WARNING: THERE MAY BE SPOILERS FOR AGE OF ULTRON #1-3!

I was really looking forward to this event for a few years now, and ever since it was teased way back in Avengers #12.1 (April 2011) I felt that this event couldn't come sooner. After a long wait I started to feel that this event may never come out, but just shy off two years following this point one issue the series has finally hit the shops, and I question has it been worth it?

Length

Now I know that it's a little early to criticise the entire series, with only three out of the ten issues haven been released, and seven still to come, as well as the tie-ins, but in my opinion this series is too ambitious length wise. The previous big event at Marvel was Avengers vs. X-Men, which lasted twelve issues, which was way too long. Avengers vs. X-Men was considered by many as a disaster, but in fact I felt it wasn't a bad story, just that it was spread over too many issues, and had way too many tie-ins, which lead to it being slow and boring most of the time (luckily Age of Ultron isn't quite that long, and doesn't have as many tie-ins). If you look at the better crossover events in Marvel like Siege and Civil War, neither have near as many issues as either Avengers vs. X-Men or Age of Ultron, with Civil War having seven issues, and Siege even less with only four, and both of these series were brilliant, and if they were longer I'm sure they'd be a bit slow.

Story So Far...

So far the story has consisted of Hawkeye saving Spider-Man (revealed to still be Doctor Octopus), and took him to an underground bunker, where the remaining superhero's live. Captain America finally came up with a plan that involved selling She-Hulk to Ultron, making a shocking discovery (won't spoil that).

As you can probably tell from that summary the story hasn't been the most entertaining one in the world, and in fact it's been rather slow. The first two issues basically showed the superhero's mopping about their situation, and not knowing what to do, and even when Cap does come up with a plan it takes half an issue to explain it, which slowed that particular issue down, although I was happy that the series was finally making progress. The second half of issue three was however very good, and exciting, with Red Hulk (Thunderbolt Ross) attacking an Ultron and removing it's head, giving the head to Black Panther and Taskmaster to run away with. At the same time however this sequence had very little dialogue, meaning that it didn't last long. Although I've got all these complaints about the construct of the story so far my main complaint is the fact that we've had not backstory to how this all happened, and how Ultron suddenly took over the Earth, apart from certain superhero's recounts (Spider-Man and Fantastic Four) of seeing the world go to hell. I do however think that the backstory will get told in Ultron #1AU, although I hope we also get some proper backstory in the main series.

Tie-Ins

Now there have only been two tie-ins released so far, Superior Spider-Man #6AU, and Fantastic Four #5AU, but I already start to question the necessity of these tie-ins. To be fair both tie-ins weren't bad, and both good to a certain extent, with fun and unique stories, but I still question were they necessary? Most tie-ins to comic book events don't actually do anything for the overall story, and although some actually do, there are many against that one that don't, but mugs like me continue to try and get as many tie-ins hoping that they help develop a certain part of the story a bit more.

Anyway the tie-ins in this so far are no different, with Doc Ock trying to control the Ultron's in Superior Spider-Man, failing, and all of the Fantstic Four apart from Sue Storm getting killed by the Ultron's whilst Sue and Reed's children, Franklin and Val watch a goodbye video. As I said both of these issues were fun, and entertaining, to a certain point, but they didn't really do anything to help the story as a whole, and although you could say that's a good thing as it doesn't ruin the main story, they still could have made the issues achieve something small that helps with the development of the story.

Future tie-ins include, Ultron #AU (which I already mentioned), Avengers Assemble #14AU &15AU, Wolverine and the X-Men #27AU, Uncanny Avengers #8AU, Fearless Defenders #4AU, and Age of Ultron Epilogue, all of which beside the Epilogue, and Ultron#1AU I believe will also do nothing for the series, but I hope that I'm wrong (even though I won't be getting all the tie-ins).

Best Part About the Event So Far

The best part about this event so far is easily Bryan Hitch's artwork. I know that you can argue that he hasn't really been used properly on this series, drawing mostly rubble, but I think that his artwork has been astonishing and easily the best thing about the main series, as well as the event. His art has been nothing short of phenomenal, and although some may argue that his work on The Ultimates, The Ultimates 2, and Fantastic Four (Fantastic Four: World's Greatest & The Master of Doom) I personally feel that some of his best art has been featured in this series so far, as the entire scenery (even if most of it's rubble) is beautifully detailed, and the art on the characters, and action is simply stunning as well as dramatic, and I can't really fault anything about his art. His art also feels like you're watching a movie, as it's so lifelike, and the character emotion is brilliant, with everything looking perfect. The bad news however is that Hitch is only working on the first five issues (with only two left), and after that the series will have Brandon Peterson, and Carlos Pacheco doing the artwork, with Marvel's Chief Creative Officer Joe Quesada drawing the final part of issue 10.

Future of this Event

What do I see in the future of this event? Like Avengers vs. X-Men, I expect that this event will be brilliant in the long run, and that it will have some really exciting, and shocking moments throughout. I do however still have some fears that this series will continue to be slow and mundane, and nothing more than a reason for Marvel to have an event, but my faith in the series outweighs that, and I really expect that this series will be remembered as a fantastic series that had a horrific start. Also from the events in the last issue, I expect that the next issue will have some dramatic events, and from the preview it looks to have more action than the series has had so far, and I hope that the series continues to have plenty of action, whilst also actually developing the story (which as I said has been the big problem).

Thanks for taking the time to read this feature and please feel free to leave a comment expressing your thought on this topic, and what you think of Age of Ultron so far.

Please have a look at my reviews for Age of Ultron #1-3 (links below).

• Age of Ultron #1 Review
• Age of Ultron #2 Review
• Age of Ultron #3 Review

Hits and Misses is finally back and for the first time this year. I tried to get this article out once a week, but it was already into the following weeks releases by the time I got the time, so I never have managed to do any since November last year, but I'm back, and hopefully I'll manage to do it weekly. This Hits and Misses is for the comics I read released on the 27/3/13.

WARNING: MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS!

Hits

The first hit for the week goes to Batman, Incorporated #9 the last of the Requiem issues, following the death of Damian Wayne that happened in Batman, Incorporated #8. This issue sees the Batman and Nightwing (Dick Grayson) battling The Heretic, as well as Batman burying his son. This was a very emotional issue, and probably the most emotional Requiem issue bar Batman and Robin #18. All the Requiem issues have acknowledged the death of Damian, but most haven't really used it much, and I've been upset about that, but gladly this issue shows the aftermath in a big way. Although it had already been spoiled in the media, I still saw the death of Damian shocking, and to be honest I'm upset to see the little guy dead. Although the silent issue of Batman and Robin showed the most emotion, this also had it's fair share, showing the anger that's inside of Batman, and you can't blame him for having that. I also felt that this issue was the best follow-up to the death of Damian, and naturally so considering it was the previous issue of this series were Damian died. The fight was brilliant, but it was the emotion in the funeral sequence that really made this issue special, as it was very emotional, and shows Batman, Nightwing, Red Robin (Tim Drake), and Alfred's sorrow brilliantly. It was also nice to see the aftermath of Knight's death, and although the actions of Squire weren't a surprise, it was interesting. Overall Grant Morrison, Chris Burnham, and Jason Masters did a brilliant job on this series, and I'll be upset when Morrison leaves.

