This week in the Comic Roundup I review Nightwing, which this month ties into the Night of the Owls event, the return of Youngblood, the title that launched Image, and a comic book that is all about the fighting, AvX Versus.

Nightwing #9
By Kyle Higgins, Eddy Barrows and Andres Guinaldo

When the titles in the New 52 were announced and it was revealed that Dick Grayson would be returning to his Nightwing persona after a time as Batman, I was thrilled. He is one of the more fully fleshed out heroes in comics and I was glad the spotlight was going to be fully on Nightwing again. But I had no clue when the Court of Owls storyline began that it was going to elevate Nightwing to almost equal status with The Batman, which has been a long time coming.

See, in the Court of Owls, storyline, it has been revealed that the Grayson family has long taken the role of the Court’s lethal assassins, the Talons. Dick Grayson was supposed to be one of them, but fate stepped in and changed the plan. Now, in this Night of the Owls tie-in issue, Dick has to fight his great grandfather to save the Mayor of Gotham. Over the course of these events, Higgins and Batman writer Scott Snyder have made Dick Grayson a character with equal weight to Bruce Wayne, something that writers have been struggling to do for decades. He has officially stepped out from under Batman’s cape and become a stronger, more prominent hero in his own right. The icing on the cake is the art by Barrows and Guinaldo, who do some great work and make the revelations of the issue all the more powerful.

If you haven’t been reading Nightwing, start. Now.

Youngblood #71
By John McLaughlin, Jon Malin and Rob Liefeld

You all knew the review was coming, didn’t you?

How could I not review the return of the title that launched Image 20 years ago? And after the success of the other Extreme books, I had high hopes that Youngblood could come roaring back and be the comic book I always thought it could be. The concept always had so much potential that was never capitalized on, maybe this time it would be different. Turns out, not so much…

While McLaughlin does a lot to try and tackle the demons of the title (the ridiculous, pin-up poses in the artwork, Youngblood never being taken seriously), it unfortunately reads like a relic of the times that spawned it. While the other Extreme books have forged new paths and reinvented themselves, for Youngblood it’s the same old, same old. Even the artwork has an old fashioned style that just looks silly next to the art on a book like Glory or Bloodstrike. Now, maybe McLaughlin and Liefeld have a master plan somewhere and this is all leading to some greater story, but if not, damn, what a waste.

I really had high hopes for Youngblood. I have always wanted the title to succeed. Unfortunately, I must be the only one.

AvX Versus #2 (of 6)
By Various

Marvel knows that what fans want to see in Avengers vs. X-Men is the fights; Avengers and X-Men kicking the snot out of each other and they have launched AvX Versus as the place to show just that. While the main book follows the story of Hope and the coming of the Phoenix Force, here you get no plot or story whatsoever and just page after page of super heroes beating each other to a pulp.

And for what it is, it’s not all that bad. We get to see Captain America and Gambit go at it with some great Steve McNiven artwork and Spider-Man face off against Colossus drawn by the always incredible Salvador Larroca. And make no mistake, in this miniseries it’s all about the art. There literally is no story to speak of and the word balloons just take up valuable space.

Now, $4 an issue is an awful lot to ask for a series like this and if you don’t read it you won’t miss anything of the Avengers vs. X-Men event, so I can’t really recommend it. However, if you like awesome artwork, seeing superheroes beating the living crap out of each other and you have an extra 5 dollar bill burning a hole in your pocket, this is the book for you.

The most complimentary thing I can start my review of  Dark Shadows with, is that the film bares little to no resemblance to those horrible trailers that peg the film as a fish out of water comedy. I can happily report that Dark Shadows is first and foremost a horror film with some comedic, Tim Burton wackiness… that somehow still manages rack up a pretty decent body count.

