We all know the internet can be a pretty ugly and negative place. With so many people having no issue spewing their hate, I often try to focus on talking about the things I love. I'd much rather support what I enjoy than tear down something I'm not a fan of. However, the CW's handling of promos for The Flash and Arrow has been bothering me for several months now and I just have to talk about it. Yes, this article includes SPOILERS for the latest episodes of the two comic book shows.

The point of a promo is to tease an upcoming episode, not spoil big moments and drop reveals. It doesn't matter how obvious the twists may be; it's just not the job of the promo to show us what should be important scenes in an upcoming episode. The job is to promote the fact those big scenes are on the way, make us think about how they'll play out, and get us excited to eventually see them in context. I've been doing my best to avoid ranting about this for quite some time now, but I simply can't resist after last night's Arrow promo. Again, spoilers ahead.

In Arrow, Oliver Queen has joined the League of Assassins and is on the path to become the next Ra's al Ghul. He underwent harsh conditions and brainwashing to erase "Oliver Queen" and accept his new identity, Al Sah-Him. This week's episode revealed a pretty obvious twist: Oliver's been faking it just to earn Ra's trust. After all he endured on the island and what not, it's pretty easy to swallow him holding up to this kind of treatment. Many of us were assuming that would be the outcome or some plot device will be used to break him free of Ra's influence. Then, Oliver locks his allies in a room and releases the Alpha and Omega virus -- something that apparently has no cure. We're meant to believe he was faking faking it and this was all an elaborate trap to kill the strongest ties to his past in one fell swoop. Many viewers won't believe this for a second, but the cliffhanger ends on a note that attempts to make us believe his supporting cast just died. Odds are that wasn't really the uncurable virus or there's some deus ex machina that'll save them. Still, the objective of this episode is to leave us asking two questions: is Oliver still on Ra's side and did his supporting cast really just die? To many of us, the answer is obviously no and no way. I mean, we know one of those characters will star in the spinoff series and to kill the entire supporting cast likethat would be absurd. But less than a minute after that scene aired, we received a preview of next week's episode -- one that immediately reveals the supporting cast is not only alive and well, but also back in Starling City. Then it also shows us the scene of Arrow standing up to Ra's and exclaiming, "My name is Oliver Queen!" Did I know both of these things will happen? Absolutely. Is it the job of a promo to show me these key things before the episode airs next Wednesday? Hell no.

I find it very difficult to believe next week's episode doesn't have 20 seconds worth of footage that doesn't blatantly show the supporting cast is just fine and it doesn't show Oliver's big moment as he stands up to Ra's. They should tease these moments. Show us a moment of tension between Ra's and Oliver, or a quick shot that'll make passionate viewers go, "Hey, I totally just saw Diggle! See, told you there's no way they're dead!" A promo should reward passionate fans with great teasers and get them speculating about how everything will play out; not show how things play out. When even a casual viewer can get the basic idea of the next episode's story and key parts, you know you've spoiled too much. It doesn't matter that the twists are obvious to many of us; they aren't obvious to all of us and showing us right away immediately takes away any small feeling of there being actual stakes in what just happened.

The Flash is usually a little better with this. For example, the way it recently teased Barry trying to outrace bullets didn't spoil that twist and the one for the latest episode didn't ruin the story progression with Iris or show us cool parts from Grodd's role. However, the "Who is Harrison Wells?" promo blatant reveals they do indeed find Wells' body and that Barry, Cisco, and Caitlin do find Reverse-Flash's hidden room and gaze at the costume. In a promo, you need to give us fan service that doesn't take away from these major plot points. Show Joe and Quentin, Cisco and Laurel, and the team searching. Show a bit of action. Show a reaction shot of the group looking shocked. Passionate fans will be able to recognize the setting and put together the pieces on their own. Casual fans won't be blatantly spoiled. It's more exciting for both groups that way. Oh, and seeing as The Flash already showed us Oliver will stand by Flash in a fight against Reverse-Flash, how can anyone question, even for a second, whether Oliver Queen is still a good guy or at least going to be good in the near future? Knowing he'll be fine takes away a vast majority of the drama, tension and emotion that's displayed as people like Felicity struggle with losing Oliver yet again. There needs to be more communication between the minds behind the shows and the promo department. If I was writing for the show, I'd be upset to see the work I'm doing is being spoiled a week before it airs. Now, I'm sure some of you are thinking, "So don't watch the promos. It's that easy." To me, that's missing the point of this article. I shouldn't have to worry about witnessing game-changing moments and having the whole story spelled out for me in brief promos that air right after the episode ends. We should see footage that gets us excited and leaves us speculating. Imagine if the promo for the final episode of Breaking Bad blatantly revealed the fate of the two lead characters? Or revealed the plot device that plays an important role? That sure would have been ridiculous, right?