See my full review on this issue here.

Also see my thoughts on the future of the Batman Inc. series here.

Next up is Justice League Dark #18, the final issue in the Death of Magic storyline. This issue sees Tim Hunter lead his army of magical creatures against the science enforcers in the battle between magic and science. Now I know that a lot of people may disagree with me on this being a hit, as the story in general has been nothing compared to the Books of Magic storyline, but I felt that this issue was epic, and all the build up from the previous issues paid off. I've only started getting this series recently, and got a lot of back issues, and have been loving it. This was a very exciting, and entertaining issue, and I loved how it managed to show some amazing action, whist also showing the emotions perfectly. It was however a shame that the Justice League Dark didn't feature too much in this issue, but it was really Tim's fight, and needed the time to focus on him. It was also interesting that despite being full of action that it could have a few surprises, even if they're small ones. I still however feel that the story as a whole could have been better, but it didn't half finish brilliantly. I do however see the next story that'll involve Swamp Thing and the Flash (Barry Allen), as being a big fan of the Swamp Thing series, I'd love to see him join the Justice League Dark. I'm also interested in how the series will develop as a whole after the conclusion of this issue. Overall Jeff Lemire, Ray Fawkes, and Mikel Janin's been doing a phenomenal job on this series, and this issue was fantastic, and full of action, and although it may not be to everyone's liking, I personally loved it.

See my full review on this issue here.

The final spot on the hits section wasn't easy to decide, but I eventually decided that Guardians of the Galaxy #1 should get it. This issue sees Star-Lord (Peter Quill) drinking in a bar when visited by his dad J'son of Spartax. The Guardians of the Galaxy also team up with Iron Man to face the Badoon. Although not as good as Guardians of the Galaxy #0.1, this was still a very good issue, and a brilliant introduction to the team, especially to newer reader like me. The creative team of Brian Michael Bendis and Steve McNiven is fantastic, and they really seem to be the right fit for this series, and have so far done fantastic work. I also liked how you don't need to have read the point one issue to enjoy this one, and although I'd still recommend the point one issue, Bendis does a brilliant job of easing the reader into the main series. The fight sequence between the Guardians of the Galaxy, and Iron Man, against the Badoon was brilliant, and although it didn't last long it showed the characteristics of the team members, and I'm already really starting to like Rocket Raccoon as a character. I'm also interested to see how big Iron Man's appearance will be in this series, and what he'll bring to the team (besides the obvious upgrades). Overall this was a brilliant first issue to this new series, and the perfect time to become a Guardians of the Galaxy fan, as if like me you're wanting to see more of them prior to the Guardians of the Galaxy film, then this is for you.

See my full review on this issue here.

As I said it was really hard choosing the final spot for the hits column, so the candidates that missed out get out in the honorary mentions. The first honorary mention goes to Uncanny Avengers #5, as Rick Remender did a brilliant job of introducing Wasp, Wonder Man, and and Sunfire to the team as well as setting up the next story, and guest artist Olivier Coipel did a phenomenal job on the art. The other honourable mention goes to Aquaman #18, and Geoff Johns, and Paul Pelletier have done a brilliant job of starting the next story arc, and I'm looking forward to seeing how Aquaman copes as King of Atlantis, especially with what's coming up.

Update: An extra honourable mention has been added as I never recieved The Green Hornet #1 until a couple of day ago (after this article was posted), so I'm adding it to the honourable list as Mark Waid, and Daniel Indro did a fabulous job on this opening issue, and it deserves a mention (all be it a bit late).

See my full review on The Green Hornet #1 here.

Gallery

Misses

First up in the misses column is Red Lanterns #18, continuing the Wrath of the First Lantern story arc. This issue sees The First Lantern show Atrocitus a life were his planet and family aren't destroyed by The Manhunters. I've only been getting Red Lanterns, as well as Green Lantern Corps, and Green Lantern: New Guardians during this crossover, and the previous Rise of the Third Army crossover, and if I had to pick what series was the worse it would be this. There have been a couple of good issues but in general it's been boring, and doesn't actually really help the crossover much (at least so far). I also don't understand why it says part eight, as they don't directly link into the other series, being it's own side story. I have found some of these parallel lives that the First Lantern has been showing the characters, and although it was slightly interesting, most of the issue was boring. I've never really read anything from Peter Milligan prior to this, and if this is an indicator of what type of writer he is I don't think I'll be rushing to read anything else he's worked on (besides maybe his Hellblazer run as I've heard good things about that). The only real saving grace for this issue is Miguel Angel Sepulveda's art, as it's truly wonderful, and really suits the characters, especially Atrocitus. Overall out of the six issues I've read from this series, only two have been good, and I honestly can't wait till the end of the crossover to drop the series.

Next up is Superman #18. This issue sees the United States Senate demanding access to Superman Fortress of Solitude. This hasn't been a good week for Scott Lobdell with this poor issue of Superman, and a poor issue of Teen Titans, with Teen Titans #18 barely missing a spot on this list. I've actually been loving Lobdell's run on Superman so far, and although the end of H'el on Earth was quite as good as the rest of the story, it did show that Superman could be a brilliant series once more. This issue however has taken a step back, and it feels almost as bad as the series was prior to Lobdell joining it. I found the political style part of the issue boring, and the part with Clark Kent also felt slightly dull. Also Orion makes an appearance in this issue and does nothing, and although I know that Orion's going to play a big part in the series soon, I'd have preferred his appearance left till he actually does something useful, as it felt unnecessary, and an excuse to fill pages. The art however wasn't bad, and although I missed Kenneth Rocafort's art, as well as the fact I'm not fond of multiple artists on one issue, Aaron Kuder, Tyler Kirkham, and Robson Rocha did a decent job in filling in for Rocafort, and with the issue being split into separate stories it didn't really matter that multiple artists worked on it. Overall this was a disappointing issue, and I hope the series returns to the level of quality it's shown, and doesn't become as inconsistent as Lobdell's Teen Titans series.

Final miss of the week goes to Fantastic Four #5au. This issue sees Valeria and Franklin Richards receiving messages from their family, the Fantastic Four. The issue also shows how the Fantastic Four are attacked by Ultron's. It was a hard decision for what should be the last spot on the misses column, as I wasn't a huge fan on this issue, and both Teen Titans #18, and Young Avengers #3 weren't far of from making the list. The reason that I felt that Fantastic Four should have gotten the place was that although Teen Titans, and Young Avengers were just as poor, at least they progressed their respective stories, whereas although this was a fun prelude to Age of Ultron it was a bit unnecessary. I have however been loving what Matt Fraction's been doing with the series, and although this particular issue wasn't to my liking, it was fun, and continued the style that he's shown in the main series. I can however at the same time see why this may appeal to some people, as it shows what happened to the Fantastic Four in an emotional way, but I would have preferred less time of Franklin, and Val, and more time on the Fantastic Four's journey. In saying that besides the end of the Fantstic Four's sequence in this issue it was very slow, and not much really happened. The art from Andre Araujo also really suited this story, and althogh I prefer Mark Bagley's art on the main series, Araujo's was brilliant on this issue. Overall this felt like what it was a filler/tie-in issue, and it's easily missable, as it gives no progress to either the Fantastic Four series, or Age of Ultron.

