The World of Hunchar

Flyers vs. Maple Leafs

2012-03-10T15:11:00.000-08:00

The Flyers put their 4 game winning streak on the line tonight against the Toronto Maple Leafs. It was stark contrast to the stumbling they experienced in February when they went 4-7-1.

Clearly, the biggest difference has been in goal. Ilya Bryzgalov, in the eyes of many, had not been earning his considerable contract with average play. He was letting softies through all the while frustrating his teammates with a non-team approach.

I'm not sure exactly what is different but things have changed. The defense corp had been decimated by injuries including a possible career-ending injury to captain Chris Pronger. The addition of Kubina and Grossmann (now with two Ns) seemed to help a bit. It certainly helped when Timonen and Meszaros got hurt recently.

Personally, I think some of this was a result of the offense playing a more defensive minded game. They seem more willing to block shots and be concerned less with risky plays. Interestingly enough they were rewarded for that play with a 5-0 victory against Florida on Thursday.

The end of Moebius

2012-03-10T12:18:00.000-08:00

Article first published as Comic Artist Jean Giraud, Better Known As MÅ“bius, Dies on Technorati.

Sad news arrived today that French comic book artist Jean Giraud passed away from cancer. I was very fond of his work. My father and I read the Heavy Metal magazines when I was younger. It was strange and weird and beautiful

Earlier today, pioneering French comic book artist Jean Henri Gaston Giruad passed away from cancer at the age of 73. Giruad, an award-winning artist and writer, was best known under his pseudonym of Mœbius.

Giraud was responsible for some of the greatest comic books, including Blueberry, La Garage Hermétique (The Airtight Garage), Arzach, and The Long Tomorrow. For his comic book art, he received numerous awards including 3 Harvey Awards, two Eisner Awards, an Inkpot Award, and a World Fantasy Award.

Born in the suburbs of Paris in 1938, Giraud had little formal art training and spent limited time at the Arts Appliqués. The artist's career began at a young age in the magazine world, creating a regular strip for the publication Far West. During this time he co-created his most iconic character, Lieutenant Blueberry. Blueberry went on to win several major awards, and has been translated into more than a dozen languages, as well as a feature film.

In 1975, Giraud and several prominent French artists founded the seminal magazine Métal Hurlant. The publication was adapted for American audiences under the name Heavy Metal, spawning two successful animated films. Giraud created content in America, including an innovative take on Marvel Comic's Silver Surfer.

Not limited to comic books and magazine's, Giraud provided artistic design and storyboard assistance to many films including Tron, Alien, Willow, The Abyss, The Fifth Element and Little Nemo In Slumberland. Giraud even appeared in the Blueberry film.

The outpouring of comments from the comic book industry has been considerable. Here is a quote from Sandman creator Neil Gaiman, reflecting on his first exposure to Giraud:

I was — what — 14, and on a French Exchange to Paris and this beautiful magazine filled with comics opened my mind to what comics could be, and the art of Jean Giraud, AKA Moebius, made it so powerful and perfect. He drew different stories in different styles, and everything was beautiful. I bought a copy. I could only afford the one copy, but one was enough.
Here are several tweets from various, other comic book creators:

@brubaker (writer Ed Brubaker) Without Moebius, no Alien, no Bladerunner, no Heavy Metal, the magazine and movie.
@BillWillingham (Fables writer) Moebius' stories never failed to take me, willingly and with giddy enthusiasm, anywhere he wanted me to go. RIP.
@JoeQuesada (Marvel Comics editor) R.I.P Moebius, perhaps one of the greatest artist to ever walk this earth.

Dark Horse Reviews for 3/7/12

2012-03-09T14:01:00.001-08:00

Article first published as Dark Horse Comics - New Release Reviews For March 7, 2012 on Technorati.

A small weak in volume but massive in quality.

Welcome to the first Dark Horse comics review of March in 2012. I know, March, right? The year has gone by so quick. It's a small week from Dark Horse Comics but a fantastic week, as well. Titles are scored on a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being the very best possible. We take the time to read these books so your time isn't wasted.

Hellboy - The Storm and The Fury

I was a little unclear of the significance of this collection when I first cracked it open. I'm a big fan of Hellboy and his universe but I don't pay much attention to what's happening in the news. So the whole year-long Hell On Earth event was always on the periphery. The regular B.P.R.D. books hinted at what's happened and what's coming but it was still vague.

That all changed when I read this trade paperback. It collected the three-issue miniseries The Storm and the three-issue miniseries The Fury. Each story dealt with Hellboy's ascension to King of England and his final battle against the Ogdru Jahad.

