Super Cinema Review: Thor: The Dark World

The second film in Marvel Studios's Phase 2 series, Thor: The Dark world continue's the adventures of the eponymous wacky character, Thor. With a new director and a new direction, TDW strives to give the viewers an fun, epic adventure while conjuring up various emotions. Does it succeed in doing so? Yes, in a a surprisingly awesome way

The Story:

The Dark World opens up with some well needed exposition, where Odin explains Malekith's backstory and the crucial plot piece 'The Aether' which threatens to bring the world into darkness. We then catch up on Thor and all his supporting cast. Thor, Sif, and the Warriors Three are setting about to bring peace to the Nine Realms. Jane is having a rough time getting over Thor while also trying to find him along with Darcy, Erik (who's gone nuts since Avengers) and newcomer 'Intern'. Loki is in prison, and we learn that he may actually have somewhat of a bond towards his foster(?) mother, Frigga.

The plot is extremely straightforward, though this is not necessarily a bad thing. The movie clearly set out to develop its main cast, and as such didn't focus much on a complicated conflict. There's a bad guy, he wants to blow up the world, yadda yadda yadda. Despite Christopher Eccleson's best efforts, Malekith falls short of being an interesting villain. Rather, the focus and power of the movie is within it's main cast. Thor has grown from the reckless, childish warrior he was in the first film. This time around, he's matured and is proving himself worthy to be a leader.

Malekith the Accursed

The relationship between Jane and Thor is developed too. Jane is the center of the entire ordeal, and is thrown into the midst of the conflict. In the aftermath of it all, Thor and Jane truly realize their love for each other. A love triangle between Jane, Thor, and Lady Sif was hinted at in the movie, though quickly brushed aside. This may become of importance again in a later installment.

Above all, it was Tom Hiddleson's performance as Loki who stole the show. Loki lived up to the name as the 'Master Trickster' in this movie, as just when you think you understand him, he surprises you. We learn that he has some personal connection (and possibly was even related to) Frigga, his foster(?) mother. Her death breaks him, and puts him on the path to redemption as he joins Thor on a quest for revenge. He dies an awesome death, taking Kurse with him in a very emotional moment. Just when we believe him to have died a hero, the ending happens, and everyone is shocked.

While the movie had an archetype plot, it makes up for it with profound character development. If Malekith or Kurse had been more 3-dimensional, it may have distracted the focus of the movie from the relationships of Thor and Loki/Thor and Jane. Overall, I think the plot, though simple, was well executed, and the screenplay was the perfect mix of humor, drama, action, and excitement. Thor: The Dark World is a fun, wacky adventure that weaves you through a variety of emotions.

The dynamic sibling rivalry between Thor and Loki is a critical part of the film

The Design

One thing that stood out about this movie was the design. Things looked somewhat different than they did in the first Thor. In the first film, everything was shiny and fake-looking. The Dark World has a much more LOTR style gritty feel that most likely comes with the new director. Things feel medieval, yet also very science-fiction. For instance, in the battle of Vanaheim at the beginning of the movie, you have Viking/Elvish looking warriors with swords and bows facing off against strange looking aliens with laser guns. The Dark Elves have mystical powers, but also alien spaceships. It sounds strange, but it works beautifully. 

Some examples of the more Viking-ish feel to the design, my favorite example being the bottom picture of Kurse. 

Another thing I loved was the differentiation in all of the realms. Thor: The Dark World explores the worlds of Asgard, Svartalfheim, and Midgard (Earth) with quick visits to Vanaheim, Jotunheim, and glimpses of Muspelheim. Each realm is familiar,yet foreign, and helps shape the mood of the story. Asgard is beautiful, shiny, and looks hopeful and dreamy. When Asgard is attacked and you watch the beautiful city crumble, it hits you. Then you visit Svartalfheim, the dead, shadowy wasteland, shrouded in mystery and sadness. The realm flows with the tone of the story as Loki 'dies', and the audience feels. The final conflict takes place in our very familiar Midgard, and the threat of our homeworld pumps up excitement in the viewer. The use of the realms to help carry the mood of the story is done so very nicely. 

Aint that just beautiful. 

Overall

This was a truly great film. In all of Marvel's Cinematic Universe, this is second to only The Avengers. It was fun, exciting, sad, humorous, and overall a very enjoyable ride. The costumes and environments are creative, gritty, and both earthly and alien. The acting is superb, the character developments are stupendous, and although the antagonist lacked much significance, the simplistic plot worked well for the movie.

Rating: 8 (out of 10)

Till next year, kiddos. I believe the next Super Cinema will be The Winter Soldier, but I may do some 'flashback' reviews and take a look at some past films. We'll see. 

Batman #24 Review

6.99?!

Hot Damn! If that isn't a punch in the wallet if I ever saw one. Not even for anything special, either. Just another retelling of Bat's origin. How can they expect us to possibly pay 7 bucks for this?

Well buddy, you better cough up that green anyway, because this is a damn good issue.

If you've been on the fence about Zero Year for the past 3 issues, you'll be happy to know that Issue 24 finally gives us what we want; Bruce putting on the suit and kicking ass. You'll see some Red Hood peeps get their asses kicked, you'll see Batman do his crazy flips and jumps and kicks, and you'll see Bruce shove the Batman motif in the strangest of places for shits and giggles. It's wonderful.

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And while some people were skeptical of Snyder maybe for once confirming that Joker was Red Hood, fear not! The multiple choice scenario is still intact, although it's a bit shakier. We still don't know who exactly the Clown Prince of Crime truly was, but we did get a spectacular story with an awesome climactic fight scene between Batman and Red Hood One that was not only thrilling, but left us wondering.

And the art! My oh my, it was fantastic! Reds, Oranges, Yellows, Greens, Purples, everywhere you look! This book has some wild colors that shift perfectly with the tone of the book! I especially love the point where Red Hood One points a gun to Bruce's head, and the colors become colder and grayer, signifying that this is a chilling moment. I also loved how shadowy and mysterious Batman looked when the point of view was shifted towards the Red Hood Gang, but was then crystal clear when from Bruce's point of view. Greg Capullo and Danny Miki really outdid themselves!

So while it may be a pricier book, it is well beyond worth it. I've re-read it about 4 times now, and I think I'm about to go for a 5th. If Zero Year keeps being this awesome, I'll be a happy customer.

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The Star Wars #2 Review

Here we are at Issue #2 of the comic book adaption of George Lucas's first draft of Star Wars. Last issue laid the foundations for a familiar yet different story than the one we're all accustomed to. Though much time was spent simply setting up the story, it promised an action-packed second issue. And it did deliver.