That's it for this weeks Hits and Misses. Tell me what you think of it, and what your opinions of this weeks comics in the comments section.

Grant Morrison's second series of Batman, Incorporated is about to come to a close after issue 12, cultivating in the end of his long run on Batman, but is the series going to continue, and if so who will write it? Also will Chris Burnham stay as artist if the series continues?

This series has been much better than the previous Batman Incorporated series, and I have loved how it has used Robin (Damian Wayne), much more in it, especially considering that Talia al Ghul is the main villain in the series. The death of Damian also came as a bit of a shock, and although it was spoiled in the media before hand I was still slightly shocked that Morrison would kill a character that has been the basis for some of the best Batman stories (my opinion), and although he's stated that the character was created to be killed at a later date, I'm still upset about it. With the burial of Damian in Batman, Incorporated #9 there is still 3 issues left in Morrison's story, and I come back to the question will this series continue, and who will be the creative team if so?

I have to say I think it'd be better if the series ends with the end of Morrison's run, as he created this series prior to the New 52, and the main reason it was added to the Second Wave of the New 52 was because Morrison wanted to end his run on Batman properly, especially after cutting the previous run short. I do however think that DC won't do this as they are a money making company, and they will see the cancellation of the series as a loss of money, so in that case if it does continue who should write it, and what type of story should it be?

I think that if the series is to continue after the end of Morrison's run that it needs a person that is well seasoned in writing Batman. Someone like Judd Winick or Tony Daniel. Now I know that these options may not be to everyone's liking, but they have done good stories based on Batman in the past, with Under the Hood from Winick, and Battle for the Cowl for Daniels, and with none of them working on series following Morrison's finale they could easily take over. Also Daniels stated in a tweet following Andy Diggle leaving Action Comics that he'll only be writing that up till issue 21, and then he has something that's been pre-planned, is this the writing duties on Batman Inc.?

What direction should the series take if the series is to continue? I think that if it's to continue that it should become a fully team book, and focus less on Batman. I think that it should have characters the likes of Batwing, Chief Man-of-Bats, Squire (who's taken over as Knight following Cyril's death), and the other international members of Batman Inc. I think it should be something like this for a couple of reasons, one that there is too many Batman title that feature Batman, and Batman as a character is stretched over too many series, the other reason it that if the series is to continue it should be nothing like Morrison's run, besides the core concept of Batman Inc. as a world team, as if the series isn't going to end with Morrison, the style of story that he's written should.

Also as mentioned in an article on www.bleedingcool.com, Volume 2 of Batman Incorporated collects issues 7-13, and only credits Morrison, Burnham, and Jason Masters, so is Morrison's story going to last one extra issue like it did with Action Comics, is there a one-shot issue that follows by a new creative team, or is it a miss print to get us thinking? Either way it's something to think of, and I'm sure we'll find out the fate of Batman Inc. soon.

Thanks for taking the time to read this feature and please feel free to leave a comment expressing your thought on this topic, and what you think should happen with the Batman Incorporated series.

Update

It has been revealed with the July Solicits on IGN (click link for full July solicits) that Grant Morrison and Chris Burnham will be expanding for one more issue, which has been marked as the final issue of the series, so it looks like the series will end after issue 13, which is good, as I although the series was brilliant, I felt that it was Morrison's project, and that it should have ended with him (like I said in the main part of this article), so it's nice that the series will end with Morrison as writer, as it's the way it should be. See the solicit for issue 13 bellow:

• Written by GRANT MORRISON
• Art and cover by CHRIS BURNHAM
• 1:25 Variant cover by GRANT MORRISON
• 1:100 B&W Variant cover by CHRIS BURNHAM
• On sale JULY 24 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
• FINAL ISSUE • Combo pack edition: $3.99 US
• Batman saves the world and loses everything.
• This issue is also offered as a combo pack edition with a redemption code for a digital download of this issue.

With all the cancellations before the month of June the June solicits only have 50 titles featured, and not the 52 that DC has had each month (bar zero month which had more) following that start of the New 52. I've decided to take some time to give my thoughts on what series may fill this slot, and if I think they should. I'll mention 5 series that I feel have a chance of filling these two spots, and why they should, or should not be part of the New 52.

Justice League International

Yes there already has been a Justice League International series in the New 52, and although it was cancelled it looks like it has the chance of being revived, or at least a series similar to it. Back in January R. B. Silva posted a lot of images on his Instagram , and although this may be just coincident it had a lot of people, and websites talking about yet another Justice League series coming out. The line-up would appear to show a Justice League International style line-up with Hawkman, Booster Gold, Nightwing (Dick Grayson), Shazam! (Billy Batson), Red Tornado, Black Canary and Batgirl (Barbara Gordon) being included. It also had comments added to these issues with Silva saying, "I can’t talk about it. :)" So with this it looks like whether now, or later this will be a big contender for a New 52 title, and I see it happening sooner, and most likely being one of the remaining two series. I do however hope that it's got a different tile than Justice League International, as I think it would have made cancelling the previous series pointless, and I don't think it's been long enough for DC to be reviving cancelled titles, even if they do have good material, just make a similar title with a different name. The line-up also interests me, as with a previous Justice League International member, a current Justice League of America member, and a member that looks to be joining the normal Justice League team will they be on two teams. What would be interesting however would be the return of Booster Gold, as he's not appeared since the end of Justice League International Annual #1. I probably however wouldn't get this series, as I wasn't overly interested in the previous JLI series.

Gallery

Shazam!

Shazam! has been featuring in the Justice League back-ups for well over a year now, and with his origin story coming to an end following Justice League #21 could he get his own title? It's obvious that he'll feature as a member of the Justice League some time soon, but with the the popularity of this back-up story is there a chance that Shazam! will get his own series? This is one I see getting made into a series sooner, or later, and it's one that I'd love to read. Do I think it will be one that fills one of the remaining gaps in the New 52? If I was being honest I don't think he will. I think it's been a good back story in the Justice League series, but I think that this was only planned to give newer readers some background history on the character before introducing him to the team, as he's a more complex character, and although he has a big fan base it's not quite as big as the likes of Batman or Superman. I also don't think that Geoff Johns would have the time to write the series, and I also don't think that Gary Frank would be able to commit doing a full size issue each month, but if it ever got as good a writer, and artist as these two I'd be happy, but as I doubt it will any time soon I kinda hope Shazam! doesn't get a series, but I'd like to see it happen sometime in the not too distant future.

Fellow ComicViner @broo1232 thinks that he will get his own ongoing series, and you can see his blog on this subject here.

