv Wolfman, one of the legends of our time. Though I hate to say it, is he really even the kind of writer you want on this comic? Why not someone like Jason Aaron or anyone really who has a passion for more violent over the top eccentric stories. No offense to Wolfman, he’s a legend as I said, but he’s always fit the bill of a more classic storyteller for classic super hero stories.

I honestly can’t see Wolfman coming up with some of the crazy over the top stuff we’ve seen in the video games and putting it into a comic that well. Though I will give him credit that from his interview about the comic he sounds very passionate about it, and that’s always a good sign.

Whenever a writer loves what he’s writing, there is a much better chance for it to succeed as that means he’s not just treating it like a job to do and get over with. He actually requested to write the comic, that’s an even better sign. That means that more than likely he’s going to do a great job in respect for something he cares about.

Also he’s played both the games and apparently loves them. That’s more than I can say for more adaptation writers, who scroll through wikipedia to find out about the product then write about it.

So I must admit I really want to check this comic out, and I probably will be picking it up come October.

Exploit-a-Spawn due date!

All right folks, I’ve gotten about 15 images for Exploit-a-Spawn, and I think it’s time to give this thing a due date. 5 days left (by the 22nd) to send in your Spawn images. Use the image above, nothing inappropriate as I’ve said and e-mail it to me with Exploit-a-Spawn as the title and send it to [email protected].

Wednesday Comics, good or bad?

I was thinking about devoting an entire post to Wednesday comics, as I do have thoughts on it that I want to get out there but I don’t think I could pack an entire post and make it long enough without thinning it out or something. Since I’m not reading it after all I can’t talk THAT much on it.

First I must say that I love the idea. It’s very ambitious, very cool and it shows that DC is trying to finally give something that helps them make a bigger mark than Marvel and other Indy companies have been doing. This easily trumps their weekly comics which started out as an awesome idea and, let’s be honest, by Countdown’s end it devolved into a pile of waste.

DC kick started weekly comics and just as easily as they got it going they nearly killed it.  Though it seems like Wednesday Comics is finally fixing their mistake. It’s a similar bold decision they are making, but they aren’t kidding themselves and trying to use a good idea and kill it with overdoing it. The fact that Wednesday Comics is only twelve issues is a good signal that they are keeping their heads on straight about this project.

I mainly want to read the Batman, Deadman, Kamandi and Flash stories but the others look good too. I also want to read the Superman one mainly for Bermejo’s art, and that Batman will be guest starring in it.

I do have one major worry though, and that’s the price. 16 pages, less than the average 2.99 comic, and they are pricing it at 3.99? That’s taking advantage of a good thing. I understand it’s a good marketing move but it’s a dick move to all the readers, especially like myself, who are low on comic funds as it is.

Still I’m collection waiting on this. Kirk Warren mentioned how it will no doubt be printed on better paper and put more neatly in form of a collection book so that’s my big reason. Though I am worried about the price. If 3.99 per comic, what could they charge the collection book? Probably up to 50 dollars, maybe 40 if they are nice.

So either way I’ll be reading Wednesday comics in the distant future, hopefully nearer than distant, but still. It looks great to me.

Oh what tangled webs we weave

Web of Spider-Man is returning from the grave as a new ongoing series alongside with the thrice monthly Spider-Man comic. With this debuting, I’m going to make a prediction. That Marvel will soon, or later on, drop the thrice monthly Amazing Spider-man and turn it back into a once a monthly comic, but also bring back either Sensational or Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man.

Both those 2 comics where awesome, but I’d rather Sensational Spider-Man return and they give it to Roberto Acquire-Sacasa and Clayton Crain. It’s just a dream as of now but after they gave the series an awesome final issue I’d love to see them reunite on Spider-Man again.

That’s all for today folks, now excuse me I have to go take care of some space zombies.

5 thoughts on “New Age Ideas: Zombies, Ghosts, Foil and Batmen!

  1. Good read.

    I enjoyed your thoughts on reviewing and Wednesday Comics. But I'm pretty sure that Wednesday Comics will be getting a spin off; this is just the trial run with the big name talents.

  2. I read your Deadpool column on your blog and it is funny, because when you said that Deadpool should be in X-Force, i read an interview somewhere where Yost and Kyle said that they wanted Deadpool for X-Force but they thought they would never get him so they didnt bother asking.

  3. Okay, few things…

    1: Final Crisis DID SUCK! It had initial potential but then DiDio does his usual DiDodo thing and ends up with a disjointed schedule and now we have sub-stories that haven't even been released yet and we are well into the NEXT so-called "earth-shattering crisis event".

    2: I'm not a fan of the updated Supergirl costume, but at the same time it sure beats the Mickey Mouse get-up she was having to wear because of the animated series! Then again I'm also not a fan of this incarnation of Supergirl to begin with. She can't even wake up in the morning without screwing something up and then we get three issues of her moping about it!

    3: Foil covers again? How about cutting down on the multiple titles and sticking with a story? How many titles must Wolverine and Spider-Man be in anyway?

    All-in-all, bit long but a good read!

  4. I agree on pretty much everything, except the Supergirl costume. Being a fan of Japanese media I have always enjoyed me some fanservice, and I don't think the Supergirl costume is going that far in that regard, at least compared to Black Mary in Final Crisis.

    DC is having way too much gore and by far not enough cheesecake these days, anyway.

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