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The Empire certainly did strike this issue, with a large battle between the Rebels and the Death Star taking place. Still, it feels as though this comic suffers from the same problems as the Star Wars prequels did; poor writing and too much politics. A considerable amount of time in this issue is spent on intergalactic political issues that are very hard to care about, let alone understand. Some of the dialogue is also extremely cheesy, and sometimes even pointless. Now, whether Rinzler is to blame or George Lucas himself is unclear to me.

Mike Meyhew's art continues to be incredible. His hyper-realistic, cinematic style works perfectly, considering this comic almost was a movie. All in all, I'm still tuned in, but with 25% of the story over with I'd like to see some improvement and for some of the sub-plots to take off already. However, it's very likely that won't happen if this story was written over 40 years ago. We shall see.

Also, I much preferred the concept art pages to the letter column. Hoping to see that return.

Cover B, which shows events that have yet to actually happen within the story. 

Felina

Beautiful.

Each week, after every episode, I've said the same thing. Breaking Bad is the most beautiful show to have ever come to television. I don't think there is any need to elaborate on that this week; it's been said enough. Therefore, for once, I shall cut right to the chase.

This episode could have been a bit better

Now, don't get me wrong, I loved this episode. I've never been disappointed by an episode of Breaking Bad. However, I've always been disappointed in finales, as many people have. We get ideas in our head of how our favorite shows should end, and its hard to let go of them. I had a very ideal ending In my head that I hoped beyond hope would end up true, but as with most cases, it was not. I'll share that idea in a bit, but first, let's analyze this episode in full.

The episode opens with a scene in Walt's car, almost praying as the police drive by to let him get home. It shows how desperate he is to finish why he's started. We then see him at a gas station, on the road home, using a pay phone to call someone. He poses as someone else, and its unknown at first what its all about, but it soon becomes clear. He the leaves his watch on the pay phone, and its left to the viewers imagination as to why (though I've heard it has to do with continuity)

We then cut to Gretchen and Elliot, coming home to their huge, fancy house. Walt lurks in the shadows behind them. They don't see them, so he wanders around their house, looking at all their nice things, imagining what could have been his.  He is then spotted, but rather than killing them, he uses them. He scares them into  promising to deliver his 9 odd million dollars to Flynn on his 18th birthday. To top it off, he claims to have hired hit men to ensure they go through with it, and puts on a show with laser targets shining through he windows. Of course, we later discover that these hit men are merely Badger and Skinny Pete with laser pointers.

We then see Jesse, in a wood shop, happy. He looks at his work with the kind of pride only a artist can appreciate. He turns to walk, but snaps back. We then see the real picture. Jesse, shaggy and weary, holding a batch of meth, chained.

We then see Walt In the desert, building some contraption hooked up to his car keys. Next we see Walt interrupt one of Lydia's meetings with Todd, asking to cook for them again. Lydia lies and agrees to meet him, actually planning to kill Walt. She won't get the chance however, because a shot of her stirring sugar confirms exactly what I was thinking.

Walt then goes to talk with Skylar. He gives her the location of Hank's body, and then proceeds to say the most important line his character has ever spoken.

"I did this for me. I liked it. I was good at it. It made me feel....alive."

He has finally come to terms with who he is and what he loves to do. He knows now why he does it. This whole time, he's been telling himself it's for his family, but now he finally understands that it wasn't to leave behind a fortune for his family, though that was a bonus, but it was to satisfy a man with a bruised ego whose life didn't turn out the way he had planned. Skylar breathes a sigh, knowing that he is finally telling the truth, and depressingly realizing that it's far too late. Walt then visits his daughter one last time, watches his son walk into the house, and then departs.

At last, we get to the end. Walt goes to the Skinhead's facility to discuss his 'new cooking techniques'. We as an audience know that the Skinheads and Walt are really planning to kill each other. Walt is almost dragged away, but calls Jack out by reminding him that he owes him Jesse's death. Jack, hating to be called a liar, brings Jesse to Walt, in chains. Walt then tackles Jesse to the ground, and presses the button to unlock his car. His trunk flips open, and reveals a machine gun hooked up to the rotating device. It rotates back and forth, mowing down all the skinheads from outside. When it finally stops, Todd, Jesse, and Walt appear unscathed, with Jack very seriously wounded. Jesse then strangles Todd to death with his chains, and in homage to Hank's death, Walt shoots Jack in the head mid-sentence.

Then, the big showdown. Walt slides a gun over to Jesse, telling him to kill him if he wanted. Jesse, the broken, battered, shell of the man he once was, replies "Nothing happens until you say you don't want this". Yet Walt insists that he wants this, and Jesse sees that he's already been shot in the gut, so Jesse drops the gun, says "Then do it yourself", and leaves. Walt then hears Todd's phone ring and answers it. It's Lydia, who we see is not looking so hot. Walt tells her that he poisoned her, says goodbye and throws the phone away. He walks outside, him and Jesse exchange looks, and then Jesse gets in a car and drives off, laughing and screaming.

Walt then walks into the skinhead's meth lab. He looks at all the equipment, Baby Blue plays, and he seems at peace. He then balances himself on one of the large pieces of lab equipment. You see his reflection fall to the ground, and his hand tracks blood on the equipment as it slides down. We then get a final shot of Walt's body, with a peaceful, happy expression on his face. He died where his heart was from the beginning: a meth lab.

And while this was probably the most fitting end for a television show like Breaking Bad, and while it filled me with feels, I felt like it lacked the emotional punch the show is known for. Things wrapped up too nicely; too much closure. For a show that had me going "Holy Shit!" for most of its run, the last episode felt a little less dramatic.

There were rumors of the show ending in a scene where it flashes back to Walt teaching Jesse's high school chemistry class. It's the last day of school, and Jesse and Walt argue a bit before Jesse storms out of the classroom, saying "Thanks for nothing, Mr. White".

I believe that had the show ended on such a gut-punching emotional line like that, it would've been a much better episode. Had they not shown Walt's body, and had only shown  his reflection falling to the floor, giving the viewer that tiny bit of interpretation, and then cutting to the flashback to give the gut-puncher, it would've been the perfect ending.

That's not to say I wasn't satisfied with the show's conclusion. Everything came together nicely, and while I wish a little more was left off-screen, I was happy with the way it ended. I'll say it one more time, since it's the last time I'll get to say it: Breaking Bad is the greatest television show ever made and one of the most spectacular narratives of all time. Each episode has been exciting and interesting, all while toying with my emotions and sense of morality. Vince Gilligan is truly a mastermind of the likes of Heisenberg for creating this masterpiece of a series. I'll miss it, but there is no way I'll ever forget it. 

Granite State

If Ozymandias was the fall of kings and the collapse of characters, then 'Granite State' is the critical point in character development that shows how they respond to their downfall.

