Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Key Issues - X-Men Volume 2 aka New X-Men aka X-Men Legacy

X-Men #1 by Jim Lee
Lately, I've been trying to compile these key issue lists based on Google search terms that bring people to my blog.  A pretty common search that ends up here is "x-men key issues."  Most of those people are probably looking for Uncanny X-Men but I thought I'd show a little appreciation for volume 2.  This volume is running right now as X-Men Legacy and is about to hit issue #250.  Though it's not really my cup of tea, there are loads of Mike Carey fans who think it's excellent.  As always, please let me know if I've overlooked something.  I didn't include the notable writers and artist list because it would have been almost everyone who has worked on the title.

X-Men #1
:  1st appearance of The Acolytes
X-Men #4:  1st appearance of Omega Red
X-Men #5:  1st appearance of Maverick aka Agent Zero
X-Men #6:  1st appearance of Birdy
X-Men #109 by Leinil
Francis Yu and Mark
Morales

X-Men #8:  1st appearance of Bella Donna Boudreaux
X-Men #17:  1st appearance of Kwannon (Revanche).
X-Men #25:  Magneto removes the adamantium from Wolverine's bones.  "Removes" sounds a little too genteel as if Wolvie was having outpatient surgery.  Magneto really messes Wolverine up in this issue.
X-Men #27:  1st appearance of Threnody, death of Infectia.
X-Men #30:  Wedding of Jean Grey and Cyclops
X-Men #36:  1st appearance of Synch
X-Men #41:  Legion kills his father Charles Xavier in the past creating the Age of Apocalypse reality.
X-Men #42:  Death of Rusty Collins
X-Men #46:  1st appearance of Joseph, the clone of Magneto
X-Men #50:  1st appearance of Post
X-Men #52:  1st appearance of Bastion
X-Men #53:  1st appearance of Onslaught
X-Men #54:  Onslaught is revealed to be Professor X
X-Men #61:  Death of Candra
X-Men #65:  1st appearance of Cecilia Reyes
X-Men #99:  1st appearance of the Neo
X-Men #100:  1st appearance of Thunderbird (Neal Shaara)
X-Men #108:  Death of Moira MacTaggert
X-Men #109:  Storm picks the team that will become the X-treme X-Men
New X-Men #114 - 116:  "E is for Extinction" arc.  #115 is the 1st appearance of Negasonic Teenage Warhead.  In #116 Emma Frost joins the X-Men.
New X-Men Annual 2001:  1st appearance of Xorn, John Sublime, U-Men
New X-Men #117:  1st appearance of Beak, Glob Herman
New X-Men #118:  1st appearance of Angel Salvadore, No-Girl, Stepford Cuckoos
New X-Men #127:  1st appearance of Mutant Town (District X), Xorn joins the X-Men
New X-Men #128:  1st appearance of Fantomex
New X-Men #129:  1st appearance of Fantomex's E.V.A.
New X-Men #130:  Death of Darkstar (Laynia Petrovna
New X-Men #133:  1st appearance of Dust
New X-men #134:  1st appearance of Quentin Quire (Kid Omega)
New X-Men #135 - 138:  "Riot at Xavier's" arc
New X-Men #146 - 150:  "Planet X" arc
X-Men #157 by Salvador
Larroca and Liquid!
X-Men #157:  1st appearance of Shen Xorn
X-Men #161:  1st appearance of Mammomax
X-Men #162:  Death of Squidboy (Sammy Pare)
X-Men #188:  1st appearance of the Children of the Vault
X-Men Legacy #214:  1st appearance of Miss Sinister


Crossover Issues:
X-Cutioner's Song:  #14 - #16
Fatal Attractions:  #25
Bloodties:  #26
Phalanx Covenant:  #36 - #37
X-Men Legion Quest:  #40 - #41
Onslaught:  #50, #53 - #57
X-Men Zero Tolerance:  #65 - #70
X-Men The Hunt for Xavier:  #82 - #83
The Magneto War: #86 - #87
X-Men The Shattering:  #92 - #94
Apocalypse The Twelve:  #96 - #97
X-Men Dreams End:  #108
X-Men Eve of Destruction:  #112 - #113

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

I Saw Thor Last Night and It's Just Ok

I saw Thor last night and must say I wasn't that impressed.  Maybe my expectations were too high.  Most of the reviews I've seen have been pretty positive.  Some have even said this is the best Marvel film so far.  I don't think so.  Hemsworth, Hiddleston, Hopkins all great.  Idris Elba, Renee Russo, and Colm Feore were fantastic as well.  The plot was good.  Dialogue was okay.

