Star Wars: The Last Jedi

I'm going to say this right off the bat, Disney needs to slow their roll with all these Star Wars films. We go over thirty years without a new Star Wars film (that's right, in my version of history, those prequels never happened) and now we are getting one every year. I think they are doing a disservice to these mainline stories that are supposed to continue the franchise. It is starting to not feel as special as it should.

With that off my chest, I can say that I enjoyed the Last Jedi. I don't fall into the trappings of a lot of the nerd rage out there for this film, but I had my own set of problems. Beware, there may be spoilers. I'm not perfect!

Following Rey on her journey in this new trilogy has been a breath of fresh air. I know many of us want to have the same old thing. We were especially starved thanks to those horrible prequels. That they chose to have that history as a backdrop, but to go in new directions has been great. I also like that Rey has been a beacon of hope for many young girls. I really like what she represents. To take it further, I'm glad that they have not sexualized her in any way. She is continuing to find out her place in the universe and that brings her back into direct conflict with Kylo Ren and to some extent, Luke Skywalker.

One of the main complaints about this movie is the reveal of Rey's parentage. I for one liked the reveal. It's a bold choice and I like that we don't get what we had theorized or really wanted. I have already said too much, so I will move on.

The other complaint has been about how Luke is portrayed in this movie. He is now the grumpy old man, who doesn't want a student. It's a trope we've seen in movies many times before. Kind of like what we saw with Han in the last movie, we see that here. Without going into too much detail, you learn the reason WHY he's secluded himself and that has turned into a, "That's not MY Luke Skywalker" movement.  This didn't really bother me here. The problem I do have is that we don't see him interact with really anyone other than Rey. He is totally separate from everything else going on in the movie. In that sense, not seeing some of your old favorites together is a missed opportunity. However, I understand that they are trying to build something new here, so I can put that nerd rage in a corner.

Let me talk about the other characters in this movie before I move on. We also get to see more of Finn and the arc that he is also going through. In this movie he is given something to do, which I'm glad to see. They pair him up with a new character named Rose on this side of the plot. I did not realize Rose was going to play such a big part because I avoided all trailers (except for the first two). I think she's a good addition to the universe. I know this will play into the rising nerd rage because guess what, she's Vietnamese. So more diversity! Get angry!

If there is one thing I don't like about Finn, it's how quippy he is. I would think a former stormtrooper wouldn't be delivering one liners with such an "Aw shucks" sheepishness. I personally would like it if he played it straight, not realizing that he is being funny.

Anyways, we get to see those two and then we get to see our favorite new flyboy, Poe Dameron. I think we could all use more Oscar Issacs in our lives and he gets stuff to do here too. He also gets an arc. I was going to complain that I thought he didn't get enough time, but as I think about it, he got as much time as everyone else. They had to juggle a lot in this movie, almost to it's detriment.

If there is one big loser in this movie, it's poor Gwendoline Christie, who plays Captain Phasma. This is a huge missed opportunity. I really wanted to really see her do something, anything. Instead, she gets what I can at best describe as a cameo.

I could go on and on about the cast, but let's move on to the story. Part of it felt like an extended Battlestar Galactica episode. Now before you get up in arms, I am referring to the earlier episodes where they have to constantly search for water for their ships while trying to avoid the cylons. Here, we have the rebel ships trying to get away with low reserves on their fuel. The situation is much more dire because the Empire, I'm sorry, First Order, is just going to wait them out. So there is definitely some tension in the main thrust of the story.

With that, we watch what is going on with Rey/Luke and then Finn/Rose. Before I said that I liked that Finn had more to do. What I didn't say and I'll say it now, is their stuff felt so superfluous. I don't need to see a gambling planet. It feels like trying to capture the magic of the cantina scenes from the first trilogy. We also have to introduce a bunch of cutesy animals (re: Rey/Luke scenes), cause merchandising. I know I am coming off like an old man that hates joy, but I'm too cynical to not think this is for the benefit of having more toys. I just didn't like this whole side plot of the movie.

All of this is forgiven when we get to the final act of this movie. You play some John Williams inspired music, show me the Millennium Falcon flying around and I'm done. I'm powerless. I sit in slack jawed wonderment and just enjoy the ride. So that last third is very action heavy and satisfying. All the threads come together. I don't want to say anymore than that and give anything away to those that have not seen it.

I didn't talk about the First Order side that much, but I do like seeing Hux and Kylo interact. We could easily have a sitcom about these too. These are two apple polishers that are looking to win over their teacher. After this movie though, I still have no idea who or what Snoke is supposed to really be. Maybe I'm just not paying attention enough.

I may have to see it again, but I don't know if I like this better than Force Awakens or not. I like seeing these new characters and I think they have been successful in establishing them. I didn't mention it before, but it is very sad to watch this movie knowing that Carrie Fisher passed away. I don't know what they will do with the next movie, so enjoy your time with her here.

I think this movie is definitely worth seeing and recommend that you go if you already haven't. May the force be with you. I'm sorry, I couldn't help myself...

Justice League

Oh, DC. I swear I am not actively rooting against you just because I'm a Marvel fanboy. Competition makes both of the companies better. However, as far as the movies go, DC is like a Triple AAA baseball team and Marvel is the big leagues.

Wonder Woman gained so much good will from me, but in the back of my mind, I figured Justice League wouldn't be able to build on that momentum.

Let's be frank here. Justice League is a bad movie. It occasionally has some cool moments, but that is not enough to save it.

The argument I always make for those inevitable Avengers vs. Justice League movie comparisons is this simple fact. The Marvel universe took a slow, methodical approach to get to their movies. They took a calculated risk by getting tentpole movies out for their main players of Iron Man, Captain America, Hulk and Thor. Once those were successes, they had the foundation to build the Avengers movie. You had a natural anticipation that built and built and culminated in the first Avengers movie. You wanted to see all those characters together and see how they play off each other.

DC tried to take the fast track and after putting out Man of Steel, Batman v. Superman and Wonder Woman, they jumped straight to a Justice League movie. In that time, there was a Suicide Squad movie that had no impact on this movie. So this movie has to spend time introducing us very quickly to three new team members in Cyborg, Aquaman and the Flash. Unfortunately for us, they do not do a good job. You get quick side explanations or scenes that show how they came to be, but you're not invested in their stories or given a reason to care.

What still bothers me about Batman v. Superman is that they act like Batman and Superman were great friends. They circled each other for the bulk of their movie and then fought at the end, before coming together for like ten minutes. From that we are supposed to buy that they have this deep friendship? In the comics, that is true. In the movies, that is completely false. So every time Batman/Bruce talks about how he wants to do things in Superman's memory or how they want to bring him back to life, it rings so hollow.

