(column I wrote for gerweck.net)
Daredevil #7 | Writer: Mark Waid | Art: Paolo Rivera & Joe Rivera | Colors: Javier Rodriguez |Publisher: Marvel Comics | Price: $2.99
Mark Waid’s run on Daredevil has been simply amazing, and lucky number seven is no exception. Matt Murdock takes some students from the Cresskill School for the Blind on a field trip that quickly turns into a quest for survival.
Harsh weather conditions render Matt’s powers next to useless, and the terrified children create some tense moments page by page. Waid’s script and Rivera’s complimentary artwork shows the gravity of a tense situation that makes you wonder how he will get them out of this one.
I also found myself thinking about how anyone could find success in that situation, considering the circumstances. This book will have you on the edge of your seat from beginning to end, which all great comic books accomplish.
Grade: A-
Star Wars: Agent of the Empire – Iron Eclipse #1 | Writer: John Ostrander | Art: Julien Hugonnard-Bert & Stephanie Roux
Colors: Wes Dzioba | Publisher: Dark Horse Comics | Price: $3.50
One thing that is awesome about the Star Wars comic books is the ability to enjoy new adventures in the expanded universe. Most of them have the same theme of Jedi vs. Sith and Empire vs. Rebellion. Agent of the Empire is something I haven’t seem come down the pipe in a while. Worry not for those who fear change, you will absolutely scream “Now that was a Star Wars book!”
Continue reading “Star Wars: Agent of the Empire – Iron Eclipse #1 Review”
News has made the rounds that professional wrestling may have seen it’s last days at the Asylum Arena, formerly known as the ECW Arena. The word is that the building is under new management and EVOLVE will hold the buildings final wrestling show on 1/14/12. If wrestling ceases to exist in the arena, Combat Zone Wrestling (CZW) will be the biggest loser of them all. The majority of their events and all of their major events happen in that building. It’s a fact that Philly loves their wrestling but I wondering if it is time for the arena to move on?
Continue reading “Should Wrestling Stay At The ECW Arena?”
I can’t believe I forgot about this gem produced by World Championship Wrestling and released by Marvel Comics. S.L.A.M. Force (Secret Legion Against Monsters) was a group put together as a covert group to battle supernatural forces of evil. The members of this elite fighting forces is an interesting selection, to say the least.
Their first mission takes them to Antarctica where our warriors of the squared circle have to stop some bad guys from uncovering the missing link and using its powers for world domination. These comic books came with each purchase of a Slam Force action figure. The story is cheesy but it’s “Great Expectations” compared to the Ultimate Warrior’s comic book. Now, let’s meet our heroes.
If you would like to read the book in its entirety then click here
In pop culture folklore, Superman is Earth’s greatest hero. Anyone can quote his mythological attributes of being faster than a speeding bullet, more powerful than a locomotive, and able to leap tall buildings in a single bound. Over the years, the last son of Krypton has taken a back seat to superheroes such as Iron Man and Batman.
Society’s disillusionment with Superman stems from a lack of realism in which he solves the world’s problems. Being able to jettison an aircraft carrier into outer space with the ease equivalent to us mere mortals throwing a roll of toilet paper is lost on people. Or, maybe our ability to suspend reality has been severely limited to the complexity of the times we live in today?
Continue reading “Man of Steel vs. Faith of Man”
Heart #2 | Writer: Blair Butler | Art: Kevin Mellon | Letters: Crank! | Publisher: Image Comics | Price: $2.99
Oren “Rooster” Redmond has tasted the fight life, and he never wants to go back to the 9-5 grind ever again. The second installment of this mixed martial arts tale chronicles Redmond’s journey from amateur to professional fighter. We meet the entire cast of characters at the gym where he works out, and they all have their own little story.
The life of a professional MMA fighter is brutal as the training is some of the hardest in all sports. It’s something you need to be 100% committed to to be successful. Redmond doesn’t want to be another weekend warrior or some guy who likes wearing skin-tight Tap Out shirts. He wants to be a world champion, and he is going to enjoy the ride. We discover how Oren got the nickname “Rooster,” and we see him in his first professional bout.
