Frank Miller’s Holy Terror started out as a Batman story inspired by the events of 9/11. Miller has gone on record as saying that it is a propaganda piece and that it’s likely to offend just about everybody. It was probably the realisation that DC Comics were unlucky to publish it that made him revise the main characters from Batman and Catwoman to his own creations of The Fixer and Natalie Stack.
I’m a little tainted by the fact that I’m aware that there is some controversy over the contents of the book and I’ve spent some time wondering how I’m going to tackle it. Some folks are upset about who exactly Miller is suggesting the enemy is in this, his fictional take on the “War on Terror”. I‘ve decided that I’m going to review Frank Miller’s Holy Terror for what it is, a fucking comic. Continue reading Bat-week: Frank Miller’s Holy Terror review→
I’ve just finished reading Frank Miller’s Holy Terror graphic novel, as much as I love Frank Miller’s work, I’m in two minds about it. So much so that I’m going to have to read it again, so no review just yet. In the meantime, by way of an introduction to his work and keeping with the Batman theme here’s my take on Frank Miller. It was originally going to be a preamble to my Holy Terror review, but it developed a life of its own. Forgive me if it’s a bit over-indulgent.
I was first introduced to Frank Miller’s work via a story in the colour supplement of the UK’s Mail on Sunday. I was around my aunt and uncle’s house. My uncle knew I was in to comics and thought I might be interested in the news feature about a new Batman comic. Continue reading Bat-week: Frank Miller and me→
This week is Batman week on State of Play, celebrating the release of the Batman: Arkham City video-game in New Zealand on Friday.
I’ve just looked at the last issue of the 5-part Batman: Arkham City prequel comic-book as well as the first two issues of the relaunched Detective Comics from DC and later this week I’ll share with you what I thought of them. Not Batman, but related, I’ll also be having a look at former Batman writer/artist Frank Miller’s Holy Terror graphic novel and getting back to you about that as well.
This week also sees the Blu-ray and DVD release of the Batman: Year One animated movie, based on the classic Batman origin tale by Frank Miller and David Mazzucchelli. It’s a cracking yarn following a very flawed pre-commissioner Jim Gordon and a fledgling Batman, drawn together for the first time by Gotham’s dark underbelly. I’ll hopefully have more to say about this later in the week (hint,hint). Continue reading Bat-week: Arkham City launch trailer, Detective Comics relaunch, Year One movie and Holy Terror!→
This week sees me wind down my formal game reviews to make time for the arrival of some of the year’s top titles that are being released over the next few weeks. I discuss why my last review, F1 2011 on the PS3, left bad taste in my mouth. I also rattle on about some of the exciting comic-books on their way to me from Mark One in Hamilton.
We all know what the PlayStation 3 is capable of. You only have to take a look at the Uncharted games and God of War 3 to see what Sony’s machine is made of. Dare I say it, but there’s nothing in the Xbox 360’s catalogue that even comes close to the PS3’s flag-ship titles. Now, I’m a great fan of the Xbox 360, but as Microsoft and Sony’s machines enter their twilight years it’s the PlayStation 3, and not the Xbox 360, that continues to surprise me. Continue reading Vic B’Stard’s week in review- F1 2011, Xbox Live Arcade, Batman: Arkham City and Frank Miller’s Holy Terror.→
It’s somewhat ironic, at a time when the rest of New Zealand is going mad for rugby that this Englishman has spent the week sitting in front of Pro Evolution Soccer 2012 enjoying a proper game of football. None of that odd game played by gentlemen with funny-shaped balls around here.
The big problem is that if you mention football in gaming circles, all you are going to hear is FIFA. EA’s football gaming franchise has pretty much got the digital version of the sport sewn up. I’ll admit to being rather disapponted when what I’d have preferred to be a nice review copy of FIFA 2012 actually turned out to be a copy of Konami’s PES 2012 instead. Continue reading Vic B’Stard’s week in review→
A bit late, but I’ve just had a copy of the Batman: Arkham Asylum Collector’s Edition turn up.
I’ve also just dropped down a deposit for the Xbox 360 version of the Batman: Arkham City Collector’s Edition. I’m pretty fired up about using the flabby and tired-looking Dark Knight Returns Batman skin. Awesome. The Batman figurine will also look cool next to all my other gaming tat.
So I finally did it. I finally got around to reading the build-up in Ultimate Spider-Man & Ulitimate Avengers Vs. New Ultimates and the death of the Ultimate Marvel universe’s Peter Parker.
I’ve been following Brian Bendis’ Spider-Man reboot since its first issue. Retunring Spider-Man to his high school roots, removed the forty years of baggage the adult Amazing Spider-man had collected. Bendis was afforded the time to retell classic Spider-Man stories with careful, nay skillfull pacing- as one should expect from a master story-teller.
My copy of Ultimate Spider-man (or is that Ultimate Comics Spider-man..I give up) #160, the death of Spider-man issue, arrived today from my pals at Mark One Comics in Hamilton.
I’ve not really been looking forward to it, as I’ve still got most of the year-long run up to Spider-man’s alleged demise sitting on my reading shelf.
As I opened the comic book shipment, cherry-picking the must reads ( Conan, Rocketeer) from those that I’m duty-bound to read (Black Panther, Ultimate Spider-man), I noticed something a little retro that I wasn’t prepared for and to be honest brought back my geeky OCD.
My copy of Ultimate Spider-man (or is that Ultimate Comics Spider-man..I give up) #160, the death of Spider-man issue, arrived today from my pals at