The Real Stars Hollow

I had a dream this weekend that I went to a party thrown and hosted by Lorelai Gilmore, who in her kindness encouraged me to come move to Stars Hollow. If you've never seen Gilmore Girls, Stars Hollow is the fictional Connecticut town where the titular girls live, a mostly ideal small town with beautiful sights, some historical significance, quirky characters, and a general feeling of peace and security.

Naturally one can't ignore a dream of such prophetic magnitude (pop-pop), so I did some research and google told me that the main town Stars Hollow was based upon is called Essex, Connecticut. AKA "The best small town in America."

And I very much want to go to there.

Fringe Renewed!

All hail the executives of Fox (I know, I know, can't believe it either) who in their brilliance and generosity of spirit have renewed Fringe for a Fifth, albeit final, season!

The announcement comes near the end of the fourth season which has suffered from ratings lows as well as the typical rumors of imminent cancellation. In a gratifying and surprising move Fox has commissioned a final Fifth season for next year to last 13 episodes.

“Fringe is a remarkably creative series that has set the bar as one of television’s most imaginative dramas,” said Fox entertainment chief Kevin Reilly. “Bringing it back for a final 13 allows us to provide the climactic conclusion that its passionate and loyal fans deserve. The amazing work the producers, writers and the incredibly talented cast and crew have delivered the last four seasons has literally been out of this world. Although the end is bittersweet, it’s going to be a very exciting final chapter.”


While that is a truncated season it will allow Fringe to hit the 100 episode mark, a huge feat for the over-looked show which means it will now be eligible for syndication.

Not only is this news heartening, but as the season finale approaches it gets the fan in me (no small part) very excited, not only about the climax of this season but the inevitably breakneck, no-holds-barred material to be expected next year.

Well done Fox, and congrats to the cast and crew of Fringe.


In other news, a hearty congratulations to Sarah Michelle Geller and her hubbie for their recently announced second pregnancy. (Let's stick to good news today.)

Happy Friday everyone.

This Week's Comics - 4/25/12

We're still in the first month of Avengers vs. X-Men so all judgments remain reserved, and I'm still pretty excited to see what develops. In fact the slew of AvX titles makes the Pick of the Week a tough choice, what with the first issue of Vs. and Remender's space team face the Phoenix head-on, until I decided to just take them out of the equation and go a different PotW route entirely:

Read on for the full list. And happy new comics day.

Best Gay Webcomics and Other Links

Awhile back I wrote about the enjoyable sci/fi gay webcomic Artifice, which has since been completed and is available to be read in its entirety. Alex Woolfson, the writer and seemingly owner/designer of the website, has another one up called the Young Protectors, which is also gay but a superhero ongoing instead of a science fiction one. It's pretty fun already, and has some great art:

As opposed to, say, doing work, I recently made a tour of some of the more highly recommended gay webcomics. Hit the jump for a couple links, pictures, and brief summaries. And to be clear, these are NSFW types of webcomics, though they're well written and with engaging stories, so if that's not your thing...well scroll down really fast for the news link about Jessica Chastain joining Iron Man 3.

New Doctor Who Set Photos

After the recent shots of Doctor Who filming in Central Park, some new ones have come online. The TARDIS has gone back to England, and while it's still possible Amy Pond's final episode(s) take place in NYC, she's still his companion, and River Song has joined company as well.

The new photos see the gang in a cemetery, with Rory's absence being a bit conspicuous. Also, Amy is reading a book by Melody Malone, apparently another alias of River Song/Melody Pond. Where does she find the time?  

Few more pics after the jump off.

Comic Previews

Happy Friday! Like most Fridays, this one brings us a slew of Marvel previews for comics coming out next week, posted around the internet but conveniently in one place on CBR. So this is me getting up early in the morning, reading them, downloading them, and re-posting whichever ones will undoubtedly make next week's Pull List.

Some things to look forward to: The first issue of AvX Vs., the comic solely devoted to the one-on-one fights. Namor pontificating about why he admires Scott Summers. Danny Rand becoming a Phoenix host, or else just its newest biographer. And Beast being nostalgic for the bad old times, while Valkyrie seems to abandon her feminist principles after one gallon of mead and act coquettish and seductive around Thor. Should be fun.

This Week's Comics - 4/18/12

This week brings us a pretty star-studded Pull List, including several flagship titles from big publications. Marvel not only has the second chapter of Avengers vs. X-Men on the stands, but a main Avengers title and no less than five X-titles, whereas DC has their adjectiveless Batman, the only readable superhero comic they release. Despite the amount of marquis comics, none of have been as heavily marketed nor as highly anticipated as the Pick of the Week.

Read on, disagree, advise, encourage, and buy.

Captain Mal Meets Tony Stark: A Sign of Things To Come?

I haven't been watching Castle for a couple seasons now, though my love for Nathan Fillion continues undiluted. However today, thanks to Whedonesque, I found this clip that supposedly aired after last night's Castle episode:




Aside from being just plain super cool and funny, it begs the question: What on Earth is Robert Downey Jr. doing with Nathan Fillion? Aside from the Joss connection, why would he go to ABC and Castle to help promote The Avengers? Doubtless you and the internet will speculate a'plenty, but here's my theory.