If you haven't read these miniseries, yet, stop reading this review. Right now.

SPOILERS

Everything that has come before has built up to this point. Hellboy's origins. His friends. His enemies. His weird adventures. His family. His loved ones. Everything has lead this wonderful and complicated character to the very thing he was brought into this world to do.

And he does it. He stops the greatest threat our world has ever faced. He faces a threat greater than he could ever imagine. Other forces marshaled to his aide and they managed to hold the line and snatch victory out of the jaws of defeat. In the middle of this, he manages to prevent his destiny from occurring.

But it came at the ultimate price. The underlying definition of a hero is one who is willing to become a martyr for his cause. And Hellboy gives everything he has to save everything he loves. Right down to his life.

I don't know if we've seen the last of Hellboy. I hope not. If we did, though, his story ended perfectly. Bravo Mike Mignola.

Score: 10 out of 10

The Goon - Issue 38

I wasn't sold on this series coming into this issue. I have a hard time getting excited about a story-line where the lead character isn't a hero. The Goon often will do the right thing but for all the wrong reasons. The rest of the time, he just does the wrong thing.

This issue changed everything for me. Creator, writer, and artist Eric Powell has woven an amazing tale of how a mother shapes the lives of their children. For good and for bad. This tale would be profound even if the current political climate wasn't so spiteful towards women's health and rights.
The title character is barely even in the story but it doesn't matter. This is about one woman and her journey to be more than she could ever have hoped for and the adversity she faced. You don't need to know anything about The Goon to enjoy this issue. This is just a wonderfully written story.

Score: 9.5 out of 10

A small week, yes. But all also an amazing week. Give The Goon a chance. This is the kind of comic that inspires and should be shared with anyone who will listen. And Hellboy: The Storm and The Fury should be offered to the heavens as humanity's application for godhood. It's that brilliant. Come on back next week as Dark Horse's uneven release schedule gives us 13 new releases.

I can't wait for more of this Hell On Earth story. Mignola is an amazing story-teller and it comes across in just about everything he does.

Silent House

2012-03-09T10:48:00.000-08:00

Article first published as Silent House - Movie Review on Technorati.

Here is the reprinting of my article in Technorati reviewing the new film Silent House. I saw this about 2 weeks ago and timed the review for opening day.

In 2010, Uruguayan filmmaker Gustavo Hernandez created a movie that presented true events that occurred in the 1940s in Uruguay. The film was called La Casa Muda. In 2011, American filmmakers Chris Kentis and Laura Lau attempted to remake the film for American audiences. Their film is the English translation of Silent House.

Though both these films share the same story and name, the biggest similarity is in how they were made. Each film was one continuous shot for the entire length of the film. For Silent House, this meant that Kentis and Lau had to film for eighty-plus mins straight in (mostly) one house to create their film. They are no strangers to tricky shoots with limited cast and location, having previously shot the horror film Open Water which deals with two people who are lost at sea and are trying to survive until rescued.

From a technical standpoint, the film is beyond superb. Though there are brief moments during the film where the viewer pauses to wonder if a particular shot was where a cut occurred, for the most part the technique is engrossing and terrifying. The camera-work is, almost, another character in the movie. It's sort of like a play where the audience moves around with the performers. It has all of the typical shots you expect from a horror film like the intense close-ups to show fear or the long shots of hallways where your mind wonders what is about to pop out.

Besides the brilliant camera-work, special attention must be given to the lighting and sound-design. The lighting, alone, is deserving of mention come award season as the mostly dark house is just perfectly illuminated so the viewer misses nothing. Most of the time the source is the lamps being carried but even the exterior lighting creates ambiance. The sound-design is pitch-perfect and appropriate for any atmospheric horror film as it properly heightens the tension and provides just the right amount of jumps to make the horror memorable.

An absolute stand-out in the film is lead actor Elizabeth Olsen. Olsen is a revelation in this role, as she is on camera just about the whole time and is the emotional center of the story. Her terror and shifting emotions are both real and powerful as she deals with present and past horrors. A lesser performance would have ruined the experience. Though she probably won't win awards for her performance, she is deserving of any attention this role brings.

The weakest aspect of this film is the plot. All gimmick, and little substance, the story follows a young woman and her father as they renovate a house in the middle of nowhere. Shortly after the film begins, her father is attacked and an intruder begins stalking her through the house. She has to use all of her pluck to survive. Along the way, secrets begin being revealed that make her question everything.