Also, who is Steppenwolf to be such a big bad guy in this movie. Again, comic fans will know who he is but I am taking the role of Joe Average here. All you know is that he is a bad guy who wants to take over this world for some reason. The way the movie is constructed, para-demons have been showing up for while in anticipation for a big attack. That would be fine if this was sprinkled throughout all the movies leading up to this. Instead, you have to believe it's a big deal without understanding what the stakes are.

Another big beef I have with this movie is it just feels so boring. Even though there are world ending stakes here, it never really feels like there is anything of consequence. We don't see how these events affect anyone. It's as if the course correction caused by the mass destruction in Man of Steel has affected this movie too. Also, I think this movie is too special effects heavy. It would be okay if it actually looked good. For me, if I don't see guys doing physical stunts in the fight scenes, you lose me. Say what you will about Man of Steel, the special effects in that movie were great.

The fight choreography isn't all that spectacular outside of what they do with Wonder Woman. Like every movie she's appeared in, she's the bright spot here. I hope her (and Gal Gadot who plays her) star continues to rise.

Outside of Wonder Woman, everyone else just feels so blah. This movie did not get the best out of the talent they were presented with.

I feel like I could go on and on about what I didn't like about this movie and why I didn't enjoy it, but I think I've said enough. I went in with low expectations and this film met that. I just hope they get their act together in future movies.

The Punisher

I took my time with the Punisher, something I haven't done with the other Marvel shows. I'll be honest, I wasn't as excited for it as I was for the other shows. That is nothing against this show, I just think I am experiencing comic book show fatigue right now.

However, I will say this. The first season of Punisher was good. I will also say that is easily the most violent of the Marvel shows, which should surprise no one that has a working knowledge of the character. His scenes in season two of Daredevil were clear evidence of what we might expect.

What I didn't expect was a deep dive into PTSD that this show traverses down. Surprisingly, it didn't feel completely ham fisted. It is definitely in your face and they do not hide from it, but I think it accurately demonstrates how each soldier is changed by their experiences and how they deal with it. The central characters in this show were soldiers in one way or another and the effects on them are shown through the show.

Frank Castle himself is a tragic character. Not to say it justifies his actions, but you can say, "Yeah, I see why he went nuts". This show does it's best to color him in shades of grey. It makes it hard to root for him at times, if only to say, "Well, he's LESS bad than those other a-holes".

He does have a code of honor and they toe that line in when he reacts and when he doesn't. This is constantly explored throughout the show. Jon Berenthal is perfectly cast as Frank Castle. He starts off quieter in the first few episodes, so you will have to be patient. I promise he will start talking more.

I really liked the supporting characters in this show. The character, Micro definitely helps to humanize Frank and works as a good foil to him. Seeing their relationship grow is fun to watch. I liked agent Madani, who spends the series chasing after Castle. She is easily the most clean of all the characters. She is fueled by her search for justice, sometimes to the detriment of those within her orbit. There's the character of Curtis who is also one of the likable people in the show, who also helps out Frank.

I was really glad to see Karen Page return for this show, seeing as they already established her special relationship with Frank during the Daredevil season. They also explore the importance of that relationship here.

Overall, this show was also very gritty and probably also shot on location mostly in New York. It keeps up with the aesthetic that we've grown used to with these shows.

With a Punisher show, you expect it to be about him going after mob bosses, so I liked that they went in another direction and had him chasing down a government conspiracy. As unrealistic as this show can get with it's violence, I think it is a plot that can resonate even to today. There's always going to be shadowy government people that are out with their own agenda.

To complain about the violence in this show would be like to complain that water is wet. Like I said before, you know what you get with a show like this. To it's credit, most episodes didn't resort to gratuitous violence, so you do get breaks from time to time. We will also have to accept that Frank is not like normal humans in that he can be a bullet sponge and still come out alive. At least it does have SOME effect on him.

My final thoughts on the show are this. I really did like. Unlike the other shows, I didn't feel like it really dragged in the middle. I think things played out at a good clip. There is definitely a slow burn and I'm starting to wonder if serialized series like this are the best way to go with the characters. Maybe episodes or two sprinkled within to deal with one off issues while still building a larger narrative is a way to go? Then again, with 13 episodes, you don't have that luxury.

I'm still deciding where I'd place this in my list of Marvel shows. It's definitely better than Iron Fist and I would put it above season 2 of Daredevil. After that, it's a toss up. This is definitely not the weakest show, that's for sure. Nothing is taking that throne from Iron Fist.

Bendis Leaving Marvel to go to DC

The news of Brian Michael Bendis leaving Marvel to go to DC is way too big for me NOT to mention. This is big because for the last seventeen years, Bendis has been the pre-eminent writer at Marvel. Whether you know this or not, I would argue that he was responsible for the resurgence of the Avengers.

Before Bendis, I NEVER touched the avengers. I didn't read their books at all. I deemed them too corny. Lest we forget, around this time, Iron Man was a C level character at best in my opinion. It wasn't until Robert Downey Jr. came along that he became A-list. Bendis broke down the Avengers and built up a new team that felt like more of a collection of his favorite characters than traditional Avengers. You had Captain America and Iron Man, but then you got Spider-Man, Wolverine, Spider-Woman and Luke Cage. Then a mystery character like Ronin and Sentry. Suddenly, these Avengers were cool and I began reading them.

On the other side of this, Bendis had been working on Ultimate Spider-Man and turned that into a hit. Then he also had a great run on Daredevil (which I still need to read).

He created characters like Jessica Jones (yes, that Jessica Jones!), Miles Morales and Riri Williams. His influence in the past few years of Marvel has been vast.

He even brought over his book, "Powers" from Image to Marvel's Icon imprint. That was another series that turned me on to him. In that book, he was free to use all the profanity he would ever want. Besides that, it started off as a really good crime book. Shame it ended up as a terrible tv show.

I promise, I won't go through the wikipedia list of all his works. What I wanted to show is that I was a fan of his work at Marvel. I didn't enjoy everything, but I knew to expect at least great dialogue from Bendis. It's a trademark of his that I always loved. I personally like issues of comics where it's just people talking. To see him leave for greener pastures will invigorate him. I'm glad he gets the opportunity to work at DC on something new. Maybe that will make me become more interested in their books depending on his project.

The two questions that leave me with are: Why now? And what is going on over at Marvel?

