That Shit Is Haunted

Ah the world of the supernatural. Do you believe? Is it real? Is it all overactive imagination just looking for a deeper meaning in a usually mundane life? I don't know, man. I expect with all the technology we have, there should be some definitive proof by now.

That said, I am a believer. I've experienced plenty of that strange hair-on-the-back-of-your-neck sensation and have seen and heard enough stories (a lot from my grandma's old house) to think, "yeah... something's up."

My grandma's house was built in the very early 1900s in an old steel mill neighborhood. It stayed in the family through the entire century until we sold it after she died. (Good luck to the current owners). It had plenty of residents, and enough of them passed away in the house to make it quite a hotbed of paranormal activity. My grandmother, mum, aunts and uncles, and even myself and my brother have seen a ghostly figure, or heard phantom voices or footsteps. Conversation at family gatherings always eventually leads to stories about Grandma's House (proper noun) and what was seen there.

Whether it be an overactive imagination or just growing up in such a culture, I've experienced enough on my own not to mess with such things... you know, just in case. Its best to not poke the bear. Its a door that doesn't close easily.

-Gint

Gint's 9-24-14 Pull-List Review

After a long weekend of Comicon, a wedding and a strip club, its time to sit down and review this week's books.

Third Place:

He-Man and the Masters of the Universe #17

Both this book and Futures End were heavy on the copy this month. Lots of flashback storytelling in each one with lots of words. When we last left Adora, she killed He-man with a cursed sword. We of course learn, through a long flashback about Skeletor's ancestry, a way to bring He-Man back to life. He IS the title character after all.

Pop Mhan continues to bring his A-game on the art. His Teela as the Snake Sorceress is pretty sweet and sexy. His art has really grown over the title. Hopefully he doesn't get TOO good so DC either moves him to another book or loses him to Marvel. I'm looking at you Mahmud Asrar.

The biggest bummer of the book is purely aesthetic. I want He-Man's costume and sword to be the old classic style. The sword is better than the early 2000s version, but I'd really like both the sword and his chest plate to be a little less fancy and more utilitarian. The current look is a little too far removed from the Masters universe.

Second Place:

Futures End #21

We're back for more flashbacks. This issue is ENTIRELY a flashback about what exactly went down with "the war" everyone keeps talking about, and how the Earth 2 denizens came to our beloved Earth 1.

Its a pretty cool story, but I wonder if there would have been a better, less wordy, way to tell it. A lot of different plot points are now tied together by Green and Red Arrows. They recall how the war and post-war times went down connecting Mr. Terriffic, Cadmus and Brother Eye. Nothing is particularly mind-blowing, but it tightens up a lot of what Futures End is all about.

Cully Hamner makes his debut on art. Hamner, is a good artist, but has a more specific style than what we've already seen from other artists. I wouldn't want to shift any farther than what Hamner's doing away from what's already been established. Despite using four different artists through 20 issues, the art has been incredibly consistent.

First Place:
Saga #23

And the misery continues... Alana's still doing drugs and Marko is balancing on the razor's edge of infidelity. Aside from the usual family melodrama that we've been treated to, we get some crazy shit from Dengo, the kidnapping, murderous TV head janitor.

The insanity that plays out on the tree spaceship, paced along side the quiet moments that lead the issue highlight just how good Brian Vaughan is at story pacing. No words are wasted and each panel is a deliberate step to serve the story.

Its the book everybody's reading and all the critics are loving. Mark Waid even jokingly calls the Harvey Awards (comics' Oscars) the Sagas. The book wins a lot.

Panel of the Week:

Pop Mhan's Teela as the Sorceress.

-Gint
 

The Main Event

Pittsburgh Comic Con 2014 is this weekend! The McSoss crew will be in the main room this year with new banners, posters, $1 McSoss Hero Sketch cards. Paul and myself are still offering deeply discounted $5 commissions of anything you would like so come on out and let us know what we can illustrate for you.

The guest list includes:

Bill Sienkiewicz, The 8th Doctor-Paul McGann, George Perez, Herb Trimpe, Jim Balent, Mike Grell, Bob Camp, Budd Root, Meghan Hetrick, Chad Hardin, Star Wars guests: Oril Shoshan and Christian J. Simpson, Major Motion picture actor, Clint Howard, Scott McDaniel, and star of Farscape and Host of the Jim Henson’s Creature Shop Challenge GiGi Edgely. 