As most people know, after The Avengers' exclusive movie premiere last week, several if not all members of the cast re-formed to shoot an extra scene. Apparently the film already bore the trademark Marvel bonus-scene-during-the-credits, yet this could well have been the elongated final scene at the end of the credits.

Bearing that in mind, and the sudden proximity of Nathan Fillion to the debatable star of The Avengers, it seems to me that all the many years of rumors (some egged on by Joss himself at SDCC last year) and fervent fan prayers have come true: Nathan Fillion is Ant-Man!! And he will be introduced to the team after their first cinematic adventure.

Lending some credence to this theory are the recent remarks of Marvel Film Master Kevin Feige, who spoke about the long discussed Ant-Man film project saying "...we are now closer than we've ever been." as well as a tweet from Edgar Wright, the projected co-writer and director of the movie that went as follows: "Was just back behind the camera for the first time in nearly two years. Can't say on what, but it was cool..."

Obviously there's no certainty here, and doubtless there are currents of cross-promotion I know nothing about that would explain the Downey Jr. promo, but still this seems to be the most definitive grouping of evidence to back up the Captain Tightpants is Ant Man theory ever. And O, what a wonderful development that would be.

All that remains, after the inevitable announcement sometime this summer, is the casting of Morena Baccarin as the Wasp, who, as you will recall, did her research and lobbied hard for the part.

God Bless Joss and his occasionally delightful nepotism.

The Star Trek Sequel

As yet Untitled (it's believed they wish to avoid confusion with Wrath of Khan as well as the complex Star Trek continuity, and it will not be Star Trek 2 but Star Trek: Insert Subtitle Here) the production and filming of the follow-up movie began in January. Despite the great success and acclaim of the reboot, there hasn't been much news about this sequel, perhaps due to the slow process and several years it took to finally get made, not to mention Abrams' notorious secrecy.

However some photos have begun to leak from set, and I for one am very excited. I was never in life a Trekkie, though in principal I chose Star Trek over Star Wars as inevitably having more depth and interest (the latter being the most overrated sci/fi in history) but the movie blew me away. Even now I can rewatch it time and again, the first 5 minutes making me cry without fail, never being bored or anything less than entertained.

(Hit the jump drive, thrusters on full, warp speed to see the photos.)

Monday Round-Up

Space warriors, mutant thieves, Slayers vs. Spies, geek Messiah writer/Directors, and Timelords. Hit the jump for an informative and entertaining news/link roundup.

The Big C Season 3 Review

*Warning: Spoilers for the new season.*

The Big C started off as such a promising show. Laura Linney, a proven actress, versatile and engaging, playing a slightly repressed, good-hearted Midwestern wife and mother confronting her mortality after a Cancer diagnosis. It's maybe not the most original premise, but it's a showcase for an eminently watchable actor that you would expect to find in some one-woman off-Broadway show, only now with the benefit of good production values and famous guest stars.

The idea that each season of the show would be a season in the life of Cathy Jamison, complete with a seasonal theme taken from whatever Kubler-Ross stage seemed most interesting, was certainly hokey and facile, but at least it indicated a more focused, long-term story arc that most serial dramas lack. And in the beginning it was successful; Jamison fairly glowed with humanity as she kept the disease a secret, exploring new experiences, examining the different ways one can approach life when before she thought there was just the one, digging deep for old memories and for the strength to fight for new ones. The plot and pacing kept things interesting, forcing a Jamison focused on her own existence to confront the unexpected mortality of those around her.

Unfortunately, despite all her struggle and progress and moments of epiphany and joy, the new season has presented a different woman and a different show entirely. Frankly both are shameful.

This Week's Comics - 4/11/12

Despite last week's "optic blast heard round the world" which started the juvenile and enjoyable Avengers vs. X-Men, this week we only see one superhero comic that ties into that heavily marketed war. That would be New Avengers #24, which shall be interesting if only to see what side Wolverine chooses to fight for (my money's on his X-family) but not interesting enough to be Pick of the Week.

Nor is the Pick of the Week the newest Buffy comic, continuing last month's revelation that the Buffy we've been following all season is actually a robot, which swept away the previous' month's revelation that Buffy(bot) was pregnant and going to get that lil' slayer aborted but fast. A) it all feels gimmicky and fake, two adjectives never used when describing a good Buffy episode and B) it's just not written that well. I'm not sure if it's the trying-too-hard dialogue or the pace, but despite the improvement over Season 8, Buffy has yet to convincingly translate to comics. So instead, we have a Pick of the Week that is the most skillful comic being published, and that I wish would translate into new mediums (I want to read all the Tommy Taylor novels.)

Read on for the rest of the Pull list.