It's not a very original story. Nor does it make a lot of sense. Even when the secrets are revealed, they're more sad than dramatic. Honestly, it's more revolting than anything. Unfortunately, even the mystery at the heart of the story wasn't very difficult to figure out. Especially with some of the weaker performances by the supporting cast.

I have mixed feelings on this film. Technically it's amazing as is the performance of Elizabeth Olsen. From a story standpoint, it's weak and probably only good for one viewing. If you're really in the mood for a scary film it's a fine choice but anything more than that and you'll probably be disappointed.

I think this should do OK opening weekend. I doubt it will last long, though. The distributor doesn't seem to be opening it super-wide.

Stupid, lazy writers

2012-03-06T21:35:00.000-08:00

The article name on Yahoo! for the Flyers beating the Red Wings seemed strange to me:

Where I get confused is that the Flyers have significant injures as well. Um, Chris Pronger is the equivalent as Lidstrom except that his career might be over.

Timonen is just as bad as he is almost as important to us as Lidstrom is to them. Meszaros is hurt and he's like out #3 dman. JVR is out for 4-6 weeks with a broken foot.

Plus, douche-bag Kronwall knocked Voracek out with an elbow to the face. No penalty. Probably no supplemental discipline. And, of course, Jagr has the dreaded lower-body injury. Groin, anyone?

Still, the gritted out a great win. Talbot with the great shortie and Bryz getting another win. I think Bryz is starting to creep back into respectable statistics for a goalie.

Three straight wins. Only 8 points behind the Rangers, now. Even with the injuries, they're starting to show signs that maybe they won't be swept in the first round of the playoffs.

Curves?

2012-03-05T20:39:00.000-08:00

Yahoo!'s headline, just now, was about Taylor Swift and the curves she's showing off in some pictures of her at the beach. I read that and thought ... "Hmmm. Well, she's kind of cute in a perky way. Here's a screen capture:

So, I opened up the article and noticed the headline was a bit different. Then I saw the photo which I've screen captured here, as well:

Seriously, this is the shit that makes me hate the Mainstream Media. I'm not sure what annoys me more. Is it the sensational head-line (and me falling for them?) Or is it the irresponsible editorial aspects that continue to describe someone as curve-less as Taylor Swift as having curves?

She's not curvy. She's tiny. Not quite anorexic but not curvy. Which is a shame that they continue to do stuff like this. I mean, how is a teenage girl supposed to react to this? If this is what they're being told is curvy, no one wonder there are so many body issues girls deal with.

Flyers vs. Capitals

2012-03-04T13:21:00.001-08:00

The Philadelphia Flyers head to D.C. to play the Washington Capitals today at 7PM PST. Both teams are underachieving and are looking hoping today's game will be a step in the right direction.

The Flyers are coming off a 6-3 victory over the Islanders but since the All Star Break, they've been lethargic. At one point they lead the Eastern Conference but due to lack-luster scoring, team defense, penalty killing, and goal-tending they've dropped back to 5th overall and 12 points behind the Rangers.

The Capitals are currently out of the playoffs and this season has been a disaster. Super-star Alexander Ovechkin has been slumping and the team underperformed to the point where coach Bruce Burdreaue got fired. Replacement coach, and former Capital, Dale Hunter hasn't fared much better.

Philly will be without JVR who broke his foot blocking a shot. He'll miss the next 4 - 6 weeks. Rumors have Timonen out with some sort of injury.

The possible bright spot of this is the somewhat improved play of fumbling goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov. The anointed goalie of our next 9 years has not done well this season though signs pointing to him starting to find his groove. It's not perfect but maybe it's something to build on. Give him the starts.

Dark Horse Comics - New Release Reviews 2/29/12

2012-03-03T12:42:00.003-08:00

Article first published as Dark Horse Comics - New Release Reviews For February 29, 2012 on Technorati.

I'm not sure if there will be a column this week. Not having access to the books since Xybox died yesterday limits the offerings to just the new issue of The Goon. It may not be enough for me.

Not only is there a rocking extra day in the month of February, there are some cool releases from Dark Horse Comics this week including the new Angel & Faith and Usagi Yojimbo comics. Titles are scored on a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being the very best possible. We take the time to read these books so your time isn't wasted.

Angel & Faith Season 9 - Issue 7

Though the cover art was fine, the interior art just seemed off. It did everything it needed to do but it still came up a bit short in effort. This issue was back-story heavy and is rewarding for long time fans but will be confusing for new-comers.