Do I know Oliver Queen will stand up to Ra's al Ghul and say his true name? Of course. Do I know his entire supporting cast is still alive? Obviously. But just because I'm certain these things will happen, it doesn't mean I want to see them unfold just seconds after the latest episode has aired. Look, I know I'm being repetitive here, but it's not the job of the promo to spell out and reveal big plot points; it's the job of the promo to tease them. A promo needs to build our anticipation for an episode and allow us to eventually enjoy those critical scenes in proper context; not already witness them and then enjoy them a second time as they play out during the episode. Will fans still love seeing Oliver angrily say, "My name is Oliver Queen!" Most definitely. Should we have already seen this big moment? Well, I'll let Dr. Evil answer that one for me.

I still love you, Arrow and The Flash. But seriously, CW, you can promote your episodeswithout giving away really important and critical stuff. The episodes have more than enough footage to get us hyped, okay? And don't even get me started on how much those sizzle reels spoiled. I mean, finding out Quentin and Ray discover Arrow's identity that far in advance?!

Source: my blog

There's been a lot of controversy over the upcoming 'Ninja Turtles' reboot, but the co-creator of the famous franchise has nothing but love for the project.

The reboot's release date has been pushed back, but Kevin Eastman, who co-created the Ninja Turtles with Peter Laird, had high praise for the movie and said, "it's easily the best 'Turtle' movie yet." The writer added, "We're talking 'Raid: Redemption'-style fight scenes; we're talking about epic 'Rise of the Planet of the Apes' sort of effects."

Eastman also claims that the release date delay had nothing to negative feedback. "A lot of people are worried we pushed the release date from December to May, but the 30th anniversary of the 'Turtles' is in May, so it worked out perfectly."

"I know that Michael and his group really like that and that Paramount was supportive of that, so I think that it's great," he explained about potential changes to the franchise. "I grew up reading 'Captain America' and 'The Avengers' and all that stuff, and over the course of the comic book history, since 'Avengers' has been around, how many times has it been reinvented, reformatted, restructured, replatformed."

'Ninja Turtles' will be directed by Jonathan Liebesman and produced by Michael Bay.

source: MTV

I'm a huge fan of Venom, but I have to say I was extremely skeptical a few months ago when Sony announced their plans to move forward with a Venom film. As much as I love the character, having a film focus just on Eddie Brock and the tale of the symbiote would be incredibly difficult to pull off and even harder to sell to the general audience. However, now that I've seen (and enjoyed) The Amazing Spider-Man, I think a Venom film actually makes a lot of sense in this newly established world and hopefully it will help us forget all about his lackluster appearance in Spider-Man 3.

Based on a few select quotes from the people involved, it sounds like the movie will merge elements from Venom's history in the 616 universe (that's the regular one you know and love) and the Ultimate (1610) universe. The Amazing Spider-Man's producer, Avi Arad, told Hollywood.com, "It's an Eddie Brock story," and added, "We want to be as close to the comics as possible. Especially in Eddie Brock's story. But again, pseudo-science is becoming science." So far it's definitely looking like everything in The Amazing Spider-Man's universe is revolving around science. Needless to say, having an alien symbiote randomly crash land in the Big Apple wouldn't fit very well with the tone. That would be like giving Bane his luchador looking costume in Christopher Nolan's dark and gritty Batman movieverse. It just wouldn't work. In order to give the symbiote an organic fit in this universe, they'd need to connect it to a more realistic means, and it just so happens that's exactly the case in the 1610 universe.

