For all the changes we’ve seen at Major Spoilers over the past nearly-a-decade, one thing never changes: Everything is better with Batman. At least, our EIC/EP/Head Honcho Stephen will tell you so, and these days, I don’t argue with him on it. The truth is, the two-fisted guardian of Gotham has become a totem of superherodom in his 75 years, and can even give “the rub” to other heroes with his hoarse-voiced omnipresence. Batwoman, for instance, whose regular title ends next Spring in the late thirties, or Batwing, whose book lasted much much longer than I expected it to. As…
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.
With all the hubbub about Spider-Woman’s spandexy backside not so long ago, I was unsurprised when news broke this week that she would be getting a full makeover in her new ongoing series. Of course, I should have expected immediate comparisons to the recent Batgirl redesign, especially from the… shall we say, “more cynical” members of our fan community. Spider-Woman’s old costume is one of the best designs of the 1970s, but it is entirely Of Its Time, and 35 years down the line, she is well-deserving of a new look. The artists of both books mentioned on Twitter that…
With the news that Tom (Loki) Huddleston might be in talks to play Morpheus and that Tom Hardy (who played Bane in ‘The Dark Knight Rises’, commanded the Royal Navy at The Battle of Cape St. Vincent and wrote ‘Tess of the d’Urbervilles’) would be returning to a comic book property as Rick Flagg in the upcoming Suicide Squad movie, the cynical part of my mind concluded that Hollywood would from now on be using the same guys over and over in everything. Robert Downey Jr. will be Reed Richards with Ioan Gruffudd as Kang The Conqueror and Val Kilmer…
I say it all the time: “{Cool thing} happened? Is it my birthday?” Once a year or so, it’s actually true, not mentioning any specific dates (*coughDecemberSeventeenthcough*), but certain things always make me feel like the guest of honor: A new issue of Madman, date night with Mrs. Cobra, finding a back-issue that I’ve been searching out forever. Recently, all three of those have happened in quick succession, as well as getting a tank of gas for under $2.00 per gallon. To be honest, my inner cynic is still waiting for the other shoe to drop, but at least it…
If you’re a follower of the Compleat Major Spoilers Experience™, you follow the Major Spoilers crew on social media, and you know that lately I’ve been amusing myself with various mixing and matching super-heroes into themed collections, illuminating even the darkest corners of super-fiction with the light of nerdery… Welcome to Ten Things!
Barbara Gordon is in a ‘Single White Female’ situation, and the false Batgirl is ruining her rep. But who is under the cowl of the faux Bat? Your Major Spoilers review of Batgirl #37 awaits!
Comic publishers today like to tout certain issues as “great jumping-on points.” I’ve never understood that theory, as ANY issue can serve as a jumping-on point if you do it right. Case in point: My first issue of Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons’ game-changing ‘Watchmen’. Your Major Spoilers (retro) review of Watchmen #9 awaits! *Today’s Retro Review contains adult themes and language, and partial blue nudity. Reader discretion is advised.*
When it comes to adapting comics, filmmakers are always at a disadvantage. In the time it takes to make a single film, 20 to 30 issues of comics can be generated, and often, even if creators TRY to match their depictions, there will always be differences. Wrangling actors can be even harder, with Christian Bale visibly aging throughout his Batman trilogy, and Hugh Jackman showing a lot of wear for a seemingly-immortal character like Wolverine. When Ryan Reynolds finally gets his Deadpool movie, he will be nearly 40 years old, while reports are that Marvel Comics’ negotiations with Sony to…
Crackerjack: The motormouthed acrobat who dresses like Evel Kneivel, one of the first Astro City characters we ever met, way back in 1995… How do passing years affect the life of a superhero in Astro City? Your Major Spoilers review of Astro City #18 awaits!
The death of Wolverine left a hole at the Jean Grey School’s hearts and in their staffing. Fortunately, your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man is on the case! Your Major Spoilers review of Spider-Man And The X-Men #1 awaits!
I’ve been looking forward to reading this book for months, but can any story live up to that kind of hype? Your Major Spoilers review of Bitch Planet #1 awaits!
This week, Marvel Comics big event comic, “Axis”, changed a long-term point of Marvel continuity, seemingly in order to bring the universe in line with the movie world of The Avengers. (I won’t spoil it here, but I will say that it is a long-held piece of Avengers lore.) While it’s clear that the movies have a MUCH larger and broader audience, comics fans have voice loud irritations over the change, which was itself a retconned storyline back in the 1980s. For my part, I have a similar problem when the Johnny Blaze version of Ghost Rider is given the…
(Let’s see if I even remember how to do this…) When it comes to our favorite pop culture, there are occasionally hiatuses (hiati?) and breaks that interrupt our enjoyment. The “mid-season finale” has become a very frustrating part of most of my television viewing in the modern era, but when I was young, cliffhangers were massively vexing. To this day, I don’t know *HOW* Harold Lloyd got down off that clock. Once upon a time, I was a fan of a comic book called “Ms. Mystic,” which had a nearly two-year break between issue #2 and issue #3, and never…
And now, it’s time for some SERIOUSLY obscure deep cuts from the recesses of the super-dupers. When Charlton Comics went under, DC bought The Blue Beetle, Captain Atom, The Question and more, but… Does anybody even remember The Prankster? Your Major Spoilers (retro) review of Peter Cannon, Thunderbolt #60 awaits!