Alan Rapp

Doctor Who – The Complete Fifth Series

  • Title: Doctor Who – The Complete Fifth Series
  • tv.com: link

With the departure of David Tennant in “The End of Time Part 2” a new Doctor (Matt Smith) takes control of the series.

The season starts strong with “Eleventh Hour” which introduces us to the Doctor’s new companion Amy Pond (Karen Gillan), and ends with a great two-parter (“The Pandorica Opens” and “The Big Bang“) involving the end of the universe, but it does have some ups (“Amy’s Choice,” “Vincent and the Doctor“) and downs (“Victory of the Daleks“) over the course of the season. I also thought the other two-parters from this season (apart from the finale) with the Silurians and the return of the Weeping Angels weren’t as strong as the episodes which introduced the characters.

…

Doctor Who – The Complete Fifth Series Read More »

Comic Rack

It’s a new week so it must be time to talk about comics! Welcome to the RazorFine Comic Rack boys and girls. Pull up a bean bag and take a seat at feet of the master as we offer you this quick list of all kinds of comic book goodness set to hit comic shops and bookstores this week from all your favorite publishers including DC, Marvel, Dark Horse, BOOM!, Dynamite, Image Comics, and others.

This week includes Artifacts, Angel, Avengers, Batman: Streets of Gotham, Brightest Day, Conan the Cimmerian, Darkwing Duck, Deadpool Corps, Flash, Green Lantern, Haunt, Hellblazer, Hulk, Ides Of Blood, Justice League Of America, Morning Glories, Northlanders, Power Girl, The Spirit, Superman/Batman, Supergirl, Thor: First Thunder, Thunderbolts, X-23, X-Men, Zatanna, the first issues of Astonishing Thor, Batman Incorporated, Batman: The Return, Chaos War: Dead Avengers, Osborn, Spider-Girl, and the final issue of Vampire, PA.

Enjoy issue #105

…

Comic Rack Read More »

Atomic Robo and the Deadly Art of Science

  • Title: Atomic Robo Vol. 5 #1 (of 5)
  • Comic Vine: link
  • Writer: Brian Clevinger
  • Artist: Scott Wegener

Atomic Robo is back! The first issue of Volume 5 finds a very bored Robo stuck helping Nikola Tesla with his latest experiment only to jilted out of his malaise by a car chase and gunfight involving gangsters and a six-shootin’ vigilante.

It may be going too far to say Robo befriends Jack Tarot, Gunfighter, and his daughter Helen (after all the guy does shoot our robotic pal right in the face), but he does leave an impression (mostly by asking a series of only slightly less annoying questions than Nick Frost asked of Simon Pegg in Hot Fuzz). As to the mysterious scientist and the secrets of the mysterious skull, we’ll have to wait until the next issue to lean more.

Fans of Brian Clevinger and Scott Wegener’s off-beat character should feel right at home. Worth a look.

[Red 5, $3.50]

Atomic Robo and the Deadly Art of Science Read More »

Batgirl #15

Okay, if Stephanie Brown’s retelling of Bat-history doesn’t tickle your fancy there’s really no hope for you. Sorry. In-line with other Bat-titles, Batgirl gets back to basics with the return of Oracle, Stephanie’s struggles in college (and lies to her mother), and some zany antics.

Batgirl’s latest case involves the death of a student at the hands of a cult of robed figures, a missing flash drive, a new Gray Ghost, and Batgirl framed for murder.

That last part troubles me a bit as it seems were in for the proverbial “prove my innocence’ storyline all too many characters have to go through. Hopefully this two-issue arc will wrap things up as quickly as it began since there’s really no chance DC’s going to let Batgirl go full-vigilante and drawing it out serves no purpose.

Not as good as some recent issues of Batgirl, but the trademarks that make the character and comic work are still here. Worth a look.

[DC $2.99]

Batgirl #15 Read More »

Red Robin #17

I love almost everything about this issue. The epilogue to “The Hit List” gives us a little of everything that’s made Red Robin such a great read in the absence of Bruce Wayne along with a promise that things aren’t going to change.

We get the both the return Cassandra Cain and Batman in his fancy new costume as well as a Tim making a difficult decision to trust Lynx (perhaps not entirely made with his brain). To’s art is terrific (I honestly can’t pick out a favorite panel: the hug? the kiss? the discussion about Damian?), and Fabian Nicieza once again delivers yet another strong story without trying to rewrite the character of make some grand statement (something Grant Morrison could learn).

My only real complaint with the issue is the obvious slight to Stephanie Brown in Tim offering the role of Bagril back to Cassandra. Aside from the fact it’s not his to give, it’s just one hellova a dick move to make. I’m glad to see her pass on the opportunity, and it seems like there may be a new role for the character in the expanding Bat-family that feels more her own. Must-read.

[DC $2.99]

Red Robin #17 Read More »