The Mast's 30 Days of Comicdom (Day 8): What Is Your Favourite Comic Book Movie?

Blackwatch PLAID!

You know, it's a new day. You must, therefore, blatantly be aware of what that means. It means that there's a new installment of The Mast's 30 Days of Comicdom!

Once more I want to prefix this by addressing the ambiguity of the question. It WAS entitled What Is Your Favourite Movie?, so I ASSUMED this to pertain to comic book movies, but if you wish to tell me what your favourite movie is, then by all means do.

The Mast's 30 Days of Comicdom (Day 8): What Is Your Favourite Comic Book Movie?

This was very hard to choose for, simply because I wasn't what sure to go by! I know which movie I had the most exciting fun at, the one which contained the characters to which I have the greater attachment etc. I thought that'd win, but it didn't. I decided to be a little more objective and go with this...


Batman Begins.

Right now, I suppose there are scores of people screaming, "WHAT ABOUT THE DARK KNIGHT?! WHAT ABOUT IRON MAN 2?!" Let me tell you. I had the most fun at Iron Man 2 and it contains characters I enjoy more, yes. It was between the three, but there's a reason I chose this one.

I think in terms of Iron Man 2 being the best superhero movie ever, but not the best comic book movie ever. Why? Because Iron Man 2 feels like an absolutely amazing, can't-get-better superhero flick. Batman Begins and The Dark Knight feel like they break into the area of simply being astoundingly well-crafted movies that just happen to have superheroes in.

So, why Batman Begins over The Dark Knight? I love them both equally in most term, but what I appreciate is how you take a character that's been done, done terribly, and revitalise his movie franchise in a manner that not only receives fan acclaim, but undeniable critical acclaim too.

Batman Begins is the painstakingly detailed rise of, well, Batman. I LOVE the idea of Batman. I think his mythos is truly one of the greatest, even if I only enjoy the execution of him under the pen of certain writers and in few certain stories. This is one of my favourite Batman stories ever, including the comics. We all know the story. His parents are killed and he becomes a vigilante to strike fear into the hearts of those who'd make his city a cesspool of crime and decay.

What's expertly done in this film, by Christopher Nolan, is the genesis of Batman. The way he becomes Batman is SO well done and it never feels as if they're going off pace. It feels as if it's all happening seamlessly, too. It's not a case of Nolan thinking, "Ok...story, story, ACTION, story, bit of suit-making montage, STORY!" It all just feels very organic.



My favourite part about it, besides Christian Bale doing a magnificent job, is how it shows Batman as what he is. He's a man with a vision of how things can get better, his role in that and how he can act as a catalyst for it to happen and remain that way. Grant Morrison said it best when he said that, sure, Batman started as this great citizen who had a generally good idea. As time's gone on, though, he has caused trauma to those around him and tragedy awaits him at every turn. You sort of look at his life story and timeline with the thought of, "What the fuck have you been doing, Bruce?"

It really doesn't TOTALLY express that, but Batman Begins definitely does push Batman's idea of himself and what HE wants to be. It doesn't present him as someone who would've avoided being a vigilante if he could've, and just feels obliged to do it due to his parents getting offed. It presents Bruce Wayne and Batman as someone who BECAME that choice. It was a case of coming to a crossroads and instead of walking away, he CHOSE to become what he is and embraces his choice without acting like he was cursed by fate.

Also, it tapped into the one thing I loved about Batman, but never liked about Superman. Neither of them are killers, nor will they kill directly. However, Superman doesn't scare me. If he appeared, I wouldn't fear for my life as a criminal. I'd be fairly scared, but not entirely. If Batman is dangling you from a building, it doesn't fucking matter whether or not he's no killer and you know that. You are SCARED.



I mean, that scene where he is intimidating/interrogating Detective Flass by trapping his foot in a cable and lifting him up to the top of the building...it's genius. Flass is saying things like, "I don't know anything! I swear to God!", and like an animal, Batman retorts, "SWEAR TO ME!"

Perfect.

Bale portrays Bruce Wayne and Batman differently. He's not just a great Bruce or Batman, he's great at both. No, I never found the voice ridiculous. I find it ridiculous when all someone does to disguise themselves is put on a suit and glasses and nobody recognises them...Clark Kent. When you're a superhero vigilante in a city where everyone knows you as Bruce Wayne, you'll cover up and act like someone else when you're doing the Batman thing. It's just sensible to me. Did he seem to ham it up in The Dark Knight? A bit. Did it matter to me? No.

Batman Begins winning this category does not specifically mean I like it more than The Dark Knight or Iron Man. They're all beloved for many reasons. I do think that there's just something about Batman, under Nolan's direction, that propels his movies beyond superhero classification. They're action thrillers with a superhero in. Me admitting Iron Man 2 is my more beloved for the characters, universe and excitement I had watching it, doesn't stop me admitting what I feel is a genuinely better MOVIE.

I don't even necessarily think Batman Begins is better or worse than The Dark Knight, but I had to pick and I don't know, it's not something easily explained. For all intents and purposes, though, Batman Begins is my favourite comic book movie.

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Well, that wraps up another day for me on this marathon trek of 30 days! I hope you enjoyed it, be sure to comment and let me know what you think. Also, go read my previous one if you haven't, I didn't get to promote it much, but it IS there.

I will see you ladies and gentlemen tomorrow with another post! Stay safe.

Until next time, peace.

-The Mast

The Mast's 30 Days of Comicdom (Day 7): What/Who Is Your Favourite Creature?