Red Robin

Many fans have been upset with the way Tim Drake has been used in the New 52, and more so with the changes of his origin. There are also a lot of Tim Drake fans that get Teen Titans as a way to see the former Robin, and would love nothing more than to see him get his own ongoing series. So should he get it, and will he? I think he will as there has been a lot of ask for it, and you have to remember he did star in his own ongoing series' for the better part of 20 years, in both Robin, and Red Robin. It would also be nice to see Tim back in Gotham City more often, and mixing it with Batman more often as well, as since the start of the New 52 he's not really been in Gotham much. I also think that DC are more likely to give it to Tim as he's going down an interesting path in Teen Titans the now, plus they love adding Batman related series whenever they can, and although I don't think this is a good enough reason to give Tim a series, I'd still love to see one anyway. I do however think that it needs a more consistent writer, as although I've enjoyed Scott Lobdell on Teen Titans it has been inconsistent.

Cyborg

Another character that many feel should have had his own series by now is Cyborg. He's the only original member of the New 52 Justice League not to have his own series, and I for one feel that a bit unfair. I understand that DC would be skeptical with two members that haven't always done good in solo series in the past, with both Cyborg, and Aquaman getting solo series, so I understand that they haven't done both, just going with Aquaman, but the Aquaman series is brilliant so why can't Cyborg have a brilliant series. I think the reason for this is that there isn't a good enough writer that can work on the character, and until someone like Geoff Johns frees up time, I doubt there'll be one. I would however love to see Cyborg in his own series, and I think that DC putting him in the center a bit more, giving him a bigger role in Throne of Atlantis, which followed into Justice League #18 hows that they're trying to do more with him, and you never know he may one day get his own series, but I don't think it's the now.

Martian Manhunter

Another character that fans have been wanting to see get his own series is Martian Manhunter. A lot of fans have been upset with the new Justice League origin having the Martian Manhunter replaced with Cyborg, and have wanted a series for the character. But should it be a solo series? He's appeared in Stormwatch, and more recently Justice League of America, but is it time for J'onn J'onzz to get his own series? No. Simple as that, he's just started appearing in the back-up stories of the new Justice League of America series, so I don't think it'd be right giving him his own series at the same time, and I doubt DC would do this anyway. I'm not saying that he shouldn't get his own series some time, but not just now. I personally have never been a huge fan of the character, but I'm not putting any personal feelings into this, as I'm actually enjoying seeing him in the JLA series, and feel that he should only feature there the now, especially considering DC have cancelled things like The Savage Hawkman (although it deserved to get cancelled). I also feel that having Martian Manhunter solely in the JLA seires is the right thing, as it builds up the opinion of skeptics like me, giving a bigger fan base when the time comes for him to have his own series, and it builds up the excitement for if it happens, which I'm sure it will someday.

So what are the two series I think will fill the spot out of these? I would like it to be Shazam!, and Red Robin, but I think I'll only get one of them as I feel DC are more likely to do a Red Robin series, and a Justice League International style series, although I wouldn't be surprised with DC if it lands up being none of these.

Thanks for taking the time to read this feature and please feel free to leave a comment expressing your thought on this topic, and what you think should fill the remaining two spots in the New 52.

I've been a Quentin Tarantino fan for quite a few years now, and I'm also a huge fan of the Sergio Leone Spaghetti Westerns. So when I heard the Tarantino was doing a western I was really looking forward to it, more so than any other Tarantino film.

Plot

SPOILER FREE

This film sees the character Django (Jamie Foxx) freed by former Dentist turned Bounty Hunter Dr. King Schultz (Christoph Waltz) on the condition that he helps him find a particular bounty. He then makes a new deal where he will help him find his wife, Brunhilde von Shaft (Kerry Washington) if he agrees to become his bounty hunting partner over the winter.

Review

This was a fantastic film, and one of the best Tarantino has done yet. I still personally prefer Pulp Fiction, and Kill Bill Vol. 1, but this film is as good, if not better than any other film Tarantino has made. This film couldn't have pleased me anymore than it did as it was the perfect blend of a Spaghetti Western film with Tarantino's own unique blend of comedy, and violence. What I love about Tarantino's films are that you get something that's unique, and although it doesn't always work out 100%, he always puts effort in, and produces a very entertaining film. Quentin Tarantino like he's done in the past with his previous films also has a cameo appearance in this film playing an employee of the The LeQuint Dickey Mining Co. This has to be my favorite cameo from him, as it was hilarious. I won't say much more about it as it comes quite late in the film, and I want to avoid spoilers, but it was a very funny sequence.

I will however warn that this film isn't for the faint of heart, as it is very bloody, and violent, and has some sequences that might even offend Tarantino fans, as a horse is shot in the head. This personally didn't bother me, as it wouldn't have been a real horse, but there are some people who would maybe feel a bit squeamish, or upset, so I thought I'd warn you.

I'll move on next to another touchy subject, the language used in the film. I read that there was a lot of controversy over the overly repeated use of the word "nigger" (offensive word so blocked as to avoid any offense, highlight to reveal). I totally understand why this may offend people, and due to me not being one of them people I can't really give a fair point on that. What I will say is that I personally took it with a pinch of salt, and understood that it would be accurately right for the time period, even if it was offensive. I would however advice people to take this as a pinch of salt like I did, and try and forget it, as the film is very entertaining. I would also say that if you think you'd be offended by this not to see the film, as there's no point in going to the cinema to get upset.

The casting in this film was perfect. Initially I wasn't too sure what to make of Jamie Foxx playing the lead role, as I've never been a huge fan of him in the past, but he did a tremendous job as Django. Although I say this I wan't overly surprised that he was good as I have quite enjoyed him in films in the past and he played Ray Charles brilliantly in Ray, and also did a good job in Collateral, which co-stared Tom Cruise. I loved that he played a character who's a bit timid at the start, being a slave with nothing to defend himself, and I especially liked that he quickly learned to defend himself, taking every opportunity that he could. I also loved the emotion that he portrayed in the character cause at the end of the day it's the determination to be reunited with the woman he loves that drives him throughout the film.

Leonardo DiCaprio was also another surprisingly good choice of actor for this film. Don't get me wring DiCaprio has done some amazing films over the years, with Inception, and Shutter Island jumping straight to mind, but I never envisioned him in either a western film, or more importantly as Quentin Tarantino film. He did however do a tremendous job as plantation owner "Monsieur" Calvin Candie. The character was right for DiCaprio and after seeing the film I would be surprised if anyone could have done as good a job, and even more so if someone could do a better job. I especially liked how his teeth were dirty, and miss-coloured due to the amount of smoking that he does. Although this is a very minor detail I hate seeing films were they live in poor conditions, or in Candie's case poor health choices that they appear to have perfect teeth, and nails, whereas in reality they'd either have very dirty teeth, or missing teeth. I also loved the enthusiasm that DiCaprio put into the character, as he could turn from a very friendly individual into a very vicious one, and DiCaprio showed that well.