In the Ultimate universe it's not called the Venom symbiote, but instead it's dubbed "The Suit." The dark substance was created by none other than Peter Parker's dad, Richard Parker -- yeah, the guy The Amazing Spider-Man established as having a mysterious past with groundbreaking experiments. Peter's papa worked diligently with Eddie Brock Sr. to create a suit that would cure cancer, but Trask Industries (conveniently replace this with "Oscorp" for the movie) thought it could be used as a weapon and took control of the project. Sometime later, both are killed in the plane crash.

Now we have a scientific approach to the slimy substance, but what about the man under the suit? In the 1610 world, Edward Brock Jr. is a college student attending Empire State University. He worked with Dr. Curt Connors to continue his father's work on The Suit. Pete wanted to destroy The Suit (after wearing it for a bit and losing control), and this didn't sit well with Brock at all. He thought The Suit was all he had left of his father and loathed Peter for wanting to destroy it. This could be translated extremely well into Oscorp - especially if it takes place before Connors turns into the Lizard - but there's one key problem: the producers implied they want Eddie Brock to more like his 616 counter-part.

"He was a journalist. He had the wrong story, he got in trouble for it, he got fired," says producer Matthew Tolmach about the classic Spider-Man villain. 616 Brock has a totally different story than his 1610 doppelganger. Brock reports on the villain called Sin Eater and makes a story announcing the identity of the serial killer. But, shortly later, the real Sin-Eater is captured by Spider-Man. Brock's life ends up in the gutter. He loses his job (and reputation), goes through a divorce and instead of blaming himself, he points the finger at Spider-Man for all of his troubles. Seeing as we know the Daily Bugle exists in The Amazing Spider-Man's world (spotted a newspaper by the subway entrance and they have a TV news station), it's possible the story could follow Brock working as a reporter there.

The story of Ultimate Venom's powers meshes well with the science oriented world of Amazing Spider-Man and Eddie Brock can fit perfectly into the already existing Daily Bugle. From there, it's up to the magical minds of the screenwriters to have The Suit slither onto Brock after Spider-Man reveals the true identity of the Sin Eater (or does something else to prove his story false and turn Brock emotastic). And speaking of Spider-Man, I'm confident that Andrew Garfield would be up for sharing some screen time in the film (after all, he said he'd love to appear in Marvel's The Avengers). No matter how popular Venom is among comic fans, they simply can't sell this to the masses without Spidey's oh-so familiar face thrown into the mix. So it's likely the emphasis will be on Brock and we'll get a side dose of Spidey. Plus, who wouldn't want a well done Brock vs Parker battle on the big screen?

I know a lot of you want to see Flash Thompson under the symbiote, but after Avi's comments it seems clear the flick will be all about Eddie. But, that's no reason to frown! The Amazing Spider-Man clearly gave some extra attention to Eugene; molding him from a generic bully into a decent dude and a Spider-Man fanboy. So, having the symbiote smother over him could absolutely make for some interesting twists in future films, especially if it retains the knowledge that Pete is the Wall-Crawler. It's probably not likely, but there's the potential for that to take place in a Venom follow-up if it rakes in enough cash for Sony.

Sony was eyeing Chronicle director Josh Trank to direct the movie, but unfortunately Fox has snagged the man first. He's now behind the Fantastic Four reboot. I don't know who else they have in mind for the task, but I'll be sure to update this if/when Sony dishes out more details.

After seeing The Amazing Spider-Man, do you agree or disagree that a Venom solo film is a good idea? Also, how do you think they're going to transfer the story of Eddie Brock and his transition to Venom on the big screen?

I'm not sure why you'd check out this feature if you haven't seen the movie yet, but I feel obligated to tell you that there's obviously spoilers here. So, if you don't want the mid-credits scene ruined for you, it's time to leave. Check back after you've seen the movie, alright?

Gone? Good.