The Hunger Games Movie Review

It's a bit hard to describe the disappointment I felt watching this movie (though it's considerably less than it would have been a month ago when I was deep in the throes of Hunger Games obsession) however I shall make the attempt in the hopes that my keen, unforgiving eye prevents some unsuspecting soul from seeing this sub par movie and damning the books without reading them.

D-  If this were Entertainment Weekly or some glossy, multi-contributor website that gave grades, this is the grade we would bestow upon the recently released film version of the bestselling novel The Hunger Games. I'll hold off for a second on the detailed account, but let me explain the grade. Despite some actors with chops, a devoted make-up and set-design team, and a large budget, this movie was a failure. In a story whose main plot is a battle to the death, the complete disappearance of any tension was staggeringly obvious. The shaky reality-show-type camera work destroyed not only a viewer's concentration, but what I imagine were painstakingly choreographed fight scenes, the actions of which were impossible to follow. And despite their best intentions, a choppy, clunky, uninspired script that kept and changed the most random elements from the original material, destroyed any suspension of disbelief that us true blue fans went in with and foiled even the best actor's attempt to deliver an insipid, badly written line.

This Week's Comics - 4/4/12

Yes I've been out of it, apologies but civic duty takes a lot out of a Captain. Besides, I'm sure if there was some huge news we'd all already know about it. Far more important however, the event hundreds of days in the making, the epic clash of heroes (tagline: Heroes. Will. Clash.) the morally grey conflict that divides a noble community, begins today. In earnest. Hopefully.

And I, for one, am ridiculously excited. Thats why Avengers vs. X-Men #1 is the Pick of the Week (pretty obvious choice, sure, but Daredevil was a close second.)

Check out the full, not very long, exclusively Marvel pull list after the jump.

This Week's Comics - 3/28/12

First of all, my recent absence can be explained in two words: Jury Duty. It's true, Captain Elias answered the call of civic duty (under threat of punishment) and shouldered the waves of justice like an impartial frigate of...justice. It was slightly more involved then the Articles of War, yet there was less wiggle room in the actual sentencing. Regardless, it has ended, and the best way to get back into the ol' routine, is to get back into new-comic-Wednesdays. Here's your Pull List (bit long, mostly Marvel) and my Pick of the Week:



POTW: Avengers vs. X-Men Starts Here! (Kind of.)



Friday News Roundup: From Avengers to Fiona Apple

Check out Fiona's bangs (and new music), Michonne's adult origins, the archery skill levels of Katniss vs. Hawkeye, and more.

Storm Storms Off, Marvels Marvel, and other AvX Goodies

*UPDATED* Scroll to bottom for newest AvX teaser released today.
Like most things that I eagerly, feverishly anticipate (Hunger Games, Avengers) I try to take a break every now and then from the continuous marketing campaigns, which have an unfortunate tendency, if consumed indiscriminately, to increase in intensity far past the point of giggly delight until they crash on the sharp rocks of overexposure.

Which is to say, I haven't checked out any AvX news in several weeks. My excitement level is very high for this Spring/Summer's Marvel event, but I'm also a realist. Not only could the plot itself be disappointing, but it is a pretty ambitious length. A dozen chapters I think, multiple tie-ins, a total envelopment of the Marvel universe in this particular story. Month in, month out, that is bound to wear a body down. Hell I was sick of Fear Itself before the first issue came out, but the premise was much worse than AvX there, and one hopes the quality levels will be just as different.

The point is, there's a fair amount of teasers, previews, news releases, and solicitations to catch up on. And when you put them all together...well, you get a pretty clear view of what the first act of this violent, soapy, drama will look like. I'm just calling it a drama for now, but we should all expect a fair amount of tragedy in the coming months. Read on to see some pretty pictures and piece the impending plot points together.

This Week's Comics - 3/14/12

A pretty fun Pull List this week, matching the Spring weather almost perfectly. If you have noticed my recent blog absence then I'm sure you'll forgive me, on account of the lingering side-effects of reading Battle Royale. Naturally it makes perfect sense that all my time is therefore split between the requisite daily-grind-eek-out-a-living routine, and sitting on my rooftop in the full fresh season-change weather rereading Jack Aubrey and Stephen Maturin's exploits as fast as my eyes can travel.

There's nothing like Patrick O'Brien for a troubled soul. Though superheroes and magic and comic books can prove a decent distraction as well, which brings us to our Pick of the Week.

The Unwritten #35 brings us the conclusion to "Tommy Taylor and the War of Words" and while Mike Carey's consistent brilliance assures us a great story, I think that cover may be reason enough to win Pick of the Week. Read on for the rest.

Book Reviews: Ilium/Olympos & Battle Royale

Ilium & Olympos by Dan Simmons

Before I say anything critical or get to the unfortunate complaint that will not vacate my head where it rests and squawks and leaves me no peace, let me just say that I loved these stories, I loved the experience of reading them, and I am now without a doubt a Dan Simmons fan, with plans to start Hyperion presently, or perhaps Drood.