The convention hours are Fri 1pm-7pm, Sat 10am-6pm and Sunday 10am-5pm. Hope to see you there!! -Soss

Soss' Suggestions 09-25-14

Low #1
Rick Remender is one busy dude. It’s amazing that he has time to tackle Captain America and the Marvel event Axis as well as his successful Image books Black Science, Deadly Class and now, Low. 

The story takes place in the future where the sun has expanded and made the surface world of Earth uninhabitable. Civilization has taken to building cities deep beneath the oceans while probes are sent out in search of a suitable planet to relocate. Think of a civilization like Krypton trying to escape their demise.

Remender works the first issue around a family who’s job is to explore the unknown in search of their new home. We are introduced to the science and tools of this world. It’s interesting, but with so much to take in it can get muddled after only one read. 

Greg Tocchini's art is breathtaking. While it’s not your typical thick outline comic art, the painted style is beautiful none the less. The quality of the art however instantly makes me think that deadlines will be a problem.

If you are looking for a fresh new sci-fi adventure from a dependable writer Low is your book -Soss

Panel of the Week: Weird and beautiful alien crafts

McSoss Podcast Episode 74: Let’s Talk About Long John Silvers For a Second

This week we discuss the potential Supergirl pilot and pitch our idea’s for comic book inspired shows with a female lead. We also discuss the pros and cons of the world of fast food.

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A Very Fine Line

Sometimes, real life bleeds into the comic strip. This is not one of those times. I've found some questionable things attractive over the years (much to my surprise [see The Grudge]) but the giant worm/tongue/sucker things that comes out of the vampires mouths in The Strain is just gross. Gross and... kind of lame.

That said, I'm really enjoying The Strain on FX. The lead characters are what pulled me in. I've never loved Kevin Durand more than I do when he's Vasiliy Fet. And Corey Stoll has come out of nowhere as the lead, Ephram Goodweather. Not to mention David Bradley (Argus Filch, Walder Frey) killing it as Abraham Setrakian. The zombie apocalypse-style take on a vampire epidemic really works, and makes zombies more interesting.

The only downfall is that silly tongue/sucker/worm thing that the vampires use to suck blood. Also, if you can make it through the series without seeing what the master vampire looks like, do it. Once you see him, its hard to forget he's so fucking goofy looking. He looks like one of the rejected Killer Klowns from Outer Space designs.

Aside from that, not having read the books, The Strain has been excellent. It comes highly recommended.

-Gint

Gint's 9-17-14 Pull-List Review

The third week of September makes the most out of DC's Futures End month... only two books on the old Pull-List!

Second Place:

Futures End #20

Man, doing a review of a weekly comic book is exhausting. I'm running out of shit to say about each issue. Aaron Lopresti's art is good and so its the story. There. Done.

This issue takes a couple turns that I didn't expect. Once is the name drop of Bruce Wayne. He and Wonder Woman's whereabouts have been kept a secret through this first twenty issues. We just found out where Superman has been, its time to get the other Big 2 on the board. Five years in the future, who knows what Bruce is up to, but THIRTY-five years in the future, Brother Eye has captured him and ripped his brain open. Not very Batman-like.

I wouldn't say Futures End is a mystery wrapped in a riddle folded in a quandary, but there are a lot of moving parts that have well... thirty-two more issues to iron out and make satisfying. Lots of time, boys. Do it up right!

First Place:

Nova #21

Plenty of action, and plenty of quiet character moments... my kind of comic. My biggest complaint is the cover. For as great an artist as J.G. Jones is, he apparently can't draw a high schooler because Sam Alexander looks to be about 30 years old.

FINALLY Original Sin is over and Gerry Duggan and David Baldeon can get on with just telling the story they want to tell, which is Sam going after his father. Sam finally tracks him down and what he finds is that his father and all the other prisoners escaped. While this is Sam's story, it feels like the prison escape was glossed over a little too quickly.

Still one of my favorite books, Duggan really knows what's important in this book. He's got a plan and is really taking the right amount of time to execute each part of it.

Panel of the Week:

The Key and Coil from Futures End by Aaron Lopresti. Two D-list characters that I've grown unusually fond of.