In this (once more) incredible episode, we see the what the characters have become after everything went to hell last episode. We see who they transform into after all the death, pain, and drugs that have consumed their lives. It is one of the most crucial points in their development. Their actions in this episode determine how they go out as.

Skylar is an empty shell of who she once was. All the care, all the passion, all the independence has been beaten out of her until she's nothing more than a mindless robot that sulks through events carelessly. She has nothing left. Walt has destroyed everything she cared about. She has given up. It's sad to see a woman so passionate and defensive of her beliefs be broken down and deteriorate to this state of mindlessness, but it is all a consequence of the choices Walt made.

When the episode began, Jesse wasn't broken. He had some motive left in him. He attempted to escape the clutches of the Neo Nazis and the psychopathic Meth Damon, but he failed. And he payed the price. With Andrea's death, Jesse no longer has anything left. Or rather, he has so little left that he's too scared to fight back any longer. Brock is the only thing keeping him going, but he's too afraid to disobey anymore in fear that he'll lose him too. But I tell you, when Jesse broke down during Andrea's death, I was genuinely disturbed. Aaron's acting is incredible. Rarely am I ever this affected by a death scene. I didn't even really care about Andrea, but Jesse's hopeless wailing made this one of the show's best death scenes to date.

Finally, we get to Walt, who also started the episode off with much hope, but it was gradually beaten out of him, as with everyone else. He starts off believing he can save his family, but a conversation with Saul that ends in a coughing fit demotivates him. Still, after hiding away in New Hampshire for months, he is determined to get the money to his family some how. It's the tearful conversation with Flynn that finally destroys him. His own son, that he started the meth empire for in the first place, telling him to die already. Him, frail and weak, realizing that he has failed, and the past two years of murder and tears was all for nothing. He literally sits and waits for it all to be over.

But unlike all the others, Walt gets re-inspired. A television broadcast reminds him of Gray Matter, the company that he poured his soul into that was taken from him. The very people that bruised his ego and helped spawn his dual identity of Hiesenburg. Somehow, what's said on that television encourages him to go on one last crusade. What exactly he took from the television and what he's going to do is being debated, but in truth no one will know until next Sunday.

This episode was brilliant in terms of character development and acting. One episode remains, and I personally am jizzing in excitement. The greatest narrative of the generation is culminating, and the supposedly polarizing end is soon upon us. What last step will the series take us? God only knows.

Ozymandias

When we're on the internet in the year 2013, I don't think it's required of me to describe how amazing and beautiful the cult phenomenon Breaking Bad is. Anyone who regularly goes on social networking or forum sites are well aware of its popularity. 

That said...

Breaking Bad is the one of the greatest shows in television history and quite possibly the most spectacular narrative of the decade. Each episode, especially in the final season, has been edge-of-the-seat drama, fantastic story-telling, fascinating character development, and has brought out more emotions in me then any television show I've watched before. The easily missed symbolism, unique camera work, and other little quirks to the show just add to the show's beauty. While those who aren't fans of the show may be tired of hearing it, I'm far from done saying it: Breaking Bad will go down in history as the greatest stories of all time.

 

And if there is one episode that every event in the show has been leading up to, then it was 'Ozymandias'. It was the culmination of every mistake Walt's ever made, every choice he chose wrongly, every action he took to further satisfy his ego while telling himself its for his family. His brother-in-law, the one person he wanted more than anything to keep away from all the shit he started, is dead. His partnership with Jesse has finally ended with his reveal to him that he watched Jane die. His family has finally fallen apart after his wife and then his son turned against him. Everything he has ever worked for has gone to shit.

The use of the flash backward in the beginning of the episode perfectly shows it too. He's just begun his new lifestyle, completely oblivious to how fucked up his life is to become. He has a normal, happy conversation on the phone with his wife, and we witness them deciding on the name Holly for their daughter. Flash forward to the end of the episode, and he's having a different conversation with his wife. Arguably in an effort to toy with the police, he insults her and blames her for everything that's happened, with Holly still being the center of the conversation in a twisted way. 

One can only wonder what direction they'll take in the next two episodes, now that every part of Walt's life has crumbled from beneath him. The king has fallen; all that's left is revenge and retribution. Ozymandias has been one of the greatest episodes of Breaking Bad thus far, and I hope that 'Granite State' can earn that title as well. 

Riddler #1: Solitaire Review

Really, really enjoyed this for some reason.

In the month of September, DC Comics replaced all their monthly titles with what is basically a fuckton of One-Shots starring everybody's favorite villains. Each comic was released twice, one with a normal cover for $2.99 and one with a special 3-D cover for a buck more. This highly gimmicky event has been pretty controversial; some buying into it and getting every issue with the special covers, others skipping it entirely. I decided to buy 2 or 3 of my favorite villains, just out of curiosity. One such villain I picked up was the Riddler (in 2D).

Now, from what I've been hearing, most of Villains Month so far has been pretty lackluster, so my expectations were fairly low. Still, I was hopeful. Riddler, when written correctly, is one of my favorite Batman villains. I really wanted this comic to be good, and I was not let down. 

Batman 23.2 "Riddler #1"

'Solitaire' opens with a very short, easily forgettable flashback to Edward Nigma's time in Arkham Asylum, being pushed around by a security guard and having his cards taken from him. We then flash forward to Wayne Enterprises, where the Riddler does what he does best; pull a complicated heist and leave clues everywhere that no one but Batman can decipher. Only this time, Bats isn't here.

It sounds like a very typical Riddler story, I know, but it's clear that the writers took his character much more seriously in this issue. Riddler is commonly portrayed as a one-dimensional loony with some crazy gimmicks. There was nothing to make him human, just a man with breathtaking OCD issues. And I'll admit, that's the reason I liked Rids in the first place, but this issue has shown me a whole new side to him that I didn't understand before. You can see the humanity in him, and you can tell how he's a man with flaws as opposed to a boring, destructive nut job. (A Joker that tells Riddles, if you will.)

All of Nygma's Riddles are laid out at the beginning of the issue, and their answers are revealed over the course of the issue as Riddler's invasion of Wayne Enterprises plays out. You get to see all of Nygma's little quirks throughout the issue. He's calm, collected, and has utter disregard for anything he's doing. He's completely content throughout his scheme, save for a few moments where he loses control of himself and lashes out. And when he does, you get to see how evil he can be. And in the end, you learn that the entire goal of his takeover had nothing to do with Wayne at all. 'Solitaire' is about a troubled man who's held a grudge for a very long time.

The art in this issue isn't anything special, but it isn't bad by any means. There's no incredible details, there's no exaggerated movements, everything is down to earth and simple. It works well for the story. If the goal of this comic was to help us see inside of Edward Nygma and for us to be able to see him more humanly, than the art worked perfectly, especially with Rid's subtle facial expressions.