Dark Shadows focuses on the story of Barnabas Collins, a wealthy playboy whose family owns almost the entire fishing town of Collinsport. After finally finding true love, a spurned servant who just happens to be a powerful witch kills the woman he loves, turns him into a vampire and buries him for 220 years.  He is then accidentally dug up in 1972 and must not only acclimate himself to his new surroundings, but battle the witch who cursed him and his family.

Dark Shadows is typical Burton fare and is one of his better films in recent memory. The film actually started as a passion project for Depp, who purchased the rights to Dark Shadows just so he could eventually play the role of Barnabas, a childhood hero of his.

The source material and Burton’s usual style of directing compliment one another, as the television show was known both for its bizarreness, cheesiness and also its overdone melodrama.

Some folks probably won’t get that though and didn’t at the screening I attended.

Burton’s usual troop of actors devours the material, while Depp is right at home as Barnabas. My only criticism of Dark Shadows is it can be extremely uneven at times. The film has some really great moments, punctuated by some really goofy jokes that often fizzle on screen and seem really out of place; basically the stuff from the trailer.

But beyond that the film is a decent enough adaptation of a property that probably many haven’t seen or probably remember.

For the horror fan Dark Shadows is a fun watch and gets a 2.75 out of 5 stars.

The methodical development of Marvel’s The Avengers started back in 2008, when thanks to the success of Iron Man, Marvel was able to take out a 7 year, $525 million dollar loan from Merrill Lynch to fund what has come to be known as The Marvel Cinematic Universe. These funds were not simply used for production on the films, but were also used to bring back a much-needed Avenger into the fold, Captain America.

Captain’s film rights were tied up in limbo thanks to a lawsuit against Artisan Entertainment who owned the rights when the studio went under and was taken over by Lionsgate back in 2003.

Almost 4 years have passed and we have seen 4 more films under the new Marvel Studios banner. The films have all maintained a level of quality almost unheard of in franchises and have been both box office and critical success (some better than others, sorry Iron Man 2). So needless to say when all the pieces from Marvel’s master plan finally came together for The Avengers, the film was going to have to be nothing short of amazing.

I can safely say that Marvel’s The Avengers is a very worthy climax of all of that work and will definitely give Nolan’s Dark Knight Rises a run for the money this Summer. I have to admit even I doubted Whedon a little bit on this one. He had to seriously bring it or he would be forever known as the man who ruined The Avengers, and we would probably never see him direct another big budget film in Hollywood ever again.

The Avengers storyline is a mash-up of the Ultimate Avengers and several other story-lines, which thanks to Whedon (who also wrote the film) are all weaved together seamlessly to make a pretty cohesive narrative. The film tells the story of Loki, the baddie from Thor, who returns from exile to steal the Tesseract (or Cosmic Cube), create some havoc and take over the earth with his new army. Loki’s exile seems to have frayed him quite a bit around the edges since the last time we saw him; he is crazier and more desperate which definitely raises the stakes this time around.

There is also another dynamic that is very Whedon-esque going on throughout the film. The Avengers need to overcome their differences and personal demons and learn to work together as team. This band of misfits uniting under a common threat theme is something that has resonated throughout Whedon’s work with shows like Firefly and Buffy and I think it what gives the film a much-needed emotional center.

Whedon somehow does an amazing job keeping a break-neck pace throughout the film, which is turned to 11 for the finale. While most Marvel films in the past contain at least 1 or 2 really memorable character moments, Whedon’s script has managed to make a film stringing an almost endless series of those events together which highlight each character. These also bring out some of the best acting we have seen from these actors in these roles. I also think we finally have a Hulk who finally gets the character right with Mark Ruffalo.

So basically if you have a pulse and have enjoyed a superhero film in the past 5 years you kinda have to see The Avengers. While Nolan may have mastered dark and brooding, Whedon now gives us the template for exact opposite and sets the bar pretty damn high for all the folks who are currently working on Thor 2 and Iron Man 3.

Oh and don’t forget that there is one more bonus at the very end of the credits.

The Avengers gets an easy 5 out of 5, I will probably be checking this out again.