Ay, there's the rub. Ha ha! Rub...

Yes! It's time for another piece of monthly comicdom in The Mast's 30 Days of Comicdom.

Now, I was scouring my brain about who I would pick for this next category, and I may have came to this conclusion based on a technicality. Nevertheless, it still counts.

The Mast's 30 Days of Comicdom (Day 7): What/Who Is Your Favourite Creature?

We're heading into the D.C. Universe for this one!

In the world of supervillains, so many have had varying degrees of success. Dr. Doom runs and owns his own nation, has handed many heroes their asses on multiple occasions and is seen as one of the world's biggest threats. Yet, people like Stilt-Man are forced to pack up due to being tired of having their asses beat by their nemeses.

It's rare that a villain will ever do what they set out to do. Tom never gets Jerry, you know? That's why this...thing...is the winner of this category. My favourite creature is, of course...


Doomsday.

Created by an alien named Bertron, he qualifies as a creature. A creature that has possibly the most apt name in the history of comic books. Before I tell you why, let's figure out where he came from. Doomsday's origins were not told with his first appearance.

His genesis came on a far distant past version of Krypton, at a time when Krypton was basically a Hell of the universe. It was the absolute worst planet possible. Think Sakaar from World War Hulk times by a billion. So heinous and forsaken was this planet's environment that the beings who survived and adapted were considered to be the universe's most threatening. This was before what we came to know as Kryptonians inhabited it.



Bertron had a baby sent to this planet, only to meet its death instantly. Each time, long story short, he would harvest whatever was left and use it to create a superior version of itself. Essentially it was the same genetics, but build from remains. To put it in an even more compact nutshell, this being eventually evolved to come back from death, immune to whatever specific instance had killed it before.

For example: if Doomsday is killed by radiation, he is resurrected incapable of being killed by radiation again.

This creature became Doomsday and eventually killed his creator (Don't they all?).

Doomsday was perfect. He was the Great White Shark. Utterly perfect with no need to evolve. Instead of swimming, eating and making babies, Doomsday just lived to extinguish any and all life that he could. No intellect or emotions to speak of, just unparalleled destructive force. He began a killing spree across several planets, ending in his "death" and being shot into space. Naturally, he evolved past his death, but remained in stasis due to crashing on Earth.

The world was none the wiser...but then he woke up, and the horror began.

Doomsday's first appearance begins here.

In what would become the most famous debut of all time and one of the most famous stories, Doomsday awoke and began a path of destruction the likes of which the comic-reading world had never seen. Taking out a majority of Earth's heroes with one arm tied behind him, he was dubbed Doomsday by Booster Gold, as that's what it felt like to the heroes.

The combined powers of Earth's heroes couldn't scratch his surface, much less put him down. Bear in mind, this was the Justice League at the time. Just to give you a feeling of how unstoppable he was. Naturally, it was a matter of time before a certain red and blue man of steel showed up to save the day.

For a review on this actual story, by the way, go read the one I did before.



The reason I picked Doomsday is because Superman DID save the day, but at a cost nobody expected, not even Superman. Superman fought Doomsday, one-on-one, to the very death. Doomsday and Superman fought for miles, and into Metropolis itself. Superman was battered and even bleeding, with Doomsday not really showing any signs of slowing down.

It was the titanic impact of simultaneous punches that caused the death (Not technically, but that's another story) of BOTH combatants. Superman, the first superhero and the most legendary of all, was dead. He had been killed by a debuting villain.



Let me tell you, if you were not around at the time this happened, you cannot imagine the impact this had on the comic world. Superman DYING was big enough, but in a fist fight with a villain who just showed up and never even said a word? It actually got news coverage around the world. It was an event in the comics world whereby people were calling each other to inform one another. Like music fans can ask, "Where were you when Michael Jackson died?", that's what it was like (Though nowhere near as big) when Superman was killed.

The speed with which he was brought "back to life" was met with heavy criticism, and Doomsday didn't stay dead either (The whole evolutionary regenerative healing factor coming into play), but we didn't know that at the time.

When you see the image of Superman's bruised and broken body, facial welts and all, being cradles by Lois Lane as she weeps over his body, you realise it's a big deal. Even today, it's a powerful image.



Doomsday did that...with brute force. Not magic, not technology either. He beat Superman by fighting him. Sadly, after a debut like this, you can go no further. Doomsday has never quite reached the heights he did in The Death of Superman, and never will again. Just as punk rock existed because it had to, and died when it was no longer necessary, so ended Doomsday's usefulness as a character.

So, if you're still wondering why he's my favourite creature, I'll end with a piece of info to consider in the grand scheme of things.

If there's ever a supervillain convention, many will be able to claim their own countries, maybe even their own planets! They may have tasted victory over their nemesis or nemeses, sure.

Only one being in history, though, will ever be able to put his hand up in the air and say he killed Superman on his first try.

Only one being can say he took The Man of Tomorrow and ended his future.

Only one can say he took The Man of Steel and bent him to breaking point, then broke him.

That being would be Doomsday, and that's why he is my favourite creature.

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Again, as always, thank you so much for indulging me. It's always appreciated and I thank you for reading. I hope you enjoyed this installment, the ones before it and the ones to come.

I'm having fun doing this.

Tomorrow's installment is a fun one indeed! One I'm sure will be met with lots of opinion, and gladly so. Feel free to leave your opinions or comments as always, and special thanks to the massive six people following me OFFICIALLY!

