2.5 Razors

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #13

/ / Comics

tmnt-8-coverI’ve been very happy with the IDW’s new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, which makes this month’s issue all that more perplexing. The biggest difference is Andy Kuhn, and his far rougher style, stepping in for artist Dan Duncan who, until now, had done the art for every issue of the series. Although I prefer the art from the original Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird run I had grown accustomed to Duncan’s style. The difference in the book’s look is striking, and not in a good way.

Also problematic is how much exposition and plot summarization of the comic up until this point is passed off as attempts at natural dialogue. I assume the idea was to use the issue to help get readers up to speed who reading the title for the first time, but the effect doesn’t do the actual story any favors.

The main story points have to do with the Turtles killing time after saving Splinter while The Shredder (who is drawn for the first time with pupils instead of zombie eyes) finds only disapproval with his granddaughter Karai. There’s also the return of the subplot of Casey Jones and his abusive father. For fans.

[IDW, $3.99]

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Green Lantern #12

/ / Comics

green-lantern-new-52-12-coverAs Hal Jordan and Sinestro fight off Black Hand and his army of raised zombies the Guardians of the Universe continue their plans to raise the “Third Army” which will destroy the various Lantern Corps including the Green Lanterns.

If you’ve been missing zombies since Blackest Night ended this issue is for you. Howver, if you were thankful that Blackest Night ended and hoped never to see the Black Lanterns again (like me) then there’s little worth noting except for the what is teased to happen in the coming months including (God help us) Hal Jordan becoming a Black Lantern.

The main story between Jordan and Sinestro and the zombies isn’t all that interesting, and the reveal of the Book of Black’s prophecy is troubling if that’s Geoff Johns’ plan for the character. Sligthly more interesting is the Guardians plans for the other Green Lanterns of Earth who have been singled out as their biggest obstacle to removing the Corps. The choice of Renato Guedes to replace Doug Mahnke‘s art on the title also means the comic has a less crisp look and feel than the previous issues of the title. Hit-and-Miss.

[DC, $2.99]

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ParaNorman

/ / Movie Reviews
  • Title: ParaNorman
  • IMDB: link

paranorman-posterParaNorman is a creepy kids film with a nice message delivered with about as much subtlety as a kick to the groin. Written and co-directed by Chris Butler, ParaNorman takes a simple premise about a boy who can see dead people and a town under a witch’s curse, and weighs it down with heavy issues and themes such as the effects of bullying and mob rule. Although Butler never loses the audience, he lacks the skill to continually keep the film interesting and entertaining while at the same time beating the audience over the head with its message.

The film, after a terrific opening having fun with late night horror movie tropes, opens by introducing the social outcast of the small New England town of Blythe’s Hollow – Norman Babcock (Kodi Smit-McPhee). Norman has the ability to see and talk with the dead, which of course no one including his parents (Casey Affleck, Leslie Mann), the local bully (Christopher Mintz-Plasse), or generic teenage sister (Anna Kendrick) believes.

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Political Animals – Lost Boys

/ / Television Reviews
  • Title: Political Animals – Lost Boys
  • tv.com: link

Elaine (Sigourney Weaver) returns for Christmas with her family from a whirlwind tour from Siberia to Africa to a pair of shocking scandals involving the sinking of a Chinese nuclear sub off the coast of San Diego (that the Chinese have no intention of losing face by saving), and the discovery that the Vice President (Dylan Baker), in order to get an important piece of legislation passed, is going to blackmail a Republican Senator (David Monahan) about his secret relationship with T.J. (Sebastian Stan).

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Daredevil #16

/ / Comics

daredevil-16-coverRarely have a seen a comic start so well and fall so far so quickly. In the first two-thirds of Daredevil #16 writer Mark Waid delivers a terrific story of Iron Man, Dr. Strange, and Henry Pym trying to save a comatose Daredevil the Nanobots implanted in his brain in Latveria.

Pym, shrunk-down, inserted into Murdock’s brain, attempts to destroy the Nanobots loose in Daredevil’s mind, but what makes the storyline work so well is the odd nature of Matt Murdock’s gift that causes both Pym and Murdock’s feeling, senses, and memories to start blurring between them. Aside from being a really cool story, it’s nice way to save the Latverian arc which was drawn out far too long.

However, the final third of the story (teased on the cover) makes so little sense I don’t know where to begin. On arriving back at his office Murdock is confronting by Foggy who dissolves their partnership after finding the bones of Murdock’s father in his desk drawer.

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