My favorite actor in this film however was Christoph Waltz. Having seen him in other films, including Tarantino's Inglorious Bastards I expected him do do a good job, but he exceeded my expectations and did a truly outstanding job. He was without a shadow of the doubt the best character in the film as Dr. Schultz. He brought a lot of class, and humor to the film, as his character was well educated, but did things that were so unexpected, that they were hilarious. I also thought that the character was the perfect companion to Django, as he took him under his wing teaching him how to become a brilliant bounty hunter, then he plotted an elaborate plan to help Django reunite with his wife. Waltz did a tremendous job in this film, and truly deserves the BAFTA for Best Supporting Actor.

The rest of the supporting cast was also brilliant including Samuel Jackson as Stephen, "Monsieur" Candie's senior house slave. Jackson has been in nearly every Tarantino film since Pulp Fiction, but this is probably his best performance. He is so funny in this film that I found it hard to stop laughing. Kerry Washington also did a fantastic job as Brunhilde, and the chemistry between her and Jamie Foxx was outstanding.

I will now talk more extensively about the violence in this film. Anyone who's watched any of Tarantino's films know that they are full of violence, strong language, and wherever possible humor. This film however had a lot of violence, an baring Kill Bill Vol. 1 probably the most violence, and blood in any of Tarantino's films to date. The violence in this film was that violent that it felt a bit ridiculous, but in a good way. The violence was that shocking, and unexpected that at certain points I was actually laughing at it. There was also a couple of points were Tarantino was also able to add humor to the violence, which was very nice.

Final Verdict

This was a truly tremendous film, and one of the best Tarantino has made to date. It is also a brilliant western, and I would recommend it to anyone that's either a fan of westerns, or Quentin Tarantino. I will however give a final warning about the controversial elements of the film, as well as the amount of violence, as some people may be offended.

Rating: 5/5

After seeing The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, which is the first part of a three part adaptation of J. R. R. Tolkien's great novel the Hobbit, which itself has gotten more fame as a prequel to the Lord of the Rings trilogy, I decided to read the book again. I haven't read this book in over 10 years, and having shamefully never owned the book (having read it previously from a Library) had to buy a copy, so got the movie cover version, and at a very reasonable price (Tesco: £2.95).

Plot

This book shows how Bilbo Baggins is persuaded by the Wizard Gandalf, and a party of thirteen Dwarves, who are lead by Thorin Oakenshield, to be their burglar, and join them on a journey to retrieve their treasure from the Dragon Smaug in the Lonely Mountain.

Review

It's easy to forget that this book was originally intended for children, as the Lord of the Rings books aren't. Although this is written for children, which is very noticeable near the start, it is still a joy to read for people of all ages. Although there are talking dragons, birds, and other creatures that wouldn't usually talk, it is still a very sophisticated story, and it's easy to believe that these creatures can talk, and I actually think the story wouldn't be the same otherwise. I also realised whilst reading this that I remembered very little from my first read through all those years ago, so I was also able to enjoy this read through even more.

The first chapter sees Bilbo visited by Gandalf, and offered to join in an adventure. When Bilbo refuses Gandalf puts a mark on his door which lets the Dwarves that are on his adventure know where to meet him later, unknown to Bilbo, who is later visited by the Dwarves. The way this story starts was brilliant, and I loved how a character who has never had any adventure in his life, and is from a family that is respected, who's also a descendent of the Took's, a Hobbit family known for going on adventures, is torn between the two sides of his genetic nature. The chapter itself was also very funny, and I loved how this polite Hobbit that didn't want to seem rude was getting very confused with the amounting guests that were apparently invited without his knowledge. When Gandalf eventually arrived it was even funnier, as Bilbo knew exactly what was going on, and how he was persuaded to join their adventure was also very interesting.

Bilbo's development throughout this book was probably the best, and most interesting thing about it, and rightfully so. How this small Hobbit who kept to himself, and didn't partake in anything that a Hobbit would class as out of the ordinary, changed throughout this novel was outstanding, and I have as much love for this character whilst reading this book as I did for Frodo Baggins in the Lord of the Rings trilogy. It was also interesting to see how the opinion people had towards Bilbo changed throughout the events of this book, and how his own opinion changed with it. The way he changes from a frightened timid character, who sometimes regrets joining this adventure, to a slightly brave character who shows brilliant intellect was also interesting.

The Dwarves in this story were also very interesting, and due to being the main supporting characters I started to actually feel for these characters, whether they were in danger or not, and whether they were in the right or not. The changes in the Dwarves throughout this book was also interesting, and Thorin more than the others. Although all the other Dwarves were nothing but friendly throughout this novel, Thorin was sometimes very moody, and felt was constantly changing his mind about Bilbo throughout the book, seeing him as a nuisance near the start. The Dwarves nature was also an interesting point in this tale, as throughout the story there was some knew trait of the Dwarves revealed, whether from their actions or what others said about Dwarves. The thing that was noticeable about the Dwarves throughout this story was that they were very loyal to each other, and Bilbo, and treated him like one of their own, helping him as much as they could.

The other characters throughout this story was also interesting, and one of the main things that made this story constantly interesting. Beorn the skin-changer was the character I found the most interesting, and the way Gandalf knew how to win his aid was perfectly written, and thought out. What I enjoyed about Beorn was that although he kept to himself, and although he was very untrusting, once he did trust someone he was the best ally they could have. Elrond was also featured in this story giving Gandalf, Bilbo, and the Dwarves shelter in the early part of their journey. Although he didn't really do much in this novel his appearance was still appreciated as I liked the character in the Lord of the Ring books, and films. The Eagles and Wood-Elves were also very good additions, and had very interesting sequences. It was also nice to see them later in the story during the Battle of Five Armies.

The Dragon Smaug was also a very interesting creature, and knowing that the Dwarves, and Bilbo would eventually encounter this creature also made you want to continue reading. As I said earlier the Dragon speaking made the sequence even better and his conversation with Bilbo was very interesting. I did however feel that the fate of Smaug was slightly disappointing, and that he could have played a bigger role than he actually did. This did however create a brilliant twist to this already fantastic story.

The one ring featured in the Lord of the Rings was also interested in this book, which all Lord of the Rings fans will know, and this is the main reason this book is classed as a prelude to Lord of the Rings. As most people will know he got the ring from Gollum, who wasn't too happy with losing his, "precious." His encounter with Gollum was also very entertaining, and the way he had to trade riddles with the creature to secure his escape from the Misty Mountains. The unusual split personality of Gollum was also featured very well during this story, and acted exactly like he did in Lord of the Rings. The ring itself also had a big role in this story being the tool of Bilbo's plans, and with it's ability to turn Bilbo invisible, it became very useful. It was very interesting seeing the ring use it's true power, as due to the nature of Lord of the Rings it wasn't shown as much during that story.

Final Verdict

A very entertaining read for all ages, and if you've seen the film you will love this. If you were however disappointed with the film I would still recommend trying this book, as it's brilliant, and has a slightly different tone than the film does.