In fact Simmons has made me more than just interested in his other writing. I also want to re-read Shakespeare (starting with Tempest), discover Proust, refresh my memory of the Odyssey and Aenead, read Schliemann’s notes on Troy, and even brave the literary Olympus Mons that is Joyce’s Ulysses (a climb I abandoned years ago before even reaching Base Camp 1.)

This Week's Comics - 3/7/12

This week is a small Pull List, and exclusively Marvel. Ladies and gentlemen, your pick of the week:

Avengers: Children's Crusade #9. The Finale.

Leap Day Comics - 2/29/12

On the day the Earth shall Leap, new comics shall be released. Avengers shall clash, zombies shall run amok, and slayers shall struggle. Thus it is written.

Pick of the Week goes to Unwritten. The Avengers issues look fun, and like something may finally happen, and Angel & Faith is certainly intriguing with it's family reunions, but not many things on the stands, or even in bookstores for that matter, can compare to the ambition and creativity of Mike Carey's ongoing story. Click on, o traveller among the Net, for the full list (it ain't a long one.)

Recommended Reading

A few novels for your consideration.

Avengers Previews

On sale this week, Avengers #23 and New Avengers #21, in which Captain America is held hostage ("You don't negotiate with terrorists." but Obama might) and the New Avengers continue their long streak of losing battles, overreacting monosyllabically, and dropping members through shameful defeat. Enjoy.

Good Gay Webcomic

ComicsAlliance has a nice little post up today called "American Yaoi", though I'm unclear why they say the three webcomics they discuss are for Women. I thought the definition of Yaoi was simply a genre dealing with male-male relationships, but I guess it's defined by being specifically intended for women. Which is as ridiculous as saying children can't watch R-rated movies and adults can't read the Hunger Games.

Regardless, I'm usually not a big fan of Japanese-style cartoon/comics, but it must be admitted that the frequency with which they tell stories about gay men far outstrips their western counterparts. The ones profiled by CA are examples of that rarity. Due to my aesthetic inclinations, I skipped their first sample and clicked on Artifice, written by Alex Woolfson and drawn by Winona Nelson.

And it is very good. It has elements I appreciate and think generally make comics, and webcomics, successful, such as a simplicity of presentation, clear lines and colors, and an intelligent writer. Artifice itself draws you in instantly, containing both a sense of humor and high stakes. It contains a science fiction/future setting, an astute and aggressive psychiatrist, an endearing, believable young man, and handsome android struggling with issues of love, existence and purpose.

Even if it were just a story of love being stronger than anything else (programming, threats, common sense, etc) I would be into it, but the fact that it does so with skill, compassion, wisdom and whimsy just makes me like it all the more. There are only 78 or so installments as of yet, but they are certainly engrossing and the best part of a webcomic is that there are more to come. Highly recommended. In fact, I think I'll go find more of Mr. Woolfson's work. Not during work hours of course, that would just be...unprofessional. Happy Friday.

This Week's Comics - 2/22/12

My Pull List this week is exclusively Marvel...as has happened before. What can I say, I like my mutants. Behold the Pick of the Week:

X-Men Legacy #262 takes the cake, not just because others are weaker (don't love Jubilee as a vampire, X-Force may be getting too weird for me, Academy has a too-large cast, etc) but because it's the first time post-Schism that Wolverine's X-Men and Cyclops come face to face. Considering the Schism may not last all that long, what with Avengers vs. X-Men starting in a little over a month, I expect this will be interesting.

Previews: Uncanny X-Force #22 and Wolverine & The X-Men #6

Previews for two quality X-comics on sale tomorrow. In Uncanny X-Force, the battle in the omniverse (or whatever it's called) continues, with Wolverine, alterNightcrawler and Deadpool trying to save medieval peasant civilians from an evil magic goat, and Betsy trying to save Fantomex. Sounds hokey but it's pretty fantastic (though I miss the artist who was usually on Uncanny.) Wolverine & The X-Men brings us Wolverine and Quentin Quire, the headmaster and the kid sociopath, venturing out into the galaxy in an attempt to cheat and gamble until they have enough money to bankroll the Jean Grey School.

Turns out there's a place at the end of the Milky Way galaxy called Planet Sin. Feels like I should have known about that. Would have been convenient setting in many cosmic stories. One day I sure hope to see Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning write a story where Drax (he's not really dead), Nova (he's not really dead), Rocket Racoon and Gamora check out the Sin sights as well.

TV Reviews: Justified, Revenge & The River

A few brief reviews of new and recently returned television shows. Read on for comments on Revenge and The River.

Justified

   I definitely have a soft spot for this show. It's given us some truly great episodes before, and the slow burn of plot lines during the season always pays off in a thoroughly enjoyable and engrossing climax/finale.  However, there is one huge complaint I have about this show, and it involves the magnetic, charming, talented lead Timothy Olyphant, whom I could watch in just about anything.

DnA on New Mutants, with a Preview of #38

CBR's latest X-Position installment has DnA answering questions about their work on New Mutants.  As usual, especially with a big event such as Avengers vs. X-Men coming up, they're fairly cagey in terms of possibly revealing any spoilers.