If there's one issue to check out so far in Villain's Month, it's the Riddler. It's a fantastic story, even more so if you're already a fan of 'ol Nygma. The stories fantastic, the art is solid, and overall it was just an awesome read.

 Next week I'll be reviewing Superior 18 and possibly some more Villain's Month issues if I hear one is good enough to merit 3 bucks. Also, don't be surprised if you see a reaction article to this Sunday's episode of Breaking Bad. Man, do I love that show.

Cheers.

Superior Spider-Man #17 Review

Dan Slott's 'Superior Spider-Man' has been a controversial series from the start. Some love it, others hate it, but regardless of your feelings towards it, there's no denying it is a masterfully plotted comic.

Issue #17 is no different. The first issue in a 3 part arc "Necessary Evil", this book was charged with the task of reintroducing Spider-Man 2099 to audiences for the first time in a few years. The issue opens in the year 2099, with Miguel O' Hara, the Spider-Man of tomorrow, battling enemies from out of time. Investigating the ripples in time leads him to Alchemax, the evil corporation helmed by his father, Tyler Stone.

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The writers needed to come up with a good reason why 2099 was in the present other than the fact that it'd make a cool story, and they did so in a reasonable way. Tyler Stone is being wiped from existence due to the timeline issues, so to prevent himself from being erased from history along with his dad, 2099 must travel to the year 2013 to discover the source of the messed up timeline. From there, we jump to the present, where Max Modell is arrested for a variety of charges. The man behind it? Tiberius Stone, father of Tyler Stone and grandfather of Spidey 2099.

The premise of the book is solid and quite interesting. Somehow, Tiberius messes up the past in a way we've yet to see that completely screws up the future, and now the Spider of today and the Spider of tomorrow have to stop it. (course the issue has so many side plots to set up and follow up on that this doesn't really happen this issue, but is set up for the next.) And to further excite the reader with little plot connections, Liz Allen is brought into the picture. What happens to be the name of her company? Allan Chemical?

AlChem?

Sounds an awful lot like Alchemax, doesn't it?

We also get an update on all things Goblin, with the Green Gobin, er, "Goblin King", fighting with the Hobgoblin, er, "Goblin Knight", and then teasing that he has some evil scheme in mind. We also get a particularly foreboding speech from Liz Allan's son Normie, talking about how bad Spidey is and how somebody should "do something about [him]".

All these little plot connections make this story a really fun read. I'm definately interested in where they're going with this, which in my eyes means that this was a successful issue. Slott is a mastermind at long term plots, and Stegman's expressive, almost messy artwork really fits the fast-paced feel of the book. In my opinion, Superior Spider-Man is heading in a really good direction.

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The Star Wars #1 Review

After a long while of promoting and hype, 'The Star Wars #1' finally went on sale last Wednesday. The 8-issue limited series adapting George Lucas' first draft of Star Wars serves as a big "What If?" to the films, and has certainly piqued many people's interest. I debated whether or not to read it in trade, but curiosity made me pick up the first issue last week. I was not disappointed.

The writer for this comic was an interesting choice, having previously written only non-fiction. People were skeptical of him being able to take on a fiction story. However, I had to wonder how much fiction he'd personally have to write. If this comic is adapted from a screenplay, then isn't he just transferring over some scenes into comic-book format? I gave him a chance. And like I said, I was not disappointed. The story is a bit all over the place, it being a first issue and all and having to explain what this familiar yet different universe is like. 

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Most of the characters have been introduced, from General Luke Skywalker to Kane and Annikin Starkiller to a slightly more human Darth Vader. There's a good deal of politics to let you know just whats up in this universe. All out war has not begun just yet, but the events of this issue and the tease of "Next Issue: The Empire Strikes!" shows that shits gonna go down pretty soon. All in all, I'm very excited to read this series. 

I think the most positive part of the issue is in its artistic design. Mike Mayhew does a great job at drawing familiar things like Star Destroyers, Jedi clothing, light sabers, etc. in a way that you can see how they could evolve into what we've all seen in the films. The back of the book even includes a concept art page that shows the different designs he came up with for Star Destroyers, the Cloud City-esque Imperial Capital, and Imperial Air Tanks. Some of the redesigns even gave me a chuckle; I could clearly tell what they were inspired by, but they were also noticeably different. The art of the issue is definitely it's strong point. 

If you're a fan of Star Wars and would like to see what might have been, I would absolutely check out this series. I'm very intrigued by this and will be buying and reviewing the rest of the series as it comes out. 

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Cover D (Midtown Exclusive)

Updoot

Hell there, few if any readers. Sorry if I've been absent lately, I've been busy with school related things and haven't had the time for monstrous analytic articles, specifically the 'Wolverine Review'. So my not-so-humble apologies.

So instead, I'll just be reviewing single comics for a while. Been buying very regularly, and have a great deal of opinions to share. 

so yeah. 

Post-Comic Con Thoughts

Ah, Comic-Con. The largest collection of pop culture and entertainment news all year. It has come and gone, announcements have been made, and the dust is settling. There were many surprising announcements that are really getting myself and many others excited. At the same time however, there are many things that must be picked apart and speculation that must be done. So many questions need answering, and little of them are to be answered in the foreseeable future. Guess it's up to us then. Shall we?

The Walking Dead Season 4 Trailer

As expected, we received a trailer for the next season of The Walking Dead. I gotta say, if the next season is as good as the trailer is, then I'll forgive them for season 3. It was a little lengthy, but it did what it intended to do; it got me interested. The trailer opened up with a group of survivors raiding a store, with an organized plan of attack and complete confidence. It gave the impression that they've been doing this long enough, and that they are capable. The prison is safe, organized, and thriving. Then came the worries. Walkers invading the prison, somehow getting in. Speculation of an inside traitor. Fear for their lives once more. The realization that their impenetrable fortress may not be as stable as they thought. Finally comes the doubt. People are dying, confidence is fading, people are threatening to leave. But their leader of questionable mental stability, good 'ol Rick Grimes, is stubborn. He doesn't want to leave. He believes in his fortress, and isn't going to give it up without a fight, despite public opinion swaying the other way. The brief glimpses of Tyreese and Rick fighting further support this. If it goes the direction of the comics, then Rick's leadership and mental state is going to be tested. 

The trailer ends with a speech I can't quite identify as inspirational or depressing by Hershall, followed by a foreshadowing shot of Rick firing his Colt Python without his target in view, leaving us to wonder if he's shooting a Walker, or more likely, a survivor. Finally, we get a shot of Daryl, Michonne, Tyreese, and someone new in a car, picking up a radio signal, getting fans everywhere excited. Honestly, this is looking like it could be a really riveting season. I'm glad that Tyreese is getting a far more prominent role, and that shot with him being surrounded by Walkers was a nice nod to the comic book. I figured after season 3 that they'd drift away from the comic entirely, but I may (hopefully) be mistaken. 