Until next time, peace.

-The Mastr

The Mast's 30 Days of Comicdom (Day 6): What Is Your Favourite Organisation?

Hey, you guys. Shut up, yous.

I am feeling somewhat better than yesterday, so I can return here and present you with the latest installment of The Mast's 30 Days of Comicdom!

Personally, I'm doing my level best to stop it becoming too Marvel-heavy, but you can only answer questions truthfully. If most of the answers pertain to Marvel, then that's the way the cookie crumbles, I suppose. Also, some of these questions are so specific that there aren't many answers you can give.

For example, this one and the next one too. I am tempted to re-write some of the questions because I don't want to screw my readers out of a post, but still. Oooh! Actually, I just had a tremendous and sneaky idea...but tune in tomorrow for that.

The Mast's 30 Days of Comicdom (Day 6): What Is Your Favourite Organisation?

Without trying to play it up too much, there were only a few choices for this category, simply because it's such a specific question. So, without further ado, my favourite organisation is...


S.H.I.E.L.D.

S.H.I.E.L.D. didn't win this category because I am so fond of their comic history or anything like that (Though, that is currently shaping up to be true, what with the current series). They, as an organisation, won because I love the IDEA of what they are. Not so much how they're executed in comics.

Granted, I loved the role they played in Secret War, with Nick Fury invading a foreign country in the most controversial of ways, and being forced to go into hiding. I loved the role S.H.I.E.L.D. played in Civil War under Maria Hill, too.

That's what I love so much about the current series that explores their secret origins, or previously unrevealed origins. Showing how they became an organisation dedicated to the protection and advancement of humanity, to a corrupt organisation that was focused on power and dominance. I'm HOPING that ties into the revelation that Hydra, S.H.I.E.L.D.'s villainous rival, had been the ones secretly in control of S.H.I.E.L.D. all along.

Something about this kind of story really grabs me. I love secret histories of things, true or false. I love the idea of super-secret cells or operations that go around the world, either keeping peace or creating havoc with no one the wiser.

I suppose that's where conspiracy theory was born, coming from the idea that there's way more shit going on in this world than we'll ever know about. Of course, many conspiracy theorists also tend to spiral into immense idiocy, but if it's done right, it can be very intriguing.



S.H.I.E.L.D., or the Strategic Hazard Intervention, Espionage and Logistics Directorate, have had many a famous leader. Well, "leader". The most iconic would definitely have to be Nick Fury, and he's one that many fans favour. He was a super spy and a very astute man when it came to all things clandestine. Despite leading the world's biggest policing and peacekeeping force, he never totally seemed like the straightest arrow. This came to prominence during Secret War which ended, effectively, with him being forced into hiding for his choices.



Maria Hill, is someone that totally splits opinion. For more on her you can scroll back down to Day 4, as she was the winner of that category.



Tony Stark, Iron Man himself, was given the position of Director post-Civil War. Much to Hill's behest, but she got over it eventually.

Although technically the next leader would be Norman Osborn, he disbanded S.H.I.E.L.D. and gave us H.A.M.M.E.R. (For which the acronym is still unknown). So as of right now, the leader is, of course...



Captain Steve Rogers has not technically given S.H.I.E.L.D. its name back yet, but he is Marvel's top cop, as it were. He is in charge of everything in the same manner that Fury, Hill and Stark were. Appointed by the President of the United States himself, Rogers took this post after being convinced that Bucky could handle being Captain America.

As revealed in the current series, S.H.I.E.L.D. was once run by such people as Leonardo Da Vinci. So they're definitely not short of big names.

To be perfectly honest, I've never been a big enough fan of Fury to give you the ins and outs in a manner that someone else could. Everyone has their speciality characters, you know? So I apologise if this wasn't as mega detailed as it could be. I just like S.H.I.E.L.D. as the kind of organisation that shows up as shit is going down, and that's how you know it's serious. That's why S.H.I.E.L.D. are my favourite organisation.

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Thanks again to anyone reading and enjoying this. If you haven't read and commented on my prior installments or Thursday's Comics, please do. Let me know your opinions on the printed medium we love so much. Is there something you'd like to know my thoughts on or see a post about? Ask me in comments!

If you haven't watched Direct Edition, make sure you do that, too.

Talking about all this has made me want to play Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2 on the Xbox...but I can't because I need a new console! If you have a gamertag and wish to do battle over a certain game or play through M:U.A. 2 together (Which I need to do at some point), let me know in a comment.

I'll be back tomorrow with another slice of The Mast's 30 Days of Comicdom. So I'll see you then.

Until next time, peace.

-The Mast

The Mast Reviews/Blogs: Thursday's Comics (12/8/2010) & Direct Edition Updates.

Bert! Feed me!

Today there is a grand total of three comics that I've decided are worth reviewing. Shadowland: Blood on the Streets is good and did a good job of convincing me that The Shroud would make a good Daredevil fill-in, but besides that it didn't really do anything for me, so that is why you will find it absent.

The Invincible Iron Man #29 also came out, and I was going to do start including the series in my reviews from #30. However, I'm considering dropping it because it really does feel like it's going absolutely nowhere.

Thursday's Comics.


The Thanos Imperative #3 of 6.

After the epic reveal that The Cancerverse had an approximation of Galactus, you'd be forgiven for thinking this issue would see it play major prominence!

You'd be wrong. The Galactus Engine is absolutely NOWHERE to be seen in this issue at all, to my recollection. Besides that, this is a fairly decent issue, but it makes me realise just what the pitfalls of the past two cosmic arcs (Including this) have been.

