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Podcast

Comic Timing – Episode 68

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Nanananananana Batman! Batman! Batman! Nanananananana…Batman!


Thanks to About Hereos for the image. Had to include it!

This episode, we do our Batman Movie Retrospective. We equals Juan De Jesus and Raph Soohoo of Geek Unite!, Chris Chavez alias Equinox, Leroy John Rivera alias Ziggo of Comic Tube, and Brent Kossina and myself. We go from the 1989 Batman movie all the way to Batman Returns, Batman Forever (And Ever And Ever….), Batman and Robin, and Batman Begins. We discuss what we would have done different, ratings for each movie, what we adored, The Ice Age, Alicia Silverstone and her voluptuous behind, and plenty more. On Episode 69 we shall delve into Gotham Knight and Dark Knight, so stay tuned for that! And for those of you brave enough to partake in it, a contest is announced this episode. You have been warned.

Comic Timing is sponsored by Heroes Corner. All first time Heroes Corner users can enter the promo code CTROCKS to receive an additional 5% off their first order with the site, and make sure to check out their Double Down Trades Special. Buy one trade at regular discount, you receive the second trade for 50% off! And if you use this as part of the Summer Special, buy two trades of a character and get the single issue for that character free, you get a free comic too! And finally, the Comic Timing books of the month are as follows:

Captain Britain and the MI-13 #6 – New story arc begins here! – 40% off (HC price: $1.79 / retail: $2.99)

Supergirl #34– Jamal Igle debuts as new series artist! – 40% off (HC price: $1.79 / retail: $2.99)

Hellboy: In The Chapel of Moloch #1 – Mike Mignola return to write and draw Hellboy in this very special one shot! – 75% off! (HC price: $0.75 / retail: $2.99)

Make sure to get these issues so you can listen to the newly named Comic Timing: Review Corner episode when it comes out in October!

You can e-mail the show at comictiming@gmail.com, and please vote for us at Podcast Alley and Digg us at Digg.Com. And of course, if you can, please donate to the HERO Initiative effort if you can. Every little bit helps!

We shall see you next week for our take on Gotham Knight and Dark Knight, and the week after for the airing of our delayed Half Hour Wasted Crossover episode. Thanks for listening, thanks for downloading, and enjoy!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 3:03:13 — 93.3MB)

Editorial

Rant Timing #8: HULK SMASH PUNY MOVIE!

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Rant Timing #8: HULK SMASH PUNY MOVIE!

So as I was leaving Midtown comics last Friday, a dude was hanging out fliers for a Hulk screening taking place either on Wednesday or Thursday. Since I had no idea if I could leave work early on Wednesday, I chose Thursday. Sure, this meant I’d have to leave the Yankees game a bit early, but I saw the bulk of the game so no worries. Although they came back to win after I left, which might be some kind of sign.

Anyway, got to the theater around 4:30, way ahead of the 5:15 deadline and waited on line for a bit. They gave me a survey to fill out, and handed me my ticket. Once Kris arrived she got on line to get her ticket and then joined me afterward, and into the theater we went. Inside, we got a song and dance routine by the theater manager, who was there to tell us how much we would love the movie, and that we got to be the third audience to see the movie in NY, and according to him, anywhere. He then graced us with an interesting bit of news. As opposed to nto being able to bring in camera phones, ALL electronic devices would not be permitted inside. iPods, mp3 players, phones and camera phones alike. They let me keep my digital wristwatch however, so now I can spread my wristwatch video all over the internets! Mwahahaha! Okay, so maybe not.

We get in there, and sit down for an hour and a half before the actual movie begins. Luckily I had some Chase comics with me from the mid-90’s to read to pass the time, and Kris had her jPod. Interesting enough, they let me take my water bottle in with no hassles. Guess they didn’t care about concession sales at a preview screening?

Once the excruciating wait ended (which was alleviated by the dudes sitting next to us being friendly, hi Sean guy I’ll probably never see again), it was time for movie! Advantage of preview screening: no trailers! Woo! Now I won’t give away any spoilers, but I will give out the basics. The opening credits do the job of retconning the first movie (“So it’s a sequel AND a remake?”), allowing the movie itself to begin without long exposition. The special effects were far superior to those in Hulk, and although there were one or two moments where it looked like a video game on a big screen, it got the job done as best it could.

Ed Norton is Bruce Banner. He gets the calm yet creepy nature down, and always appears as if he is one step away from going over the edge. A lot of the plot can lend itself to Bruce Jone’s early arc on The Incredible Hulk, and aspects such as meditation techniques and anger control are present. Both Stan Lee and Lou Ferrigno, with Stan’s appearance actually adding to the plot in a very…amusing fashion. Liv Tyler, while big lipped as always, plays Betty Ross the way she should be played. Vulnerable yet strong, compassionate yet hard-boiled. And Tim Roth as Emil Blonsky? Well, let’s just say he loves being the military for all the wrong reasons. Jim Segulin of Raging Bullets will have major issues with his haircut and unshaven beard however. That ain’t regulation!

The last scene…DAMN. My showing played it before the credits so I assume it will do the same for the major release, but if it doesn’t, stay til the end just in case! Marvel continues to do the right thing with their properties, and the big green giant whose cereal is getting soggy now has a movie to call his own that doesn’t leave you scratching your scruffy beard in confusion. I give it 4 PUNY HUMANS out of 5.

Go see this movie, people, they did it again!

Editorial

Early Review: Warren Ellis Crooked Little Vein

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I received a preview copy of the first ever Warren Ellis novel, “Crooked Little Vein,” last month. The following is my review of the title. Expect a fuller review as a Special Episode of Comic Timing in the near future.

Crooked Little Vein

Of all the authors I have grown to appreciate in the world of comic books, Warren Ellis is in a world all his own. The thoughts that come into this man’s head are not those of the average writer. Up until now, his ideas have been limited to the comic book medium, where pictures accompanied his words. We knew exactly what he wanted us to see, because it was right there for us. With “Crooked Little Vein,” things are a bit more difficult. Now we have nothing but words to accompany his story. Did it make a difference in his storytelling ability? Not in the slightest. His descriptions, no matter how obscene, are enough for the reader to know exactly what he is talking about. Of course, it would not be a Warren Ellis affair without a main character you can relate to, throughout all of his flaws and character traits. Michael McGill, private investigator, hero to no one, is a putz at times, but he is our putz. His life is a myriad of mistakes, all brought together into the epic search for the missing U.S. Constitution.

Mike seems to care very little about actually getting the book back, just as long as there is compensation. Along the way, he meets the dregs of society, and you see just what this country could be if we were skewed just a teensy bit further to the side of corruption. Is Warren Ellis writing an exaggeration of our current society, or is he writing a truth few of us wish to admit is reality? The chief of staff gives him his mission in order to bring the United States, and possibly the world, back to a simpler time. But by what means? Is it ever right to force people to become something they are not, when even the highest up in the political world seem to suffer from the same lack of morals? Are we better off with freedom, or with “freedom?” Good question.

I believe that choice is up to the reader to decide; either way you go, the book is exceptional, and will have you chomping at the bit to read as much as possible, until you are at the final page. The book left me with one thought in my head: let the absurd ring true. Take all of Ellis’ former works, throw them in a bucket, stir vigorously, and you get “Crooked Little Vein.” It was everything I love about his style and more, and I will be first in line to read his next novel, whenever that may arrive.