Annihilators: Earthfall #1 Preview

Probably the most anticipated (by me) upcoming Marvel (mini) event, Annihilators: Earthfall gives us not only the further adventures of the newly formed, super heavy hitting, galaxy guarding team the Annihilators, but it answers the question any self-respecting cosmic comic fanboy has asked himself in the past few months:

Who would win in a fight, Gladiator or Captain America?

Also, how will Quasar handle the conflict? He used to be an Avenger with an obviously large crush on Cap. And Ronan the Accuser has memorably had some run-ins with the team as well. Is this when our Earth heroes get caught up on the sacrifices the previous Guardians of the Galaxy made? Maybe Reed Richards helps dig Star-Lord and Nova out of the defunct Cancerverse?

A boy can dream.

Best In Show: This Week's Comics Reviewed

For the past month or so, the traditional reading-of-the-new-comics that occurs every Wednesday on my couch at around 5:30pm, a glass of something alcoholic on the nearby table and a Glenn Miller Band CD playing softly in the corner, has been pretty much a crapshoot. Sometimes the issues I look forward to have more fizzle than bang. Often the title I wasn't sure about buying, but did anyway due to minor interest and lack of willpower, proves to be entirely disappointing.

Regardless, the tradition continues unabated, being a nigh holy ritual suffused with the potential to kindle great joy in my weary, humpday breast. Because I know there will be times, unexpected or not, when the writers and the artists and the colorers all step up at the same time and give me a comic that is truly fantastic; fun, beautiful, emotional, woven into the giant continuity tapestry of their universe, eloquent, intelligent and completely memorable.

This was one of those weeks. (Spoilers Ahead.)

This Week's Comics

A brief look at what new comics I'll be purchasing today.

Preview: Avengers Children's Crusade #7

   That's #7 out of 9, for those of you keeping track. Which means this wonderful maxi-series will be over in about 4 to 6 months.

   Point being, it's the longest wait in comics, and the most worth it. The art is stunning, every Marvel character you've ever loved is in it, and not only are dangling storylines from years past being tied up neatly, they're being resolved in fun creative ways.

   Wanda is repentant. She's connecting with her sons. She's getting control of her powers again. She's repowering mutants. Rictor is back in force! So naturally the X-Men arrive with something to say about it. Here's the official description, and a couple preview pages after the jump.

A Musical Interlude

There is nothing in my head this morning except for this song. A beautiful classic from a beautiful classic. Enjoy.

Liza Minnelli - Cabaret - Maybe This Time by xilegay

The Premiere of Ringer: A Review

It turns out the heavy marketing campaign for Ringer was a bit too heavy; they cannibalized and teased so much of the pilot that there was little new material left, and no surprises. Still, the pilot introduces us to the show in a deliberate and considered manner, showing us the main characters and conflicts either using logic or attempted artistry. Like most pilots there is a mix of good and bad, with neither the writers nor actors nor directors blended into a fully cohesive story.

However, there's enough to pass a verdict on whether I'll be witness to its immediate future.

X-Men Legacy Drawing to a Close

Mike Carey, as he previously announced, is ending his tenure as writer of X-Men: Legacy with issue #260. His run began focusing on a rehabilitating Professor X, exploring the unaddressed tensions and minutae of continuity, the emergence of Rogue as a woman in control of her powers and a veteran capable of leading and teaching, and the constant struggle for identity among all the X-Men, both young and old.

It will be a massive shame to see him go. I believe him to be one of the best X-writers we've had in a long time, and I can only hope that he'll return eventually. One can sense that he cares about the characters just as much as we do, and that he gets just as excited while writing a cool Magneto fight scene as we get while reading it. Go to Comic Book Resources for a nice little interview about his upcoming exit, current story arc plans, and his feelings on working in the Marvel Universe in general.

Wolverine Gets Some New X-Men

 I would very much enjoy meeting whoever at Marvel is in charge of deciding when to unveil these damn silhouttes, and then punch them in the face. These teasers have been going on for awhile, specifically it feels like six months, and they're driving me nuts. Either release a teaser or don't, make us wait for the comic or put us out of our misery. It's cruel and unprofessional and I honestly don't think it helps kindle interest.

Conversely, I am super interested in some new additions to Wolvie's line up. Take a look:

Toad? Mm-kay. And is that Beast OUR Beast, or Dark Psycho Beast from Age of Apocalypse, like their Nightcrawler? And wasn't Psylocke unveiled in the Blue team teasers? Is she a double agent of some kind, or does X-Force still operate completely unknown? Oh, and I love that Havok is back to X-Factor (though I'd like to know where Rachel and Lorna are) but he's really standing there like he's the leader. Madrox has become one of the best characters the X-Men got, thanks to Peter David, so I hope he doesn't get tossed aside, despite loving Alex Summers as well.