-Gint

Villains Union Local 421

I'd love to see some establishing shots of these soldiers doing some real damage. We're supposed to be afraid of them, or they're at least suppose to inspire nervous apprehension. Instead, they can't be shown maiming our heroes, so some of the coolest costumes in nerd culture become inept dummies that can't hit the side of a barn much less a Joe or Turtle.

Nickelodeon's current Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles tried to make the Foot Soldiers more threatening buy making them Kraangbots... but really, that's just so Leonardo and Raphael can cut things that aren't made of human flesh. FCC and all that.

I'm not sure of the state of the standard issue Cobra soldier, but I can't believe they're getting a much better deal.

I've already seen a clip of Star Wars: Rebels where they've managed to make the Stormtroopers even MORE incompetent than Return of the Jedi did. Rumor is Stormtroopers will make some kind of appearance in Episode VII. Lets hope J.J. Abrams treats these characters with a little more respect.

I watched Serenity this week and there is honest to goodness, straight up FEAR when the heroes are faced with the prospect of the Reavers. Granted, the soldiers in question aren't cannibal rapists, but it would be nice to have a sense of dread when these characters show up.

So c'mon writers! Do a better job and make these characters more than just cannon fodder in front of Shredder, Cobra Commander and Darth Vader. Make the villain army matter.

-Gint

McSoss Podcast Episode 73: Batman Is An Awful Shot

This week we discuss Dwayne Johnson as Black Adam, the newly released image of the Batmobile, the proposed Titans pilot and a little Whatcha’ Been Readin’.

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It's All In The Reflexes

I have never watched Big Trouble in Little China, one of my good friend Matt’s favorite films. From what I hear it still holds up after all these years. Matt has so much passion for this film that he has planned his next large tattoo to incorporate elements from this classic. 

If you would like to talk to Matt in person about his love of Jack Burton, comics, video games or heavy metal come see the McSoss crew at The Pittsburgh Comic Convention September 26-28. Paul and myself are currently accepting requests for commissions. We will draw ANYTHING for $5. Contact us via the McSoss Facebook Fan Page or at:

Paul @Gint_McSoss

Ian @thesoss

You can also request a commission from Matt for $20. For a consultation contact Matt at:

@lildpressedmatt

Hope to see you there! -Soss

Gint's 9-10-14 Pull-List Review

This week had four pretty evenly matched books. Nothing was horrible and nothing was outstanding.

Fourth Place:

Superman Unchained #8

The penultimate chapter of what's been an underwhelming story. Another story about how Superman reacts to an outside subject instead of a story about Superman.

Scott Snyder does his best this issue to try to get into Superman's head an lead us through his thoughts during the fight for his life. Clark looks into how Wonder Woman and Batman would handle certain situations, and eventually uses Wraith's powers against him. The interesting part is how you learn, through Supes circumstances learning to be a hero, that he's had to learn to be his own kind of no-holds-barred street brawler. He's had to look out for himself and face fights head on with no one at his back.

Jim Lee's pencils are nearly flawless as usual. He doesn't do a whole lot these days, but when he does, it still looks great. One more issue to go and maybe Snyder and Lee can pull something off and salvage what's been a weak story.

Third Place:

Coffin Hill #11

I would describe Caitlin Kittredge and Inaki Miranda's second arc as... slow. Not bad, just slow. Where the first arc had a quicker pace, there's a slow burn quality this time around. By the time we get to the climax, I expect this story to really take off.

There's a new player in Coffin Hill... or at least in a different dimension around Coffin Hill. Her name is Belinda, she has no eyes, and she's leading people in the real world to kill witches. She also seems to be eating human fat. She's got a real Cenobite quality to her.

My hope is that Kittredge has some tricks up her sleeve regarding the serial killer the Ice Fisher and Detective Doyle, who is also Eve's love interest this arc. Right now, ALL signs point to him being the Ice Fisher, but it can't be that simple can it? I expect to be surprised in the next couple issues.

Second Place:

Futures End #19

We are ripping right through this story, aren't we? Seems like yesterday we started our walk through 5 years in DC's future. For having to tell a year long story, the writing team isn't decompressing very much. There's enough going on to keep the story at a fairly quick pace and to keep things moving forward.

