Nick Diaz is the enigma of the moment. Why, you ask? Well, despite losing his last fight, coming off his second failed drug test suspension, no-showing press obligations, making an uncomfortable spectacle of the one conference call he actually decided to attend, and hurling accusations of steroid use towards his opponent, Diaz is fighting Georges St. Pierre for the welterweight championship of the world on Saturday night.
Continue reading “Pendulum of Destiny: Georges St. Pierre vs. Nick Diaz”
Fairy Quest: Outlaws #2 | Writer: Paul Jenkins | Artist: Humberto Ramos | Colorist: Leonardo Olea | Letters: Leonardo Olea | Publisher: Boom! Studios
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 |Written by Grant Morrison | Art: Chris Burnham & Jason Masters | Colors: Nathan Fairbairn | Letters: Taylor Esposito | Publisher: DC Comics | Price: $2.99 | From my column @ Forces of Geek.com
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”
The Black Beetle #1 | Created by Francesco Francavilla | Letters by Nate Piekos | Publisher: Dark Horse Comics | Price: $3.99 | From my column @Forces of Geek.com
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”
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”
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”
Star Wars #2 | Writer: Brian Wood | Artist: Carlos D’Anda | Colorist: Gabe Eltaeb | Cover: Alex Ross | Publisher: Dark Horse Comics | Price: $2.99 | From my column @Forces of Geek.com
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.
Injustice: Gods Among Us #3 | Writer: Tom Taylor | Art: Jheremy Raapack | Colors: Andrew Elder | Letters: Wes Abbott |Publisher: DC Comics | Price: 99¢ |
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”
UFC 156 served as a lesson for long-term planning in the fight game. Two anticipated mega fights that hinged upon a particular set of results were incinerated for the foreseeable future and may never materialize. Rashad Evans and Alistair Overeem had one task: to win.
Instead, Evans treated fans to a fifteen-minute exhibition of fakes and faints. At the same time, Antonio Silva flipped the script and made Overeem pay the price for taking him lightly using the currency of a devastating knockout. A boulevard of broken dreams has thrown water onto a fire that was supposed to signal the year of the mega-fight.
Anderson Silva will probably end up fighting Chris Weidman, and Cain Velasquez will either have to wait for a new contender to emerge or fight Antonio Silva, whom he literally beat to a bloody pulp the first time they fought in the summer. Both of those fights are lackluster and have little box office appeal.
When the dust settles and the smoke clears, fights like Overeem vs. Silva make Vince McMahon happy; his stuff is fake.
Ben Fowlkes of MMA Junkie.com, wrote an outstanding piece about the downside of MMA booking in regards to Alistair Overeem’s loss at UFC 156 titled Bigfoot and The Reem: A Cautionary Tale
Super Bowl weekend traditionally plays host to one of the biggest UFC events of the year, and this card is no exception. I can’t even begin to tell you how excited I am for UFC 156. Every fight on the main card could be a main event and is reminiscent of the early Zuffa cards before the sport’s ascension. All of the bouts have important divisional ramifications and it is all topped off by what could end up being the greatest fight in the history of mixed martial arts.
-Joseph Benavidez vs. Ian McCall
It’s takes a clever fighter with the ludicrous speed to dethrone the likes of Joseph Benavidez and Ian McCall. That fighter’s name is Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson. Joseph Benavidez was the odds on favorite to win the Flyweight tournament and was kept guessing and off balance for the entire five round affair. Ian McCall had more hype than anyone, going into the tournament and fought Johnson fought twice due to a judging error in the first bout that was scored a draw and some felt McCall won.
Benavidez brings to the table his explosive wrestling ability along with his power and athleticism. McCall is the more technical fighter who is very crafty and could catch Benavidez going in wild for a takedown or a submission. Both have tremendous cardio and are hungry to get back in the mix as they are the number 2 & 3 contenders in the world. McCall is preoccupied with personal issues outside of the cage in the form of childcare issues and separation from his wife which he feels will lead to a divorce.
McCall is a charismatic individual who could go a long way in the UFC, but he needs to find a way to put his personal issues aside to handle the razor sharp Benavidez. While McCall is dangerous on the ground, Demetrious Johnson was able to take him down pretty easily in their second fight. There will be some close calls in this bout, but Benavidez will have an easier controlling where the bout takes place.
The Pick: Joseph Benavidez by decision
Continue reading “Calling the Shots of UFC 156: Aldo vs. Edgar”
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