Needless to say, that was quite a vague credits sequence. My immediate thought was the shadowy figure was Norman Osborn. He's mentioned numerous times throughout the film, so he seemed like a logical choice for making a sinister reveal in the end. He's dying and clearly a formula they use on him will enhance him, turning him into the Green Goblin and probably the primary villain in the second film. That said, there's a few problems. First and foremost, the character didn't look like Osborn. We got a brief glimpse of him on the sign in Oscorp and this white haired man lurking conveniently in the shadows certainly wasn't the same guy. Then, there was the Batman disappearing act. Norman might be fast, but there's no way he could pull that off. And finally, there's the fedora. Norman should never wear one of those. Never. My personal opinions aside, actor Rhys Ifans flat-out stated in an interview with Ain't It Cool News that the mysterious man isn't Norman Osborn. Now that the most obvious choice is out of the running, it's time to open the floodgates and prepare for a tsunami of speculation. Unfortunately, we probably won't know who the figure is for at least a few years, but there's no harm in taking some educated guesses in the meantime.

The dialogue here was key. Immediately, the man asks if Curt revealed the truth about Parker's mom and dad. Seeing as this was the only subject he was interested in, it seems clear the character was involved in the (alleged) death of Peter's parents. Are his parents actually six feet under or was it all a ruse? If it was the latter, then this could very well be the work of Mysterio or Chameleon. The master of illusions and the master of disguises, they would be ideal picks for faking a death or even plotting one. Plus, few characters can simply disappear in the blink of an eye. With their assorted talents, that's a feat they'd be able to accomplish. Furthermore, at one point Chameleon (under the orders of Harry Osborn) created Life Model Decoys of Richard and Mary Parker

The character's drastic entrance and exist is accompanied by what sounds like thunder, so it's tough to not immediately think the white haired fiend is Electro. Traveling via an electric current would certainly explain his ninja-like exit. While it's true he was never an employee of Oscorp (though to be fair, Curt Connors never was either), he has worked with Norman before, both in the Ultimate Universe and as a member of the Sinister Twelve. To top it off, Rhys acknowledged that the character is "someone we're familiar with, who we don't know is employed by Osborn." He likely wouldn't bring that interesting of a side-plot to the table, but odds are this character would serve as a secondary villain (to Green Goblin), and that's a role I can see Electro fitting quite well.

It's clear there's still a lot to learn surrounding Pete's papa, so could it be Peter's dad was the creeper in Curt's cell? Has Richard Parker been alive the whole time and, in fact, working with Norman? It's absolutely possible. We know at one point he rejected Norman's orders, but I imagine he has rather violent ways of convincing people to stay on-board. After all, in the comics Richard and Mary had a very secretive life working for the C.I.A. and he could eventually be the man that turns Normy into the Green Goblin. If that formula/serum is based on Connor's work, it's possible the Green Goblin could be inspired by his Ultimate counter-part, too. Think less Power Rangerish and more like a big ol' green demon.

There's always the potential for other characters like Morbius, The Jackal and Alistair Smythe, but honestly, I hope they would avoid using a generic mad scientist two movies in a row. Unfortunately, it's going to be a long wait before we get any solid answers. In the meantime, who do you think the character was?

I was shocked by how much I enjoyed The Amazing Spider-Man, so expect more blogs on the new franchise in the near future. I'll likely dive into how a Venom tie-in makes sense and where I would like to see the trilogy go from here.

I'll be honest, I wasn't incredibly optimistic walking into The Amazing Spider-Man. His origin story is something I've seen countless times before (Sam Raimi's films, the 616 Marvel Universe, the Ultimate Universe, each cartoon show), so I wasn't thrilled to see it unfold all over again on the big screen. Sony is clearly aware that a lot of people feel that way because they've been heavily promoting the film as "the untold story." But, does this "untold story" change enough to make it feel like a fresh start, or is it running through the motions of something we've seen too many times before? Well, I'm here to tell you that the final result is indeed familiar, but it's also a ton of fun.

