In the Golden Age of Marvel...stories were character driven, backstories of our hero gave us a deep understanding of his motivation and strength to go on in the face os calumnous adversity. Under the reins of Stan Lee, co-creator of Spiderman, John Romita Sr. (arguably the greatest Spiderman artist of any generation), we learn to know and care for Peter Parker, a college student who despite possessing incredible powers, is burdened with financial woes, caregiving for an elderly relative and romantic troubles...who can't empathize and sympathize with this fellow? The pace is brisk, the art engaging and the villians larger than life. Of particular emphasis is Norman Osborn, aka the Green Goblin. He is easily Spiderman's most fearsome opponent, haunting him to this day in the modern comic age. His knowledge of Spiderman's true identity, coupled with his being genuinely mentally disturbed and Peter's best friend's father, makes him often a nearly insurmountable obstacle. The inclusion of the Lizard, an equally tragic villian, a man who simply wants to regrow a lost limb and Morbius, a scientist whose attempts to cure a blood disease transforms him into a living vampire, make for a truly enjoyable read and trip back to yesteryear when storytelling was at its apex.

While I am still a tremendous fan of the first Craig effort, "Casino Royale" which should make the Bond record books simply for best "parcour" chase scene at the beginning....and the incandescent Eva Green as Vesper, Bond's romantic and intellectual equal......so much was right about this film even in its grand tragic depiction of Bond's broken heart....however, this is about Skyfall, which is so epic in its scope and presentation that it could be an opera.....the villian of this piece, Silva, played with demonic aplomb by Oscar winning Javier Bardem is so good it is scary...Bardem effortlessly blurs the line between genuine insanity, campy drama and strangely drawing viewer pathos as a formidably damaged human being. His character reveals at heart the downfall of the spy business -- most agents are expendable. Bond too learns this example at the film's beginning when a judgement call by "M" leads to his "demise"....What separates Silva from Bond is literally moral character..both are betrayed equally, yet both take severely diverging paths..(queue Silva's recounting of rat elimination as exposition..) Craig quite simply has become Bond..he is so damn good and natural at it..that even after 50 years and over 20 films...you cannot imagine anyone else in the role. Dame Judy Dench delivers a beautiful, powerful and far deeper depiction of the woman behind Bond than ever she has. In the exceedingly capable hands of Sam Mendes (Oscar winning director of such films as American Beauty) we have a very different Bond..the film simply crackles with a more artistic vibe. This is not to say that the film lacks in any way for action and physical punch..there is a hardy abundance of such, but there is also a greater emotional depth and character development never before seen in Bond films.An excellent homage to its predecessors is demonstrated by the "rebirth" of both Q and Moneyponey, played with saucy verve by Naomie Harris. Ralph Fiennes as Mallory also delivers the performance he has become known for as a bureaucrat who is more than he seems. Overall, this film is fantastic and sets an impossibly high bar for the spy genre. Simply outstanding.

This 90s saga still stands as one of the oddest story arcs in Spider-man comics' history. Many fans migrated at its implementation and never returned..the premise..Peter Parker, the character fans have followed since 1963, is in fact a clone and Ben Reilly, initially the Scarlet Spider, is in fact the true Peter Parker....this final denouement clearly illustrates that many hands were involved in satisfactorily resolving all matters and closing all storyline arcs.....overall, it is successful, the additional stories and sections, including the "Osbourn Journal" are a little over expositional, but still serve to tighten the narrative...the John Romita Jr. artwork as always is formidable...a few of the others less so...the "101 Ways to End the Clone Saga" mockup could certainly have been left out....overall, however, a cool end to a still talked about era in Spider-Man history. Worth your money if you are a long time fan.

With the art literally walking off the page of the 80s phenomenal work by Frank Miller, this DVD is a must have for any Batman fan...the animation is cleaner and crisper than the graphic, making a seamless transition to screen..The only complaint I have is the use of Peter Weller for the voice of Bruce Wayne/Batman...Kevin Conroy has made the role his own in numerous forays and could easily have knocked this one out of the park, this being said, this is an excellent take...even if it is only part 1....at 76 tight minutes, however, it leaves you hungering for part 2 to be released soon in January. The story is fantastic...crime is up, city is in chaos and the now retired Batman in his 50s wonders if he is worthy and able of re-donning the cowl and making things right...simply fantastic.

Set list is s superb...including hits from the majority of their library...sound is phenomenal.....though this band has not played together in years, you cannot tell from the tightness of their performance. Jeff Martin is a rock star and frontman par excellence, His interactions with the audience gel perfectly with the tone of their performance, teasing and building to a crescendo of sonic strength. Highlights would be `Sister Awake`, `The River``, ``Fire in the Head` and the blistering `Sun Going Down` which is made all the better by Martin`s intro of `Nobody`s Fault but Mine`` rendition. This is a must have for long time and new fans alike who want to appreciate a Canadian band whose blend of Eastern and Western influences makes them truly unique,.

