Fairy Quest: Outlaws #2 Review and Insights

Last year, Paul Jenkins and Humberto Ramos launched a Kickstarter campaign to publish Fairy Quest independently as a beautiful hardcover graphic novel. Over $95,000 was raised to help their passion project see the light of day.

Now, their story is being released in single issues. Fairy Quest is set in the world of Fablewood, where all of your favorite bedtime stories live together. Things aren’t all they are cracked up to be, as Mister Grimm and his “Think Police” will mind-wipe those who don’t literally stick to their story.

Red Riding Hood, aka “Red,” and the Wolf, are actually friends who no longer want to live in the same storytelling cycle. They go on a quest to find a place called “Real World” where they can live the life they desire.

The relationship between Red and Wolf strengthens the script because they know each other well and would do absolutely anything for one another. You would think it would be odd to see them getting along so well due to their storybook rivalry, but Jenkins makes it come across organically.

Humberto Ramos’ magical artwork is the perfect fit for this fabled adventure, and it shines in every panel of the book. The opening page shows the real-world implications when one deviates from the script. Despite this, you still find yourself rooting for Red and Wolf to succeed without a second thought, even though one of the most popular stories of all time will be erased from existence as a result.

Grade: A

Batman Incorporated #8 Review: The Fall of Damian Wayne

Twenty-Four years after Jason Todd felt the cold hand of death, Damian Wayne is now a member of the dearly departed.

The New York Post, in conjunction with DC Comics, leaked the news two days before the book’s release. This caused a mad dash to the comic shop, and many are reporting that the book was sold out in minutes. Stores that requested extra copies didn’t receive enough or didn’t get any at all.

Continue reading “Batman Incorporated #8 Review: The Fall of Damian Wayne” →

It’s Official, John Cena is a Good Wrestler

Guess what folks? John Cena can wrestle, and he proved it last Monday when he and CM Punk tore the house down, and arguably had the best match in the history of Monday Night Raw.

Is Cena the world’s greatest wrestler? No. Are his promos gods awful and infuriating at times? Absolutely. The fact of the matter is you can’t suck and have the kind of match that he had. CM Punk does bring the best out of him, but Cena wasn’t carried in any way, shape, or form.

“I’m serving humble pie and I hope all of my critics are hungry” were the first verbal shots fired by John Cena in his pre-match promo. He was determined to have the kind of match that fans will be talking about for years to come.

Cena is a lousy mechanic, which is what he gets such a bad rap for. However, he can tell a great story and knows how to work in the right situations. Don’t believe me? Let’s take trip down memory lane and look at the best John Cena matches.

Click here to read the rest of my column at Gerweck.net: Pro Wrestling News Since 1997

The Black Beetle #1 & 2 Review: Francesco Francavilla is a Pulp Noir Genius

Comic Books are a mixed bag. Some are good while others are not so good, and then there are those that make you proud to be a fan of the genre. Besides being uber-talented, it’s hard to fathom how Created by produced such an outstanding read.

This is a crime/noir story of the past where mob bosses rule Colt City with an iron fist. Francavilla reveals some information about the Beetle’s character but we don’t know much about the man behind the mask. The sense of overall adventure captivates you from beginning to end.

Continue reading “The Black Beetle #1 & 2 Review: Francesco Francavilla is a Pulp Noir Genius” →

Ronda Rousey armbar’s her place in UFC History

Vince McMahon couldn’t have booked a better finish as Ronda Rousey did what many debuting fighters, with a lot of press, fail to do. She lived up to the hype. Rousey’s 7-0 record brings her tally to seven armbar finishes in the first round. Liz Carmouche deserves a ton of credit after having the champion in trouble early and has undoubtedly increased her stock in defeat. Dana White said it best “She will get her kitchen table now.”

Ronda Rousey’s armbar is officially the first finishing move of Mixed Martial Arts. Like Ric Flair’s Figure Four Leg Lock and Bret Hart’s Sharpshooter, you know it’s coming, and you can’t do anything about it. Unlike the worked nature of professional wrestling, Rousey can’t put all of her eggs in the armbar basket and will have to add new weapons to her arsenal. If not, it will be a bad day when someone eventually breaks her grip.

Continue reading “Ronda Rousey armbar’s her place in UFC History” →

It’s All About Ronda Rousey at UFC 157

You probably didn’t know that two TUF winners and four former world champions are fighting at UFC 157. That’s because Ronda Rousey has captured the attention of anyone and everyone who even looks at mixed martial arts. Rousey is the fatal attraction of skill and beauty the UFC has been waiting for as she and Liz Carmouche, the first openly gay fighter in the sport, will headline Saturday’s card. Rousey’s Strikeforce title morphed into the UFC women’s Bantamweight championship when the company closed its doors.

Continue reading “It’s All About Ronda Rousey at UFC 157” →

New WWE Title and a Rundown of My Favorite Championship Hardware

This past Monday on Raw, The Rock unveiled the new WWE championship belt. Some like it, but most seem to hate it. Truth be told, I will take anything over that awful spinner belt. Sure, the diamond encrusted center plate looks a little bedazzled and is a far cry from a traditional design. It will take some getting used to but I think people will grow to like it.

As a kid, I hated the Winged Eagle belt that Randy Savage won at WrestleMania 4. I was at WrestleMania 14 where Steve Austin beat Shawn Michaels in the last match contested for the title. The next night on Raw, Vince McMahon presented Austin with what became known as the Attitude Era belt which is my favorite version of the championship. Today, I’m fond of the Winged Eagle belt as I’m ushered back to my childhood whenever I see it

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder as some belts look better than others and carry more prestige. Here are some thoughts the belt designs I’ve always enjoyed:

Continue reading “New WWE Title and a Rundown of My Favorite Championship Hardware” →

Star Wars #2 Review

It is a great time to be a Star Wars fan. J.J. Abrams is directing Episode VII, Han Solo, and Boba Fett will reportedly get their own film, and Brian Wood knocked it out of the park with last month’s debut issue that captures the true essence of this franchise and has gone back to press for a 3rd printing.

Deception clouds the Rebel Alliance as a spy is rumored to be lurking about. Princess Leia has been charged to assemble a stealth team to flush out the mole so they can find a new hidden base.

Continue reading “Star Wars #2 Review” →

Dutch Mantel is back and has heat with Illegal Immigrants

Dutch Mantel’s second trip into World Wrestling Entertainment has caused quite a stir with his new managerial role. Jack Swagger is a talented in-ring performer but he doesn’t have the chops on the microphone. Mantel, now Zeb Colter, might be just what the Division I All-American needs.

Mantel’s previous run in the WWE was in 1995-1996 under the name, Uncle Zebekiah. He managed Jacob and Eli, The Blu Brothers, and Justin “Hawk” Bradshaw who went on to become main event star, JBL.

My newest gerweck.net column titled The Colter Conundrum, explores the use of racist story arcs in the WWE in regards to this new character. Click here to check it out!

Injustice: Gods Among Us #3 and #4 Review

Tom Taylor hasn’t pulled a single punch in this video game prequel. In Fact, in this issue, he has thrown an armada of over hand rights to the jaw with the latest developments building towards a world of injustice. Lex Luther is usually the guilty party trying to destroy Superman through physical means with various LexCorp gadgets. The Joker, on the other hand, plays a different game and test the mettle of the Man of Steel like never before.

Continue reading “Injustice: Gods Among Us #3 and #4 Review” →