Justice League #12 Review: The Kiss Heard Around The World

Justice League #12 | Writer: Geoff Johns | Art: Jim Lee, Ivan Reis & Joe Prado
Colors: Alex Sinclair & Tony Avina | Publisher: DC Comics | Price: $3.99

This is the issue everyone is talking about.

Superman and Wonder Woman make out and become a couple according to Geoff Johns.

The main story in the book serves as the conclusion of the Alan Graves saga. The League is able to battle back the ghosts of their loved ones, but the damage is already done. The world doesn’t trust them and Green Lantern quits, which makes complete sense if you read this month’s Green Lantern Annual. I

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Jones vs. UFC

If you have been living under a rock, you are unaware of the story that has engulfed the MMA landscape. For the first time in the history of the Ultimate Fighting Championship, a pay-per-view event has been canceled. This unprecedented move has caused a firestorm of controversy, with venom being spewed in several directions.

Everyone has their own opinion on the subject, but the big question underneath all the chaos is: who’s to blame? Do we blame Jon Jones for refusing to fight with Chael Sonnen, who accepted the bout on eight days’ notice? Does the blame belong to Dan Henderson, who suffered the injury in the first place? Or, perhaps, the blame falls on some other element that is hiding in plain sight. Continue reading “Jones vs. UFC” →

Before Watchmen: Rorschach #1 Review

Before Watchmen: Rorschach #1 | Writers: Brian Azzrello & Len Wein
Art: Lee Bermejo & John Higgins | Colors: Barbara Ciardo & John Higgins
Publisher: DC Comics | Price: $3.99

Rorschach is one messed-up individual.

But you didn’t need me to tell you that. He is the anti-hero or anti-heroes and can justify anything while trying to do what he believes is right. This is hard to do in a world where very little right takes place.

This was the Before Watchmen title I was looking forward to the most and I was right to be so excited.

Rorschach’s narration drives the story at its core because it is different than most comic narratives. It is written in the form of a journal entry and he is careful and blunt with his thoughts when putting pen to paper.

Often, you will find certain words in a sentence crossed out and replaced with a most poignant verbiage.

The other books featuring Watchmen characters have a unique mix of good a bad things going on in their life. There is nothing good at all about Rorschach’s life.

Lee Bermejo has an eerie ability to make darkness and despair look beautiful and is the icing on the cake of this gritty title.

Grade: B+

A Trip Down SummerSlam Memory Lane

(Written for and published by gerweck.net)

As the WWE celebrates the 25th anniversary of their summertime extravaganza, a trip down memory lane seemed appropriate. 1988 was the first installment of this popular yearly event and the first pay-per-view event I ever watched.

August 29th of that year was only the second day of my wrestling fandom. An episode of “The Superstars of Wrestling” the night before sucked me in as the “Mega Powers,” comprised of Hulk Hogan & Macho Man Randy Savage, hyped their tag team match against Andre the Giant and The Million Dollar Man Ted DiBiase, the “Mega Bucks.”

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Batman #12 Review

Batman #12 | Writer: Scott Snyder & James Tynion IV | Art: Becky Cloonan

Colors: FCO Placencia |Publisher: DC Comics | Price: $3.99

Scott Snyder has written eleven remarkable issues and the 12th installment is no exception. Becky Cloonan takes artistic duties with this issue and her touch on this particular story was the perfect fit.

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UFC 150: Henderson vs. Edgar II Preview & Predictions

Benson-Henderson-vs-Frankie-Edgar-UFC-150-KO — Photo from MMAWeeky.com

The card is getting very little attention but those particular events tend to produce the best bell-to-bell action. I can’t even begin to tell you how excited I am for this fight. The lightweight title rematch between Benson Henderson and Frankie Edgar could be fight of the year. UFC President Dana White was originally against giving Edgar a rematch and called for him to move down to 145 lbs. The former champion publicly sited his willingness to give back to back rematches. Dana agreed and here we are today.

Benson Henderson (16-2) vs. Frankie Edgar (14-2-1): The story of this fight is size, talent, skill and will. Frankie Edgar convincingly defeated the more talented BJ Penn and knocked out the bigger and stronger Gray Maynard in a pair of championship rematches. The New Jersey native used his matchless skill and will to conquer two different opponents who each brought a different problem to the cage. Continue reading “UFC 150: Henderson vs. Edgar II Preview & Predictions” →

Oops!…Kevin Nash Did It Again

Kevin_Nash

(Column I wrote for gerweck.net)

Kevin Nash recently made some comments in an interview with grantland.com that has drawn the ire of wrestlers and fans alike.

“When Benoit and Guerrero hugged [at the end of Wrestle Mania XX], that was the end of the business,” “Has business been the same since that Wrestle Mania? Has it come close to the Austin era? Has it come close to the nWo or the Hogan era? You put two fucking guys that were great workers that were the same height as the f***ing referees, and I’m sorry, man. Are you going to watch a porno movie with a guy with a three-inch dick? Even if you’re not gay, you will not watch a porno movie with a guy with a three-inch dick. That’s not the standard in porno films. So you put a 5-foot-7 guy as your world champion.”

“They’re not bigger than life (CM Punk and Daniel Bryan). I bet they could both walk through airports and not be noticed unless they have a gimmick shirt on and the belt.”

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Hawkeye #1 Review: A Perfect Bullseye!

If you are looking for the Hawkeye that wowed fans in the Avengers movie, you won’t find him here.

What you will find, however, is Matt Fraction’s realistic and gritty interpretation of a man named Clinton Barton. The purple archer doesn’t have the luxury of fighting crime with superpowers, and a bow and arrow is not the answer to every situation. While it is a scary sight for anyone on the receiving end, it’s not going to convince a slum lord gangster to stop unfairly raising rent on poor families.

These injustices are too small for someone like the Hulk to deal with but just right for Mr. Barton.

Fraction does a fantastic job of painting him as the everyman’s hero of Queens, New York. David Aja’s art felt like something I would see drawn on a subway wall, and Matt Hollingsworth’s coloring gave the story a Bohemian motif to match the grittiness of the story.

As the kids say these days, this issue has tons of street credit.

A side note: Does anyone know why one of the variants has Spider-Man surrounded by the many incarnations of Doctor Octopus? It’s a cool cover, and I purchased it, but I can’t seem to discover the reason for its creation. Please let me know in the comment section below. Thanks!

Grade: A-

The Truth Will Set Brandon Vera Free

Brandon ‘The Truth” Vera has been talking a big game for his entire MMA career. How big do you say? He proclaimed he would be the first person to hold the UFC Heavyweight and Light Heavyweight titles simultaneously after winning his UFC debut against Fabiano Scherner. Vera knocked out Justin Eilers and choked out Assuerio Silva en route to his one-minute decimation over former heavyweight champion Frank Mir.
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The Miz: The Next Great IC Champ?

(Column I wrote for Gerweck.net)

I could be completely wrong about this, but The Miz could be the next great Intercontinental champion. The former Real World star became the 70th person to hold the title when he defeated Christian on the 1000th episode of Raw. He also became the 25th triple crown champion.

Some might say this is a demotion for the former WWE champion. However, some of the greatest wrestlers of all time held the IC title after a stint with the big boy belt. HHH, Chris Jericho, Pedro Morales are three who come to mind. Countless others made their reputation during their IC title reigns such as Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels. Continue reading “The Miz: The Next Great IC Champ?” →