Lois Lane has outed the fact Shazam has been standing in for Superman, who's whereabouts are a mystery to the rest of the world. Batman Beyond's team finally breaks into Terriffitech and things get weird when Plastique gets face to face with her Brainiac-ed self. What gets confusing, is that now I'm not sure if Brother Eye and Brainiac are connected. It would seem like they are, but after hearing more about Fifty Sue's deal with Brother Eye, I'm not so sure.

Scot Eaton does a great job with the pencils this issue. He makes a couple cool moves with panel layout and camera angles. For a weekly, the art has been pretty impressive.

First Place:

Hawkeye #20

Be warned, I'm going to spoil some shit in this review. So there you go. SPOILERS.

Matt Fraction, with Annie Wu on art wrap up Kate Bishop's trip to Los Angeles. And they do it VERY well. When Fraction moved Kate to LA, I wasn't sure where he was going, but he clearly had this plan in mind. Kate's rivalry with Madame Masque throughout the book comes to a head, and everything Fraction has planted pays off. What really pays off for me is that Masque has been using Life Model Decoys to keep herself young. The LMD she's been using? Kate Bishop. Mind. Blown.

That isn't expressly stated, but if you've been following along, its pretty clear. Especially after learning that Kate's father has been on Masque's payroll.

Hawkeye has had some ups and downs. Some genuinely awesome issues, and some dumb stuff too. But this issue really pulls all the Kate Bishop story together brilliantly. It makes me want to go back and read all of the LA stories again. The more I think about it, the more I loved this issue.

Panel of the Week:

Inaki Miranda's Belinda. Gross on so many levels.

-Gint

A Healthy Self-Awareness

When asked via text what his spirit animal would be, Soss honestly said, "an adorable puppy." I guess in a way, Soss can be like an adorable puppy – cute, friendly, cuddly. But the adorable puppy doesn't truly define the duality of his nature. For instance, adorable puppies don't like to argue for argument's sake. (ZING!)

Ideally, I'd prefer my patronus to be a tiger. Tigers are fucking cool. They look cool, they're ferocious, they're the REAL kings of the jungle. But after further introspection my patronus would probably be a house cat.

Like me, they're autonomous, they like their space and only want attention on their terms. They're also lazy and like to lay around and do nothing. One of my favorite pastimes.

Not all of us are going to be the great stag, or a powerful eagle, or a threatening wolf. Some of us are house cats. And that's okay because which of those four would you rather have curl up in your lap?

-Gint

Soss' Suggestions 08-11-14

Hexed #1

My latest attempt to see if BOOM Studios has anything worthwhile to read brings me to Hexed. I knew nothing about this book going in and choose it because the cover looked pretty creepy.

Hexed focuses on Lucifer a witch who also happens to be an art thief. When her latest heist ends with some complications she stumbles upon an evil plot. There is a nice cliff hanger at the end of the book which is making me really want to pick up the next one.

The artwork was as-advertised despite having a different cover artist. Dan Mora uses some different techniques to illustrate the different planes of reality Lucifer travels to. While the book is less creepy then I'd hoped for there was one pretty disturbing moment that hooked me for whats to come in the dimension of The Shade. 

The dialogue is painfully witty at times. Michael Allan Nelson does some of the same things Brain Michael Bendis gets crucified over each week.

Overall, the most enjoyable BOOM Studios book I've read to date. The second issue came out this week so I think I'll give this one a chance. -Soss

Panel of the Week: Flowers anyone?  

McSoss Podcast Episode 72: Monday Night Football

This week special guest Darcy fills in for Ian as we preview what will be new in comics, television and film this fall.

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Questionable Voice Acting

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles was pretty disappointing. Not that I had high expectations going in but you always hope that your childhood heroes are treated with respect when they make it to the silver screen. 

The films plot felt dated, the Turtles looked generally disturbing and the battles with Shedder felt like video game boss stages. While I did enjoy the interaction between the Turtles and the comedy was pretty good the bad still overshadowed anything fun this movie had to offer. 

My least favorite thing was the decision to cast Johnny Knoxville as Leonardo. It pulled me out of the film every time he spoke. The proud leader of the Turtles should not sound like the leader of a bunch of dudes that put firecrackers in their ass. -Soss

Gint's 9-3-14 Pull-List Review

September is going to be a nice month. My wallet will be much lighter since I'm not buying into DC's Futures End month, where each book tells a stand alone story that jumps five years into the future.