Thor: Ragnarok

I really need to get my posts up sooner. Anyways, it's been a week since I saw Thor: Ragnarok, but I wanted to talk about it before I forget everything that I saw! Or maybe, I just need to go see it a second time. Hmmm...

This will sound like hyperbole, but Thor: Ragnarok has jumped into my personal top five of the Marvel films. I enjoyed this movie that much. It had what the last few outings (re: Doctor Strange, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2) lacked. Fun.

Now I know you will talk about how funny the Guardians of the Galaxy movie was. Yes, the FIRST one was funny. The second one had jokes that went on too long and tried too hard at times. Am I retroactively contradicting my earlier review? Probably. You expect me to go back and re-read my own stuff??

In a conscious effort to keep my reviews shorter, let me get into what I loved about this movie. The logo and the trailers had an an 80's rock synth bent to it and that carried through in all the musical choices. I absolutely loved that.

You have big action set pieces where you get to see Thor, Hulk and others really tear it up. There are a lot of really good action scenes in this movie. At times I felt there was too much CG, but that is just where we are with big budget action movies now.

I've stated to death how much I like movies with smaller conflicts. Granted, this one deals with the death of an entire world, but at least the Earth really isn't involved, so that's a breath of fresh air. It's in space where anyone could show up.

Remember that shot I took at GOTG Vol. 2 about three paragraphs up? You should cause you just read it! This movie had a comedic through-line that I really appreciated. From the very beginning, the tone is set with how comedic this movie was going to be. In this movie, I think the jokes really land. The only joke that I got sick of was the name of the giant worm hole that the heroes have to go through. Other than that, I feel like everything hit it's mark. This wouldn't work without the actors, who all play their parts in making the comedy work. We have to give it up for Chris Hemsworth who is putting in work as Thor.

Arguably, I think Korg has the best lines in the movie. I'm not trying not to be suspicious of that, considering the director, Taika Waititi voiced him.

Despite all the comedy, I think there was some good resolution between Thor, Loki and Odin. There was really a lot of heart here in resolving some of the familial issues. Also, I think Hela makes a fantastic villain. So why is it that two of the best villains from the Marvel movies come from the Thor franchise??

Oh! I also just need to say, "Jeff Goldblum". That's it. He's at his Goldblumy best here.

What Marvel movie would be complete without some easter eggs? I only saw this once, so I didn't pick up on that may. There is your requisite Stan Lee appearance, which are always funny.  Seeing Beta Ray Bill's face in that massive tower on Sakaar was awesome. While we're mentioning Sakaar, I like that this movie is closely based on Planet Hulk.It really works here. We're never going to get a solo Hulk movie, so it was a good use of it here. I also liked the cameo by a certain Marvel movie character here. These movies are starting to feel like the comic books where anyone could show up for a team up at any time. I mean, the Hulk plays a big part in this movie. How cool is that?

So like I said at the beginning, this is now in my top five Marvel films. I say top five because my top three are firmly set at Captain America: Winter Soldier, Guardians of the Galaxy and Avengers. So maybe this will be #4.

This is a film that comic fans and non-comic fans can enjoy. Over the years, this has been my biggest indicator on how good I think a comic book based movie is. If a person off the street can enjoy it, you've done your job. Go see this film!

The Defenders

In a move that is rare to me, I binge watched this entire show in an entire day... a few weeks ago! I had just got back from a long business trip and I took the day off. I was determined to fight off sleep and binge watch this show. I did, so now let me talk about it. I waited a few weeks to say anything because I didn't want to color anyone's opinion on it. I also didn't want to be like, "FIRST!". Let's ignore the fact that I basically just did that.

Anyways, here we have the Defenders. The culmination of all those netflix shows we have endured so far. I was super excited about this and waited with anticipation. I was not disappointed. Like the super critical person that I have become, there were still things I didn't like, but overall, it was very satisfying.

Like any good comic book crossover, you get to see characters interact with each other that normally wouldn't. This includes secondary characters as well, which is where some of the fun can be had.

One thing I want to start off with is this. If Netflix decided to do 8 episode series instead of 13, I would be okay with that. Each of the shows lose some momentum in the middle of their series and you always feel like that is where a lot of fat can be trimmed. Here, the show didn't meander as much. That is a positive.

The action was really good. Finally, Iron Fist looks like a respectable martial artist. I still don't like the actor, Finn Jones in this role. He is still insufferable here, but at least he has better people to play off here. It feels like he has a good chemistry with Mike Colter's Luke Cage. You also get to see how Daredevil just comes off as the best fighter of the group.

It was also nice to check in with all of thesw characters after the end of all their shows. I forget, but it's been a while since we've seen Daredevil and even longer since we've seen Jessica Jones. My hope is that after this mini series, they will all appear in each other's shows, in the true comic book tradition. They have built up a good universe here and I look forward to them playing off each other.

As always, it's great to see Rosario Dawson. Even better, is they don't put her into combat like they did in Iron Fist. That show used her too much and in the wrong ways.

Another thing I like are all the touches for each of the characters. From the music that plays when they are in scenes by themselves to the way they fight, each character has their own voice.

With the exception of Iron Fist's show, we get another great villain in Alexandra Reid, played by the fantastic Sigourney Weaver. Sometimes it is almost unfair. You can see her acting rings around the rest of the cast when they are in scenes together.

On the downside, the problem with the villains that have popped in the last few seasons of shows is that the person that appears as the main villain turns out to be just a stepping stone to someone else. That happens here. Killgrave was the last great villain and that was the second show from Netflix! I would also argue he's the best.

While I'm on villains, let me just say that I hate The Hand in these shows. I know you need faceless ninjas (like foot soldiers) for our heroes to fight, but I hope this is truly the end of them for a while. I also hate that the consequences from Jessica Jones and Luke Cage's series are mostly ignored here. I would have loved to see some of their problems show up instead of throwing them into this Hand nonsense.

I know this is a comic book show and it's all fiction, but these shows try to carry a gritty realism and the Hand under cuts that. They cross a line for me. These are street level heroes. They should not be dealing with mystical elements and that is the crux of my whole problem.

Side note, I'm still not a fan of this iteration of Elektra and she plays a big role here.

To wrap up my critique on a positive note, I really did like this mini series. I think the combined casts have made something truly special and I hope to see more. I know the Punisher is next and we'll see if maybe they at least tone down some of the ridiculous violence he brought to the last season of Daredevil.

I hope Marvel stays with Netflix to continue building what they have started. There is potential for even more greatness that can be built on what they have so far.