Still, some things come out, such as the fact that they intend to keep Dani powerless (and see her as a "stand-out" Captain America-leader type character), Nate Grey will probably regain the full extent of his own powers eventually, and that they are more than willing to get back to writing cosmic comics so long as Marvel offers the opportunity. So wake up, Marvel execs, cause their cosmic work was about ten times better than their current 'street level' superheroics.

Read the article at CBR and read on here for the preview of New Mutants #38, which brings us to our final sneaky spoiler of the day: the return of Bird Brain!! The one and only Ani-Mate who was present, and in part responsible, for the death of Doug Ramsey. Talk about unfinished business.

This Week's Comics - 2/15/12

This week brings me a solid Marvel line-up (including some titles showing impressive regularity) and even a couple choice DC titles, the cream of the New 52 crop.

Pick of the Week, despite some stellar competition, is X-Factor, owing to the the personally much-anticipated conclusion to They Keep Killing Madrox.

More Avengers vs. X-Men Covers

As the weeks roll by and we get closer to the April beginning of the AvX epic, Marvel continues to release covers that reveal some hints as to future plot developments as well as please the eye. Check out all the newest ones below, with some mild speculation.

Flaming Hope on the run, looking like she's lost all her allies by Round 4.

Avengers vs. X-Men #1 Preview and Variant Covers

All AvX! All the time! Despite being about 2 months away from release, Marvel is stepping up what has already been an intense promotional campaign. And I for one do not mind in the least. Most of us have a sense of the tone this major Marvel event will be striking, and while it's probably not going to be a deep, multifaceted, quiet character study, it's going to be a hell of a lot of fun.

Check out some variant covers Marvel has released, followed by a 7 page preview of Avengers vs. X-Men #1! See how it all begins.

This Week's Comics - 2/8/12

Between a busy work week, canine responsibilities and the Super Bowl, I haven't had much time to think of new posts. However, I it seems to have been pretty slow in the comic-news department these days so I haven't missed much, except perhaps for some new superhero movie trailers (Avengers, Spidey) and a recently revealed AvX cover that shows us Thor battling a very yonic Phoenix force.

So let's just get right to the meat of the week; Wednesday's new comics. As usual my Pull List is Marvel-heavy, though streamlined, but we've got some more publishing houses in the mix this time around, and the competition for Pick of the Week is not in Marvel at all. It's between the best title DC has, The Unwritten, and Dark Horse's newest Buffy issue, which may not be my favorite comic but this week has a fantastic cover and a story to tell about our old friend Nikki Wood, the NYC Slayer and single mom from the 80s. Read on for the full list and Buffy preview.

Next Week's Previews

Today I'm just gonna put up some purty and colorful previews of next week's new comics. Life is good and busy and my sweet dog has moved into my own apartment. If you scroll down and read all the previews, perhaps you will find a picture of her radiant canine self sleeping in her new home (yes, I have taken her in and will never let her go.)

On the comics front, big news this week is the announcement of more Watchmen comics, either prologues or sequels I forget. Either way, I'm not terribly invested. Everyone goes on and on about Watchmen and Alan Moore and I can see that it did a lot for comics in general when it was released, but I was never the biggest fan of the story itself. Besides, even if it were the greatest thing ever released in comics form, doesn't that make rehashing it with new writers some 30 years later an idiotic and purely financial idea?

So, preview-wise, we'll be sticking with some tried and true Marvel comics as well as the new Angel & Faith, featuring the return of Drusilla, a character I'm looking forward to reading on account of some recently viewed Buffy reruns that featured her. (Often at the end of her episodes she just slinks away into the shadows while Buffy makes a pun instead of, say, killing her and saving countless future lives. I've always felt Drusilla is one of Buffy's biggest slay-fails.)

This Week's Comics - 2/1/12

The first day of February and already there are new comics which I will read (and store and read again) being unloaded out of cardboard boxes mere blocks away. It's a good way to start the month, even though this week brings a thin pull list.

Uncanny X-Men #6

Considering the stacks I used to carry out of the comic store when I had no semblance of restraint, it's a downright emaciated pull list. Five comics, just five, and all Marvel. And yes, most of them are X-Men related. I gone done shocked ya now, didn't I?

Avengers vs. X-Men #0 Preview

Preview pages for the big Avengers vs. X-Men event prologue are now online. Feast your eyes as the stage gets set for the Phoenix to hit the fan and Earth's mightiest hated and feared heroes go after each other.

Novak for President

A little late, reporting-wise, but I'm not really a journalist and fans can be forgiven. On Sunday Novak Djokovic defeated Rafael Nadal in their third straight Grand Slam Final meeting, winning the Australian Open in what was the longest final in Grand Slam history. The score was 5-7, 6-4, 6-2, 6-7 (5-7), 7-5. 

Nole Sends Ratface Back To Glasgow

Well, as of just a few minutes ago, Novak Djokovic advanced to the Championship round of the Australian Open, defeating Murray as expected.

