The Punisher #16
Writer: Greg Rucka
Art: Marco Checchetto
Colors: Matt Hollingsworth
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Price: $2.99
All good things must come to an end, and unfortunately, so does Greg Rucka’s run on The Punisher.
Of course, Rucka’s work with the character will continue in October with a five-issue War Zone mini-series, but it’s just not the same. This run brought a sense of conviction to Frank Castle that we have never seen before.
Continue reading “The Punisher #16 Review”
These days, when you think of Batman’s rogue gallery, names such as Ra’s al Ghul, Bane, and The Joker come to mind. Catwoman flip-flops back and forth from good to bad, but there is a cornucopia of evildoers that have been lost in the shuffle over the last ten years. One who comes to mind is The Penguin, and the creative minds of Gregg Hurwitz and Szymon Kudranski have put the spotlight back on this criminal genius.
Continue reading “Penguin: Pain and Prejudice Review”
(Blog I wrote for Gerweck.net)
Running an independent wrestling show is like anything else in life worth doing. It takes a lot of hard work. If you have aspirations of starting your own promotion then you need to accept the fact that financially, you’re going to be in the red for at least the first two years and maybe even during your entire run. This is an endeavor you partake in because you love the wrestling business, not because you want to become rich and famous.
I want to preface this by saying this is not meant to be “Promoting for Dummies”. I’m not here to criticize others or claim to have all the answers. Everyone has their own vision of how they feel a professional wrestling show should look and feel. Different markets, different parts of the country and different demographics will influence the decisions you make along the way. Consider this some free advice in case you decide to take your fantasy booking to the next level. Of course, it’s only fair to divulge in my own personal experience.
I started a promotion called North Shore Wrestling and we ran shows from 2006-2009. During and since that time I’ve assisted other promotions in New England with booking, promoting and consulting duties. My desire to start promoting stemmed from an absence of local shows in my area. Massachusetts is a hot bed for wrestling with some tremendous talent to boot. I grew up on the North Shore and know the area better than most, so it seemed like a natural transition. My goal was to produce a quality family wrestling show in my area.
I like to pretend that we still live in a Kayfabe world so details of how and why the matches are booked will be absent from this blog. I know, I know. What’s the big deal you say? Everyone knows it’s a work, right? Well, some of us still believe in the magic that pro wrestling can deliver. However, there are those who think it is easy to run an “indy fed” while others know the amount of time you have to put in to make it all work. Let’s go over the things you need to obtain in order to get your promotion off the ground.
Continue reading “So, you wanna be an Independent Wrestling Promoter?”
Spider-Men #5 | Writer: Brian Michael Bendis | Art: Sara Pichelli
Colors: Justin Ponsor | Publisher: Marvel Comics | Price: $3.99
The charming tale of when Peter met Miles comes to a close, and guess what? Peter approves of the 13 year old web slinger. Of course, that’s not all that happens in this instant classic team up story.
Mysterio of 616 Earth will remain in the Ultimate Universe for the foreseeable future. Brian Michael Bendis weaves a grand finale that will have a lasting effect on all things Spider-Man.
Sara Pichelli’s work is top notch as always and Justin Ponsor’s coloring is the icing on the cake. The ingenuity of Bendis’ script is to be admired at the subtlety of certain character’s actions that heavily suggest this story is only over in the numerical sense.
If subtlety is not your thing, then the ending is anything but and the possible ramifications of it are endless.
Grade: A
Click here to read the rest of the column I wrote at Forces of Geek.com
Calling The Shots of UFC 152
All eyes will be on Jon Jones in the wake of the debacle that canceled last month’s UFC 151. The event that never was will serve as a lesson to the MMA faithful that a new precedent has been set. Fans inside the Air Canada Centre will reap the benefits and witness the genesis of one division while another division could be knocked into complete disarray.
-Light Heavyweight Championship: Jon Jones (16-1) vs. Vitor Belfort (21-9): A long time ago in a galaxy far far away, Vitor Belfort was the most dominant fighter in Mixed Martial Arts. The Gracie Jiu Jitsu black belt is gifted with incredible hand speed and excellent boxing. To the dismay of some and the adulation of others, Jon Jones currently wears that mantel of most dominant fighter. The scary thing about Jones is that he’s still improving. He has a reach like no other and uses it to maximum efficiency with uncanny athleticism.
I think it is important to note the only reason Vitor Belfort is getting a light heavyweight title shot is because he’s the most marketable person they could get to take the fight on four weeks’ notice. The Brazilian has spent the last five years competing in the middleweight division. He had a cup a coffee as light heavyweight champion in 2004 but his win over Randy Couture was the fluke of all flukes and he lost the belt seven months later in a shutout. When Belfort is on his game, there is no one who is more dangerous. Make no mistake about, if he catches Jones on the chin, that’s a wrap folks.
Continue reading “Calling The Shots of UFC 152: Jones vs. Belfort”
Batman & Robin #0 | Writer: Peter J. Tomasi | Art: Patrick Gleason & Mick Gray | Colors: John Kalisz |Publisher: DC Comics | Price: $2.99
The book may be titled “Batman & Robin,” but this series has always been about the pint-sized assassin Damian. Over the last twelve months, we’ve seen Bruce Wayne’s son struggle with his morality. He was bred to be a masterful killer from the day he was born and has a hard time fighting the urge to kill.
Continue reading “Batman & Robin #0 Review: One Cute Book”
Hawkeye #2 | Writer: Matt Fraction | Art: David Aja
Colors: David Aja
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Price: $2.99
Act two of the Arrowed Avenger proves the outstanding story in the first issue was no fluke.
Matt Fraction delivers a thrilling comic book that shows Clint Barton’s time away from his famous super team.
Continue reading “Hawkeye #2 Review”
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
Continue reading “Justice League #12 Review: The Kiss Heard Around The World”
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 | 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+
RingsideLogic.com 