Spider-Man: Homecoming

Wow. That is what I had to say after watching Spider-Man: Homecoming a few days ago. The latest movie in a franchise that has been rebooted for the third time within the last fifteen years. Let's think about how crazy that is. Sony really doesn't want to let this franchise go.

If this movie is any indication, they should just let Marvel be involved in any future movies. I feel like this is the most grounded Spider-Man movie we've had so far. The first movie where it takes place in a high school and it ACTUALLY feels like it.

It looks like I already delved into my review of this movie, so let's just keep it going. There were many reasons I liked this movie and why I now hail it as the best Spider-Man movie so far. First of all, Tom Holland is the perfect pick for Peter Parker/Spider-Man. Here you have a kid that has these powers and he wants to do right by them. As a teenager, he also wants to be seen as someone who is worthy to be sent up to the big leagues, showing off along the way. He starts to feel that the small crimes are beneath him until he is taught a valuable lesson. He pretty much acted how you think a teenager would act. Impulsive, constantly screwing up till he gets it right. I really loved the arc he went through in this movie and a lot of that can be attributed to Holland. He is just so likeable. After Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield, it's great to have a Peter Parker you want to root for. He's an outcast in a way that doesn't feel phony. I also loved that they played around with the idea of him using different voices so he can sound older.

The supporting cast was also really good. For instance, Jacob Batalon as Ned was a great sidekick. Here is a character that embraced his role with gusto. I think he helps to ground Peter because even with all this super powers, he can still hang onto some semblance of a normal life with Ned around. He also never gets in the way of the movie. He's the "Man in the chair".

There was much made about Zendaya appearing in this movie and her role in it. She did a great job and did not do what you would expect of her. She had some of the best lines and it was good to see her doing something different here. Finally, I want to mention Laura Harrier as "Liz". Initially, you feel that she is out of Peter's league, but the way she plays the character you can almost believe it. I don't want to say too much without giving away any plot points, but I thought she was very good as well.

I just rattled off four high school characters that came off as authentic in this movie. They didn't spend the time quoting memes or being extreme to the max, bro. I just have to reiterate that it was a refreshing change from what we've seen with other Spider-Man movies that take place in "high school". I love that Peter is not a loner in this one, so we don't have to spend time with him being all morose.

I would be remiss if I didn't mention hot Aunt May. I love Marisa Tomei. That is all.

Finally, I want to call out Michael Keaton. Instead of going completely over the top with the Adrian Toombs character, he infuses the role with this understated intensity. His motivations are also believable. He is not your typical cartoony comic book villain where he wants to achieve world domination. He wants to operate under the radar so that he and his crew can continue to make some money on the side. The fact that he wants to play it smart and NOT draw attention seems to be almost opposite of what you see in a super hero villain. Also, just when I thought Keaton MIGHT turn into an over the top version of Beetlejuice, he never gets there. I think he is easily the best Spider-Man villain. I would almost go so far as to say he's one of the best Marvel villains we've seen so far.

Let me touch on the plot real quick because I've spent an inordinate amount of time talking about the actors themselves. I loved that this movie did not saddle us with yet another retelling of Spider-Man's origin. This movie doesn't hold your hand. They just jump right in, picking up after the events of Civil War. We get to follow Peter around in his daily life and his life as Spider-Man as he struggles to make a difference. What I really loved is that this movie stayed focused on the conflicts of the characters. What I mean is that there was not a world ending threat that had to be dealt with. As I've stated before, these are the kind of movies I enjoy now. It is essentially a story about an awkward teenager trying to grow into the man he is to become. That's why we can relate to Peter. We've all been there. As stated before, the antagonist of the movie is not hell bent on world destruction.

I was also glad that there was not as much Iron Man here as I was fearing. You get more of Happy, Tony Stark's assistant, than Stark himself. The cynic in me says that is because it was too expensive to have Robert Downey Jr. in too much of this film, but I digress.

The special effects were good and there were some great action set pieces. Specifically a car chase at night were Peter is in pursuit of the bad guys. I point this out because this scene shows how raw he is even with the best of intentions. I also want to point out that I loved how they addressed the fact that he's not ALWAYS going to find places to web swing from, so sometimes he is just out of luck.

There were also some deep cut Easter eggs for Spider-Man fans. For one, although he is never actually called the Vulture in the film (something I also truly appreciate), the character has the signature fur on the costume. No explaining it, he just does. The Shocker appears here as well. His costume is a modernized version and really subtle. I heard even the Scorpion appears, but I can't remember in what fashion.

Apparently, Donald Glover plays a version of "The Prowler" in this movie, which I completely missed on my first viewing.

Also, freakin' Damage Control shows up here. THAT is a deep cut.

So yeah, plenty of little things to find within.

If I have one nit-pick, I didn't like his reliance on his new suit. To say more would give away plot points, but they do address it later in the movie. Look, I said it was just a nit-pick! I'm hard pressed to find anything I didn't like about this movie.

So go check out this movie. Also, the Captain America PSAs are awesome. You'll know what I mean when you see them.

Wonder Woman

I am really surprised that I waited so long to write this. I saw Wonder Woman after a long drive during opening weekend. I don't have a good reason, but I'm here now!

So, Wonder Woman. This is the DC movie we DESERVE. Finally, the powers that be saw fit to give us a movie from the DC Universe that is legitimately good. After suffering through Superman Returns, Green Lantern, Man of Steel, Batman V. Superman and Suicide Squad, DC finally gets one right. You'll notice I didn't include the Batman movies, even though I will gladly throw Dark Knight Rises under that same bus.

Anyways, this was a great movie. It is a bona fide super hero movie. Gone is the angst that DC brings to their movies. We finally get a movie that is full of color. Literally, it's not steeped in gray tones.

Since I've only watched this movie once and that was a few weeks ago, this might be shorter than normal because I'm working on what is a faulty memory. It's my own fault. I read and watch too much stuff that has rotted my brain.

Right out of the gate, we spend a good thirty minutes or so in Themyscira. Sorry if I gush a bit, but there was sunshine and lush greens. You have to understand, we just don't get this in a DC movie. I wanted to be on this island and NOT because it was full of Amazonian women. That comes second.

We get a taste of some of the kind of battle sequences that are to come with the rest of the movie. The slow motion shots that is used in a lot of action movies is one of those trite movie tropes that has become over used. When used correctly, it is an effective storytelling technique. It was used quite a bit in this movie, but I surprisingly never found myself sick of it. I think that speaks to how wrapped up I was in this movie.