However, it had one of my biggest pet peeves.  I absolutely hate when there is a fight sequence and I have no idea who is fighting who.  That's the fault of Branaugh and the editor, Paul Rubell.  The camera was way too tight during most of the fights.  You don't need to show me emotion on an actor's face during a fight scene, I know he's pissed off or defending himself.  Also, try to show the fight scene from just a few camera angles.  We've already got two individuals in combat.  We don't need 400 angles and 200 quick cuts to convey action.  I was discussing this with my brother who said it reminded him of Transformers.  Well, no surprise there.  Guess who did the editing for both of the Transformers movies?  Yep, Paul Rubell.

I also thought that the costumes and props were kind of weak.  The costumes looked fine while the characters were in Asgard and Jotunheim.  However, I feel like they should have toned them down a little while the characters were on Earth.  The costumes for Sif and the Warriors Three were awful.  I've seen better costumes at conventions.

These might be minor points in an overall good film, but for me it makes this movie maybe 3 out of 5 stars rather than 4 out of 5.

Thursday, May 5, 2011

Key Issues - Justice League/Justice League International/Justice League America (1987 - 1996)

Cover by Kevin Maguire, Terry Austin

I never read Justice League on a regular basis.  In fact, I think I own just a couple of issues from this volume.  However, as you can see below, it's a fairly important series.  Not because it has the first appearance of Gray Man, who would die just a few issues later, but because we are first introduced to Maxwell Lord who continues to wreak havoc on the DC universe today.
Cover by Adam Hughes

Justice League #1
:  1st appearance of Maxwell Lord
Justice League #2:  1st appearance of Gray Man
Justice League #5:  Origin of the "One Punch".  Batman knocks Guy Gardner on his ass with one punch. 
Justice League International #10:  1st appearance of G'nort
Justice League International #12:  Origin of Maxwell Lord
Justice League International #14:  1st appearance of Lord Manga Khan, 1st appearance of L-Ron
Justice League International #16:  1st appearance of Queen Bee
Justice League International #18 - 19:  Lobo is hired to kill the Justice League.  Lobo fights Guy Gardner. 
Justice League International #23:  1st appearance of Injustice League, 1st appearance of The Mighty Bruce
Justice League International #24:  1st appearance of Justice League Europe.
Justice League America #27:  "The Exorcist" homage cover
Justice League America #36:  1st appearance of Skarlet Skier, 1st appearance
of Mister Nebula
Justice League America #37:  1st appearance of Power Girl's pet, The Cat.
Justice League America #38:  Steel dies
Justice League America #46:  1st appearance of General Glory
Justice League America #61:  Cover is homage to Justice League of America #1 (1960)
Justice League America #70:  "Funeral for a Friend" storyline after death of Superman.
Cover by Dan Jurgens
and Rick Burchett

Justice League America #76:  1st appearance of Bloodwynd
Justice League America #86:  1st appearance of William Everett III (Amazing Man)
Justice League America #91:  1st appearance of Triumph
Justice League America #93:  1st appearance of Scarabus
Justice League America #96:  1st appearance of Judgement
Justice League America #100:  Maxwell Lord becomes Lord Havok
Justice League America #105:  1st appearance of Civet
Justice League America #108:  1st appearance of Queen of Spades
Justice League International Annual #3:  1st appearance of Kooey Kooey Kooey
Justice League America Annual #7:  1st appearance of Terrorsmith, Krag, Shadowstryke, Slingshot


Runs by notable writers and artists:
Keith Giffen, J.M. DeMatteis: #1 - #60
Kevin Maguire: #1 - #24
Adam Hughes: #31 - #45
Dan Jurgens: #61 - #77
Dan Vado: #78 - #91

Monday, May 2, 2011

Sqweasel Artwork For Sale

Sqweasel Chase
I've been a little negligent here lately.  Rest assured I'm working on another key issues list that I hope to have up in a day or so.  In the meantime, here's some Sqweasel artwork.  The medium is ball point pen on sketchpad.  I'm selling the original for only $400.  That, by the way, is a joke unless you really do want to pay $400 for it.