3 Razors

Fables #124

/ / Comics

fables-124-coverHad I paid a little more attention odds are I wouldn’t have picked up this latest issue of Fables. Instead of a one-shot or the start of a new arc, the issue is wholly devoted to the final three chapters of the back-up story “A Revolution of Oz” (which has been running for the past several months) and the further adventures of Bufkin and Lily Martagon. That’s not to say what writer Bill Willingham delivers here is bad, it’s just the fact that I haven’t been reading the back-up story and felt a little lost for the first few pages.

That said, the further adventures of Bufkin and Lily, even if it seems to be all 80’s style montage, is actually quite a bit of fun delivering a love story, fights for freedom, a mad scientist, weird transformations, and the peaceful end to an adventurous life.

Odds are those who have been keeping up with the backup story and know these characters far better than I are going to get more out of this issue than I did, but even for someone jumping in blind there’s still plenty here that’s worth a look.

[Vertigo, $2.99]

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Red Hood and the Outlaws #15

/ / Comics

red-hood-and-the-outlaws-15-coverDespite the fact that we’re in the third month of Death of the Family this is the first (and likely only) time the Bat-book crossover truly makes its presence felt in Red Hood and the Outlaws. The issue isn’t great, but compared to most of the subpar storyline so far about the Face-Off Joker hitting the Bat-Family where they live, it’s not too bad (and far better than last month‘s wasted appearance by Superman).

After the Joker gives Isabel an overdose of heroin the Red Hood sets out for payback only to be drugged and beaten again by the man who killed him years ago. Despite the comic staying with Joker teasing knowledge about the Bat-Family and his hand in crafting Jason Todd’s destiny there are a couple of good moments here including an appearance by Harvey Bullock (who thankfully hasn’t been given a New 52 revamp) and some nice back and forth with Starfire and Arsenal.

The comic finally gives us a confrontation between the Joker and the Red Hood. Even if it’s not as good as I hoped, at least the crossover feels legitimately underway. For fans.

[DC, 2.99]

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Jack Reacher

/ / Movie Reviews
  • Title: Jack Reacher
  • IMDb: link

jack-reacher-posterI prefer my Tom Cruise action films a little crazy and more than slightly ridiculous. (Hell, I even kinda like Knight and Day.) Jack Reacher delivers on both counts. Based on the character created by Lee Child, Cruise stars as former Military Police officer turned professional nomad who shows up in Pittsburgh when a former Army sniper (Joseph Sikora) is accused of killing five people.

As Reacher tells the man’s attorney (Rosamund Pike), he doesn’t show up to save Barr (Sikora) but to bury him. With Barr in a coma after a prison beat down, the only way Reacher can get the proof he needs to make sure Barr gets the needle is to agree to work with his lawyer. However, the more Reacher digs into the case the more, to his increasing frustration, it appears Barr was framed for the crime. Reacher also discovers the killings weren’t as random as everyone believes.

I’ve never read a Jack Reacher novel, and I’m not sure this film sells me on the character quite enough to pick one up anytime soon. However, as a fun B-movie action flick Jack Reacher succeeds.

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Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Nine #16

/ / Comics

btvs-season-nine-16-coverAfter Jane Espenson‘s two-part story Season Nine returns its focus to Buffy Summers taking on Zompires on the streets of San Fransicso, although it looks like the character of Billy will be sticking around for the foreseeable future and may have a larger role this season than I’d like.

Even with the addition of Billy, and the continued absence of Willow, things get back to normal as our slayer gets her love interest for the season, finds out some zompires are more powerful than others, and gets a surprise when a Whedon favorite makes her first appearance in Season Nine.

Honestly, the Billy storyline curtailed my interest in the season by quite a bit. However, flipping through the comic and seeing the introduction of (the still magically-imbued) Illyria into the new arc was enough for me to pick this one up and stick around to see where things go from here. Worth a look.

[Dark Horse, $2.99]

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The Hobbit: An Expected, and Familiar, Journey

/ / Movie Reviews
  • Title: The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
  • IMDB: link

“I’m looking for someone to share in an adventure.”

hobbit-unexpected-journey-posterAfter several delays, including the director and the Tolkien estate both separately suing New Line Cinema and a brief flirtation with Guillermo del Toro taking over the project, Peter Jackson returns to Middle Earth for J. R. R. Tolkien‘s The Hobbit. Roughly one-third of the 300-page children’s fantasy, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey feels far too familiar, somewhat less magical, and far more expected, than the title would indicate.

Our story, oddly, begins on the same day as The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring with Bilbo Baggins (Ian Holm) beginning to chronicle his adventures for his nephew Frodo (Elijah Wood), while waiting for Gandalf (Ian McKellen) to arrive to celebrate the Hobbit’s 111th birthday. After this somewhat awkward (not to mention completely unnecessary) sequence, our story finally beings in earnest as the younger Bilbo (Martin Freeman) meets Gandalf the Grey and thirteen dwarves for an impromptu dinner which will forever change his life.

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