To clarify, the phrase “Heel Turn” has its roots in the secret language of Kayfabe, used by wrestlers to communicate while keeping the audience engrossed in the story being told. It’s particularly useful for fans of comics, though, given that half the Avengers started out as villains, and Magneto has cycled from bad to good so often, he can’t even remember his real name. In recent years, the big superhero publishers have been pitting their heroes against one another (Convergence, Secret Wars, Final Crisis, Civil War, Batman V Superman et al.) as often as any bad types, but the idea…
Author: Matthew Peterson
Matthew Peterson
Once upon a time, there was a young nerd from the Midwest, who loved Matter-Eater Lad and the McKenzie Brothers... If pop culture were a maze, Matthew would be the Minotaur at its center. Were it a mall, he'd be the Food Court. Were it a parking lot, he’d be the distant Cart Corral where the weird kids gather to smoke, but that’s not important right now... Matthew enjoys body surfing (so long as the bodies are fresh), writing in the third person, and dark-eyed women. Amongst his weaponry are such diverse elements as: Fear! Surprise! Ruthless efficiency! An almost fanatical devotion to pop culture! And a nice red uniform.
Eight months later… Your Major Spoilers review of Uncanny Avengers #1 awaits!
The day is finally upon us, that halcyon time where ‘Back To The Future’ fans will appear from all sectors to discuss hoverboards, Leah Thompson’s crush on her fictional kid, and how realistic all those predictions of the future were. Of all these discussions, the most fascinating is it the one that presumes that somehow the movie (or, more accurately, the sequel) actually predicted realistic events that would occur 30 years hence. While it’s always fun to discuss the effects of pop culture on the changing times, I can’t consider Bob Gale and Robert Zemeckis et al to be modern Nostradamuses,…
In the history of comics, there have been hundreds of super-teams, ranging from 3 members to 30 or more, and while every group has their standout fan favorites, not everyone get the attention they deserve… Welcome to Ten Things!
Some of my comic-reading friends have expressed dislike for the New 52 version of Superman, espousing that he’s not the real steel deal. If you’re one of those friends, this may be the book for you. Your Major Spoilers review of Superman: Lois & Clark #1 awaits!
From a certain perspective, you kind of can’t blame Jabba The Hutt for having a grudge against Han Solo. After all, he was contracted to deliver spices, and Kessel Run or no Kessel Run, Jabba’s out some serious credits. Of course, being a murderous misogynist slug-thing changes your perceptions of stuff, so imagine the charismatic Tony Soprano or Michael Corleone in Jabba’s place, and perhaps it will change your mind? Dating back decades, the untouchable crime lord has gotten a lot of mileage in pop culture: Daredevil’s battles wouldn’t be nearly as compelling without the Kingpin; Mal Reynolds’ interactions with…
In an alternate reality, Gwendolyn Stacy, rather than Peter Parker, was bitten by that fateful spider. Now, we once again return to that world and the adventures of the Amazing Spider-Woman! Your Major Spoilers review of Spider-Gwen #1 awaits!
There are a lot of Avengers teams running about in the last ten years or so, but only a very few have been as unconventional as this one is set up to be. Just how wildly will Roberto “Sunspot” DaCosta change the Avengers status quo? Your Major Spoilers review of New Avengers #1 awaits!
Not every comic book universe has the advantage of existing since the 1930s, but that doesn’t mean their history is any less fascinating to read about, especially when your tour guide is the immortal hardcase, Jenny Sparks. Your Major Spoilers (Retro) Review of Stormwatch #44 awaits!
As long as there have been stories, there have been stories of what terrible things MIGHT have happened, if only somebody hadn’t been there to save the day/fix the flaw/take care of Marty’s kids. It’s a great way to get around the problems with the status quo, as in the Bad Future, the Decepticons can gain and edge and brutally murder all our favorite Autobots, Tim Hunter can turn into a magical dictator and Peter Petrelli can destroy the world and/or abandon his girlfriend in a dystopian hellhole. Heck, even Disney has played with this trope (and ‘Meet The Robinsons’…
When Archie Comics announced their Dark Circle revival of their superhero character, the one I was most interested in finding out more about was The Shield, America’s first patriotic superhero! Our wait is over… Your Major Spoilers (advance) review of The Shield #1 awaits!
This entire morning has been a carnival of errors for me, featuring at least three instance of being well-behind the eight-ball and ending in the MS-QOTD being a tiny bit late. Of course, the good part is, this reminds me of one of my favorite superhero characters, Joe Pi, who entered the original 12-issue ‘Top 10’ comic book in the last three issues and proceeded to steal the entire show. A stellar example of Alan Moore’s ability to write a character who is always one step ahead without seeming like a complete jerk, it’s Joe who makes the biggest impact…
When it comes to comics creators, I often have strong opinions. I have issues when certain creators political stances permeate the work, or their real life views overshadow the story they’re telling. (In some cases, it’s just the fact that they seem like a real creep.) One strong example is Warren Ellis, a writer whom I both respect and admire, while finding his take on super-heroes utterly repellent. The paradox comes when I read his best superhero work (Ruins, The Authority, Secret Avengers and more) and I love the story, love the black humor and literary references, while hating every…
These days, nearly every character in pop culture history is being prepped for a reboot, relaunch, revamp or re-imagining, all the better if they’re considered in the public domain. It’s why American audiences get a Peter Pan movie every sixteen weeks, why minor Golden Age characters like The Black Terror can be found at multiple publishers, and of course, why we can have two concurrent Sherlock Holmes television programs airing hot on the heels of the Robert Downey, Jr. big-screen outings. Holmes movies have been around nearly as long as the movies themselves, the current BBC series is the sixth…