If you watch G4, you know Blair Butler is a huge fight fan. Speaking as someone who has dabbled with MMA training, Butler’s approach is pretty authentic, and her insight shows in her writing. It was a smart move to only make this series a limited run. That’s not a knock at all. The story can become redundant since it lacks a little of that comic element that fans long for. Anyone who is a fan of MMA or looking for something different on Wednesdays will not be disappointed.
(Column I wrote for gerweck.net)
UFC 140 appears to have been lost in the shuffle, with everyone focused on Lesnar vs. Overeem at the end of the month and all the new fights announced for FX and Fox in early 2012. The Air Canada Centre in Toronto will be treated to its second UFC event, which will feature a native featherweight favorite, two all-star bouts, and a world title fight that will set the landscape of the light heavyweight division.
Continue reading “UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida Preview & Predictions”
Spike TV’s swan song to The Ultimate Fighter has produced one of the most exciting seasons in years. The coach’s battle between Jason “Mayhem” Miller and Michael “The Count” Bisping is an evenly matched fight that should produce a lot of action. This will be Mayhem’s first fight since September 25, 2010, when he submitted a past his prime and first ballot hall of famer, Kazushi Sakuraba. This will also be Mayhem’s first fight back in the UFC since he lost a unanimous decision to Georges St. Pierre in 2005.
Miller was a dormant member of the Strikeforce roster despite CBS denying him entry on shows because he caused a post-fight brawl with the Diaz Brothers on live television. On the other hand, Dana White had no reservations about bringing the Bully Beatdown host into the promotion for a second go-around.
The Ultimate Fighter season III winner, Michael Bisping, finds himself coaching his second squad of UFC prospects. He has remained a staple in the middleweight division for quite some time, and now, the Englishmen look to shut up the loud-mouthed Mayhem and be next in line to fight Chael Sonnen.
Bisping is riding a three-fight winning streak with his last victory against middleweight journeyman Jorge Rivera. His second-round TKO finish of the Massachusetts native made him no friends when he spit on Rivera immediately after the fight was called to a halt.
Yes, Rivera taunted him with a plethora of slanderous YouTube videos leading up to the fight. Still, fans thought they were funny. “The Count” is a fighter people love to hate. He is booed more than most and has never been able to embrace the villain role.
Their styles will surely make for an exciting fight, but the most likely scenario for a finish is if Mayhem can control Bisping in his guard long enough for a submission off his back. Bisping will look for the knockout with his technical acumen, but his lack of punching power will make this an impractical task. Miller’s striking is elementary at best, and he needs to take the fight to the ground if he wants to win.
Bisping will look to stay off the ground but has been known to jump into someone’s guard to apply a little ground and pound. Miller’s takedowns are seldom clean, and he has to work from the clinch to achieve his objective. Bisping’s experience with high-caliber wrestlers will pay off for him, and thus, he will control the majority of the fight.
The Pick: Michael Bisping by unanimous decision.
Wolverine #19 | Writer: Jason Aaron |Art: Ron Garney | Color: Jason Keith | Publisher: Marvel Comics | Price: $3.99
I almost can’t put into words how good this issue was and how much I enjoyed reading it. I’m not going to say too much because you should just take my word for it and buy this book.
It was just one big adventure that has everything a comic book fan loves. Wolverine, Fat Cobra, and Gorilla-Man are hiding inside the stomach of three dragons, using them as a disguise to break into Jade Claw’s secret hideout.
If that doesn’t hook you, then I don’t know what will. The art and colors are wonderful, and one of the panels on the last page is a bar scene where one of the dragons poke their head in the window and takes a sip of Fat Cobra’s 24-ounce beer mug.
The conclusion shows an unknown group of people looking at various targets, and they get the word they have to take out our adamantium-clawed Canadian. These last few pages really put over how much of a badass Wolverine is. I’m done typing, please; just buy it right away. It is the must-read Wolverine book of the year!
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