The Cabin in the Woods, simply put, is the best horror film to come out of the American studio system in the last 2-3 years. It’s hard to believe the film has been literally just sitting on the shelf for almost that long, waiting for a theatrical release.

Written by Joss Whedon and directed by first timer Drew Goddard, the film was a victim of the MGM bankruptcy back in 2010 and the release was put on indefinite hold until a buyer could be found and a new release date could be scheduled.

Luckily, Lionsgate stepped in and saved the day and the film opens today on the very apt Friday the 13th.

The Cabin in the Woods is the story of five friends who go to (you guessed it) a cabin in the woods for a weekend of partying and debauchery. What they don’t know is things aren’t exactly as they seem and this is made clear even before their RV even leaves for the cabin.

There are a ton of layers to this story and Whedon and Goddard have masterfully given this more than tired sub-genre with its well known tropes the shot in the arm it so desperately deserved.

The film stars a pre-Thor Chris Hemsworth and Whedon Alums Fran Kranz and Amy Acker. The rest of the cast is peppered with lesser knowns and up and comers that we will definitely be seeing and hearing more from after this film hits. In typical Whedon fashion the cast is a perfect mishmash of girl power and character actors, who successfully deliver Whedon’s trademarked pop-culture aware dialog.

It’s really hard to believe Drew Goddard hasn’t directed anything prior to this film. But with writing credits like Alias, Buffy, Lost, Angel and Cloverfield he has had plenty of experience on some great properties and it shows.  Cabin is a focused well-paced puzzle that slowly unravels before you on screen. Just when you think you’ve figured the film out another piece seemingly comes out of nowhere throwing your old theory of what could possibly be going on out the window.

Cabin in the Woods is a pitch perfect horror film. For the love of all that is good see this film before some internet troll spoils it for you! With that said I give Cabin in the Woods a Perfect 5 out of 5 stars. I now officially cannot wait till The Avengers after seeing what Joss did for the horror genre I can’t wait to see what he does for the super hero film, which IMO is starting to get a bit tired.

Cabin in the Woods Geek Rating 5/5

The Indonesian film The Raid: Redemption or The Raid, has been blowing up the festival circuit over the last few months since it was purchased by Sony Pictures Classics, retitled (to give way for a trilogy) and re-scored. The film has been getting the kind of buzz in genre circles not heard since Attack the Block last year, and where Attack the Block was a throwback to 80s sci-fi, The Raid: Redemption might be one of the the greatest action films to hit our screens in a long time.

The film is the story of swat team sent to take back a building from a crime lord who has filled it with criminals, each of whom pays a fee to live there law free. Under suspicious orders the team begins to re-take the building only to have the tables turned when a bounty is offered up by the crime lord for anyone who takes care of this newest “infestation”.

What results is a hyper-violent, kung-fu action film that will satisfy anyone looking for an hour and 40 minutes of solid ass-kicking. The film is very similar to a video-game in that the team slowly makes its way through the numbered floors of increasing danger on their way to the top where the big boss and his two loyal bodyguards reside. Somewhere in there of course is more plot there to be had, but honestly, that is not this film’s strongest point.

As an action film the direction is rock solid. The acting is passable and if you look close enough you will see at least one boom mic and the same guy get killed at least twice. IP Man this is not, but for a million buck beat’em up it doesn’t disappoint. The fights are brutal, well choreographed and I guarantee you will wince at least once. This film is just a whole hell of a lot of fun!

So if you love a good mindless action film and have a soft spot for kung-fu like I do The Raid: Redemption is definitely your kind of flick. While this wont be winning any awards, this film will definitely go on to be a cult favorite and a fun film to watch with your buddies when the girls are away.

I gladly give The Raid: Redemption 3.75 ass-kickings out of 5. The film opens today in Philadelphia.

Now the first trade paperback collection of Moore’s newest series, Rachel Rising, is out and solidifies the fact that this might just be his best work yet.