However, the fashion in which he triumphed was less expected. The semi-final match between the world no. 1 and the world no. 4 went 5 sets and lasted a few minutes shy of 5 hours. (It also screwed up my commute. How can you get up at 330am and still end up late for work?)

Alas, Poor Roger

As of 7:30am, we have at least one of the finalists for Sunday's Australian Open championship round, and his name is Rafael Nadal. (And in my opinion, his opponent is guaranteed to be Djokovic.)

Extending his career record over Federer to stunning 18-9, this modern legend of a rivalry has become painfully one-sided. As several commentators pointed out this morning, playing Roger brings out the best in Nadal, but for some unknown reason has the opposite effect on Federer.

This Week's Comics - 1/24/12

Reading habits always suffer during the second week of a Grand Slam, and while the Australian Open may take a bit more out of a fan (marquis matches airing at 330am start wearing you down by the Semifinals) the Live feed of Melbourne time gives one several opens for catching up on comics.

Fortunately it's a pretty thin week, with even those reliable titles that seem to ship three times a month (X-Factor, Amazing Spider-Man, etc.) taking a little break, and the general status quo of both universes falling somewhere in the calm spot between major events. With all the talk of Avengers vs. X-Men, and even the Batman line crossover, this will surely not last for long.

Hit jump, peruse listage. And don't miss Nadal v. Federer at 330 ET tonight/tomorrow morning.

Artsy Avengers Variants

Just in time for the movie's premiere, May 4th 2012, Marvel is releasing a slew of variants in April to honor the Avengers team in a slightly more artistic way. Over a dozen various titles will be released with a variant featuring the movie-cast of the team in unusual, rarely seen ways. And it's really rather lovely.

Despite not loving the line-up (Black Widow? Really?) I love when they do stuff like this. And thanks to Bleeding Cool, I've got all the covers up here. Check 'em out.

Recommended Reading

I'm always reading a book. At any given moment in life there is a book I have begun, either sitting in my pocket eagerly waiting for a subway ride or a less amenable opportunity to rejoin the story, or else sitting on my nightstand, dutifully awaiting the mandatory five minutes of reading endurance that precedes slumber. As with most things, the intensity and commitment ebbs and flows. Quite frankly I have plenty of dry spells that involve keeping an unfinished book in my bag while devouring comics and television for weeks.

However, I happen to be in a voracious reading phase. Or coming out of one, at least. I was going slow but steady a few weeks ago with some Dumas, and then Hunger Games happened. I'd heard of it from The Sister (that's not some weird thing, I just like capitalizing my family's roles) and finally got around to putting it on my Hold list at the library.

Cut to 24 hours later, 7 spent in sleep, the rest in barrelling through Suzanne Collins' trilogy. It was scary, intense, fast-paced, and FUN. I hadn't had that kind of stay-up-till-3am-reading fun in months. And, as usually happens, I was desperate to recreate the situation. These are the hits and misses of my post-Hunger Games Reading fortnight.

Iron Phoenix Fist Force

UPDATED: Two new AvX covers, released today, are posted at the bottom.

Despite being months away, it seems that every new day of 2012 brings us new images from the Avengers vs. X-Men event. Three more covers stand revealed, and while two are standard, aesthetically pleasing, expected and fun, the other is just...yeahbuhwha??!

This Week's Comics - 1/18/12

It's a mercifully light week, with only 5 Marvels and 2 DCs making the cut. The problem with light weeks is that once you're done selecting new comics, your stack neatly assembled, waiting on a small line for the cashier, that's when you notice the bargain bins.

Vintage Uncanny X-Men issues for 50% off sticker price. Alternate universe hardcovers marked down 70% from retail price. That semi-new indie comic everyone's been talking about, collected and released at a manageable price. Hell, even the Thor and Captain America keychains suddenly look like the most beautiful man-made creations in the history of human artistry.

In moments such as this, moments of savage trial and epic temptation, I encourage you to breathe, to return your gaze to your eagerly assembled original comics stack, and attempt to put on blinders. You must block out the strangely illuminated treasure that fills up the counter space of a comic store. You must be strong, and brave, and pay for your comics as quickly as possible. Once cash or credit has changed hands, you can reopen your peripheral vision and even safely converse with employees, as the chances of 2nd round chotchky/back issue buying are far less.

Good luck to you, bold traveller. Hit the jump for my list.

SMG & Piper Perabo at Globes

In an otherwise frightfully long, dull, pointless, awkward awards show, this recent Golden Globes had one moment of excitement for me; when Sarah Michelle Gellar and Piper Perabo walked out together to present an award.

Granted, SMG has meant more to me in the past than Piper, but seeing them together was a bit of a thrill; the more underrated but personally esteemed actresses in the room.

Yes, unfortunately, their dresses were both pretty awful, and I can't get behind that bouffant hair bump that women are doing lately, but who cares? It's SMG and Piper. I just like to think that they're best friends now. (Step aside, Lena Headey.) And besides, Sarah let her daughter pick the dress. That's both an excuse, kind parenting, and a small fuck-you to the fame obsessed hordes that put together such a painfully irrelevant schlockfest as the Globes.