Basically we get Wonder Woman's origin story, told for the benefit of those that do not know it. Now Wonder Woman has one of the more ridiculous origins, so thankfully they modernize it as best they can. We still have to accept she's a demi-god, but at this point, I should not be arguing with the realism of a comic book movie. After our time with Themyscira, we join the real world, already in progress.

One of the things I liked about this movie was the attention paid to Wonder Woman. Side note, Gal Gadot was fantastic. What I mean is she was layered. She's naive to the new world she's visiting, but she's not an idiot. They play up her fish out of water story a little, but they don't make it distract from the story. Thankfully they touch on it a little bit and then move on. Gal also tempers her with so much humanity, compassion and a warrior's spirit.

I liked that for most of the movie, they play up the gods as if it is something in Wonder Woman's mind. You spend the whole movie questioning whether she is crazy or not. Was everything she was ever taught a lie? I like that they play with this and have us doubting the validity of any of it for a while. Sure, she can do fantastic things, but you assume that is part of the training she went through and the gauntlets she wears.

In the middle chapter, there is a scene where she crosses, "No Man's Land" and it is one of many moments where you get really pumped up and find yourself cheering for Wonder Woman. I know I was! It's a feeling that is all too rare for me when I watch movies. I loved that I was feeling this way.

I really liked that there were not a lot of cameos to distract us here. The focus was on Wonder Woman where it needed to be. I liked Chris Pine's Steve Trevor and I think he had a believable chemistry with Gadot.

For all the great action sequences, I think the only thing I didn't really like was the last fight scene in the movie. I am a big fan of hand to hand combat because of all the choreography that goes into it. When you have people shooting laser beams at each other or just throwing stuff, I get bored. This movie had a lot of that kind of stuff in the end that I do not want to see. This movie felt more grounded and semi-realistic. Seeing this last fight undercuts that a bit.

I won't rail on this too much, but I also hate the use of CG Stuntmen. Every comic book movie has it because you just can't have people doing some of the things that the characters do. It's why I simultaneously love and hate action sequences in the Spider-Man movies especially. I want to see a person doing these stunts. Not some bad (in my eyes) CG. They never move realistically. It takes me right out of the movie.

I would be remiss if I didn't mention the great orchestrated score in this movie. Wonder Woman's theme is still one of the best in the business.

Good for DC and good for Patty Jenkins. The whole time I was thinking, "If I man had made this movie, it wouldn't have felt as authentic and I bet they would have really leaned into that fish out of water arc for Wonder Woman". I hope we get more like this and more female directors get a shot at these big budget comic movies. I think there is a place for different voices in our comic book movies. They are popular enough that you can start playing around in the genre more.

I am glad that not only can I say that this is a good comic book movie, but that it is just a good movie in general.

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2

I watched the new Guardians of the Galaxy movie a week ago. Due to work and life in general, I have not had a chance to really sit down and write about it until now. My snap judgements will have faded, but the movie still left an impression.

If I've learned one thing over the past couple of years, I've become more critical of movies and sometimes hard to please, depending on the source material. I am happy to report that I really did like this movie. I had a couple of issues, but overall this movie was a lot of fun. I still think the first movie is better, but this is a worthy successor.

Let me dive right in. Warning, there might be Spoilers. I'll discuss the things I didn't like first. You know, just to mix it up a bit.

At some points in this movie, I think it got too cute for it's own good. There were scenes that lasted longer than they needed to. For instance, the opening sequence. While cool visually, they stayed with it too long. Basically, the camera focused on baby Groot dancing while a big fight scene is happening behind him. Call me a stickler, but I wanted to see the action from the rest of the Guardians, not watch Baby Groot. If this lasted for a minute and not five, I would not be complaining.

Later in the movie, there is a bit with Baby Groot having to retrieve some items for Rocket and Yondu. Again, this is a scene that started off as funny, but then went on way too long. To further my point, there's a bit with a character called "Taserface" that also starts off funny, but starts to continue past it's shelf life. Then there is a bit about looking for "tape" in the middle of a firefight at the end of the movie that also lasts too long. So basically there are jokes that start off funny but then go on way too long. Some editing on all of these scenes could have gone a long way to helping this movie.

This gripe is a personal thing, but I hate it when you have a movie about a team and then you spend the movie splitting up that team to see how they do individually. They spent the whole first movie putting this team together and then spend this move separating them. The way this movie presents it, they have now been working together as a family, but we don't get to see enough of that. The enjoyment comes watching these five bounce off each other. Instead you have two teams of three (Yondu joins them) and have them split up.

Another gripe and this one is minor, I didn't like the soundtrack this time. I at least recognized some of the songs in the first one. In this movie, I did not. Again, this is a minor quibble.

Finally, the Marvel movies have had a real problem with having a good villain and this movie is no exception. They tried their best to flesh it out, but you could see the twist coming a mile away. The character they use for the villain (I'm trying my best not to spoil) has murky motivations at best. He might as well have been twirling his mustache. The whole time, I got a Star Trek V: The Final Frontier vibe from this villain. That's not a good thing. If I say the phrase, "What does god need with a starship?", I think that encapsulates what I'm getting at.

Now that I got that out of the way, let's talk about what I did like.

I still really like the five members that comprise the Guardians team. Now that they have had a movie to come together, they really gel well as a group. That is why it was disappointing we didn't spend more time with them as a unit. One character in particular that I want to call out is Drax. In this movie he had a lot of great bits. Some did not like the seemingly regression of his character, but I am actually okay with that. He was always a bit of a lunkhead, so this movie kind of sets him to that. It does also illustrate that by being around all these characters, especially Peter Quinn he gained more of a sense of humor. We also get some profound moments with Rocket and Yondu. Quinn faces those long standing Daddy issues that he has had. We also see Nebula and Gamora settle their differences as well. So we got some character progression in this movie.

The special effects are still good. Rocket still looks fantastic. There are other elements that aren't so good, but they don't matter. As long as Rocket and Groot look good, the rest can fall by the wayside as far as I'm concerned.

I liked the humor used in the first movie and this movie ramps that up even more. I did mention before that some jokes go on too long, but overall, I think they hit their mark. I had a lot of legitimate laughs throughout the movie. There were a lot of great one liners. I wish I could give more concrete examples, but I don't want to spoil anything.

Although problematic with the pacing, I did like the mix of levity with profoundness in this movie. At it's core, it is a comedic adventure movie. However, they do take scenes to give you real heavy moments with some of the characters.

I liked the addition of Mantis to the cast. Although she is played mostly for laughs, I think she will fit in just fine with this team. I wish we had more time to watch her bounce off the rest of the cast.  In regards to Ego, they did the best they could have done with this character. In the comics, he is "The Living Planet". A concept that is as silly as it sounds because comic books.