Thanos and the Guardians of the Galaxy continue into The Cancerverse to that universe's version of Titan, Thanos's homeworld. They learn of The Cancerverse's origins via Titan's computer system, I.S.A.A.C.

What happened is this...Captain Mar-Vell did not die of cancer in this universe as he did in the regular one. They performed a ritual that involved sacrificing the avatar of Death and thus, life won and death was killed. Now, I personally took this to mean that it was The Cancerverse's version of Thanos. I don't know who it could be if not him, but it's an interesting development. Lord Mar-Vell and his lackies seek to perform this again, in the regular universe, thus they need Thanos.

The problem is that Drax the Destroyer, ever the idiot, decides to strap an anti-matter device to Thanos's chest and disintegrate him. His hatred always seems to jeopardise missions, but this raises a question: how can someone die in a universe where there's no death? Hmm!

Elsewhere, The Cancerverse's forces are busting through The Fault and really taking it to our heroes. They even manage to destroy one of the cosmic abstracts, Aegis, which causes a psionic backlash that renders Nova comatose for a bit.

The coolest development of this issue is when Nova and the others regroup on a moon to discuss battle options, and Nova requests a small strike team to head into The Fault. He wants to do this with a view to striking The Cancerverse's armies at the source and ending the war. He team he assembles is himself, Gladiator, The Silver Surfer, Quasar, Ronan the Accusor and Beta Ray Bill. It's a pretty hefty team and the team that many think will be formed into a permanent group, the focus of an upcoming Cosmic Avengers team.

If nothing else, the scene of them walking together is just...ugh. It's hype-tastic.

The issue ends with Thanos's aforementioned disintegration, leaving us all to wonder just what the Hell is going to happen now.

It's a decent issue, the art is decent, but I'd like to go back to me saying I figured out what was lacking in these cosmic events since Realm of Kings. A VILLAIN. Yes, it's all very good having this terrifying, grotesque and cancerous source of unlife from another dimension, but they're all faceless, Lovecraftian monsters. War of Kings was so excellent because it has a brilliant and despicably evil tyrant, Vulcan, at the head of the bad guys. It wasn't just the forces of good continually trying to work out what they were fighting and why.

Sure, you've got Lord Mar-Vell and The Revengers etc, but they don't have nearly enough time to make you feel like there's any equality there. Even Thanos is currently aiding the forces of good. Conflicts need to have two discernable sides in wars like this, and I feel this hasn't got that.

Still, if you're a mega cosmic fan or if Realm of Kings made you wonder how all of this will end, The Thanos Imperative is probably for you. I wouldn't recommend it to many others, and I'd definitely say that the trade would be as effective.

Don't get me wrong, I'm loving The Thanos Imperative as a concept. As a story it's tremendous and Abnett/Lanning really do know the cosmic stuff.

They've essentially given it its own personality again. They've re-established it and its heroes as a majorly important segment of the Marvel Universe. In fact, they've established that the cosmics really are the big players and that Earth is just one planet.

This series continues to do that and I feel that if you have the trades of all three sagas, four if you include Annihilation, then it'll be some of the best comic book material of the last decade.

Just be prepared to give it time.


X-Force: Sex & Violence #2 of 3.

If Craig Kyle and Chris Yost don't take over Uncanny X-Men after Matt Fraction, then I seriously question Marvel's sanity. This is a case similar to having Duane Swierczynski on a Deadpool title that is a mini and isn't even canon.

They are the main reason I loved the now finished X-Force series so much. Rick Remender really does have his work cut out for him in October when Uncanny X-Force launches.

This issue continues immediately after #1, with Wolverine being pissed that Domino didn't give him the whole story and the two of them having to fend off the on-rushing agents of The Assassin's Guild, lead by Razorfist. The tense, one-way banter from Domino to Wolverine is really well done during this scene. It really is. Dell'Otto's art is ABSOLTUELY BRILLIANT on this mini-series, truly. It has a magnifcent sense of blurry grittiness about it that almost seems watercoloured and photographed.

Case in point, the art is perfect for the aforementioned fight scene. It's mouth-wateringly violent and it shows Wolverine in a light that we really don't get to see him in much. He creatively despatches his opponents in varieties of gruesome ways, and Dell'Otto makes a point of showing every directional incision as well as the aftermath of said attacks. If Wolverine slices someone's arm in three, you see the gashes, then the separation, then the parts falling to the ground.

This is in stark contrast to Domino's distance-based gunplay, and it works tremendously.

The story is as you'd expect and it's nothing revolutionary. Domino took a job, people got screwed and Wolverine's stuck in the middle, but he's helping her because they're friends/fuck buddies-for-now. It's ok, but it really acts as nothing more than a serviceable framework from which Kyle and Yost can hang their tremendous dialogue, decorated by Dell'Otto's art.

It is, indeed, sex and violence. Sex? Oh yes.

After the fight, Domino shows Wolverine all the money she found/stole and then suggests they go to a hotel room to "work stuff out". They then have sex, and it's shown. Not explicitly in any anatomical sense, but you see them slam each other into walls and eventually onto the bed, entirely naked and covered by a blanket. I guess that's the pitfall of it being mainstream and not on the MAX label; you can't show anything graphic.