Now, if only they'd given her a globe for Buffy back in the day, I might actually begin to think about respecting them.

Avengers vs. X-Men #1 Cover

via CBR

It's pretty much what you would expect, save for two small things. A) They're referring to it as Round One as opposed to Issue One, which is rather fun, and B) Beast and Wolverine both appear to start off the series on the Avengers side. That's obviously not confirmed, but whatever confusion or final decisions they have to face, I believe they'll end up firmly on the X-Men side, aka the "Let's not kill that little girl named Hope" side, which I assume is their team name.

As I've said, I'm excited either way. Wish I had more for you rabid comic news junkies this morning, but it seems everyone else got the day off for MLK Jr. day and decided to stay in bed, avoiding both work of any kind and the 14 degree weather. Lucky bastards.

Also the Australian Open has begun. There are four grand slams a year, four fortnights in which I can expect a lot of late nights given up in dedication to watching a great tennis tournament. The fact that it's in Melbourne makes it a bit tricky, but espn2 and a fresh pot of coffee help.

I haven't seen much yet, but I'm betting Novak is still the best bet. He loves winning down under. But I want to see Roger in action as well, see how he's looking. It could be the year he gets back on top, I think. Tomic, the young Australian, had a fantastic match last night, bringing down Verdasco in 5-sets. Played with maturity and grace and mental fortitude and he's only 19 or something insane like that. Gotta love this sport.

Marvel Previews for Next Week's Comics

I'm too happy it's Friday to think of anything very good to blog about. Hopefully I'll get around to discussing some recent sci/fi/fantasy reads, or my progress through Mike Carey's Unwritten series. But until then, let's just look at some pretty pictures.

Hit the jump for some previews of next week's new Marvel comics. Or go see 'em all at CBR.

Avengers vs. X-Men: One-on-One Battles Revealed

While many things remain uncertain (elections, olympics, apocalypse) some things are very clear; 2012 is the year of Avengers vs. X-Men. And with that comes, as promised, the tie-in title Versus, the grudge-match showdowns, the stage for the one-on-one battles that we have all imagined and argued over throughout our adolescence.

As the publishers and marketers begin to tease us, and reveal, little by little, news and information for this epic upcoming event, we start to get a look at the line-up. It's a fun thing to behold.

This Week's Comics

This week brings me my mostly standard Marvel fare, with the notable plot excitement coming in X-Factor #230; this title seems to ship far more often than any other, and I truly appreciate that. After several months of teases and solicits and speculation, Havok and Polaris make their X-Factor return/debut today. Even without Jamie dying slash stuck on a roller coaster of dimensional Dupe-Death hopping, or seeing Layla grieve, or Monet dealing with Guido's missing soul, or Rictor and Shatterstar doing...just about anything, Lorna and Alex coming back makes it my Pick of the Week.

X-Factor #230: POTW



 Other points of interest include the first X-Men Legacy written by Christos Gage and taking place in the Jean Grey School, as well as a slow but heartfelt search for Unwritten back issues. I need my Mike Carey fix and it turns out all the critics were right; this comic is amazing.

HELP: Great Sci/Fi & Fantasy Titles Needed

On a bit of a kick these days, and I need your help to keep it going. I've been reading a lot of sci fi/fantasy novels lately and I want to find some more this afternoon.

I recently devoured the Hunger Games trilogy, and naturally anything that gripping and fast-paced, the kind to inspire all-night reading, would be ideal. I also did the City of Ember books, which were torn through at a similar pace though with less fervor. And Michael Chabon's fantastic (as if his writing needed complimentary descriptive terms anymore) Summerland novel.

Granted most of these are pretty firmly placed in the Young Adult category, but I have no problem with that. Some of the best stories are, and I am in fact trying to learn some fundamentals about how to write these stories.

A couple wider attempts have failed; I stalled pretty early on in Robert Jordan's Eye of the World. I was also more of CS Lewis guy than a Tolkien one (Ballet over Opera, Crunchy over Creamy) and Jordan's dense mythology and languages and worlds whittled away at my interest about a third of the way (much like Lord of the Rings.)

So with all that information, and with the revelation of other all-time favorites--Narnia, Lewis' Space Trilogy, LeGuin (Earthsea), Orson Scott Card (Ender AND Maker,) Roald Dahl, etc.---does anyone have any choice suggestions?

Any recommendations would be hugely appreciated. Thanks.

Avengers vs. X-Men: The Tie-In

So after a lot of talk about next year's big Avengers vs X-Men event being entirely self-contained and staying within the confines of its own major, relevant titles, it seems we will have a tie-in after all. But you won't find any complaints here.

And why is that? Because the tie-in comic is called, quite simply, "Versus." Every battle in AvX, every one-on-one grudge match that they can't spare pages on in the main story, goes down in "Versus."

Magneto vs. Iron Man. Namor vs. The Thing. Brawlers and Earth-shakers. And less potent fighters as well, such as Pixie vs. Squirrel Girl, or ancient grudge/new mutiny personal fights, such as Ms. Marvel vs. Rogue.