The Amazing Spider-Man 2

How are either of them gonna get a punch in when they're standing that close together?

Boy oh boy, they are just chugging along with this Amazing Spider-Man thing. Not that planning out a humongous multi-movie Spider-Man universe is a bad thing, I just think that they may be going a little too fast. The first one was met with mixed critical reaction, yet they already have release dates for another 3 movies. I'd get a second one out before they start making preparations for the future, but hey, I'm not a movie producer (yet?). 

That out of the way, TASM2 definitely piques my interest. Never thought of having Electro as the main villain, he always seemed like more of a powered thug/villain-for-hire type guy, but since re-watching the Spider-Man 1994 animated series and seeing the Electro episode for the first time, I guess he does have main-villain-worthy powers. (Not that they should model movie Electro after that iteration of Electro, god no). Speaking of Electro's model, a lot of people seem to be ticked off about the race change and costume change. In my opinion, Electro is one of those villains whose race isn't important to his character. In fact, when I was young and read the Ultimate Comics, I started to redesign villains and heroes in my eyes, and I made Electro in a spiky-haired Asian fellow. Black Electro doesn't bother me. And as for his shiny blue skin as opposed to his green and yellow spandex, I expected as much. TASM borrows heavily from Ultimate Comics. I don't think I'll miss that hideous costume anyhow. 

Now, TASM's other villain, The Rhino. I've been hearing that he's going to be a very minor villain. Some fans are disappointed in this, but I'm rather hopeful. Spider-Man has a lot of really cool but really two-dimensional villains. In fact, most of his rouge's gallery is petty street thugs who have been in wacky science accidents. People like Rhino, Shocker, Scorpion, Sandman, they don't have much to them. I would rather see TASM take those basic villains and throw them into a cool action scene then try and turn them into interesting villains (*cough* Sandman *cough*). Have a scene an opening scene in a movie where Spidey outwits a street villain like Shocker, then have a major villain for the rest of the movie. If they really are doing Sinister Six, then they can't have it loaded with fascinating villains with compelling backstories, it makes the story cluttered and more about the villains then the hero. Spider-Man 3's problem wasn't that it had too many villains, it was that it had too many stories. Not every villain needs to be more then a bad guy with cool powers. So I'm glad Rhino is just a minor role. 

If there is one thing I'm upset about, it's the costume change. I feel like they gave into fan backlash on that one, even though the old costume was new and creative. Now that it's just a one-movie thing, it feels kinda pointless. I would've preferred it to be in this movie as well, and then maybe give it up for a more classic look in the third installment. But it seems like that's just me. 

Boy, my opinion on this movie is pretty much entirely contradictory of the general public's. Cool?

Days of Future Past and X-Force

Um....ew?

Yet another movie franchise chugging along to compete with Marvel's juggernaut Cinematic Universe. This one I'm less optimistic about. I've never liked the X-Men film universe. The first two were pretty good films, but deviated too far from the comics. The third was just bad, Origins was downright stupid, though I will say I really liked First Class, despite it creating shitloads of continuity issues. I've yet to see The Wolverine, though from what I hear it's nothing spectacular. All in all, the X-Men movies have either been terribly written or have butchered characters and promoted the shit out of Wolverine. So yeah, not too thrilled about these.

Days of Future Past sets out to correct the continuity issues created with First Class. It's based (no doubt loosely) on the famous Days of Future Past arc, one I have not read and most likely will in the future. From what little we know, it will contain Wolverine (big surprise), all the familiar faces from the previous trilogy AND First Class, with Time Travel being the theme. It will add Scarlet Witch, Quicksilver, and Kitty Pryde to the roster. From what I hear, Kitty Pryde will be the one responsible for the time travel, and if you're familiar with comic books, you know why this makes me groan.

The movie will also somehow feature Sentinels, as seen above. All in all it sounds like a train wreck waiting to happen, but First Class was able to surprise me, so who knows. 

Along with Days of Future Past comes the X-Force, a movie based on the X-Force team. Even less is known about this film then DoFP, other than it will contain five members. You can pretty much guarantee one of those members is Wolverine. X-Force's most famous member is Cable, so they'll probably somehow work his existence into the universe with DoFP, and I hope beyond hope that one of the members is Deadpool. REAL Deadpool. Let's not talk about Origins Deadpool, please.

Avengers: Age of Ultron

Thankfully, not based on the actual Age of Ultron comic

Now, this was a surprise. I, along with everyone else it seems, expected Infinity Gauntlet or something else Thanos related to be announced for the sequel. Nonetheless, I'm thrilled. Ultron is by far my favorite Avengers villain, and I'll tell you right now that I'm going to legitimately orgasm when I see him on the big screen. 

I'll get into more detail on this, theories and such, at a later time, along with the rest of MCU Phase 2. 

World's Finest

With 100% less Christian Bale

shiiiiiiiiiiiiieeeeeeeeeet

I can't stress how surprised and excited I am at this news. However, once more I'll be getting more into it later time. There are so many potential stories and future movies that can come from this film, and this article is already getting long, so I'll write an article on the DC Cinematic Universe (DCU? DCCU?) along with the MCU one in a bit. 

That's all folks. Just wanted to get some of my thoughts out there on all the upcoming comic book films and shows after this certainly shocking and jizz worthy Comic-Con. Till next time

Age of Ultron Thoughts

Age of Ultron is Marvel's big crossover story arc for 2013. It's main story is within a ten issue limited series and ties-in with several other Marvel books including Superior Spider-Man, Fantastic Four, Avengers Assemble and more. It tells the tale of Ultron's complete takeover of the Earth, and how the unlikely duo of Sue Storm and Wolverine must save it. This article isn't exactly an analysis of the series, as my collection is incomplete. However, I have just read #10 and want to give some of my thoughts on what I've read and what post AU is going to look like.

Age of Ultron #1

To cut right to the chase, the ending to Age of Ultron did not feel climactic enough. Nothing was really wrapped up, and the ending only created more problems for the Marvel Universe. It's great that all these stories are being set up across the various books, but I feel a major crossover event should have a much more epic, satisfying conclusion. It shouldn't just be the set up for future stories.

Speaking of those future stories, I don't really understand how they are really related to Ultron or even how good of stories they're going to be. Yeah, Avengers A.I is directly because of Ultron, but I honestly don't see a series like that lasting. Hunger seems like a cool story, but doesn't have much to do with Ultron or his takeover, it's all because of the time travel. I feel like if they're going to use AU to set up more storylines, they need to be more directly caused by Ultron and not by the 'broken space-time continuum' cliche.