Third Place:

Futures End #18

Speaking of Futures End, the main weekly is totally worth the $2.99. This issue offers a big reveal and moves a few plots forward quite a bit. The big one being Constantine's.

Constantine, searching for a machine that does nothing but kill, finds Superman. Apparently since the war with Earth 2, Superman has been hiding in a village in Africa helping out with farming and irrigation. While his motivations for this haven't been explained, Supes hiding out while the rest of the world is a mess never sits well with me. I can't imagine Superman would ever voluntarily sit on the sidelines. Much like I can't believe Batman would take 8 years off.

Elsewhere, the rest of the stories are moving forward. Terry McGinnis and Co. break into Terriffitech, Billy Batson is found out masquerading as Superman and Cadmus island is the first strike of Brother Eye/Brainiac on Earth.

Second Place:

Nailbiter #5

Joshua Williamson and Mike Henderson pull us in 100% with an interesting plot twist. Am I talking about the homicidal Warren saving our heroes? Nope. I'm talking about the fact Agent Finch is supposed to be on trial for murder, but instead he's running around Buckaroo, Oregon.

Nailbiter has slowed down a little bit before this issue. There have been a couple killer-of-the-week instances, and this issue is no different. But its how Williamson and Henderson handle this issue's drama that ramps everything up again. Kind of puts a new shine of what's been a really good book.

Joshua Williamson is writing awesome characters that are more than relateable and likeable. You're even sad to see Raleigh bite it in the end.

First Place:

Justice League #33

Geoff Johns' Lex Luthor is still awesome, and his Doom Patrol are not. The Justice League and Doom Patrol fight over who gets the new Power Ring. Its Batman (of course) who finally talks her down and enables her to shut down the soul-sucking ring.

This fight has been going on for three issues and it may be one issue too many. The back and forth between rival brains Luthor and Niles Caulder were pretty fun to read, but the rest of this Doom Patrol is just boring.

Allow me to say, I'm really enjoying this book. All the Lex/Bruce stuff is GOLD. But I'd like to see more of THE Justice League. Secondary characters like Aquaman, Wonder Woman and the Flash have had to take back seats to squeeze in Doom Patrol nonsense. Hopefully, with Luthor officially joining the JL at issues end, Geoff Johns will branch out and highlight some other members that have been forgotten recently.

Panel of the Week:

Mike Henderson's latest Buckaroo serial killer has a pretty cool look.

-Gint

He's a Magic Man

Lets set the tone right away. Here's a peek at what was churning in my brain the whole time I was creating this comic...

What you're witnessing in Panel 2 is the climax of Skeletor's stage show in Eternia's equivalent of Las Vegas, where he augments his villainy by doing the one thing he truly loves: magic. This grand finale, filled with all the glitz and glamor of Siegfried & Roy at their peak, is scored by Heart's "Magic Man." Once the show is over he takes Evil-Lyn to his Eternian Bellagio penthouse where "Magic Man" is keyed up on the iPod once again... but this time, for an entirely different reason.

As an avid He-Man and the Masters of the Universe fan, I may have ruined Skeletor for myself... OR, I made him just a little sweeter. You're welcome.

-Gint
 

McSoss Podcast Episode 71: McSoss After Dark

This week we get heavy with special guest Darcy as we discuss the Milo Manara Spider-Woman cover and gender equality in comics. 

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The Age Old Debate

I honestly don't remember where I heard this match-up at. I'm pretty sure it wasn't only in my head. Some Marvel Zombie out there (not a jab at Soss, I promise) would agree that the Hulk could beat Skeletor, but it just isn't so.

The Hulk, much like Superman can't be harmed or stopped by physical means (kryptonite aside). So how do you beat such comic book powerhouses? Why with magic of course! Skeletor is a dark wizard with all kinds of black magic up his sleeve (no pun intended). The Hulk's one-note brutality isn't any match for someone gifted in the dark arts.

And don't try giving me that "well the smart Hulk could beat him" bullshit. We're talking standard, classic Hulk. Not the brainy Grey Hulk, or current Red Hulk. Classic green.

It's all there in the comic book science, folks. If you think the Hulk can beat Skeletor, you're an imbecile.

-Gint