It only got worse when it begat “Heroes For Hire”, with the poor characterization for Shang Chi.

Well, that’s what sequels are for…

That might be the case if you raise the idea of two Iron Men just before the end credits – you don’t do it, and then not follow through, before the last battle has taken place.

It’s storytelling 101.

Well, that’s what sequels are for…

One of the coolest things about Essential Tomb of Dracula vol. 2 is that it reprints a bunch of issues of Giant Sized Dracula. Beyond being pretty good self contained stories, it’s pretty awesome to have them around just because it reminds you that there was a time when Marvel published two Dracula comics.

Actually, they published three. Dracula Lives! was the black-and-white magazine version that also ran at the same time. You get those in Essential volume four, I think. And there was also Vampire Tales, though that was more a Morbius thing. It really needs to be Essential’d, as well.

I, too, miss Bill’s Sunday Brunch feature. I feel like I’m missing out on stuff without those links to guide me.

Uzumeri’s assessment of Rucka’s writing was definitely a worthwhile read. I’ll have to check out Jog’s companion piece.

Maybe the coloring helped, too, but it told the story well and was not nearly as unpalpable as I remember it being on the first car

Typo? Anagram? Freudian slip? U-Decide!

You forgot to mention Karl Kerschl and Brenden Fletcher’s The Flash on the list of things you forgot.

I dunno, why would he presume that A. The armor would fit him and B. That he could operate it?

Because it was a movie where details like that were totally irrelevant!

Stark started flying in it outside his building when all evidence pointed to the machine not wroking.

I think what he did made more sense, consider the idea for a sec, then realize A and B above, then note to ask Tony in the future about maybe using the armor.

But why put that in a film?
I watched with housemates who don’t read/know the comics, and everyone was all ‘whoah!’ and ‘yeah’ when he looked at the armour, and then he just goes ‘nah, maybe next time’.
And we were all let down. Like, really let down.
It put the idea in your head of two Iron Men fighting side by side, and then didn’t follow through – in the climax of a film, it’s not really a good idea to raise a concept that’s cooler than the one you’re going to go with.
(And in my personal opinion, that last fight scene went for way too long for what it was – it could have done with a twist like that).

And that ridiculous bit where they float the idea of War Machine appearing, and then for no discernible reason, the character decides no to.

I dunno, why would he presume that A. The armor would fit him and B. That he could operate it?

I think what he did made more sense, consider the idea for a sec, then realize A and B above, then note to ask Tony in the future about maybe using the armor.

So, yeah, nice to see this comic live up to the hype, and I look forward to the next volume a whole lot, in the same way I eagerly snap up Ed Brubaker’s Captain America.

I was amazed Brubaker got me to pick up Capt. America, although it was board poster Howyadoin explaining to me that if I didn’t I was a pussy that actually got me to, but I just can’t ever see myself buying an Iron Man book.
I like the idea of the character fine, loved the film up until the way too long end battle*, but actually getting an Iron Man book?
I just don’t see it ever happening.

*And that ridiculous bit where they float the idea of War Machine appearing, and then for no discernible reason, the character decides no to.

* And I never thought of Larroca’s art as being lifeless, just often marred by overly glossy coloring like in X-Treme X-Men; as people have noted, the color saturation by D’Armata has been greatly toned down in World’s Most Wanted. Which allows you to see the sheer amount of detail and nuance Larroca is bringing to this title– notice the way he draws the Iron Patriot as having a completely different texture than any of the Iron Man armors, or the helmet cutaways he draws for the different armored characters and the different details in each interface *

Yes, I do miss Bill Reed’s link-blogging thing. It was fun.

I was totally unimpressed by the first arc of Invincible Iron Man. I dropped the book once it was done. And then, apparently, it got good. Oh well.

Kofi Kingston can be over big time as a star…unless the WWE does to him what they did with Shelton Benjamin. Meanwhile, Rob Van Dam is a trend setter.. He had all the cool kids doing his thumb recognition thing. You saw it done once at every major sports event by an athlete for a year. WWE really is missing the boat not releasing a RVD greatest matches DVD since they now own the ECW library.

Heroes for Hire and Birds of Prey were kindred spirits…except DC gave Birds a chance. Heroes for Hire was cut too soon but that kind of goes along with what was said at Permanent Damage this week: Comic Book Fans do not care to tolerate and support anything new involving superheroes. My proof? Look at most of the BETTER books from the big 2 are the ones that are on ‘life support’ in terms of sales constantly.

and Katy Perry would wreck Amy Whin-o’s ass in any type of competition….well except for a wrecking your own career by using drugs one…LOL