And now Angela. I really got the feeling that AU's entire point was to introduce the Spawn character Angela. Now, I don't know much about Angela or even Spawn for that matter, so I don't know what kind of purpose she'll serve in the Marvel Universe. Regardless, she had nothing to do with the AU story and if it's only purpose was to give her an introduction (and a lousy one at that) then I'm really upset.

Anyway, AU as a whole (or what I've collected of it) was a good story nonetheless, perhaps just because I love Ultron so much. Just wanted to give my thoughts on some of these issues real quick. I'm going to try and finish my collection of AU and hopefully do a full analysis in the future.

Super Cinema Review: Man of Steel

Superman. The Man of Steel. The Last Son of Krypton. The Metropolis Marvel. This long awaited and much needed reboot promised a fresh take on Supes while still embodying what he's all about. Was the significantly darker Superman reboot what the world needed? Or was it's slight but significantly noticeable shift in mood blasphemous to Superman's fans?

Let's dive right in. Spoliers ahead.

The Plot

Since this is a reboot of the Christopher Reeves Superman films, there will be some comparisons to those films because everyone was looking for these films to be different yet better. That said, this was definitely a darker take on Superman, obviously because of the success of Nolan's Dark Knight Trilogy. Superman was a deeper character than he was in the original films, and despite him being a super powered alien he had very human, very relatable issues that he had to overcome like fitting in with the world and finding his purpose in life. I believe that was the overall goal of the film and it did so perfectly. I can watch a Marvel film if I want an enjoyable kick-butt tongue-in-cheek film because it works for their characters, but for a guy with basically every thinkable super power there is to sell on the silver screen, he needs to have a level of relatability. DC clearly gets that and I'm glad it was presented in Man of Steel, because otherwise, this wouldn't have been nearly as good a film. .

Superman's origin is arguably the most important part of the film, and it was still the classic story we're all familiar with, but not too familiar so that it wasn't interesting to watch. Though perhaps he didn't spend enough time learning and practicing his powers, (though there was a lack of super breath and freeze breath, so maybe MoS2 will delve into his breath related powers) and perhaps the Fortress of Solitude was found too easily, but for me, those things were easy to ignore. What I really enjoyed about the origin story was how each of Superman's dads, Jor-El and John Kent, played a significant but different roles in him becoming a hero. Jor-El provided him with the knowledge and tools to access his powers and be a hero physically, while John Kent gave him the emotional support and inspiration to actually do good. I found this to be one of the high points of the movie. 

I did have some issues with the pacing of the film and Supes origin, however. Things didn't necessarily happen in chronological order. Supes would be doing something and it'd flash back to a certain childhood memory, so we didn't get his whole origin story until the end of the film. I think I would've preferred everything had been start to finish, no misplaced flashbacks, but by the end of the film I didn't mind much.

Another high point of the film was the way it focused on who Superman was and not Clark Kent. It's always been portrayed in comics and previous films that Clark Kent is Superman's secret identity, when really it's the opposite. The movie acknowledged this and focused on Superman finding his place as an alien in a world full of humans, and then at the very end showing his human disguise. For a character like Superman, this makes more sense because he isn't a human with a super-powered night job as opposed to someone like Batman or Spider-man. He's an alien with a human identity, so it makes more sense to focus on the real alien and not the fake human.

And because the film focused on his alien identity and not his human one, the Lois Lane love story had to be done differently. Instead of Lois getting together with Clark and having a fangirlish crush on Superman, she has to love the lazer-shooting building-destroying alien himself. And since she always knew he was an alien, it was a little hard to sell the love story since a person typically wouldn't fall in love with an alien she knew almost nothing about, even if he looked human. Despite that, it wasn't a bad love story, just a wee bit unrealistic one. 

There is a good deal of controversy surrounding the ending of the film, where Superman is forced to choose between killing Zod or letting an innocent family die, and he chooses the former, in a rather brutal manner. However the controversy is hypocritical since Supes also killed Zod in Superman II. Not only that, but in Superman II he didn't even really care. He laughed about it, and the audience cheered. In Man of Steel, he's clearly upset by his decision, yet the audience boo'd, or in some cases tried to storm out of the theater. Honestly, I didn't care that Superman killed Zod. Maybe there was another way, or maybe the killing could've at least been less brutal, but either way the scene shouldn't have sparked so much hate. Way I see it, this could be the set up for his no kill policy. He hated the feeling of doing it and never wants to do it again. This is an origin film; Supes is still learning and he's going to make mistakes.

The Acting

Am I the only one who thought this guy's performance was one of the best?

I loved most of the performances in Man of Steel. Henry Cavill, while not having the same physically resemblance to Superman as Chistohpher Reeves did, definitely had the acting capabilities of portraying a dramatic Superman. Amy Adams and Lawrence Fishbourne also played their characters perfectly.  I especially liked Kevin Costner's performance of Superman's father figure. Very accurate, very emotional. Russel Crow made a good Jor-El too. Diane Lane's mother figure performance was almost as good as Costner's father figure. Aylet Zurer's role was nearly insignificant, but that's alright. My favorite performance was probably Michael Shannon as General Zod. He's made it on my top ten list of movie villains. Most people probably disagree with me on that, but whatever. 

I also spent much of the film trying to recognize Christopher Meloni and where I'd seen him before. A few hours after the movie I remembered, "Oh yeah, Law and Order dude!"

The Design

Gotta get me some of them Jor-El flashdrives!

Another strong point of the film is the Kryptonian costume and environment design. It was nice to actually see Krypton's environment before it was blown to bits, though it was a little too CG. Some of the little things about the Kryptonian costume design helped Superman's origin make more sense. Seeing Kryptonians wearing the same dark blue mesh and all having crests with symbols on them made Superman seem like one of them, although they never explain why his suit is more colorful. Zod's armor was badass looking, loved all the little alien details. I also really liked the floating metal that formed pictures. It was certainly better than the sci-fi hologram cliche. 

The Earth designs were fine too. Smallville was a tiny town where all people really did was either run small businesses or farm. Metropolis was a big city with tall buildings, although we really only got to see it destroyed. Overall, designs were awesome throughout the film. 

Overall

This movie was everything I had hoped it would be and more. Although there were a few nitpicky things, I felt like this was the perfect blend of fantastic out-of-this-world heroics and a realistic drama. The costume designs were awesome, the action was intense, the acting was superb, everything about this film was awesome. The comic-bookish pacing of the film knocks off a point, but I loved everything else about it. I look forward to seeing many more Man of Steel movies being made.

9/10

\
-I will be doing Super Cinema Reviews for more comic book movies in the future. Next up is...

Who is Spidey's Nemesis?

For our first article in comic book mythos, I thought I'd discuss a question that has been nagging at me for a while now. It's a question widely asked, and that everyone seems to have their own opinion on.