Rachel Rising: The Shadow of Death collects the first six issues and introduces us to Rachel, a young woman who has just risen from a shallow grave after being strangled to death. While she tries to figure out what has happened to her, a little girl named Zoe is seeing visions of a strange woman who is compelling her to kill in very grisly ways for reasons we don’t understand.

Yeah, this isn’t Strangers in Paradise. What surprised me the most as I was reading the book (I read the issues already, but being able to read it all in one sitting was a treat I couldn’t pass up) was how good at writing horror comics Moore is. This is a very creepy, eerie book that will keep you up at night long after you finish it. It reminded me of an early Stephen King, where scenes full of in your face terror (like what Zoe does to her babysitter) are mixed with more subtle scenes of unease, like when Rachel vomits up a piece of the rope used to end her life. It’s a perfect mix that lovers of The Walking Dead or even the Saw films will enjoy.

As for the artwork, Moore is a master of his craft, plain and simple. He just knows how to visually tell a story, where to place the camera and how to give each character that little something that makes them stand out. The black and white art is perfect for a title like this and does a lot to help set the mood and tone.

If you couldn’t tell already, I absolutely love Rachel Rising. This is the kind of book that reminds me why comic books are so great. The Shadow of Death TPB is literally the perfect place to start and if you know what’s good for you, you’ll join Rachel now before it’s too late.

Terry Moore was gracious enough to give Geekadelphia a SIGNED copy of Rachel Rising vol. 1: The Shadow of Death to give away to one ridiculously lucky Geekadelphia reader. Simply leave a comment and we’ll pick a random winner at the end of next week. Please make sure to leave an e-mail address with your comment and books can only be sent to addresses in the United States and Canada.

This week we look at the prelude to the event that will take over the lives of fanboys everywhere for the rest of the year: Avengers vs. X-Men. I also review the return of Bloodstrike and a new creative team for Superman. Up, up and away!

Avengers vs. X-Men #0
By Brian Michael Bendis, Jason Aaron and Frank Cho

By all indications, Avengers vs. X-Men is going to be HUGE; as in inescapable if you read comic books. But before the main event begins, Marvel gives us this zero issue as a way to bring new readers up to speed on two of the principles of the series; The Scarlet Witch and Hope.

Bendis handles the Scarlet Witch story, which shows her trying to return to her life after the events of The Children’s Crusade. It’s a light, easy read that just gives us enough to understand who she is and what she’s about. Aaron writes the Hope story, which serves the same purpose, but is much more informative. The whole this is beautifully illustrated by Cho, who should draw all comic books starring women.

The main problem is that while Marvel bills Avengers vs. X-Men as “new reader friendly”, it really isn’t. There are pages and pages of back story that someone really needs to read if they want to get as much as possible out of the story. While Avengers vs. X-Men #0 is a nice introduction and a good comic, it does little help a reader understand the situations and conflicts that are on the way.

Bloodstrike #26
By Tim Seeley and Franchesco Gaston

Another month, another Extreme title returns from the dead. This time it’s Bloodstrike, a series I actually read and enjoyed back in the day. It follows the adventures of Cabbot Stone, a black ops assassin called Bloodstrike who can’t be killed and goes around the world taking care of “problems” for the government.

As with the other Extreme titles, Liefeld has brought in some top notch talent to handle the book in Seeley and Gaston. Seeley seems to be picking up right where the series left off, just jumping ahead a few years. It’s a perfect introduction to Bloodstrike, Project Born Again and what makes the characters tick. Gaston does a great job on the art, giving the book a more superhero look than the art in Glory or Prophet. Of the three, I would say that Bloodstrike is the title most like its previous incarnation. Only now it’s better written and drawn.

I never would have thought in a million years when these books were announced that Glory, Prophet and Bloodstrike would be on my must read list every month. But good comics are good comics. Next we’ll see if Supreme and Youngblood and live up to the heightened expectations.