In such a heated and furious sexual encounter, why would they bother with a blanket to cover themselves up? Not a problem, but it adds a romantic feeling where there DEEEFINITELY was no romance. NONE. It says that there's explicit content on the cover, but I think that's the violence. I will never understand why it's ok to show Wolverine slicing a man into three pieces, but they can't show an aerial view of his ass while he's fucking Domino. You don't need to show penis, Marvel, but if you're gonna so ultraviolent fights, at least show softcore sex scenes in the same comic.

I realise this seems like I'm lobbying to see Wolverine's ass...I'm not. Domino's? Yes, please. I'd like that. Ass, either way, though. It's hypocritical otherwise. Sex is a natural thing that all people should experience, as is the human body. Cutting a fellow human up is not, yet that's the thing they'll show in all its glory! I don't get it.

Belladonna, leader of The Assassin's Guild hires most of the world's best assassins to track them down and bring them in. One of which, Bushwacker, attempts an assassination and is promptly relieved of his arm by Wolverine.

This mini-series is just an adrenaline-fuelled romp that showcases two of humanity's primal urges, those being sex and violence. It's done with brilliant dialogue and fantastic artwork. It doesn't try to be an intricate story for a three-parter, but it doesn't shirk responsibility either. The story is simple, but it's feasible, unlike Avatar. That movie was an example of truly dire plotline, terrible dialogue and mind-blowing visuals. X-Force: Sex & Violence is a combination of decent plot, and superb...well, everything else.

If you feel like getting your first comics, if this blog inspires you to do so, go for this mini-series. It doesn't require any knowledge you can't get from here, or any at all...arguably. You can more or less dive straight in, have a blast and be shown exactly what comics are capable of. It's three parts, so there's no sense in waiting for a trade either. Just eBay issue #1 if you can't find it!

Don't miss out on this, it's delicious.


Daredevil #509.

What is essentially a prequel issue to Shadowland #2, Daredevil #509 does nothing to aid the reader in guessing where this story might go.

I'm someone who enjoys guessing, but not too much. I won't sit there and plot out where I think things should or shouldn't go, might or might not, but I'll give my thoughts on it if asked. This issue doesn't even let you really do that. It, like Shadowland, gives us many possible reasons to believe that the ultimate conclusion could be any one of a million options.

First and most notably, I want to highlight Roberto De la Torre's art. I'll say that he definitely draws certain geographical locations better than others, but overall he just gives such an unreal feeling of contrast. He'll take a sparse location or setting and make it seem as though it is chock full of majesty. The Hand's headquarters atop a mountain, for example. You could print that image out and hang it on your wall without consideration for it being comic art.

Daredevil #509 was really enjoyable, it was my favourite comic of the week until I read the X-Force mini's latest issue, but...something juuust feels lacking. Maybe it's the lack of Daredevil, I don't quite know. At the end of Shadowland #1, trust me, I literally couldn't wait for Daredevil #508. Then, at the end of Daredevil #508, I couldn't wait until Shadowland #2. After Shadowland #2 and Daredevil #509, however, I don't find myself riveted as much. I find myself simply wanting to find out what happens rather than being on edge and dying to know what happens.

Typhoid Mary is back, and that's an interesting development. Someone who previously manipulated Matt in the past isn't someone you'd want around him at this point, but she claims to be reformed and offers to help him. Oddly, he accepts. The leaders of The Hand tell White Tiger, via magic communication, that she must begin taking out all those closest to Daredevil.

Lots of people are starting to get involved and they all appear to have endgames. My worry is that there are too many and not all of them will be resolved, or resolved with great impact. I think it may have been better to just sacrifice a few of them, if only in favour of making those that DO appear have a more relevant involvement. Elektra gets sent to New York to do what, according to Master Izo (They were spying on The Hand's leaders, got chased and he stayed behind to hold off the various ninjas), "must be done". Typhoid Mary probably has an endgame, too. Then consider that The Kingpin is involved and we've got three parts to go yet.

Dakota North and Foggy Nelson are to be the first victims of White Tiger's cleansing of Matt's social circle. Saved by Luke Cage and Iron Fist (Totally awesome moment), they hole up in a safehouse and, at the end of the issue, see an explosion erupt from Shadowland. This, obviously, would be during the events that ended Shadowland #2. Either something exploded during the fight with Daredevil or it signifies Ghost Rider's arrival.

Andy Diggle and Andrew Johnston do a good job co-writing, but it doesn't really have a distinct style of dialogue. That doesn't bother me, because I only feel certain writers have distinct dialogue. I care about how they portray Matt and such, though.

I'm really nervous that Marvel could be tinkering with a title that doesn't need it, and they are. I initially thought Shadowland was a chance for Daredevil to get an event that would just enhance his history, character and give the subsequent issues of his on-going series something fresh to go by. Naive? Perhaps so, as it now seems to be nothing more than a reason for Marvel to change Daredevil's name into a more marketable concept.

This campaign about getting someone to be a new version of The Man without Fear just smacks of money, to me anyway. Daredevil is, was and will forever be fine as Matt Murdock. If it stops selling well, try a new writer or cancel it. The readers would rather you do that than anything that could be considered bastardising or compromising. The title ran to issue #380 in Vol. 1, but ultimately it wasn't doing well. So, Kevin Smith came on and revamped it. He was followed by Bendis, and so the run of excellent stories, continuity and general enjoyment began.