Nothing seemed like it could compare to the shock of the return of a mentally sane Drusilla in last issue. However, once her motives became clear, a major point about Gilles was revealed that changes the tone of the series. Faith's reuniting with her father came in starts and stops.

Score: 7.5 out of 10

Usagi Yojimbo - Issue 144

This series continues to be the book all others are compared with. Though not quite as good as last issue, the story is treated with reverence. Even the recap of the prior issue seemed natural. A bit more combat focused than some issues, the reader is reminded that the world is full of complicated people and the good guys don't always win.

Score: 8 out of 10

Star Wars Crimson Empire III : Empire Lost - Issue 5 (of 6)

Very few of the monthly Star Wars comics being offered by Dark Horse are truly must-reads. Crimson Empire is not one of those series. Other than a rather exciting middle portion, everything else was boring politics and angst film arguments. Even the cliffhanger the issue opened with was not surprising at all. The artwork is terrible in both the cover and interior. Worst of all it's just not fun.

Score: 3.5 out of 10

King Conan : The Phoenix On The Sword - Issue 2 (of 4)

The Conan line has been, mostly, an enjoyable series of reads. Some have been clunkers and this issue fits that description. Though, the art has an attractive, classic fantasy art style, everything else is uninteresting. The fast majority of the story is one character talking about his life and another walking around.

Score: 5 out of 10

The Immortal: Demond In The Blood - Issue 3

The best aspect of this series is the translation for American readers. Manga never really seems to easily translate into English nor does it seems to make clear sense to Westerners. This series manages to bridge that divide and offers up an interesting philosophical discussion on what immortality means. This is punctuated with a lot of punching and shouting.

Score: 6.5 out of 7

Afrika - Hard Cover

The real surprise this week is the Belgian Graphic Novel, Afrika, by the artist known as Hermann. This is the first time it's been officially available in America and it's rather impressive. Typically, the artwork is the first thing grabbing the reader's attention and Afrika grabs you by the throat. Stunningly painted in water-colors, Afrika tells the tale of a guardian of an African preserve and the reporter who shatters his existence.

The story is beautiful and poignant, given the erosion of land and endangered species on our planet. It's a very dark, angry story that conveys the depths of the characters as they try to survive. The only knock is that the dialogue translation is a bit clunky. Anyone who has been enjoying the recent Milo Manara collections should find this just as rewarding.

Score: 8 out of 10

This was an excellent bunch of releases and you definitely should give Afrika and Usagi Yojimbo a try. Angel & Faith is recommended for Joss Whedon fans. Steer clear of Star Wars Crimson Empire III. Thank you for stopping buy on the Leap Week edition of Dark Horse Comics New Release Reviews. Next week we'll take a look at the new Goon comic.

Usagi Yojimbo is the best thing out this week even if it's not the best issue. It's still an excellent story worth your time.

Hard-drive down

2012-03-03T12:32:00.001-08:00

I'm sure you're all going to be despondent to hear this but my primary computer (Xybox) took a big dump, yesterday. The hard-drive seems to be dead as it really doesn't want to start up.

I'm hoping to have it up and running soon so my posts may become even more erratic.

In the interim, I'm using Compy Jr. and it's killing me. Xybox is a 17" Mac Book Pro and Compy Jr. is a 13" Mac Book.

I can't even go for my normal bike rides to the beach because some jack-hole stole my bike on Tuesday. Walked right up onto my porch and lifted it.

Oh, and my employer is going through a series of layoffs.

Fun week.

Conservative Passings

2012-03-01T13:14:00.000-08:00

I'm a liberal in the most zealous sense but I couldn't help but notice the passing of Andrew Brietbart. I can't say that I was overly sad at his passing. No more so than anyone else who dies at a less-typical age. 43 is unusual to die from natural causes. This is sad in and of itself.

A lot of people get maudlin when someone famous or noteworthy passes which I always thought was odd. There is this social mourning when celebs pass like Whitney Houston, recently. There is a weird disconnect as most people crying never met her. Or knew her. Though, perhaps through her art they found some sort of connection.

I didn't feel that in the slightest with Breitbart. I've seen him on Bill Maher and he came across like an ass who was in love with his own mouth. He was one of the worst conservative commentators that confused talking faster and louder than his opponent with debate.

Still, he seemed knowledgeable about the world around him even if I didn't agree with the way he interpreted it.

Why I'm writing this is that in January, another conservative commentator passed by the name of Tony Blankley. For those not familiar, he was a British born child actor who transitioned into writing and politics. He worked for Newt Gingrich during the 90s.