Rating: 4.5/5

Welcome to another addition of Hits and Misses. This is where I will be taking a look at the comics I liked and dislike this week, and things about certain comics that made it stick out. This Hits and Misses is for the comics I read released on the 12/12/12.

WARNING: MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS!

Hits

First up this week is Batman #15 which continues the main part of Death of the Family. This issue saw the other members of the Bat-Family confront Batman about the calling card from Joker that Batman supposedly has, and whether Joker actually knows all their secret identities. This was another amazing issue, and this story is looking to be the best Batman story in years. The way Joker has turned the entire Bat-Family slightly against Batman was brilliant, and the Joker has been brilliant throughout this story. Although not all of the tie-ins have been good, I'm happy that this, the main story has been fantastic. Scott Snyder has done a brilliant job of brining Joker back into Batman's life, and although Joker's always been an unpredictable psycho, there hasn't been a Joker quite like this one. I've also enjoyed seeing previous encounters between Batman and the Joker retold throughout this story, and love how the pages have lines through them giving a scratched tape feel about it, so you know it's old. The addition of the Bat-Family in this issue also allowed Joker to take a step back, and although Joker's domination of this story has been very well written, it's nice to have a break, and add more variables to the story in the form of the Bat-Family. Greg Capullo's artwork has also been very good over both this story, and the entire series. Although his artwork isn't as beautiful as other artists, it's still very detailed, and the way he draws Joker in this story is marvellous.

Next up is The Walking Dead #105. I started reading The Walking Dead after hearing about it getting turned into a TV series, and ever since I've been hooked buying all the trade paper backs, and comics from that moment on. It's been about the only series I can think of where I've enjoyed every single issue, and that's saying a lot when there's over a hundred. Okay, not all of them are as good as the previous, and some are much better than others, but I've enjoyed them all. This issue sees Carl caught after killing several of Negan's men. Negan later asks him to remove the bandage over his eye, and for the first time since he was shot in the eye, we get to see the damage. Most issues in this series average at a 4 or a 4.5, but this shot the rating all the way to the to. Besides that the story was also very good, and you could feel the emotions coming from Carl, who has tried to act as tough as he can. It's easy to forget that Carl is only a child, but this issue reminds you easily, and it's hard not to feel sorry for him. It also shows that Negan isn't totally cruel, and that there is more to him than meets the eye. This series has also been known for it's brilliant cliffhangers, but this issues isn't as good a cliffhanger, and some people may not even consider it as one. This is easily forgiveable as the issue was amazing in ever other way with brilliant writing from Robert Kirkman, and amazing art from Charlie Adlard.

Batgirl #15 was also a very good issue, and has easily been the next best instalment in Death of the Family. This issue sees Batgirl placed with the ultimatum of marrying the Joker to save her mother. This issue also jumped back and forth from a flashback showing a therapy session of Joker's. It's this last part that made this issue not quite as good as the previous, and although it revealed it's purpose nearer the end I still felt that in unnecessarily clogged up the issue. The interaction between Batgirl and Joker in this issue was brilliant, and I loved that Batgirl thought of her mother before herself. It was also nice to see Batgirl let loose in this issue, and finally get a little revenge on the man that made her paralysed. It was also interesting to see her contemplating breaking her vow not to kill anyone, but after all Joker has put her through in the past it's hard to blame her. There was also sad news, not much longer than a week ago when it was announced that Gail Simone would no longer be writing Batgirl following issue 17. This wasn't nice news as I've recently became a fan of this series, and it's her writing that makes it as good as it is.

Another couple of good issues this week was Scarlet Spider #12 and Before Watchmen: Rorschach #3. Christopher Yost did an amazing job on Scarlet Spider and it was probably one of the best issues I've read in the series, and was a brilliant Christmas story. Although Rorschach was still a very good issue, it was slightly disappointing compared to the previous two. With only one issue left I hope it ends with a bang, and is worthy of not just the character, but the first two brilliant issues.

Gallery

Misses

First miss of the week is Ultimate Comics Iron Man #3. Although this series has been slightly enjoyable, most of it hasn't, and with only one issue remaining I can only hope it ends fantastically. I had high hopes for this series and it's no were near lived up to them. We've not even seen the Ultimate version of Mandarin yet, and although it's probably a good idea in theory, as it builds up suspense, the story that has circled around it has mad me care less about the conclusion, as I just want the series to end. This issue was also very dull, with the end of Iron Man's battle with the drones from last issue, followed by a boring sequence where Tony thinks of a way to infiltrate Mandarin. It did however end very well with a nice cliffhanger, but unless the final issue is brilliant I will be very disappointed. Although I've liked that it's referenced from previous series, and kept stuff from current series, the things that it's dropped have been a bit disappointing. Like for instance the tumour he talks to in Ultimate Comics Ultimates. Although some people may have not liked that concept, I did, and for this series not to even mention it questions the whole continuity of the Ultimates universe, and whether this is nothing more than another Iron Man story, but in the Ultimate universe.

Next miss of the week was Suicide Squad #15. I had very high hopes for this tie-in to Death of the Family but it was very disappointing. The starter issue revolved around the Suicide Squad a lot more than the story between Harley, and Joker, and although this issue showed the conclusion to the story it wasn't what I'd hoped for, and I questioned whether it was necessary. The relationship between Joker and Harley has been a big thing since her introduction in the 90's Batman Animated Series, but this story didn't utilise the full potential of their relationship. It has also always been known that Haley would do anything for "Mr. J", and although it's obvious she wouldn't let him kill her, I would have still thought she would have tried to reason with him more. Amanda Waller also mentioned that Joker was doing this because he loved Harley, and that he felt he lost her. Although Joker's possibly crazier than ever I still think he wouldn't want to kill Harley, especially if he loved her, and due to Deadshot being dead why would he think he'd lost her. I've not read much of Suicide Squad before this but I understand that Harley and Deadshot had a relationship, which wouldn't have amused Joker. Although Joker would have been mad due to this I still think due to Deadshot being dead that he would try to win Harley back round to him and not kill her. I also think this is a disappointment for anyone like me who has gotten this due to the Death of the Family crossover, as this didn't really add much to the overall story.

Final miss of the week is Iron Man #4. This series has been very inconsistent, and after the last issue showing promise for the series future I was sad to see the quality drop. I think the main thing that has hindered the constancy of this series has been that each issue is a stand alone issue, within a bigger story. These stand alone issues have also been very different from each other with only the Extremis armour being the thing that links them. I understand that writers want to vary a series, but I don't think it's a very good idea to be doing this at the start of a series, as it may confuse newer readers. There were however a few good points in this issue, and the catacombs, and "Lovecraft" women were amongst them. Although I didn't like the reference the women themselves were brilliant, and the way they've been turned into unemotional monsters was very interesting. The art from Greg Land was also not perfect, but it never is. Don't get me wrong his art is nice to look at, but the way he draws women similar, and that they are all beautiful is annoying. I was however happy to see that the awkward facial expressions were minimal in this issue, with only a few in it. I don't know whether I want this series to get better, as it would be nice, but at the same time if it didn't it would be one less series I'd get, as I'd drop it from my pull list.