All of this Shadowland story is meant to be about Daredevil's darkest downward spiral ever. Not just into self-doubt, but into actually bad practices, and I feel like it's being wasted on people who aren't Matt. There's nowhere near enough internal dialogue in these issues, or in Daredevil #509. It's a very good comic, but if you're looking to get into Daredevil as a character, I can't recommend Daredevil OR Shadowland by the looks of things. Simply because it doesn't seem to be about him. Proof? Those who dissed the prior installments of this saga are now praising Shadowland #2 and such.

I thought it would be about Matt, and it looks like it's veering away from that and into something that doesn't benefit the Daredevil mythos.

I will remain open-minded, though. I have my own opinions on how this could go amazingly, but I know it won't happen like that.

Keep your eyes peeled. For better or worse, it's a major time to be a Daredevil fan.

Direct Edition Updates.

That's right, I guested on Direct Edition again! The comic review show is up, and the news episode will be up on Monday as always. I had a blast doing it and it was my first time flying solo with Iyare, who so graciously invited me back. The better news is that he is considering naming me as an official member of the Direct Edition team! I am very honoured and want to give him a big shout-out there.

As always, you can watch Direct Edition RIGHT HERE! So go do that. Subscribe if you haven't done so already, and don't forget to pass it on if you like it or know someone who might.

If you have Twitter (No, I don't, nor will I ever), you can follow Direct Edition HERE!

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That's all I have for you today!

I will say now that you MAY have to wait until tomorrow for the latest installment of The Mast's 30 Days of Comicdom. I've been kind of busy today, and after typing all of this out, the tiredness/eye strain is starting to take its ugly toll. Plus, I'm not feeling entirely well.

Sorry, truly, for any inconvenience this caused. I'm sure that you know I do bust my head open to try and get these posts up on time and with as much competence as they deserve, thus I would gladly sacrifice being a day late to make the posts good, rather than uploading it on time and half-assing it.

Thanks again and take care.

Until next time, peace.

-The Mast

The Mast's 30 Days of Comicdom (Day 5): What Is Your Favourite Team?

Everyone! Get in here!

I have yet another day of comic talkery for your faces to digest.

Pressed for time, I am thankful this one is kind of simple!

The Mast's 30 Days of Comicdom (Day 5): What Is Your Favourite Team?


X-Force.

Formed by Cyclops in a clandestine move that proved to me he was a true leader I could like, THIS version of X-Force are not your Papa's X-Men.

X-Force operated as a black-ops, wetworks team that were put together to eliminate the bad guys before they eliminated THEM. A pre-emptive attack force with licence and preference to kill any and all dangerous enemies they come across. Granted, the people they killed absolutely deserved it, but that is the wonder of the dynamic.

How far can you go? Do the ends justify the means? By brutally hunting and killing people who brutally hunt mutants, age and gender all inclusively, are you as bad? That's why the debate rages on about whether Cyclops was right to form them, or if others were right to find it disturbing.

Originally it consisted of Warpath, Wolverine, X-23 and Wolfsbane. It shifted somewhat over time, but it didn't really have long enough to solidify anything. The series ran for almost 30 issues and, penned by Craig Kyle and Chris Yost, it utterly floored me. I am not a fan of X-Books, Second Coming was a revival of what must have been a decade or more of not liking them. X-Force, however, did not feel like an X-Book.

It was violent, sexy and immensely intriguing all in one. My breath remains bated for the upcoming Uncanny X-Force #1 issue in October. Wolverine and Archangel are still there, but into the fold comes Fantomex, Psylocke and Deadpool! Rick Remender has the chance to knock this out of the part and, along with Duane Swierczynski, re-establish 'Pool as a snarky, corrosive mercenary. I also dig the matching outfits.

Regardless, the volume of X-Force I'm referring to is what I hope Secret Avengers will eventually become an evolution of, with less violence.

I'm sure there will be four trades or so by the time it's all been compiled, but do yourself a favour, ok? Go pick up book one, Angels and Demons, right now. Like, now. Go to Amazon and buy that shit. Chop suey!

You are probably wondering why I didn't pick The Avengers. The reason is because The Avengers are at their best when the roster works for you. I love The Trinity, but it hasn't produced my consistently favourite team.

There's not a great deal you can say about X-Force. There wasn't a massive amount of character development due to all the characters and team members being massively developed. This series was more a showcase of the teams gory privileges and mission statements, and a stark reflection of what Cyclops, one of mutantkind's most rigid heroes, had been forced to resort to.

I enjoyed X-Force way more than ANY team book I've probably ever read save for early issues of The New Mutants. That is why they win as my favourite team!

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Sorry if this one is a bit short, but I realised in writing it that there really isn't much more you CAN say, to be fair.

I really hope you liked it, I love doing it. Stay tuned tomorrow for TWO posts in ONE day. Thursday's Comics, accompanied by some bloggish updates and the latest installment of The Mast's 30 Days of Comicdom! I feel this'll be a short one also as it's a bit of a shit question, but hey, you do what you must, right?

Thanks for reading, following, commenting and spreading the word if you are.

Until next time, peace.

-The Mast

The Mast's 30 Days of Comicdom (Day 4): Who Is Your Favourite Supporting Character?

This ain't no trap door, David Blaine shit!

Originally this category was called My Favourite Royal, but I really can't think of many royals I like enough to call a favourite. Thusly, it has been edited to include this category.

As a heads-up, I'm also going to be on Direct Edition again tomorrow! Don't forget to tune in, subscribe and let people know!

On with the show!

The Mast's 30 Days of Comicdom (Day 4): Who Is Your Favourite Supporting Character?