Overall, the cast did well. I still don't care for Karen Gillan as Nebula. Chris Pratt is still undeniably Star Lord. Bautista really impressed with his portrayal of Drax this time around. Bradley Cooper is still great as Rocket. I'll save my rundown of the rest of the cast, but it was all good.

Finally, there were a couple of great easter eggs for long time Marvel fans. Guardians of the Galaxy is already a deep cut, but it's always great to see other elements of the Universe being touched on. For instance, we get our requisite Stan Lee cameo and it was also a great this time around. Not sure how Marvel got the rights to the Watchers (which are Fantastic Four characters and tied up with Fox), but glad they made an appearance. We also get a quick cameo from Howard the Duck again. I was surprised by some cameos from other actors acting as what were the Original guardians of the galaxy. I don't want to give them away, but it was cool to see. There is a brief shot of "Ego the Living Planet" as he appears in the comics and that was a nice touch. Finally, we get a brief glimpse of Adam Warlock.

The future is looking bright for this franchise. There's a lot more I didn't touch on or what I would want to say, but I think I have prattled on long enough. Definitely recommend checking this movie out.

Iron Fist

What we have here is the last show in the four planned Marvel shows that would lead into the big "Defenders" crossover event. I'm not going to mince words, I did not like this show.

Part of me was afraid I would be influenced by all the negative press this show had garnered before it was released. I was hoping it was all wrong and that this show would surprise me. Unfortunately, they were right. This is a bad show.

That statement isn't confined to just one thing. There are many things I didn't like about this show. Let me just say, I really like the character, Iron Fist. More specifically, I like the team he makes with Luke Cage. The Ed Brubaker/Matt Fraction years from a couple of years ago is required reading for Iron Fist as far as I'm concerned. So this show hurts.

First of all, the most egregious part of this show is that the martial arts is terrible. For a show that is about a guy who is a master of Kung Fu, this show fails to deliver on the most basic level of that premise.

The fight choreography is astoundingly bad. After watching a show like Daredevil, it's amazing to me that the show runners thought this was good enough. Every fight scene feels likes something you would film with buddies in your backyard. Everything felt floaty and lacking in impact. There weren't good transition moves and everything felt like it was done in half speed. Your main character, seems like the worst fighter ever. The fact that he struggles at the end of this show with an ordinary guy is sad. Not another fighter, but a regular guy. None of the actors come off as capable.

Another problem is that the main character, Danny Rand, is about as uncharasmatic as they come. A great actor can help to elevate the material. Finn Jones fails to do that here. He is full of childish angst that makes Danny Rand unlikeable. This is my own criticism, but he does this head bobbing thing every time he tries to deliver some serious dialogue. He is borderline unwatchable.

I wish I could say that Danny was the only problem with this show. This show suffers from a lot of bland characters. The only characters that are good in my opinion, came from other shows. To be more specific, Claire Temple (Rosario Dawson), Jeri Hogarth (Carrie-Anne Moss) and Madame Gao (Wai Ching Ho) reprised their roles from Daredevil and Jessica Jones. They were the bright spots. I've been an unabashed Rosario Dawson fan, but in this show she feels truly wasted. She outacts Finn Jones and Jessica Henwick (Colleen Wing) in every scene she shares with them. It is really jarring. Speaking of Colleen, I liked that the character was in the show and I did squeal when she went by the name, "Daughter of the Dragon" in the early episodes. Unfortunately, as her relationship with Danny grows, she becomes less compelling and is relegated to "worried girlfriend" status.

The villains of this show are also bland. All the Meachums are unlikeable in their own way. The brother, Ward, is like a Sci-Fi Channel movie actor. He's distracting in every scene he is in. Joy Meachem is wide eyed half the time and her supposed strength is hard to believe at times. Their father, Harold is also equally unlikeable and he hangs around more than he should.

If you think I'm done complaining about this show, I still have a little more left in the chamber because I haven't event talked about the plot.

Danny Rand appears out of nowhere after being gone for fifteen years and expects the world to believe he is who he says he is. We are never told HOW he left the mystical city of K'un L'un to get back to New York. We just have to accept it. That's a problem. The first fourth of this show is spent trying to prove he is who he says he is. This lasts way longer than it should have. He ends up in an insane asylum, which was actually a pretty interesting take, considering how he acted.

That is swept under the rug pretty quickly. After that and some corporate intrigue (where he tries to get his company back) we have to deal with the worst part of the second season of Daredevil. The Hand. I hated them being in Daredevil and I hate them here. It works as a concept in the comics, but it's overly silly in this show. The back half of the show delves into this more and it just gets more and more ridiculous. I won't get into it here, but there are basically two factions of the Hand and we get to watch all of them badly fight with each other. The last boss battle is also very anti-climatic.

I feel like I've said enough since I have just been dumping on this show here. At the end of the day, what really bothers me is that this show was a wasted opportunity. Each show so far has had their own feel and aesthetic. This show lacks any of that. We are told about K'un L'un, but never see it. We are told Danny Rand is the Iron Fist, but we see very few instances where he shows that he is actually skilled at what he is doing. In the very least, this show could have been done in the style of an old Kung Fu movie or show, modernized for today. This show instead turns out to be a directionless mess. It was just a means to an end to get to the Defenders, so it had to happen. I just wish they had done more with their opportunity. It is easily the weakest of the Marvel Netflix shows.

Logan

Logan is the Wolverine movie that we have always wanted. It's a shame because this is supposedly the last iteration of Hugh Jackman as Wolverine. If it truly is, then he goes out on top. I really loved this movie and I think this movie speaks to the sensibilities I've migrated to over the past few years.

I know I have stated this many times on this blog before, but I've become more attracted to the focused, centralized comic book movie. I no longer care about a super hero movie that has world ending stakes. I feel like there are no stakes in that. It all comes down to how cool the action sequences are.

Not to sound like an old man, but they've become special effects spectacles and not always in a good way. That is why a movie like, Logan is so refreshing. Here we have a story that is focused on the personal battles of a few characters. Dare I say, this is like a chase movie. A genre that has become a favorite of mine.

Hmm, I'm three paragraphs in and I haven't really talked about the movie. Logan is a gritty, often times violent story of an older Wolverine who has come to grips with his new reality. Mutants are pretty much gone, the X-Men are dead and he has to look after a broken down Professor Xavier. I don't feel like this is a spoiler because this is mentioned in any plot synopsis you would read about this movie. I will respect those that haven't seen it yet and keep the rest of this spoiler free.

