Random Ramblings . . .

So let me share a little something, I suck at content creation.  I think, angst and generally debate myself into a ball about what to post, how to make it interesting and worth anyone’s time.  I am seriously sitting here with Power Ranger’s MegaForce on to try to force myself into doing something.  It’s only partly working.  So there are some interesting things going on in the comics world.  At last year’s South By South West (SXSW) conference Marvel announced their Infinite Comics service (A Netflix type model for digital Marvel Comics), Marvel AR app (which I have been trying out recently and is an interesting feature) and the digital codes in select hardcopy books (A service I have sadly not taken advantage of because I can’t bring myself to pull off the sticker over the code).
Alpaca sheep

This year they have announced 4 characters will get a limited, soft copy on Infinity only comic s released weekly.  The characters will go one at a time and have the complete story line.  The first character will be Wolverine (sigh) and based on the shaded picture, the other three will be Iron Man, Hawkeye and Spider-Man.  That last part kinda kills me, but it will probably see a print version at some point.  Also Project: Gamma was announced.  It is a dynamic soundtrack experience to accompany digital comics.  It’s not a loop or scripted music, it is some sort of reactive music that fits not only the story but how you are interacting with the story without distracting from it.  While I don’t do digital comics I have to say it is an interesting concept.  Lastly Marvel also announced that 700 #1 issues would be available form comiXology through  12 Mar.  Unfortunately, every time I have tried to check it out, their servers have just been slammed and I can’t get anywhere.  Looking now It looks like the whole thing may have been pulled.

I was originally going to talk about the comics I got last week, but I can’t really figure out how to do a spoiler free review.  Not to be too discouraging I will try and hit some highlights.

Superior Spider-Man:  While I seriously considered dropping the main Spider book for the first time since 1992, I am glad I stuck with it.  Dan Slott has been able to come up with a way to keep it interesting and entertaining.  Things have now come to a head, and Spider-Man has done something Spider-Man would never do.  So now what?  We know the Avenger are involved the next issue.  Will someone finally figure out what is going on (aside from the one who has already figured it out, curse you Slott for keeping it from the one who SHOULD know)?  Will this Spider-Man truly prove to be Superior?  Or will he be discovered? [spoiler title=”Why is Spider-Man Superior?”]Because Otto Octavius traded bodies with Peter Parker just as ol’ Doc Ock’s body died. At Pete’s death in Ock’s body, Otto sees a flash of Peter’s life and decides to become a Superior Spider-Man. Sounds horrible, but the implementation has actually been decent. [/spoiler]

Age of Ultron:  I have to admit to not really knowing much about Ultron, nor as a general rule caring.  Ultimate Big Bad – created by Hank Pym – always gets defeated anyway.  SO we join into the story mid-way through the end of the world.  It looks like Ultron has finally won, but that doesn’t make for a good story does it.  One odd thing, the book has Spider-Man in it.  We also know there will be a Superior Spider-Man tie-in.  But the Spider-Man in this story was not acting like the current Superior version.  hmmmm…

The Avengers:  Everything with the Avengers is big now.  The team, the powers and the threat.  Actually in two different Avengers books the world is ending in epic, cosmic scale.  Of course this is to tie in with where they are going with the cinematic universe.

Venom: Moved to Philly.  Still deluding himself into thinking he controls the beast.  Still wondering why the heck I still get this book.   Well that should do it for now.  Except why oh why has no one tried to remake Earth 2?!?