We all know how the shy and awkward nerd becomes our Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man. One day he's bitten by a radioactive spider and blah, blah, blah. What director Marc Webb and company bring to the table in an attempt to spice things up is a deeper connection with Peter's parents. They're only in the first few minutes of the film, but this key focus of the plot surrounds why they had to leave him and establishes links to long-time Spidey foes Norman Osborn and Curt Connors (Rhys Ifans). This element alone really isn't going to change people from feeling like the story has a "been there, done that" vibe. We're still going to run through the motions of his difficult high school life with the bully Flash Thompson (Chris Zylka), exploring his new powers, Uncle Ben's (Martin Sheen) death inspiring him, and of course, falling in love. Lizard was teased in the Raimi films, but now he finally gets to claw his way to the surface. His plot is every bit as absurd as it was in the early pages of Amazing Spider-Man: humans are weak and lizards are the future! Rawr!

Virtually all of these plot points are something we've seen time and time again, but despite this, I still found myself having a good time and at moments even feeling like a kid again. The cast deserves a good chunk of credit for this. Andrew Garfield definitely impresses as Spider-Man. He's socially uncomfortable, makes some decent quips during fights, and most important of all, is actually intelligent. I wasn't sold on Andrew at first (dude, he's so cool because he skateboards!), but I can now confidently say he's a good pick and I look forward to more of his work as Spidey. However, what truly stands out is the chemistry that Andrew shares with Emma Stone (playing as Gwen Stacy). You can really feel the connection between those two and it's a love story that doesn't feel too forced or will make you roll your eyes.

I have no real complaints surrounding the rest of the cast. Rhys Ifans does a solid job with the material at his disposal, Sally Field is fine as Aunt May and Denis Leary (plays as Captain Stacy) always manages to amuse, but my unexpected highlight was Martin Sheen. His character delivers a few decent laughs before facing is expected demise.

The Lizard is a character we've been waiting to see for years. Raimi teased us and never delivered, but now Marc Webb is stepping up to bring us the classic villain. Personally, I think he was a great choice for the first film. While his master plan isn't anything special, he does manage to keep our eyes amused. The CGI is solid, and, more importantly, he's a perfect choice for creating some great fight sequences. The Lizard is Peter's superior physically and that definitely shows when the two face off. Thankfully, these battles aren't short and they were surprisingly brutal at times. Stan Lee even finds himself in the middle of a brawl.

Another visual highlight is the web-slinging. Occasionally we're treated to Spider-Man's point of view (Mirror's Edge anyone?) and seeing him flip around the avenues and swing from skyscraper to skyscraper is a blast. I said before this movie sometimes made me feel like a kid again and these were the scenes that accomplished that. I sat there with a goofy smile on my face as I appreciated the surreal moment.

As expected, this film also has a fair share of cheesy moments. From Spider-Man getting some unexpected help to Lizard pulling the generic mad man routine, there's without question a scene or two that'll be sure to make you groan. But still, they all pale in comparison to emo Spider-Man strutting his stuff in Spider-Man 3 (low blow, I know) and by no means critically impact the overall quality of the movie.

That said, there's also a few nice nods to the source material. I loved that a good chunk of scenes took place at Midtown High and that Flash eventually becomes a Spider-Man fanboy. Since it's the start of a whole new franchise, I was really hoping for more easter eggs to help expand the scale of the universe (and in turn, tease more villains down the road), but it seems clear they're aiming to eventually reuse the Green Goblin (he's dying and desperate for a cure...one that'll likely enhanced him). On the flip side, this could possibly lead to the infamous death of Gwen Stacy - a move that would certainly surprise most casual fans.

Overall, The Amazing Spider-Man is a film that largely plays it safe. No real risks are taken to make it stand out, but it's still a fun ride in spite of its predictable nature. It doesn't reach the level of entertainment Marvel's The Avengers provided and it'll likely be overshadowed by the fast approachingThe Dark Knight Rises, but it's absolutely worth checking out if you want to enjoy a good dose of popcorn entertainment or love the legendary character.

