Biting off more than I can Chew

I first heard of Chew in an episode of iFanboy , knowing the issue had sold out and my LCS only really focuses on Superheroes I predicted it would take some time for me to get a second printing. The setting in an America in which there is a bird flu pandeminc, which strangely mirrors the swine flu pandemic now. 

Becuase of the bird flu chicken and poultry items are outlawed and being smuggled illeagally. The police and the F.D.A. are investigating the activity of smuggling of chicken. Tony Chu was an cop whose partner was killed by a serial killer during a sting. Chu's something called a cibopath, so he can understand the history of something by ingesting and masticating.

I would have overlooked this one if I haven't heard how good it was. The whole series is so peerless and original, it's hard to review it. The writing is chocked full of tongue-in-cheek jokes and a sureal art-style. It would be unwise to not check it out becuase it isn't a superhero comic. I highly recomend this series if you can pick up a second printing of the first two issues.

Batman and Robin #2

The original cover looked a little boring to me so I paid $4 more for the variant at my LCS, that and I'm a Kubert fan.

The commences with a rather stressed Batman and goes uses a flashback what happened. I though it was very unoriginal for a writer like Grant Morrison. B&R are called in by the Commissioner, to the the confusion of himself he notices this Dynamic Duo looks and sounds different than the one he's used to.  Gordan calls them in to interrogate the Toad, a character introduced in the first page of last issue. Oh, guess what? The Human Torch is in this issue, no joke! Just kidding it's actually a member of the new group of villains. He's accompanied by an incredibly fat chick with a bazooka and bald conjoined triplets. The fight last about 8 page and pretty much makes up the hold book and my complaint is there is no onomatopoeia at all. In one panel it cuts back to Dick talking to Alfred about how bad the casualties where. That scene could have been better suited in the beginning during Dick's sulking. When the fright's over the Toad ends up dead in his cell. 

I don't want to spoil it anymore so I'll tell you what I think of the book. The dialogue is much more interesting that what Tim and Bruce would ever say. Now we have two completely different personalities, working together and overcoming their conflicts and trying to get the job done. Also in I feel the progress is being retarded by Dick's sulking in Batman and this title.

What I don't like is how the art is almost identical to All Star Superman, I didn't like the artwork in All Star Superman, but it really didn't affect the story to a point in which I wouldn't want to read. Also the first issue jumped in to an arch, this makes the issues fell rushed and dragged out a bit, like in Dark Avengers

Overall this is a great incarnation of the new Batman and Robin and I can not wait to see what happens next. 

Green Lantern #42

Oh boy, was I excited for this one. Mainly, because it the last issue Hal Jordan got his hand chopped off!!!!

The cover is a homage to Issue #39 With Hal embracing the orange light instead of Larfleeze. The issue begins with Larfreeze in possession of his new blue ring, but it turns out Hope and Greed don't mix. Hal's amputation and dispossession of his ring was a mear illusion. Resuming their battle, Hal makes his own set of avatars to fight the Orange Lanterns. The guardians eventually tell him they 'cannot allow his greed to grow beyond this star system'. Astonishisedby their violation of their own pact he lets his guard down long enough for Hal to swipe the lantern. 

Going back to the cover, Hal has been a Green Lantern, Red Lantern, and seemingly an Orange Lantern. The truth is he was a OL for a page.  More fighting leads to Larfleeze's defeat. Hal seems to run out of Hope and the ring searches for a new owner.

The story was great, mostly because the artwork complimented to fighting and action in this issue.  But I also saw on some panels the art was inconsistent and a little deformed. I just started reading GL with issue #39 and it has been #1 on my favorite comic list since. 

The conclusion was incredibly funny, it was satisfying end .The backstories are unnecessary and generally could be explained in the main story. 

Overall it was an awesome arc and I really hope to see Larfleeze in Blackest Night.

My Thoughts: Guantlet

Hello, I am the lone writer of Gem Mint, Denzel Crockett. This segment is dedicated to recent stories or news I have read about comic book. Basically, it is a rant. I wanted to first wanted to cover the recent news about Spider-Man. Coming out of Red-Headed Stranger, which I will most definitely skip, is Gauntlet. A new arc in which old Silver-Age Spider-Man villains, members of the Sinister Six, return and from the looks of it take a toll on Wall-Crawler.



I love supervillains and think today comic book stories don't show enough of them. For instance I was hoping for the Joker to be in Battle for the Cowl, but instead it was only Penguin, Two-Face and the new Black Mask. If these villains would reform to reek revenge on Spider-Man it would be an exciting issue, cliche, but exciting. By observing the cover I can tell by the various paraphernalia, that Mysterio could be making a returns, I would like to see if this is the Mysterio from Amazing Spider-Man #453, since Quentin Beck killed himself in Daredevil #7, driven insane by Daredevil he shot himself in the same manner as Kraven the Hunter. That time Beck didn't fake his death this time. Doctor Octopus is currently banned from the SS by Sandman in Issue #412, so I assume he won't be in this but he will be in Issue #600



Mark Waid has been know not to change continuity or retcon to an extent to @#$% up history. With recent appearances of Hammerhead and Green Goblin it's about they bring back Sandman, coming off of Spider-Man 3 his return is three years overdue. But there is a possibility that this isn't the Sinister Six but just the villains from the Sinister Six.

Anyway I can't wait to see a much more exciting Spider-Man story arcs to heal the wounds cuased by Brand New Day

Flash Rebirth #3

Basically, Flash Rebirth is composed of: what happens after the cliffhanger, a bunch of speedsters nobody cares about dying, and a cliffhanger, no originality. It starts out with a few pages with reused dialogue that nobody cares about. The next page begins the story with Barry as the Black Flash. He's not allowed to touch any of the other speedsters so he is kept in containment. Then more worthless dialogue between Barry and Iris. Some pages in Flash: Rebirth are unnecessary, especially Barry's bow tie. Barry is overcame by an insatiable urge and escapes, warning everyone to get away especially the speedsters.

Overcome by confusion, Barry wants to go back to the speed force, were he's been for 20 years now. 4 more page of Wally West running and it looks like Johnny Quick is dead, Max Mercury just died too. Then Zoom appears at the end of the book. I see no enjoyment in Flash Rebirth just confusion and wasted talent.

If I was writing Flash, I would have Barry learning to take the role of being a superhero again and having him adapting to his villains changes over the years. Maybe Weather Wizard is getting stronger and Barry wasn't expecting much from him or the Rogues try to challenge Barry thinking he's gone soft.

Essentially, this issue is so airy it falls through my hands. The most entertainment in this issue is the art. The penciling is just beautiful. Van Sciver is a master t visual story telling. Geoff John is great with Green Lantern but he's doing something different, something I don't like. If this is what is going to happen to Barry he should have just stayed dead

Amazing Spiderman #597

To start of the cover isn't consistent with the story, don't get me wrong it's awesome, but Spider-Man is wearing the black Venom costume made by Reed Richards and Venom and Iron Patriot and Venom aren't in this issue. It isn't rare for the cover to not have anything to do with the comic book.

Th story comes directly out of last issue, Peter Parkers infiltrates the Avengers Tower to see what Norman's deal is. Turns out he's planning to recruit his son into his team. Daken finds out this isn't Gargan and fights Spider-Man. 

I wish Peter could have pretended to be Venom until next issue, that wouldn't have made the issue so rushed. Also Joe Kelly writes a more entertaining but less adult version of the Avengers that Bendis. 

Overall I came in on the issue ready to wail on it for being a Spider-Man comic be surprisingly I'm ready for the new issue