There are so many characters that I truly love in comics that are not leading characters or characters with their own books, so this was something I thought on. I also suspect it'll prove a little controversial among comic fans. My favourite supporting character is...


Maria Hill.

I've never been entirely sure that you can separate Maria Hill as a soldier-type and Maria Hill the person, because I've never been sure which one I'm reading. Similarly, I'm not entirely sure if people dislike her so much because she's done some bad things, or if they think she's a bad character.

First appearing in The New Avengers #4, Maria Hill came to immediate prominance during Civil War. She was initially brought in to replace Nick Fury as Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. due his indiscretions during Secret War and his subsequent disappearance. Nick Fury has always been somewhat of a scoundrel, but for the most part he was trusted by the heroes. All of a sudden there's this chick in the hot seat and she's telling people like Captain America and Iron Man what to do.

She came off as quite a cocky bitch, almost antagonistic. It was seen, I suppose, as a Sarah Palin-esque development. Maria Hill had never been in a comic before The New Avengers #4 and she hadn't had a huge S.H.I.E.L.D. career.

Her first big role as a supporting character came in Civil War, acting more as a main character. As Director, she was placed in the centre of the controversy that surrounded the Stamford incident. Very much forcing and promoting the Superhero Registration Act, she quickly told all heroes and villains that you either register or pay the price with detainment and jail time. Unflinching and uncompromising, I grew to have respect for her.

The scene that did it for me was when Captain America (Steve Rogers at this point) faces her down and tells her she's wrong. Hill, ever brave and resolute, told him to his face that he could either surrender or be forced to. Captain America escaped, but it was her strength that really won me over. I mean, here stands this absolute legend, this war hero and modern superhero...and you're an upstart, got-lucky S.H.I.E.L.D. Director? You've gotta have guts to do what she did.

She went along with things that ultimately have caused major negative consequence, but I think that she's very much like Stark in that sense, you know? She wouldn't apologise for doing her job or what she feels may be the right thing for all the people of America at the time.



I think the contradiction is that she's a VERY attractive woman, but they gave her very confident qualities to go with her femininity. She's not like Victoria Hand who, serving as Osborn's aide during Dark Reign, was very womanly. Maria Hill has got the short hair, the S.H.I.E.L.D. uniform and some salty language to go with it.

Maria Hill's just the kind of woman to be like, "Yeah, I wear lip gloss and mascara to work. Problem? Don't look at me funny or I'll break your nose." I kind of dig that.

After Civil War she serves as Commander of S.H.I.E.L.D. and second-in-command to Tony Stark. When everything went to shit, she went into hiding with Stark and eventually had a sexual relationship with him. I wasn't fond of this, simply because I think it added to her strength that she was the one woman he hadn't fucked. They're not dating or all lovey-dovey, but which is why I think it wasn't worth it.

During Siege, she did one very notable thing. She showed up on the battlefield in Oklahoma with a rocket launcher and started firing it at Norman Osborn, while riding in the back of a pick-up truck. It was quite epic, but some folks didn't like it...because some don't like Maria Hill! Some even see her as a war criminal.

Currently, as well as being the main supporting character in The Invincible Iron Man, she's serving as the boss of The Avengers. Not so much as a member, of course, but I'd Steve Rogers put her and Victoria Hand as his left and right hand women. Hill oversees The Avengers and Hand is overseeing The New Avengers.



As someone without powers, I think it's always going to be hard for her to ever stake a massive claim in the Marvel Universe, but she's doing a pretty good job. Love or hate the woman, she's not going anywhere. I'm glad. I would like to see her get developed more as a character, I think there's a lot that could be done. She's very entertaining and awesome to read when written well, and that's why she's my favourite supporting character.

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Thanks so much for reading, I really do appreciate it. Thanks to all the new people commenting, too! If you dig my blog, pass the link around! Tell people! If you have a site, shout me out. It's all appreciated. I'm not doing anything a million others aren't doing, but I like to think I can offer an enjoyable read regardless.

Until next time, peace.

-The Mast

The Mast's 30 Days of Comicdom (Day 3): Who Is Your Favourite Female Character?

You're entering a world of pain.

First off, thanks for the interest that you people are giving this series of posts. Really. I started this thinking it'd be this fun thing and it's turning out that I'm getting more comments than ever, as well as new readers.

Thank you for that, you bastards.

With that all said, let's get this going on.

The Mast's 30 Days of Comicdom (Day 3): Who Is Your Favourite Female Character?

I had three major candidates for this category and it drove me insane trying to chose. I thought about how I felt about them and their stories, I wrote down pros and cons, I weighed up legacy and influence. Characterisation, versatility and memorable nature all came into play when deciding the winner of this.

It's with pleasure, then, that I announce that my favourite female character is...


Emma Frost.

With the exception of My Favourite Character, things are probably going to be cut pretty fine in terms of who gets mentioned and who doesn't. This is without a doubt the tightest call I'd ever have to make on favourites. Many would expect Elektra, and for the longest time she WAS my favourite female in comics.

I had never really cared much for Emma Frost. I mean, we all knew her as The White Queen of The Hellfire Club. We all knew her as that blonde psychic chick who wore barely any clothes to speak of. So why is she my favourite female character? It wasn't until Grant Morrison brought her in and attached her to The X-Men, or New X-Men as it became known (Changing title at Uncanny X-Men #114, becoming New X-Men #114, I believe), that I really gravitated toward the character. I think it's the same for many people with her, and The X-Men in general.