Superman #7
By Keith Giffen, Dan Jurgens and Jesus Merino

When it was announced that George Perez, one of my all time favorite creators, would be writing the New 52 Superman, I was thrilled. That is, until I read the first issue. The book was just way too wordy and dense to make for a fun read. This month, Giffen and Jurgens take over the adventures of the Man of Steel and things have improved already.

Giffen and Jurgens are tag teaming the plots with Giffen handling scripts and Jurgens the pencils. Issue #7 brings Helspont, late of the pre-Flashpoint Wildstorm Universe, into the New 52 and sets him up as a possible major nemesis for Superman. Every panel isn’t packed to the gills with word balloons and the issue has that fun factor again that all the best Superman stories have. The art is classis Jurgens all the way, with Merino doing finishes. They make for a good combination and compliment each other nicely.

My only complaint is that so far, Clark Kent is still an enigma. They have fleshed out Superman a bit, but Kent still seems like a blank slate. It makes it hard to care about the character and the supporting cast and hopefully this will improve over time. But at least Superman #7 is a step in the right direction.

There’s no stopping The Hunger Games phenomenon. Just as the trilogy of young adult books wrapped up, a film adaptation was announced and Hollywood is hoping that this new franchise will fill the seats left empty by the loss of Harry Potter and Twilight.

The Hunger Games is the story of a post-apocalyptic future, where for the last 74 years as penance for a rebellion 12 districts are forced to give up both a male and a female child to fight to the death in the Hunger Games. The film focuses on Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) from the poor mining village of District 12, whose younger sister is picked as tribute to fight. Katniss volunteers to take her place in the televised battle to the death where only one can survive to claim the title.

We then follow Katniss on her journey after she volunteers, as she is taken to the rich and decadent Capitol and groomed to appeal to the masses who will be watching, betting and sponsoring the games. While in the city promoting the games, she falls into the requisite love triangle with a fellow tribute right before she is thrown into the Hunger Games to fight for her life.

 My only real issue with plot of the film is I felt like there was way too much setup and not enough of the actual game. While watching it I was actually a little worried they wouldn’t have time to finish the game portion of the story. But with a 2+ hour running time they somehow managed to lay all the ground work and give what seemed to be an abbreviated yet fulfilling look at the game.

The acting in the film is rock solid. They somehow took the fantastic concept and gave it a weight and believability that is necessary to really care about the fate of the characters. While I think Lawrence has definitely proven herself extremely capable of carrying this franchise, I don’t think she would have been able to pull it off without her amazing supporting cast.

While The Hunger Games on the surface could be ignored as a simple violent YA fantasy/sci-fi romance, it’s a very smart take on our violence obsessed society and reality TV culture. The Hunger Games simply put is this generation’s Battle Royale plain and simple.

So will hardcore fans like it? Definitely. Will people who may have not read the books still be able to enjoy the film without having to do their homework? Yes. And I think the film leaves enough things to the imagination that people will go to the books for some more insight, which is the hallmark of a great adaptation. I know I will, and with that I give the Hunger Games a 4 out of 5 stars. A new franchise has definitely been born.

This week, the Roundup reads and gives the once over to a trio of new books on the stands. First up for your reading pleasure is the much looked forward to Saga from Image. Next we move over to Saucer Country from Vertigo and we finish things off with DC Comics Legion Lost. Let’s hit it!

Saga #1
By Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples

Of all the titles coming out from Image recently, none have received the hype or positive buzz that Saga has. The return of Vaughan to creator owned comics has been a huge deal and what many feel is just another indicator that Image is the place to publish your work right now. But after all is said and done, is Saga a good comic book? Yes, yes it is.

Saga is the story of new parents Alana and Marko, the Romeo and Juliet of their universe. See, they each served on opposite sides of an intergalactic war that has been going on forever. They fell in love, deserted and now have given birth to a daughter. The problem is that both governments want them dead and there is no safe place left to hide.