That's it for this weeks Hits and Misses. Tell me what you think of it, and what your opinions of this weeks comics in the comments section.

This was originally featured on my website: http://imaginationcentre.blogspot.co.uk/

Welcome to another addition of Hits and Misses. This is where I will be taking a look at the comics I liked and dislike this week, and things about certain comics that made it stick out. This Hits and Misses is for the comics I read released on the 5/12/12.

WARNING: MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS!

Hits

First up this week is Deadpool #3. This has been one of the best things to have came out of Marvel NOW! Okay, it may not be the best series in Marvel NOW! but considering the difference between this series and it's predecessor besides Indestructible Hulk there isn't anything with a bigger increase. Brian Posehn and Gerry Duggan have been doing a tremendous job and they've been able to make this a fun series with some brilliant jokes, and ton's of action. This issue sees Deadpool ask Doctor Strange for help against the undead presidents, and he also lands up facing not 1, but 4 undead presidents in the form of, George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, and Gerald Ford together, and Richard Nixon later. My favourite part of this issue was when Deadpool said, "I can't wait to pound that Dick," referring to Richard Nixon, then asking Dr. Strange if he has a spell to undo what he said. Besides that there is great action and ton's of brilliant fights. Tony Moore also has to get a big thanks for his artwork so far on this series as it's been one of the best Deadpool art I've ever seen. I'll finish talking about this comic by saying that I also liked how Deadpool broke the fourth wall in this issue, as he's well known for it, so I was happy to see it in this issue.

Next up is Avengers #1 which starts an new Avengers series written by Jonathan Hickman with art from Jerome Opena. This series begins with a new Avengers foe named Ex Nihilo wants to evolve Earth into a new era and how he plans on using the Avengers to do that. This was a brilliant start to what I hope will be an amazing series. Hickman brings a similar style to the one he used during his Fantastic Four run and adds it to this new Avengers book giving a different feeling to the team. This issue also features the Avengers that where in the Avengers movie (Captain America, Iron Man, Thor, Hulk, Hawkeye, and Black Widow) which helps ease newer readers who have seen the film into the series. This issue also had a small teaser for the upcoming New Avengers series, which is also written by Hickman. The teaser has Captain America dreaming of this new team and although I think the New Avengers series sounds good it wasn't necessarily the best way to advertise it. The new villain Ex Nihilo was also very interesting and I look forward to seeing more of him. Opena brings his amazing artwork to this series, and I'm happy to see his work again, as I've missed it since he left Uncanny X-Force.

As Spider-Man crawls towards his big 700th issue during his 50th year The Amazing Spider-Man #699 produces another great teaser for the upcoming milestone issue. This issue explains how Doctor Octopus was able to switch bodies with Spider-Man. The way it was explained was very interesting, and I loved how the story was told through Peter's thoughts in Doc Oc's body was also very good, and showed the sense of desperation that's going through Peter very well. Dan Slott has really done something great and I have really enjoyed his work. Although the last couple of issues of this series haven't been as fun as the others they have still been very good and I've never been as excited to read a Spider-Man issue as much as I am waiting for issue 700 to come out, so I thank Slott for that. Humberto Ramos also returned doing art on this issue, and although I still don't like how he draws Doc Oc, the rest of his art is amazing and I loved how he showed the evil on Spider-Man's now that Doc Oc is in his body.

Another couple of brilliant issues were Punisher: War Zone #2 were Black Widow was in search of the Punisher, and Hawkeye #5 which concluded Clint's tale to retrieve the tape that has him killing a terrorist on it. Both these issues are great and I will be sad when Greg Rucka's run on Punisher ends at the end of War Zone. Matt Fraction also continues amazing work on Hawkeye, although the ending of this story wasn't quite as good as the start.

Gallery

Misses

The first miss for this week is Action Comics #15 Action Comics #15. I loved the start of Grant Morrison's run on this series but the last couple of issues have been poor, and this one was extremely poor. I can understand why some people may like this issue but I personally didn't. I felt that the story was all over the place too much, and at times hard to understand. I try my hardest to like Grant Morrison's work, as he's done such great work in the past, but the last couple of issues of this series have been very poor. I understand that Morrison is trying to do something different in the series but all this 5th Dimension stuff isn't pleasing me. I also didn't like how the issue jumped backwards and forwards in time, and how the old woman was giving Superman memories of things that are yet to come. the new villain in this issue was also a bit disappointing, and doesn't actually seem serious. Overall I think the jumping about, and confusion of parts in this issue made it hard to read and I personally hope the series goes away from this direction.

Earth 2 #7 is the next miss for this week. This issue wasn't actually that bad, but at the same time disappointed. The cover for starters suggests that Hawkgirl and Green Lantern would fight, apparently to the death also. This never happened, and the issue was mainly revolved around Amir Kahn not trusting Terry Sloane. It's already been established that Sloane isn't to be trusted, so is there any need to waste the better part of an issue emphasising it. The sequence between Hawkgirl and Green Lantern was however good, and the only thing I really liked in this issue. However it didn't last as long as it should have, and after expecting to see a fight it was disappointing that it never really happened. Flash also not appearing in this issue was also disappointing as he's the character I've liked the most in this series. I also didn't like the change in artist. Don't get me wrong, Yildiray Cinar's art was good but I'd much rather Nicola Scott was doing the art as her arts been one of the main things I've liked about this series. Overall I didn't mind this issue, but it felt to much like a filler and was very disappointing in most parts.

Final miss for this week in Worlds' Finest #7. This issue was actually better than the series has been so far but not enough to save it from the axe, as I will be dropping this series after this issue. This issue continues from the last with Damian and Huntress searching for the group that have been stealing money from Damian's dad Bruce Wayne, A.K.A. Batman. Meanwhile Power Girl travels to find the weapons base which this money is funding. I liked the interaction between Damian and Huntress as they both had a version of Batman as they're father. I actually liked how Damian was written in this issue, and felt that he stayed true to character. I also loved how Damian was wary of Huntress. I also liked how Damian and Huntress acknowledged each other as kind of brother and sister. Besides that the issue was still poor. The progression of the story felt slow at certain points, and then rushed at others. I also didn't like Power Girl's involvement in this issue. I understand that due to her being one of the two main characters in this series it wouldn't be right removing her from an issue, and that would probably annoy die hard fans. I however think it would have been better to have removed her from this story to give more time showing the development of Damian and Huntresses relationship. Overall this was a fun issue and it will please some people, but it was too little to late and will be the last issue I'll be getting.

That's it for this weeks Hits and Misses. Tell me what you think of it, and what your opinions of this weeks comics in the comments section.

This was originally featured on my website: http://imaginationcentre.blogspot.co.uk/

This is a new feature I will be doing, and I will try and produce it each week. I will be taking a look at the comics I liked and dislike this week, and things about certain comics that made it stick out. This Hits and Misses is for the comics I read released on the 28/11/12.

WARNING: MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS!