Who is Spider-Man's archenemy?

Spider-Man is personally my favorite comic book hero. To me, his stories have always seemed interesting  creative, and enjoyable. The plenteous amounts of plot twists, unexpected deaths/reappearances, and the clever execution of such keep me invested in his story. It's also undoubtedly obvious that many others agree with me, since Spider-Man is one of the most popular characters in the comic world. Although much of Spider-Man's success is owed to his very concept (a masked teenager that deals with the same issues his target audience does, etc.), what has always appealed to me, and I'm sure many others, is Spider-Man's incredible villains.

Spider-Man has faced countless foes, as any hero that's lasted 50+ years has, but what's impressive is that most all of them are  interesting and recognizable. Green Goblin, Doctor Octopus, Venom, Lizard, Sandman, Carnage, Mysterio, Scorpion, Vulture; all are both appealing characters and are easily recognizable even to those who don't partake in comic books. The only other hero with a rogues gallery as distinguishable as Spider-Man is Batman. However, as discernible Batman's foes are, his nemesis is obvious. Everybody knows that Batman's archenemy is The Joker. That's just common knowledge. Other heroes have apparent archenemies as well. Superman's is Lex Luther. Iron Man's is The Mandarin. Captain America's is the Red Skull. But Spider-Man? Well, it seems that if you ask anyone, whether they are familiar with comics or not, will answer with one of three answers.

Green Goblin, Doctor Octopus, or Venom.

All three instantly come to mind when thinking of Spider-Man. Hell, look above. I even put them all down first when thinking of Spidey villains to list. But all three cannot hold archenemy status. Perhaps I'm mistaken, but I always thought that an archenemy had to be a single villain that unanimously came to mind when thought of a certain hero. For instance, when you think of Trix Cereal, not only do you think of the protagonistic kids that get to enjoy it but also the antagonistic rabbit who just wants some damn breakfast. That could be a bad example, but it gets my point across. So, who is Spidey's one true nemesis? Who is Spider-Man's hungry rabbit?

So, to answer this question, we're going to take a look at the three villains listed above. Every archenemy needs to have good answers to these questions. What is their personal connection to the hero? What is their mental connection to the hero? What are the similarities to the villains mindset and the hero's? What is the villain's conceptual purpose to the hero's story?

 Let's use the Walking Dead as an example to answer these questions. While perhaps not a traditional comic book situation, the roles of Rick Grimes and The Governor are equivalent to that of a hero and villain. The Governor's personal connection to Rick is that the Governor has killed many of Rick's group, and has begun a territory war for what he justifies as survival, giving Rick the need for revenge. The Governor's mental connection to Rick is that Rick is absolutely terrified of him. The constant fear of the Governor attacking, along with the undead right outside the prison gates, takes a toll on Rick. As for the similarities and differences to their mindset, that's where things get a bit more complicated. Towards the beginning of the ever so famous prison story arc, Rick Grimes is beginning to lose his head. The struggle for survival and strain of being the leader begin to get to him, and people start questioning his sanity. Then along comes the Governor, a man who was put in the same position as Rick, but let the pressure get to him. It drove the Governor to become a sick, vile, brutal, psychopathic lunatic. There's the similarities between the two; both just want to survive and to be a good leader. And that's also the Governor's conceptual purpose; to represent what will happen to Rick if he succumbs to the fear and the pressure the apocalyptic nightmare of a world puts on him.

But this article isn't about The Walking Dead, so let's get to it, shall we? We'll begin with what my six-year-old self would've answered to the question.

Venom

Venom's first appearance in Amazing Spider-Man #299 

Ah, Venom. The symbiotic doppelganger that looks like he came straight from hell. As a child, I always thought Venom was the coolest bad guy ever. He has the same powers as Spidey but better! He can block his spider-sense! He can make weapons with his hands and has sharp fangs and a long tongue! Venom's appeal to the young readers is primarily what made him so popular, but many die-hard fans hate the guy and will forever deny him archenemy status. So does Venom's popularity justify being Spider-Man's moral enemy? Or is he merely a character designed to be 'cool' and nothing more?

To determine this, let's first look at Venom's origin. In many ways, Venom's entire existence is Peter Parker's fault. He brought the symbiotic alien 'suit' down to Earth with him, which is eventually what gave Eddie Brock his abilities. Many retelling of the Venom story, including the 2007 film, say that Peter did some things while under the influence of the suit that 'ruined Eddie's life' and gave him a hatred towards Peter and Spider-Man. Once Eddie received the suit, he decided to exact his revenge with his new-found abilities and knowledge of Peter/Spider-Man. The story is then all about Peter paying for the mistakes he made while he had the suit, and trying to redeem himself afterwards. Venom represents all of Peter's mistakes and the irresponsible things he's done in his past. What makes Venom so perfect in this story is that he can't be defeated. Even if Spidey beats Brock up, separates him from the symbiote and locks him up in jail, he can never defeat the looming shadow of the mistakes he made, and the toothy image of Venom that goes along with them. 

Except, that version of Venom technically doesn't exist in the main continuity. 

In the original comics, Peter isn't actually influenced by the suit that much at all. It never changes his personality and never directly makes him do anything he regrets. Most of Brock's hatred towards Spider-Man and Peter is misdirected; Brock's life is messed up because he messed it up, and he pins the problem on Peter, refusing to admit his own flaws. So technically, Venom is just another regular goon with super powers that wants Peter dead for selfish reasons, and has not conceptual purpose. 

But technically, Eddie's now Toxin and Venom's a secret agent for the Avengers or something, so we'll stick with the more commonly told story, false though it is. 

The Amazing Spider-Man #316

So, Venom's conceptual purpose is to be the voice in the back of Peter's head that reminds him of everything he's done wrong as Spider-Man. He represents all the times Spider-Man has failed or let someone die. He is Spider-Man's regret, and his image perfectly embodies the fear that goes along with that regret. He looks like a demon and he represents a demon. He connects personally with Peter because of their bad history and  the revenge he wishes to exact on him. He mentally connects with him as well, since Spider-Man can never seem to shake the image of his grin after their first encounter. He definitely leaves a stain in Peter's mind. And they certainly have similarities. They have the exact same powers, and Venom's appearance looks like a demonic Spider-Man. He is literally an evil version of Spider-Man. 

So, does this make  him archenemy criteria? Or does he lack enough personal connection or conceptual purpose?  Does the continuity error in which the commonly told story is actually false make his character irrelevant? Or does it matter?

Questions to think about. Moving on,

Doctor Octopus

Doc Ock's 2nd appearance in Amazing Spider-Man #11

Doctor Octopus...probably one of the most bizarre villains in all of comics. A chubby old man with four mechanical arms fused to his body. Who would consider such an odd character to be the archenemy of someone as like Spider-Man? Well...