What sounds like a simple premise Vaughan somehow makes feel like an epic tale of war and love. And that is the best way to describe this book; epic. Staples artwork adds to the feeling with large panels, attractive character designs and a great sense of storytelling. Throw in an irreverent sense of humor and you have all the makings of an instant hit.

Saga is an outstanding read that you shouldn’t trade wait for. Go buy it and experience the awesomeness for yourself.

Saucer Country #1
By Paul Cornell and Ryan Kelly

The resurgence of Vertigo continues with Saucer Country, the second of four new ongoing series arriving this month. While it will always be known as the home of Sandman and more people read the trades than the individual comics, Vertigo still publishes some great monthlies and Saucer Country is a worthy addition.

Arcadia Alvarado is going to run for President of the United States. The only problem is that she may have been abducted by aliens and now has to stop the planet from being invaded. With that quirky premise, Cornell delivers something that is part X-Files, part science fiction thriller that grabs your attention and doesn’t let go. Kelly, whose work is better known from slice of life titles like The New York Four, turns in some of the best art I have seen from him yet. He makes the book feel ominous and dark, but still manages to give it a good does of humanity.

Now, there is one caveat. The quality of the paper and the printing of the first issue are just horrible. So, if you plan to read Saucer Country (and you really should) you might want to wait for the trades and a better grade of paper. But if that type of thing doesn’t bother you, then go for it and enjoy.

Legion Lost #7
By Tom DeFalco and Pete Woods

Legion Lost, like many New 52 titles this month, is seeing changes to its creative team. DeFalco, fresh from Marvel and years of writing the adventures of Spider-Girl, joins the book as writer and it feels like a whole new ballgame.

DeFalco uses the issue strictly as a way to bring new readers up to speed and begin to take the first steps to give the title his own voice. It’s a fairly pedestrian issue about the time lost Legion’s need for cash and Tellus’s quest to help a dying girl, but DeFalco makes it fell important and essential none the less. I have always felt that is one of his strengths as a writer; there is no such thing as a throw away story when he works on a book. Wood’s art is solid as usual and he and colorist Brad Anderson do some great work throughout the issue.

Before now, Legion Lost has been a book that Legion fans liked and enjoyed, but didn’t have a ton of other fans. With the addition of DeFalco and his immeasurable skills as a writer, I really think that is going to change.

Casa de mi Padre, Will Ferrell’s Spanish language epic, is very much like The FP… in that the film’s entire concept revolves around one joke that you either get or you don’t, and your enjoyment of the film hinges on that. I found this out at a recent screening where in at about the 30-minute mark in the film. When people started to realize the entire film was actually in Spanish, quite a few walked out.

Casa de mi Padre is the story of Armando Alvarez (Ferrell) a simple cattle hand on his father’s ranch who has been belittled his entire life for being stupid, and responsible for his mother’s death. When the ranch falls into financial trouble in comes Armando’s successful younger brother to save the day with his beautiful new fiancé.

We later find out his brother made his money in the drug trade and stole his new would-be bride from a rival drug lord, who has now declared war on Armando’s family. If this plot sounds like a bit like a soap opera its because the film is a play on Spanish soap operas or telenovelas as they are called.

 The joke in Casa de mi Padre is that while the film is completely in Spanish, Will Ferrell can’t really speak it all that well. While I got the joke and appreciated it, it does wear thin and gets tedious at times. Luckily, in its better moments the film delivers the laughs and Ferrell has surrounded himself with a cast that can take the edge off of his over indulgent performance.

The film takes a lot of chances with everything from the concept to some production choices, but it’s all in good fun. From driving scenes that turn into Matchbox cars driving down a cardboard set to a sex scene with a mannequin, Casa de mi Padre is a very quirky film that is a bit strange, even coming from someone like Will Ferrell.

While it could have been an amazing short, Casa de mi Padre at times tends to overstay its welcome and that can make it hard sell. While I enjoyed the film I can honestly admit it might not be for everyone and with that I give the film a 2.75 out of 5 stars.