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(Most of) No Man’s Land…Finally

Posted on June 6, 2014 by Walt

Somewhere during my junior year of high school, I ended up following the multi-part crossover Cataclysm in the Batman family of titles.

It was early in my senior year that things took off; I was on a senior class field trip when I picked up a couple issues of the Mr. Wayne Goes to Washington prelude arc. And it was during the latter part of my senior year and early freshman year of college that I followed most of the year-long No Man’s Land mega-arc.

batmannomanslandvols1-3b

However, to this day, I’ve yet to read the entire thing. And I never did wind up snagging the 5 or 6 volume set of the TPBs that’ve been out. Of course, that turned out to be fortuitous as DC‘s in the last couple years re-issued the arc in new editions–this time collecting more, and doing so in 4 volumes.

batmannomanslandvols1-3a

I ordered the first three volumes last week in a bit of a “retail-therapy” splurge, restraining myself by sticking “just” to these three volumes. I intend to snag the 4th before too much longer, and have also had my eye on the new editions of the Knightfall/KnightQuest/KnightsEnd volumes. Batman’s 75th, and it’s looking like a significant Batman investment for me already for the year.

It helps, perhaps, having also bought and listened to the two GraphicAudio volumes adapting Greg Rucka‘s novelization of the series, which was a real treat to listen to the last few weeks.

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Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (IDW) #34 [Review]

Posted on June 5, 2014 by Walt

teenagemutantninjaturtlesidw034Story: Kevin Eastman, Bobby Curnow, Tom Waltz
Script: Tom Waltz
Art: Mateus Santolouco
Colors: Ronda Pattison
Letters: Shawn Lee
Editor: Bobby Curnow
Cover: Mateus Santolouco
Published by: IDW
Cover Price: $3.99

While heading to Harold’s lab to seek his assistance, Donnie and April run across Casey and Angel. Angel accompanies the duo to the lab, while Casey heads off on his own, still dealing with recent events. Harold’s been busy, and whatever his intentions with a security robot, the thing predictably-ish loses control, forcing the turtle and his human allies into combat…which leads to the introduction of another familiar name to this series. Meanwhile, Leonardo and Splinter discuss priorities, and we leave off with the latest development with a couple of uneasy allies.

Story-wise, not a whole lot to say for this issue. This definitely feels like a developmental issue…not really “treading water” or anything, but definitely <b>A</b> “middle chapter” of a middle chapter, so to speak. We do get some good development in Harold’s place in things, though that sort of adds to this middle sense–after City Fall and the quieter Northampton, this issue (and arc) feels like it’s more laying the groundwork for a coming showdown with Krang and his Technodrome.

We have the introduction of a familiar turtle robot, which is ok–I’m not a particular fan overall, though I’ve owned the action figures and not had a terrible problem with the cartoon episodes. This take on the thing put me in mind of the current animated series’ version…perhaps simply because that’s the most recent I’ve seen. Whatever my feelings about the use of the character (which works well even if I’m not the biggest fan)…I really like the visual!

Which leads to the issue’s art: I continue to really dig Santolouco‘s visual style with these characters! As I’ve probably said previously, I don’t care for April’s hair style of late, but that isn’t necessarily a comment on the art as much as one guy’s preferences. The visual take Santolouco brings to the book is enjoyable, and a bit different (moreso for the turtles), but has come to be another favorite of mine.

All in all, another quite solid issue of a series that–nearly three years in–continues to have me looking forward to each new issue, and marveling at the excellent blend of all the previous iterations of the TMNT that this brings to the fore: a sort of mash-up, taking the best of all the past and giving us this present continuity…a continuity that I’m coming to regard as a favorite in itself.

Given IDW’s short 4-issue arcs / 4-issue-TPB pattern, this is the 2nd chapter of 4, so not in itself a jumping on point, though still a strong “episode” in itself, worthy of reading for a casual fan–particularly one of Donatello–if not essential.

I enjoyed the read; the look of Metalhead, and exclaimed out loud at the recognition of Nobody.

Filed under: 2014, IDW Publishing, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (IDW) | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment »

Ultraforce Action Figures…After All This Time

Posted on June 4, 2014 by Walt

While I’ve been aware of them for at least 15 years (and I’m pretty sure I was aware of them earlier than that), it’s taken until just this Spring for me to finally acquire any of the Ultraforce action figures.

ultraforcenightmanandprime

Several years ago I ordered a Prime and Hardcase figure on eBay, but that never quite worked out (and shame on me for never pursuing the issue). But then just a couple weeks ago, a friend led me to a vintage toy store, where I found the Night Man figure for $3. And then barely a week later at a local one-day show, I found Prime also for $3.

Certainly a couple of my coolest “finds” in a long while…and can’t beat the price (especially with them still being on the card!) Thing is, my apartment’s such a mess, while I don’t relish leaving them packaged, I probably will until I can do some major cleaning and rearranging to properly display the various figures–including these.

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Superman…Full Circle

Posted on June 2, 2014 by Walt

Last week, The New 52 has officially come “full circle” for me. I was introduced to comics in late 1988 by my grandpa, but it was Spring 1989 when I discovered “they still made comics,” and my Mom bought me my first few comics–including my first-ever issue of Superman…#31. Now the New 52 Superman series has hit #31, meaning that for me The New 52 DC universe is now as old as the previous DC Universe was, when I was introduced to it. Like it, love it, or hate it…

Superman31s

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