The art is a little 60s kitsch, but the story is fairly solid even if it occurs concurrent with the "new" Spiderman universe which in effect negates a lot of the characters previous history and interactions. The tone is playful, storytelling taut which captures and keeps the reader's attention as it gives a fairly good take on Black Cats regular activities, friendships and associations while maintaining the guile and resourcefulness of the character that long time readers have grown accustomed to. Plot is fairly streamline...criminals plot to obtain item(s)...Black Cat is dragged into scheme which is tied in to a much larger arc in the Spiderman franchise....and when her mother is kidnapped and used as a pawn.,.it ultimately becomes a game of "cat and mouse" to rescue BC's mom and outwit the bad guys. Back up stories are okay....the secondary story from the "Many loves of Spiderman" trade is fun....with superior artwork...the "Other Woman" finale is at best "cute"...with nigh anime art style which simply doesn't work for me...while the collection is a bit uneven, overall it is a fun read for a very reasonable price.

I have been an avid fan of JLA and all things Bruce Timm for some time, but this truly was a superb effort. The animation was top notch, the story solid and most importantly the voice work beyond reproach as it featured the originals for the most part, Tim Day (Superman), Susan Eisenberg (Wonder Woman), Carl Lumbly (Martian Manhunter), and of course, the incredible Kevin Conroy (Batman). Nathan Fillion is Green Lantern and has been since Emerald Knights..in the opinion of many, should have been Hal Jordan in the live action version, though I will reserve judgement there..the addition of Cyborg is very much a 52 relaunch plot device, but is nonetheless a solid performance by Bumper Robinson. The tone fluctuates between quick, humorous wit, and dark peril. The pace is quick and I can say without fear that the 75 minutes goes by in a blink. Your attention never wavers when either villian or hero are on screen. The Batman portion of the tale is uncompromising and brutal and unquestionably portrayed and depicted by folks who know their Batman..you do not have to be a long time fan to appreciate this most recent foray, but if you are you certainly feel respected. This is a solid effort, perhaps the most solid movie version to come forth since Public Enemies: Batman/Superman. Make no mistake, however, this is an ensemble piece and worth the time of any DC Comics or Comic fan overall. Simply outstanding.

When the previews appeared for this film, I was uncertain what to make of it..sci-fi is often improperly handled in our present time...where Transformer-esque films are prevalent. Complexity often obtains no reward save in DVD sales with hardcore fans of such a genre..in this case...the Philip K. Dick story is extrapolated into a truly relatable film with likeable characters...both Matt Damon's David and Emily Blunt's Elise have unquestionable chemistry which is a definite must for a film on free will vs. choice re: romance and lifelong love. The film is tightly shot, the cinematography allows New York to become as much a part of the film as the actors... The story as a simple story of consequences of daily actions toward our eventual aspirations/goals is strong enough to keep the viewers attention; be it David's burgeoning political career or Elise's meteoric rise as a world class dancer...the addition of these mysterious figures known as the Adjustment Bureau take this film to a new level, making it a creative sci-fi opus rather than a straightforward romance/drama...the action is taut, the tale gripping and overall a great yarn worthy of the viewers time.

Always a little reticent when it comes to motion comics but after the Iron Man Extremis motion epic ...I have become somewhat of a convert, particularly as it relates to solid voicework and more adult related themes...The Emma Frost presentation was particularly spot on. Characters behave as they should, following the Whedon written storyline to perfection. Great story, dialogue, action...and reasonably priced. The closest animation has come with regard to X-Men characterization was the unfortunately short-lived X-Men and Wolverine...this however delivers the goods straight from the comics so if you are a die-hard you are getting your money's worth. If you are a novice, you are still getting a solid story involving core members of the group, a fairly powerful villian, mixed with equal parts government conspiracy and anti-mutant agenda. Overall, thoroughly enjoyable and strongly recommmended.

With the pristine presentation via Blu-Ray....the solid story telling and extremely capable voice talents...this ranks with Batman: the Animated Series as one of the greatest series ever broadcast on television. While there are slight deviations from the standard JLA lore..namely John Stewart as GL prime rather than Hal Jordan, Hawkgirl as single rather than married ...the ensemble is fantastic. The romance between he and Hawkgirl is engaging and believable...the potential romance between the Dark Knight and Wonder Woman, two of DC's most iconic figures and founders of JLA made for quite a lot of buzz at the time which carries through to this day. The villians are top notch, ranging from a far superior depiction of Aquaman as a powerful anti-hero to flat out villians of mythic proportions, namely the dark god Hades, and the standard uber villians, Lex Luthor and Vandal Savage. With a blend of classical literary references mixed in the series demonstrates a good deal of intelligence..how many other television series of an animated nature include references to Olympian mythology & Arthurian legend in a manner that is entertaining? I eagerly await the release of season 2 on blu-ray. A must see if you are a fan of the superhero animated genre...