Let's look back at Doc Ock's origin. Dr. Otto Octavius was a fairly nice guy who was bullied and ridiculed his whole life. All he wanted was to be a scientist, and to have people find use in his work. He wanted acceptance, he wanted fame, he wanted to be worth something. And people always made fun of him for it. People only saw a pathetic man with ridiculous ideas. Otto wanted to prove something, but in the process, he was involved in a horrible lab accident and was bestowed incredible powers with his extra mechanical limbs.

Now wait a second...bullied guy who is given incredible powers in a lab accident? Doesn't that sound a little bit familiar? Oh yeah! Just like our friend Peter Parker.

There's what Ock's character is all about. He and Peter were very similar people. They had the same ideas, the same interests, and were involved in similar incidents and granted amazing new powers. However, Peter decided to good with his abilities, thanks to the words of his Uncle Ben. We've all heard it a million times, 'With Great Power, Comes Great Responsibility'. But Otto? He didn't have an Uncle Ben. So when he was given potential to help people, he chose instead to get revenge on those who had put him down.

The Amazing Spider-Man #700 2nd Printing 

So, Doc Ock's conceptual purpose is to show what would happen if Spider-Man listened to the tiny voice inside him that wants to give up and use his powers for whatever he pleases. The two most definitely have similarities, in their personalities and their backstories  They are equals, yet opposites. They most certainly have a personal connection too. Octavius, as with almost any big science schmuck, was idolized by Peter. For Peter to witness the scientist he looked up to become something so sinister must be maddening. But as far as a mental connection, come on. A fat old scientist with four metal tentacles isn't exactly the stuff of nightmares. There is little to no mental impression left behind after a fight with Ock. His battles are always more physical than psychological.

So, is Doctor Octopus formidable enough of a foe to be the archenemy? While he certainly has a great conceptual purpose, his appearance is far from intimidating. Does it matter? Is Doc Ock's similar origin to Spider-Man's enough to make up for what he lacks in fear factor?

More things to think about. Finally, 

Green Goblin

The first appearance of good 'ol Gobby in Amazing Spider-Man #14

The Green Goblin...good lord, this guy. I feel as though his character is unappreciated. Many write him off as  a cute, crazy green dude, but Gobby is so much more than that figuratively. Despite his unpopularity when compared to Doc Ock or Venom, Green Goblin could easily win archenemy status when you really delve into what his character is all about. 

Let's start, as we have before, with his origin story. Norman Osborn, businessman, scientist, millionaire, father. He was a busy man. Always dealing with people, always having issues. He was pressured, to say the least. So pressured, in fact, that one day he finally snapped. Maybe it was the Goblin Formula exploding in his face that drove him over the edge, but the man was destined to crack eventually. And so Norman Osborn dressed up in a comical creature, a Goblin, and began a life as a psychotic villain. Now, compare Osborn's life to Peter's. Peter also suffers from pressure, perhaps more so than Osborn did.  Peter's got to worry about school, his family, his love life, his job, all while being a super-hero who tangos with crooks daily. Yet Peter maintains, for the most part. 

So why the does this all matter? Think of what pressure is. It's all thought, right? You don't feel pressure so much as you do think it. Like, "This is too much, I can't do this, I can't manage all this" etc. Imagine those thoughts coming from someone else's voice. A little voice in the back of your head, urging you to give up and go bonkers. Now picture that voice with a physical representation. Kinda like the devil on your shoulder, right? Creepy, scrawny, like a little devil, or....a goblin?

There you have it. The Green Goblin is the devil on your shoulder, the voice in the back of your head, that wants you to submit and unleash your inner demons. That's exactly what Osborn did. He cracked, he let the Goblin in his head take over, and he became that Goblin. Now, he torments Peter. He represents Peter's faint but noticeable desire to just give up, quit being Spider-Man, or turn to a life of crime. If Doc Ock is what Peter would've been like if he used his powers for self-gain, then the Goblin is the voice telling him to do so. 

The blasphemous Amazing Spider-Man #122

He's also a sick fuck who murders and rapes. Just throwing that out there.

So The Goblin has a very clear conceptual purpose. Both Peter and Norman are similar as they suffered from the same kinds of pressure, only one succumbed and the other remains strong. Peter and Norman do have a personal connection; not only does Peter look up to Norman in that same scientist father-figure way that he does Octavius, but Peter knew Norman prior to him becoming the Goblin. Peter was a family friend to the Osborn's, so to now have to fight his friend and idol must be hard. There is also a strong mental connection, as the Goblin is a haunting inclusion to Peter's life for years. The very thought of that sinister green face and that maniacal sonic laugh can make the manliest man shudder.

The Conclusion

Thus concludes our lengthy analysis of Spider-Man's greatest foes. But one last task remains. Who wins the title of Spider-Man's archenemy? Well, quite honestly, it's up to you to decide. Only the reader can choose who deserves to be Spider-Man's greatest nemesis, and I'm not going to pretend to represent the entire Spider-Man fanbase. I will, however, express my own personal opinion and state who I believe wins archenemy status. In case it wasn't obvious, I've already ordered them in least to greatest archenemy above. As much as the child in me goes nuts for anything symbiote, the realistic part of me understands that he just doesn't have the same personal connection to Peter that the other's do. Doc Ock, while possessing interesting abilities and a strong personal connection, he just doesn't do justice figuratively. The Green Goblin represents something so much deeper than the other while still being interesting and badass. He takes the cake, in my humbly inexperienced opinion.

So that's that. Hope you enjoyed my first article. My apologies if you didn't find it entertaining or think that my opinions are idiotic and that I have no idea what I'm talking about. Keep in mind I'm not as old or as familiar as some of the more hardcore comic fans. 

'Till next time!

And hey, for some fun, take a shot every time you see the word 'archenemy', 'nemesis', or 'villain' in this article!

Not With a Bang...

This is it.

Welcome all, to Defunct Intellect, where all traces of sanity are lost to worlds filled with adventure, murder, honorable heroes, crazed villains, and the overall complexity that is the comic universe. Within this madhouse of a blog, you shall witness the ever-familiar realm of superheroes, supervillains and their fantastic stories be plucked apart and analyzed, in order for all the achieve better understanding of the characters and plots you thought you understood. 

Or at least,  you'll understand my biased and opinionated interpretations of them. 

I, the Lord of the Dysfunctional, shall be your interpreter. When struck by inspiration, I'll choose a character to analyze, a story to pull apart, a comic to criticize, a movie to review, or whathaveyou. Together, my dear reader, we shall uncover the subliminal secrets hidden within all stories, and together we shall lose our minds in this cripplingly complicated mythology. 

Enjoy the ride, y'all.

This is the way the world ends.