And last but not least, is that freaking Quentin Quire? Man, Schism has been good, but it looks like it's really going to get mindblowing the next two issues. Jason Aaron's stepping up bigtime.

Just to reiterate, I hate the people in charge of this shadow teaser crap. I also don't like the art at all. And yet I have a lifelong weakness for posters that feature an assemblage of brightly colored X-Men....so, yeah, I'll probably buy it when it comes out as a poster.

This Week's Comics

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Sherlock Trailers

I'm gonna be upfront and direct here, and admit right off the bat that this is a throwaway post. Honestly it's just extremely difficult for me, when it is the second week of a grand slam tennis tournament, to give a rat's ass about anything else going on.

I am more than capable of watching up to 16 hours of tennis a day. I fill out my own draw. I argue loudly with the commentators (but never Mary Carillo.) I imagine what I would have done, were I in that high-tension, technically impossible, 20-shot break point rally (I would've won, obviously.) I eat, dream and breathe tennis. I do everything BUT actually play tennis. (Interestingly enough, grand slams coincide with my least physical fortnights of the year, most movement being contained between the couch and the bathroom.)

The point is, comics? Movies? TV? It's all suddenly staggeringly unimportant. Sure, I'm excited for today's release of The Pirate King, Laurie R. King's new mystery. I'm in disbelief that Orson Scott Card's Shadows In Flight has been given a release date and can be preordered. Batgirl #1 comes out this month. For God's sake, Sarah Michelle Gellar is returning to TV this week.

But I just can't keep my eyes off Novak Djokovic.


So, while I enjoy the US Open and contemplate doing a long, glowing, puff piece on the radiant, flawless, brillaint Mary Carillo, check out these new trailers for the upcoming Sherlock Holmes movie sequel, as well as the second season of the acclaimed BBC TV version of Sherlock. Neither are 100% accurate or entirely approved by true Sherlockians, yet both are considerable good fun. Compare and contrast. Or don't, I don't care, it's not in any way related to tennis.


Sherlock Holmes 2 Trailer by teasertrailer




Sherlock - First Footage - Series BBC [VO|HQ] by Lyricis

The Marvel Cosmic Universe Comes Home: Avengers vs. Annihilators

Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning are considered the recent architects of the Marvel Cosmic Universe after long healthy runs on event books (Annihilation: Conquest, Thanos Imperative,) team books (Guardians of the Galaxy, Annihilators) and individual titles (Nova.) And with good reason. They've crafted some of the greatest stories I've read in the past few years, regardless of their cosmic setting and scope. GOTG and Nova became some of my all time favorite books, and while their latest miniseries, the Annihilators, left me less than thrilled, the idea behind the team and its natural evolution from what came before was pitch perfect.

So imagine my excitement as I wait for the upcoming Annihilators: Earthfall, not only bringing the team (consisting of Quasar, Ronan, Silver Surfer, Beta Ray Bill, Ikon and frikkin' Gladiator) back to Earth, but putting them into direct conflict with the Avengers.

Click the jump for speculation, preview pages, and excerpts from a DnA interview.

A Look at Henry Cavill as Superman

Some more photos of Henry Cavill filming Man of Steel have been released, showing off his...er, costume. Ok, that's it, I'm not making any more comments, because I have nothing appropriate to share publicly.

via Spinoff

X-Men Legacy #256 Preview

Just a couple released, unlettered pages, from the next chapter in Mike Carey's arc bringing us back Havok, Polaris and Rachel Grey-Summers.

Looks we get that age old heroes-fight until realizing they're on the same side shtick. Of course, as former X-Men, I can't blame Alex and Lorna for reacting violently when approached by Magneto and Frenzy. Otherwise I suppose brainwashing is a possibility. Plus, in Lorna's case, some serious Daddy issues.

via CBR

Torchwood: Miracle Day Review

Torchwood: Miracle Day, the ten episode long fourth season of Torchwood, is coming to an end in a couple of weeks. Despite both a physical and emotional disinterest, I finally caught up on the last three episodes which I had nonchalantly passed over in favor of watching...just about anything else.

Don't get me wrong, I'm totally a Torchwood fan. Or, at least, a Captain Jack fan. Well, OK, at the very least, I'm a fan of Doctor Who and Captain Jack was in Doctor Who for a time, except the Captain Jack that I enjoyed in Doctor Who is not the one we get in Torchwood.

Because Torchwood is the gritty underbelly of this fantastic, alien-filled universe. It likes to constantly prove to us just how mature its showrunners are, how violent and unfriendly the world is, how dark things can get in a fight.

The problem is they mix gruesome death and horrible torture with bouts of ridiculously bad dialogue, utter momentum destruction, weirdly cheap looking sets, and a cast of characters that are seldom even the slightest bit endearing.