'Awesome' is the watch-word. Final enticing tidbits include the hope for Jessica Jones to slip in somewhere, a background Ben Urich/Trish Tilby reporter fight, the divided loyalties of certain characters with ties to both teams, and last, but certainly not least, a Storm fight of her very own.

Coverage of the announcement here and here.

Marvel Previews for Next Week's Comics

Friday's are wonderful already, but as an added bonus to break-up the final work day of the week, Comic Book Resources always posts previews of new Marvel comics being released next week.

And I shamelessly repost them. 'Cause they're pretty to look at and 7 days is surprisingly long to wait for my new comic fix. What can I say, I'm a superhero junkie.

Hit the jump for previews of: Wolverine & the X-Men #4, X-Men Legacy #260.1, X-Factor #230 and New Avengers #20.

Sci Fi / Fantasy Poll

I'm not looking for what you consider the best writing, or the best characters, but which premise, spawned in the writer's head before a word had been written, is most attractive, interesting and hard to put down.

Which sci fi/fantasy novel has the most engrossing premise?
	The Chronicles of Narnia
	Dune
	The Hunger Games
	Wizard of Earthsea
	Stranger in a Strange Land
	Ender's Game
= see results =

Peter David on X-Factor's Changes

Comic Book Resources has another fun X-Position installment with Peter David, writer of X-Factor, answering fan questions about various topics and specifically the upcoming return of Havok and Polaris to the team.

Hit the jump for some choice tidbits, insights, and pictures. Or just go read it yourself.

This Week's Comics - 1/4/12

It's the first Pull List of the New Year, and it seems my selection matches the new sales charts that are out; Marvel takes the cake.

Yes, folks, not a single DC title gets on my list this week, nor any indies or semi-mainstream companies or the one created by the guy who owns the comic store. This week is entirely Marvel.



Avengers Annual #1


Bright colors. Skin tight costumes. Loud, destructive powers. It's like they read all my New Year's Resolutions.

The Baker Street Irregulars Come to Comics

Tony Lee and Dan Boultwood have written/drawn (respectively) a series of graphic novels about the Baker Street Irregulars, Sherlock Holmes' amateur crime fighting force of enterprising orphans and bold yet obedient street kids. This seems like a rather obviously brilliant publishing move and I'm surprised no one has announced a TV show with the same premise yet. Considering the success of recent Sherlock adaptations, and I am a big fan of both the movie and the BBC show (though I have yet to see their newest incarnations) Lee's new stories seems destined to be a big hit.

The comic will take place after Sherlock's apparent death at Reichenbach Falls, and will see the Baker Street Irregulars stepping in to assume the mystery-solving/crime-fighting workload that Holmes once carried singlehandedly. They are not alone, however, as both Mr. Watson and Irene Adler act as support.

Here's an original little New Year's promotional strip that was published in The Times (the London one) just yesterday. And then hit the jump if you want to see some pages from the upcoming series as well as a few details on some of these new Irregulars.

Uncanny X-Men #4 Preview, Plus A Guide to Recent Phalanx History

Looks like 2012 is certain to be a good year, as we're getting two new issues of Uncanny X-Men in two consecutive weeks. I'll be completely honest, and admit I'm leaning the Logan/Westchester way these days, but Kieron Gillen is still a pretty fun X-writer and honestly, two straight weeks with a new premiere X-book on the stands? It's starting to become a blissfully common occurrence.

Uncanny #4 brings us what is apparently just a one-shot, featuring the return of the dread Phalanx. The Phalanx, obviously, are the accidental byproduct of the feeding process of alien race the Technarchy, who are giant, living techno-organic organisms who possess a unique transmode virus. Their Marvel history is predominantly with the X-Men, used as a weapon by mutant haters as well as the direct connections to Warlock of the New Mutants, who is a mutant among the Technarchy, bearing a non-aggressive strain of the transmode virus.

What some people don't know, however, is what the Phalanx have been up to lately. Hit the jump for the Uncanny preview as well as some fun pictures from the Phalanx' latest adventures.

This Week's Comics - 12/28/11

So it's the last Pull List of the year, and despite last week's impressive haul, there are some gems in the stack that should end 2011 in style.

Considering that the fantastic and difficult-to-wait-for penultimate issue of Avengers: Children's Crusade is out, it seems it would be a shoe-in for any "Pick of the Week" spotlights. But in truth it didn't even affect the easy decision of honoring Mike Carey's final issue of X-Men Legacy after 5 years.



X-Men Legacy #260


This reader will miss you, Mr. Carey. Thanks for the great comics.

Read on for the list.

Preview: Avengers Children's Crusade #8

Today CBR brings us a preview of the penultimate chapter of this year's best comic series, Avengers: Children's Crusade. In light of next year's Avengers vs. X-Men epic, all the prophesies of this series having major ramifications for the entire Marvel Universe seem to be true.

The return of the Scarlet Witch continues, with a healed and all-powerful Victor von Doom taking center stage. Merry Christmas folks.