Normally I wouldn't say this about a super hero movie, but I think the acting really deserves praise here. I legitimately think that Hugh Jackman and Patrick Stewart should be eligible for the job they did in this movie. Jackman has shown a devotion to this character that few actors show in extended roles. The studio has interfered in some of this attempts, but at the end of the day, he wanted to do right by Wolverine and I expect that. That is why this movie is such a moving send off for him and the character. It's not just the makeup he put on for this movie, but the way he moves and talks displays a guy that has been through a lot and is nearing the end.

As far as the timeline goes, it almost makes little sense that Professor Xavier would even be in this movie, but his inclusion is to the movie's benefit. Xavier is a prideful man that has clearly fallen to his lowest point and that is reflected in the performance. Like Logan, Xavier is a sympathetic character here. Not to give a spoiler, but there is also the added weight of what has happened to him over the past couple of years.

I would be remiss if I didn't not mention the performance of Dafne Keen as Laura (X-23). She is fantastic in this movie. It's always great to see child actors that actually know what they are doing. I hope this spring boards her into more things.

I won't mince words, this movie is violent. The brutality of the fight scenes are not for the faint hearted. However, this is what has been missing from a movie with Wolverine. Let's be honest, for a movie about a guy with sharp knives in his hand, is bound to be violent.

To wrap this review up, I like the aesthetic of this movie, which is a character in itself. This is in the year 2029 and it is a world reminiscent of our own. You're not going to see a lot of crazy future tech here. Well, outside of the advanced genetic engineering that is at the heart of this movie. Anyways, every thing looks like it takes place in the dust bowl for most of the movie. Kind of like Mad Max. Other times, it just looks ordinary and I don't mean that as an insult.

This is a deeply personal movie for both the Jackman and the director, James Mangold. This movie is definitely in my top three of favorite X-Men movies along with X-2 and X-Men: First Class.

There were a lot of cool easter eggs for long time comic fans such as having Caliban or the Reavers. Those are more deep cuts within the X-Men universe.

I've now seen this movie twice and I would recommend it to anyone else.

The Inevitable Best and Worst List of 2016

Every year, I tell myself that I will have this up by January. And every time it comes a few weeks into the year, after the point a best of list should have already happened. Looks like I have a resolution for 2018!

Anyways, last year I talked about how my interest in DC had waned. This year, with DC Rebirth, I have jumped back on to a couple of titles. The reboot (not reboot) has seemed to energize them. On the other hand, the delay of Civil War and everything in it’s hemisphere has made me question a lot of my choices over at Marvel.

I have not been a fan of the double shipping that both companies have been employing this year. This quantity over quality is causing the art to suffer on a lot of books and that is a problem. Since they keep making money, I’m afraid this is a practice that will continue.

This year I think I have finally started to get more selective with my books. I cut a number of fringe books, especially if I feel like they are a chore to read.

We also had a glut of comic book related movies this year and if we’re being honest, a couple of them were downright atrocious.

Anyways, without further ado, let’s pour one out for…

Dearly Departed (The Comics I dropped this year)
Before I get into the rest of my list, a moment of silence for the number of comics that I dropped this year after giving a good go at it:

• Avengers – Marvel
• Justice League – DC
• East of West – Image
• Outcast – Image
• A-Force – Marvel
• Nowhere Men – Image
• Uncanny Inhumans - Marvel

Favorite Comic Book TV Show of 2016
Luke Cage – Netflix – This was actually a tough pick for me this year. I still really like the joy that is found in Supergirl. Arrow has gotten back to basics and we did get a second season of Daredevil that featured the Punisher. However, if I follow my heart, it was Luke Cage. It was a show that spoke to me. It had a great soundtrack, great black actors, topical without being too preachy and Rosario Dawson! It is a show that drags in the middle and I still hate Diamondback’s stupid costume, but I’m judging this as an entire package. I’m keeping this short because I already talked about this show in length.
Honorable Mentions: Supergirl

Least Favorite Comic Book TV show of 2016
Daredevil Season 2 – Netflix – Now you may be thinking, “But Kevin, you listed it in your contender’s list of favorite shows!” Yeah… So I REALLY loved that first season of Daredevil. It is my favorite of the shows we have so far. That is why this season was such a disappointment. The Punisher was a great edition, but he really runs his course in the first six episodes. Then he becomes extraneous. Elektra shows up and her story line gets extraneous too. I guess what I am really trying to say is this show should have stopped while it was ahead. It limps across the finish line. And I know I am talking about a show based on a comic book, but apparently including the Hand, a clan of Ninjas that can come back from the dead, was my breaking point. Is this show terrible? No. This is here because I was so disappointed. I could easily fill this spot with “Agents of Shield”, but that’s such an easy target.
Honorable Mention: Agents of Shield (Picking this would have been too easy)

The Fond farewells of 2016
Chew – Image – This category is really an excuse for me to talk about Chew. I meant to make a post about this and just never did. After a couple of years, this book came to an end. It was a sixty issues series that was written by John Layman and drawn by  Rob Guillory. It was a dark comedy that was unlike anything I have ever read. It was clever, it packed a lot of emotional weight and it was full of so many sight gags that I would pour over each issue looking for them. It had a style onto itself and there will not be anything like it. To be brief, the premise is this. You have a federal agent (the FDA is completely different in this world) that has the power to get a psychic imprint of anything he eats. This helps him solve crimes, but you can see how this would be a curse. This is set against the back drop of a world where eating chicken has been outlawed due to alien writing in the sky and some other stuff. If this sounds outlandish, it is, but this book toes that line spectacularly. I even forgive it for the emotional roller coaster it put me through and it will be missed.
Honorable Mention: Velvet, Tokyo Ghost

Favorite New Artist of 2016
Brittney Williams - Goldie Vance - This was a tough choice, because there were two new artists I discovered this year. I'm going to give the nod to Brittney Williams and her work on the series, Goldie Vance from Boom Studios. It is a cartoony style that I'm a sucker for. What elevates it is the design of the characters, the "acting" found in good cartooning. The background work is even nice as well. Due to the success of the book, it went from being a mini-series to an ongoing series. This means I will get to see more of Williams' work in the new year.
Honorable Mention: Daniele Di Nicuolo - Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers: Pink


Worst Artist of 2016
Adam Kubert - All New Avengers, etc. - In the mid to late 90's Adam Kubert was one of my favorite artists. I'll spare my long, history and jump to the point. His art is not as good as it used to be. Are there worst artists out there? Absolutely. He's here more for my extreme disappointment at his downfall. Everything looks super rushed now. When I see he's on a book, I don't get excited. I just sigh. That's never a good thing. I don't want to waste any more space here.
Honorable Mentions: N/A