B+

First impressing us all with Toy Story back in 1995, Pixar continues to pump out quality movies for our eyes and ears to enjoy. Nearly 20 years later, they've released their 13th film (Brave - and I haven't seen it yet), so I thought it would be a fun idea to take a CGI-filled trip down memory lane and reflect on their best work. Once you're done reading (and possibly ranting) about my 5 favorite feature films, feel free to share your top 5 and why you love them.

5) WALL-E

One of the most beautiful and heart-felt stories I have ever seen. WALL-E paints a surprisingly dark and detailed picture about humanity's bleak future. Also, who would have thought one of Pixar's best love stories would be between two robots? It's tough not to make a Short Circuit joke, though.

4) Toy Story

Almost 2 decades later and Toy Story is not only one of Pixar's best films, but also one of the best animated movies ever. Lighthearted, amazingly fun and a memorable adventure make the 1995 classic an easy pick for the list.

3) Monsters, Inc.

Kitty!!! Monsters, Inc. was an explosion of imagination as we dove into the secret world of the monsters that dwell in our dark and creepy closest. Hilarious, visually stunning and adorably charming, it's no wonder that they're making another one and re-releasing this in 3D.

2) The Incredibles

It's impossible to not love this movie if you like comic books - and seeing as this as Comic Vine, I sincerely hope you enjoy comics. The run time is a bit long for some, but this is without question one of Pixar's most unique and amazing films to date. Eat your heart out, Fantastic Four.

1) Toy Story 3

In my eyes, this is Pixar's masterpiece. The conclusion to the trilogy is incredibly warm and dives into some deep issues - some a bit too deep for the younger audience to really comprehend. There's no shame whatsoever in admitting the ending brought a tear to your eye.

The Dark Knight Rises is just one month away, and we've been having a blast speculating for over a year about the plot, characters and much more. We've seen bits and pieces that imply the trilogy's conclusion will be somewhat inspired by the story Knightfall , but the latest (and oh-so epic) trailer reveals a few key plot points that are worth discussion.

If you don't want spoilers of any kind, this is your last chance to escape!

Bane has been hitting the gym

Director Christopher Nolan's universe is gritty and realistic, but it's looking like Bane's sporting some kind of enhanced level strength. Whether it's through sheer training or the anesthetic he inhales, the villain had multiple displays of jaw-dropping strength in this trailer. In an incredibly brief clip in the opening of the video, Bane smashes his fist through what appears to be a cement wall. In what I consider to be a standout scene, Batman takes a swing at the criminal, but in one swift motion Bane catches it with an almost effortless amount of energy. Moments later, he kicks The Dark Knight, launching the hero backwards as if he weighed nothing. Tom Hardy might not tower over Christain Bale, but it's clear he's going to pose quite the physical threat.

Broken Bat

We've been speculating for quite some time that Bane will indeed "break the bat," but for the most part they've been trying to hide it from the casual audience. Will we see Bane deliver the infamous speech he once gave in the Bat Cave before cracking the iconic hero's back over his knee? We'll have to wait and see, but the final moments of this trailer show Wayne using a cane for walking, although they hide it quite well. When asking about his vehicle, Wayne's posture is a dead giveaway he's injured. He's hunched over and we can see he's using an object for support in his right hand. Later, we can clearly see Wayne holding the cane in the backseat as it moves along with the vehicle. Alfred even remarks "it takes a little time to get back into the swing of things." It's possible this could be in regards to his time away from his home city, but I can't help but feel like this is about his physical condition and his state of recovery, and of course, Catwoman swiping his car. Honestly, it seems obvious to me at this point that Bane will somehow critically injure The Dark Knight, but not to the same degree as in the events of Knightfall. Or, Wayne has decided he looks good with a pimp cane. That's always a possibility.

The Man Behind The Mask

And now for the moment that gave me goosebumps. Bane reveals he knows a big secret as he approaches Batman. During his intimidating strut, Bane mutters two words: Mister Wayne. Just like his comic counter-part, Bane has proven able to figure out who the man is behind the cowl. This will certainly make matters interesting as we see if Bane decides to target the people Wayne keeps close to him.

