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Smasher

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My first foray in AA and I have to say I’ll come back again. Grummett’s a pro and Gage tells…

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It’s been a while since I’ve read a comic book written by Peter David, longer still an issue of X-Factor,…

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I enjoyed Saga #3 but the cliff-hanger felt forced. I’m just not sure why I should care (at this point)…

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Smasher's Recent Comments
August 23, 2021 1:27 pm Appreciate your points, vacur005. Tolerant vs. Toxic summation aside (I could have found better words but my mind cannot resist alliterations), I don't think the offscreen deaths in Infinity War and Ragnarok or the psychological manipulations in WandaVision compare with the onscreen violence in The Suicide Squad. There's a gratuitousness in The Suicide Squad that isn't on display in those MCU examples. Yes, both franchises deal in murder and mayhem (alliteration strikes again) but methinks the MCU creators have tried to make these meaningful and less shocking for shocking's sake. That said, both Wonder Woman films have acknowledged the consequences and meaning of death and violence. #NotAllDCEU ;-)
August 12, 2021 4:21 pm Great discussion, y'all. Comparing the two cinematic universes, I'd say DC is Toxic while Marvel is Tolerant. End of the day both are making movies with explosions, guns, fighting, etc. but with Marvel I see attempts to balance this violence with idealism and purpose. DC, using this film as its exemplar, challenges me to deal with a world where violence is so rampant it is a struggle to not be desensitized to it. This could be a compelling commentary on real-world violence and trauma but it never really gets there because I don't think the movie-makers are trying to pose that question. That all said, I hope Killer Shark makes an appearance in the Aquaman sequel.
December 31, 2020 9:40 am As far as sequels go, it met my lowered expectations. How was it? About 2 1/2 hours. The theatrical viewing of this film would have been interesting, both for the cheering moments and the heckles. As a franchise, I’m afraid they made the mistake of many superhero sequels, doubling the villain count. Yes, you can have more than one villain in a film but to introduce and end their story in the same movie leads to bloat. Having said that I like the idea that Wonder Woman exists in these different times. Perhaps the next movie will be to set it far into the future.
December 29, 2020 1:19 pm So I boycotted watching this because a certain cabinet member has producer credits but caved in advance of WW84. Overall I would say Wonder Woman ('17) will stand as a generational superhero movie along the lines of Superman ('78), Batman ('89), and Spider-Man ('02). Good company.
December 21, 2020 6:01 pm Thanks for another wonderful wrap-up. Healthy New Year!
November 22, 2020 5:35 pm That was a saturation of Steves! I dare yah! to try that again. I double dare yah!
May 20, 2020 9:13 am @cskilpatrick Yup! @jokingofcourse Indeed! @vacur005 I bought the single issues on ComiXology last summer when they were like 99¢ each but your comment reminds me of a gripe I have with these new editions and how little Comixology does to market them differently. And if you're an unlimited subscriber, there's no incentive to get it at all. Complications abound!
May 18, 2020 12:55 pm Thanks for another episode, fellas! Apologies in advance to those who prefer to keep their politics separate from their sequential art but I repeatedly find the John Henry plotline of New Frontier heartbreaking and uncomfortable yet necessary. It reminds me of that classic Neal Adams/Denny O'Neal issue of Green Lantern (#76, circa 1970) where Hal is asked why he hasn't helped black people. If there's a connection between New Frontier's DCU and the DCU from that issue, John Henry's death represents the deaths and injustices of marginalized groups all over the U.S. and the negligence of the "Justice League". I don't know if Cooke was ever asked about this plotline but I admire his decision to include it. And it seems like material a writer like Mark Russell might want to explore.
October 28, 2019 3:03 pm At the risk of kicking the proverbial hornet's nest let's talk about the question about a "real life mutant registration act". These registration acts (mutant and superhero) are problematic because they lack comprehensiveness. It is not enough to register a mutant because they are "dangerous" but in order for it to work you would want to offer incentives to register - e.g. specialized health care based on the individual's power set, training and education to utilize their powers for "good", job placement, etc. It's not a gun issue. It's a people issue. And the problem with the registration to protect people argument is it fails to see that mutants and superheroes are people too.
July 10, 2018 6:00 pm I agree. The criteria for choosing a licensed property comic (creative team, story/concept) isn't much different from why some of us read Action Comics over Man of Steel. And those of us who read all of a particular licensed property or character - that speaks more to devotion and disposable income I suppose. The idea of unlikely pairings of licensed properties (didn't IDW put out a comic out based on the board game Clue last year?) got me thinking... what if a comic book publisher got the license to normal series like all the Charles/Burrows/Charles produced sitcoms (Cheers, Frasier, Wings) but put them in a superpowered universe? Sam Malone could still be an ex-pitcher for the Red Sox only he was forced into retirement when he developed super-vision. Cliff Clavin - some sort of copy of a copy of a copy of an original super-soldier experiment. I mean if the CW can makeover Riverdale into a noirish drama, seems like comics could do this. What do you think? What "normal" TV or movie property would you want to see get the superpowered comics treatment?