Favorite Artist of 2016
Valerio Schiti – Guardians of the Galaxy – There was a lot of great art this year, but I’m picking Schiti. This is based purely on the fact that his art elevated the Guardians of the galaxy with his great paneling. Also, the art has remained consistent while also having a workman like quality in a good way. Not many can stick to working on long arcs at a time. I also like Schiti's facial acting as well.
Honorable Mentions: Wes Craig – Deadly Class, David Marquez – Civil War, Cliff Chiang - Paper Girls

Favorite New Writer of 2016
David Walker – Power Man and Iron Fist – This year was my first exposure to David Walker's writing. I would not have discovered him if he had not been writing a comic based on two of my favorite characters. That would have been a shame. What I like about his writing in Power Man and Iron Fist is it has been very grounded, as far as super hero comics go. I like that it has been set almost exclusively in and around Harlem. The voices he uses for the characters feel authentic. I didn't like how he wrote Danny Rand at first, which is contrary to how he used to be, but it worked in the grand scheme of things here. When most writers try to use slang, it comes off as stilted and awkward. It's as if they watched the "The Wire" too many times, without actually understanding it. Walker has a command of it here and that's what ultimately makes this book work. The sense of humor is also great. I like that he's had a chance to explore this corner of the Marvel Universe.
Honorable Mentions: N/A

Worst Writer of 2016
Adam Hughes – Betty and Veronica  – I only read two issues of this book, but that was more than enough to cement this as the most poorly written book I read this year. I like to think that I am pretty tolerant of bad comic book writing and it takes a LOT to make me hate it. This was that book. If there was ever a text book case of poorly written teenagers by an old man, this book is exhibit A, B and C. I already ranted on this in length, so I won’t rehash here. Just trust me that this was one of the worst comics I’ve ever read.
Honorable Mentions: N/A

Favorite Writer of 2016
Jason Aaron - Mighty Thor, Unworthy Thor, Doctor Strange, Star Wars - As you can see, Jason Aaron is a very prolific writer. He wins my award because even though he is writing all of these series at once, they are all distinct from each other. This is an accomplishment because I don't traditionally like Thor or Doctor Strange and over the past few years he has made me care about both. Doctor Strange has not dipped in quality at all and Mighty Thor continues to be great. These alone would win the title, but then you have the very fun Star Wars series that he is working on too. 
Honorable Mentions: Tom King - Batman, Tom Taylor - All New Wolverine, Peter Tomasi/Patrick Gleason - Superman, Sam Humphries - Green Lantern

Pleasant Surprise of 2016
Superman – DC – Around 1992, I was really into Superman because of the Death of Superman event. I hung around for a couple of years and then dropped off. After that, I jumped onto Superman every now and then when something special was going on whether it was being drawn by Ed McGuinness or Jim Lee. I even checked out Grant Morrison’s All Star Superman run. Even with all of that, I have not truly enjoyed a Superman book until this year. What has made this book so great is that it is a book about Clark Kent and his family, his wife Lois and his son Jonathan. This book is dealing with his role as a father to a son coming into his super powers and their role in the new world they find themselves in. Peter Tomasi has been writing a fun book and has me liking this version of Superman. I never would have imagined this was possible.
Honorable Mentions: Goldie Vance – Boom, Green Lanterns - DC

Worst Mini-series of 2016
Civil War II - Marvel - The ONE issue of "Cage!" I read was going to win this easily, but I had to choose Civil War II due to the overwhelming disappointment that I felt. Not only did massive shipping delays ruin this book, but the writing didn't help it. I used to really like Brian Michael Bendis, but over the years, I've slowly started to turn on him. I figured there would be no way this book was going to stick the landing, but never did I feel that it was going to turn out and be ultimately inconsequential. The last two issues were insults to my comic sensibilities. I also greatly resent how they have tried to force the Inhumans down our throats. The art was great in this series, but the writing did not.
Honorable Mentions: Cage! - Marvel, Death of X - Marvel

Favorite Mini-series of 2016
Aloha, Hawaiian Dick – Image - It was good to see this book back and honestly, I didn't have a big pool of mini-series to pull from this year. The story at points was messy, but I really like the supporting characters in this series and they got some more attention. The way the series ends up is a heartbreaker. I just wish B. Clay Moore could commit to making this book an ongoing series. There are not any other series set in Hawaii that I'm reading about, so it is a refreshing setting to read about.
Honorable Mentions: Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Pink

Favorite New Series of 2016
Power Man and Iron Fist – Marvel - I gave the writer credit for this book earlier, so now I'm giving credit to the book as a whole. The writing, combined with the art of Sanford Greene/etc. gives this book a high quality, urban feel you do not get with any other books. What is even better is that it doesn't feel insulting in it's portrayal of a mostly minority cast. The humor is well written and it is street level, which I appreciate. There are no typical Marvel comic super heroics here. No world ending threats, just the immediate threat to the characters and their surroundings. This is always the book I read first when it appears in my Wednesday pickups. That's how I know this wins my prestigious, new series of 2016 award.
Honorable Mentions: Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers - Boom Studios, 

Worst Series of 2016
Extraordinary X-Men - Marvel - Out of all the series I read this year, this is one that I dropped after it just got to be too much. I don't know what they are doing with the X-Men right now, but this book is a shining example of what's wrong. There is a weird mix of X-Men here with a story that is really not moving the needle for me. At first this book seemed promising, but it hasn't delivered on that. Honestly, it's just boring and it has been a chore to read. Having Apocalypse show up should be a reason to celebrate, but not here when it's centered around some of the newer X-Men that I have not been invested in. Maybe if there were bigger name X-Men in this book, I would like it a lot more.
Honorable Mentions: N/A

Favorite Series of 2016
Jughead - Archie Comics - I have to give it up for this book. Between two writers, it has remained consistently funny. The Archie Comics reboot has really done wonders. The wacky stories of Jughead have been a delight. The humor has been second to none. It's a good counterpoint to the serious tone of the main Archie book. When Ryan North took over, he introduced hilarious comments at the bottom of each page. It's like having funny editor's notes on each page. This has added to the fun. Also, each writer would introduce old Jughead strips with a short essay on how wacky this comic was back in the sixties during it's inception. The all over the place nature of the stories may at first may not be for everyone, but if you are willing to ignore reality, this is the series for you.
Honorable Mentions: Superman – DC, Ultimates – Marvel, Ms. Marvel – Marvel,