What do you think about these reveals and did you manage to catch any other goodies in the trailer? Stay patient, friends, July 20th is almost here.

This was an unusually expensive week. Bank accounts around the world cried out in sorrow as we all rushed to our local comic shops on Wednesday. Plenty of solid titles from the big two filled the shelves and there was no way I could resist IDW releasing the second color classics of the original TMNT run. When the stack was finally cast aside, here are the 3 issues that stood above the rest for me. Do you agree with this list? If not, what were your favorites?

The New 52 has had a few exceptional titles so far, and there's no disputing Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo's Batman is among the best of the best. Snyder delivers a great tone in each issue, always finding a way to dive into Gotham's rich history and the dark and gritty art compliments it well. This is Batman at his best and the reveal here is one hell of a twist in this issue.

Ryan Stegman's art is brilliant and vibrant once again. But on the flip side, it's terrible that this is his final issue with the series. That said, it's a pretty good issue for a send-off. Yost puts a heavy emphasis on how Kaine feels about the name "Scarlet Spider" and there's a few very nice nods thrown in there and it continues to help us connect more with Kaine and make him a far more interesting individual. Ana Kravinoff shows up looking for Kaine's blood, and what ensues is a short but oh-so good looking fight sequence. When all is said and done, a handful of epilogues layout the groundwork for what's to come in Scarlet Spider, and as a fanboy of a certain Spider-Man rogue, you can bet I'm pumped for the upcoming issues.

Writer Peter Tomasi continues to impress me with this one. Damian's arrogance takes center stage as he aims to prove he's the best Boy Wonder in the history of the Bat-family. The banter is priceless and the story is split with a focus on a new nemesis. One part Doctor Octopus (one foot in the grave) and one part Ra's al Ghul (I'm refreshed and stronger than before, son!), I'm curious to see his master plan for revenge unfold as Damian creates even more chaos in Batman's world. His lackeys were hilarious, too. The first page is also home to what could disputably be the best use of a a batarang ever.

Before getting started, let's just take a minute or two to appreciate how stunning this cover is. Artist Dan Duncan has quite possibly created one of the most bad-ass pictures of Shredder I have ever seen. This is absolutely poster worthy. But, is the inside of the issue as appealing as the cover? Thankfully, the answer is yes.

The Foot Clan has master Splinter and the Turtles (along with Casey and April) have been searching all over the city for their furry friend. While the Turtles have a verbal melee over how to approach the situation and who they think is behind the scheme, Splinter is forced to fight for his life. Meanwhile in another part of the Big Apple, the mutant Hob is getting his ear chewed off by scientist Baxter Stockman. Hob was supposed to keep Splinter in captivity, but a little group of ninjas changed that situation. Now Hob's failure reflects poorly on Stockman because he assured the powerful alien General Krang that Splinter would be there. Poor Krang just wants an army of super soldiers but nothing seems to be going his way.

I've said it once and I'll say it again; this is a must read title if you're even remotely a fan of the franchise. Writers Tom Waltz and Kevin Eastman (yup, the co-founder of the heroes in a half shell) have managed to hit a virtually perfect tone for this series. It delivers to all kinds of fans. It has scattered bits of nostalgia for the lovers of the '87 cartoon, hints of grit and elements taken from the classic Mirage title, and a famous face stripped from from the animated '03 series. Although, this title is anything but a compilation of the Turtles installments that have come before it. This IDW series has managed to feel fresh and new with a solid and original twist on the origin story and a much needed revamp to characters like Krang. It's funny, filled with action and just downright fun to read.

I wasn't the biggest supporter of Dan Duncan's art at first, but his style has grown on me more and more with each new issue, and, as proven by the cover, he's capable of some superb work at times. The proportions and lines for movement feel a little odd at times, but overall the style fits the tone incredibly well and the coloring, especially for the Turtles, is vibrant.

The story is going at a solid pace and I'm thrilled to see what will happen in the next issue. All of the elements are beginning to merge together and I can't wait to see how it'll play out. Plus, it'll have more of Splinter in action. What's not to love?

4/5

dat source: my blog