How best to describe Emma Frost? Well...she has all the characteristics of someone your girlfriend would absolutely hate, but you'd have the major hots for. She's the kind of woman your eyes would pop out of your head for, but your girlfriend would stand there giving the screwface to. I don't think there has been a female in Marvel, or maybe even in comics, that walks the line of classy and trash as much as Emma Frost. In clothing, but especially attitude, she does this better than any female I've ever read. She walks that line like a model walks a runway.

Her earlier outfits very much did fall more onto the side of trashy more than classy, but the outfits she began donning during Morrison's run really reflected her attitude, or the attitude he brought out in her.

Emma Frost is extremely rich, traffic-stoppingly attractive and immensely powerful. She knows this, too. She isn't humble, she isn't fond of discretion. She has all of the qualities that, in any other woman, would make you turn away in an instant. She's a bitch to end all bitches and possibly the snobbiest woman you'll ever encounter. It's for this reason that her revival as an X-Men character is crucial. Not only did Morrison bring her back to the forefront, he had her join the team.

I found myself with a great distaste toward Emma Frost. Why? It's simple. I believe in faithfulness in dealing with the opposite/same sex, whatever your choice is. Honesty at the very least. Want something serious? Cool. Something casual? Cool. I don't dig infidelity, so it became a point of note for me when Emma Frost decided (Yes, decided) that she had taken a liking to Cyclops and wanted him, despite Jean Grey still being on the scene. Eventually, Cyke and Emma began having a psychic affair that went unnoticed by Jean.

Cyclops fell victim to this. Should he have? No. Thus is the lure of Emma Frost in all its strangeness. She's the kind of woman that will stand in front of you, look down her nose and tell you with the thickest air of snobbiness that you simply aren't good enough, and still somehow make you want to be with her for at least a night.

Emma's grooming of Cyclops was so deliciously intricate, but you didn't want it to stop because it was a train wreck waiting to happen. It was the boy scout leader actually getting himself into shit by being a bit of a, well, pussy hound. This was made all the more entertaining being that she's the hot blonde who has admitted to having brest implants. She IS the woman that Jean Grey or any other woman would have thought, "What do you see in her? She's not even that hot."

Jean eventually finds out and shit, to say the least, hits the fan.



Throughout her stint on Morrison's New X-Men and Joss Whedon's Astonishing X-Men, Emma Frost became a centrepiece of The X-Men. Over time, though maintaining an unmistakably snobby and classy/bitchy exterior, Emma did fall in love with Cyclops genuinely and, after Jean's passing/blessing, they formed a relationship which runs to this day. They learned from each other; Emma learned that she doesn't have to be a total bitch all the time, what it means to be vulnerable and accept that. Cyclops learned that he needs to man the fuck up and just be a little like Emma sometimes.

She's that woman you wish with all your morality that you could hate, but you can't. It reminds me of that quote in Fight Club about Marla being that little flap of skin, you know? It'd go away if you stopped tonguing it, but you just can't. Except you have no control over Emma. If she decides she's going to be in your life, she will be until she decides to leave.

On top of all this, consider that she's one of mutantkind's most powerful ever telepaths. She's definitely not someone people need to be pissing off.

Her confidence is not an act, but she came from beginnings that aren't unfamiliar to girls everywhere. She's been rich for most of her life, owned Frost International and was born into a fairly rich family. However, it was recently revealed (To my knowledge at least) that her school years were fraught with torment from her peers. Day in and day out she would receive hateful notes about how she was flat-chested, ugly, gross and just plain unwanted.

The rest, as they say, is history. Give or take some bad decisions and her school (The Massachusetts Academy) being shut down due to most of the students getting killed, she's made a success of herself.

Something else I always loved about Emma Frost was that she had the sharpest wit. She could say the most sexually crude things in the most elegant or classiest of ways that it seemed so sexy, instead of slutty. There's one part where Nightcrawler asks her if she prays or if she's religious, to which she replies, "These are $200, Italian cashmere, Kiki de Montparnass stockings, Kurt. I won't kneel in them unless absolutely necessary."

We quite clearly know what kind of sexual innuendo that is, but it's said it such a snarky and charming manner that you don't think she's a slut for making an oral sex joke. You find it alluring. When Wolverine and Cyclops are arguing over, I believe, Jean Grey, she churns out another amazing line. She says to Beast, "I have scintillating wit and the best body money can buy, but I STILL rate below a corpse."

There's her classic line about being her own best friend because she can turn into diamond, and who can forget her constant baiting and tormenting of Shadowcat? So brilliantly written by Whedon.

Despite being forced into being independent growing up, despite all of the teasing and the abuse, Emma Frost realised she could let it ruin her or she could do what Emma Frost was destined to do. She grew up, used her powers and skill to make money, bought the best body money could buy with that money and decided to take the world by the mind, getting exactly what she wanted out of it, when she wanted and how she wanted. You've got to admire that, really.



Sadly, she isn't being written as she deserves to be at the moment. She hasn't been for some time. At her best, under Morrison and Whedon, Emma Frost is a woman you would wish was a just a TINY bit nicer than she was, but a woman you can't fault for being the way she is.

She is someone everyone loves to hate or hates to love, peers and readers alike, and that's just the way she likes it. It's why she's my favourite female character.

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That's another one down and I want to thank you all for reading YET AGAIN.

As stated, there's a new one every day until all 30 have been posted. Three down, 27 to go. I hope you have enjoyed this one, the others, and I hope you enjoy the rest to come.

Until next time, peace.

-The Mast