Hits

First up this week is All-New X-Men #2. All-New X-Men #2 was written by Brian Michael Bendis, and drawn by Stuart Immonen, it featured the X-Men of the past coming to the present. This was the second instalment of All-New X-Men this month, and it didn't disappoint. This is what I wanted to see more of in the previous issue so it was nice that it got a full issue to focus on it. The interaction between the younger X-Men from the past and Wolverine's X-Men from the present was brilliantly done, with specific reactions being more entertaining (e.g. Iceman's at his younger self, and the younger Iceman at his future self).The way Immonen drew this issue was amazing and really made it lovely to look at, with great details and ton's of emotion. Beast's health is also an interesting subject, which has been brought up in this story, as it's easy to forget about his further mutation, and whether or not it's able to kill him. This issue has also set-up a lot for the next couple of issues, and I will be as interested to see what Cyclops' reaction to the younger X-Men, Jean in particular, as much as I was interested in Wolverine's reaction.

Next up is Masks #1, written by Chris Roberson and painted by Alex Ross. I wasn't originally sure if I was going to get this series due to my already stretched budget but when I noticed it was only an 8 parter, and with Alex Ross' artwork I had to get it. In this issue the law becomes unjust and Green Hornet and Kato's perspective of what the law stands for changes. They decide to work alongside the Shadow and the Spider to fight the law and bring justice back to New York. Zorro was also featured in this issue being unjustly arrested. This was a brilliant issue and Alex Ross' arts are truly beautiful. The story that brought all these hero's together was brilliant and it was interesting to see Green Hornet and Kato swayed towards the Shadows methods. The only negative thing I have to say is that the way the Spider was introduced wasn't very good, and felt like here you go I'll help, but apart from that minor thing the issue was brilliant, and worth the buy even if only for Ross' art. Future issues will also feature Black Bat, Miss Fury, Black Terror, Green Lama and others.

Thor: God of Thunder #2 was also and exceptionally good issue, and Jason Aaron continues to do an amazing job. I was initially sceptical about how good this series would be after Aaron's poor run of Incredible Hulk, but both issues in this series so far have been phenomenal. The way he writes the God of Thunder is amazing, and the new villain he's introduced really pushes Thor to his limits. Another thing I wasn't initially sure if I'd like was Thor through the ages, but this has been one of the best things about this series, and the thing that makes it unlike any other Thor series. This issue sees Thor fight the God Butcher in his earlier life, prior to wielding Mjolnir. Thor's arrogance and overconfidence is shown perfectly throughout his youth, but once he realises how dangerous the God Butcher is he soon gets serious. Esad Ribic's artwork in this issue is amazing but some of the facial expressions are a bit awkward. It will be interesting to see the progression of the God of Thunders battle against the God Butcher.

Another couple of great issues out this week was Batman Incorporated #5, giving another look at Damian's future as Batman, and Superman #14, which start's the Superman section of H'el on Earth. Both issues were brilliant and both Grant Morrison and Scott Lobdell did a tremendous job writing their respective series. Chris Burnham also did amazing art on Batman Inc., whilst Kenneth Rocafort did beautiful art on Superman.

Gallery

Misses

First and biggest miss of this week, from what I read, was Teen Titans #14. I have overall enjoyed this Teen Titans series and found it a really fun series, but the last couple of issues haven't been great, and this one was even worse. This issue just felt too rushed and all the things I was looking forward to seeing felt dull due to this. It's such a shame as Scott Lobdell did such a great job on Superman #14 this week, and seeing this rushed, mediocre issue was disappointing. I was looking forward to the Wonder Girl origin story but it was very disappointing. I was expecting to see a lot of emotion and chemistry between Wonder Girl and Diesel in this issue, but it turned out not to be as much as I expected. It's obvious during the issue that Wonder Girl still has feelings for Diesel, but the confrontation between the two just felt too rushed to show the right levels of emotion. I did however like how Red Robin's feelings towards Wonder Girl have leaved more questions and look forward to seeing the development of this. Overall I felt that this issue was just rushed, so it could easily get to the Death of the Family crossover next issue, whilst setting up possible future storyline's at the same time. I do however hope the Death of the Family crossover will be good and it's interesting that it's crossing over with Lobdell's other series, Red Hood and the Outlaws.

Ultimate Comics Iron Man #2 is next in the misses section. This series hasn't really done much to amaze me in the first two issue that have been released which isn't a good thing, especially when it's a 4 issue limited series. I don't know whether I like the main story or not. The mystery is a nice element, and I'm interested to see what the Ultimate version of Mandarin will be, whether the organisation like the story's hinting, or a similar version to the normal Mandarin. I wasn't too sure on the Drones in this issue, and I've always felt that Drones in an Iron Man story is just filler to have a fight. Although the way Tony just casually goes to ask for Rhodey's help during a test isn't a surprise I still think that it's a bit too much, and that it would be a lot easier calling, although it's nice to see the characteristics kept. The only thing I really liked in this issue was how it referenced Tony's fathers death, and Black Widow's betrayal from The Ultimates 2 . Overall this issue wasn't bad, and the overall story is interesting but for a limited series the story is slowly dragging along, and was one of the poorer comics that I read this week.

Final instalment of this weeks Hits and Misses section is The Savage Hawkman #14. Since Rob Liefeld took over the writing of this series it's started to decline in quality. I was initially going to drop this series all together but the way the last story ended left an interesting question about Hawkman's past, which I wanted to find out. I've been disappointed with the story so far, and wasn't to happy that it involved other series (Green Arrow and Deathstroke). I was happy that this issue integrated both the Green Arrow and Deathstroke issues, but didn't like how it was done. Although this is a good thing for people who haven't read them issues it made them issues feel necessary, and it also wasted a good chunk of this issue re-telling the events from them. The bits of action in this issue were nice but it wasn't enough to save what was a issue that barley moved the story forward, if it did at all. This story hasn't made me want to continue getting this series after this story which is a shame, as it might be good once Liefeld's plot is removed, and it's a shame that what was once a brilliant series is now a very poor and disappointing one.

That's it for this weeks Hits and Misses. Tell me what you think of this new feature, and what your opinions of this weeks comics in the comments section.

This was originally featured on my website: http://imaginationcentre.blogspot.co.uk/

I'm probably not the only one with this thought/question but why can't Marvel just bring their series' out once a month and especially when they are priced at $3.99. I mean DC Comics manage to bring most if not all of their series' out only once a month with only 3 series' from The New 52 being priced at $3.99 to start with. Other companies like Image manage to bring their series out only once a mount also with most of their series being priced $2.99 so why can't Marvel.

Take The Amazing Spider-Man for instance issue 696 came out 24 October three weeks later issue 697 is out and one week after that issue 698 (this week) is out. I know that AMS is coming to it's grand conclusion in issue 700 but does it need to have one issue out a week after the previous. It's not the only one Marvel NOW! series like Iron Man are having issues out just two weeks apart. I don't want to seem like a moan but especially the higher priced ones should be once a month.

Comment your thoughts about this subject