He, also, was a contributor for several years on KCRW's Left, Right, and Center. This was where he first came to my attention. I had been a fan of the show for a while. Mostly enjoying the wisdom from Robert Sheer and Arianna Huffington.

I found a quiet respect for Blankley on the show. I didn't agree with him, usually. Still, he generally was calm and reasonable and mostly very charming in the way he engaged in his discussions. He didn't drop bombs like Breitbart and I found myself pulling for him to sway me on his viewpoint.

For Breitbart, I'm sad for his family's loss. For Blankley, I'm sad for political discourse.

Flyers vs. Islanders

2012-03-01T11:04:00.001-08:00

The Flyers have their final meeting against the NY Islanders, tonight at home. This series has swung barely in Philly's favor with a 2-1-1 record. The Islanders used to be pretty easy to beat but their either better than they used to be or Philly has been taking them to lightly.

The Flyers are coming off a disappointing 1-0 loss against the Sharks on Tuesday. Bryz played great but the team couldn't score. This is different than the way they season started when they seemed to score at will. A nice middle-ground might mean some playoff wins.

I've seen a lot of hand-wringing about JVR's season and how expectations were high. I keep going back to John LeClair and his time in Montreal. He was always on the cusp and even had a great series the last time they won the cup. He had two game winners in that run.

It wasn't until he was paired with Eric Lindros and Mikael Renberg that he really got going. He was still a quiet guy that was just stronger than most he played against. Figure out the right line combo for JVR and look out. But don't trade him.

Flyers vs. Calgary

2012-02-25T11:34:00.002-08:00

The Flyers travel to Calgary to face the Flames at a 7PM PST match-up. Both teams had recently lost to Edmonton and both seem to be stumbling down the last stretch of the season.

In Philly's shutout loss to Edmonton, the typical Achilles Heel for the team of goaltending wasn't what lost it for them. It was the fact they didn't score at all. Strange for the second highest goal scoring team in the league.

The past few weeks, penalty killing has been their undoing and they need to tighten it up or the playoffs will be exactly 1 round. Even Kubina and Grossman haven't made the difference, yet. Perhaps as they get used to things it will improve.

Rumors are still swirling about the trade deadline and possible deals involving Philly. The names most frequently coming up are Nash and Nabokov. Nash would be a bad move as the Bluejackets want a lot for him and scoring isn't what we need.

Stable goaltending is what we need but we're too locked in with Bryz for much change to be on the horizon. Unless they can pull off a miracle by finding someone willing to take him on.
Otherwise they need to ride things out and hope he turns it on.

Silent House

2012-02-23T14:28:00.000-08:00

I'm going to a screening later tonight for this film. It looks pretty scary.

Political correctness?

2012-02-19T13:18:00.000-08:00

I'm confused by the MSM, including The Huffington Post. In a quest to be politically correct, yet not offends ethnic groups, they go out of their way to refer to the term "nigger" as the "n-word" int their articles.

It is a genuinely hurtful word. Howeverm it's purpose and role are evolving in America as new generations emerge. I'm no fan of the offending word but I'm not sure how to take the current controversy by ESPN and Jeremy Lin.

An ESPN employee was fired and another suspended for the use of the term "chink in the armor" in an article they posted about New York Knicks basketball player, Jeremy Lin. Now, without even knowing the context I assumed they meant that Lin was not the next Jordan and had some flaws to his game.

A chink in the armor means a flaw in the thing protecting you. A common expression. Perhaps not used as much in this day and age but a real one.

I guess people were upset that the word "chink" was used as it is derogatory towards Asians, particularly Chinese, which he is. Where I get thrown off is that Huffington Post writes the word "chink" but doesn't write the word "nigger" when talking about stories involving its usage.

Same with Yahoo Sports. They both appear to only use it when referencing ESPN's headline but no one seems to use the word "nigger" even if it's just in quotes.

To be fair, The New York Times doesn't use the word in their article, though its omission does take away from the story's impact.

Journalists and writers have the ability to give and take power from words. They have the ability to inspire and lead us through murky ethical and moral conundrums and I'm saddened when they are more concerned with not offending people than they are the truth.

Even if this is seems insignificant to some people.

Culture war

2012-02-19T08:57:00.000-08:00

I wonder if those old, fat, white men in the churches and government would be so gung-ho about about this attack on women's rights and birth control being covered by insurance if the same thing was applied to erection medication?

I mean, how would they molest kids then?

Dark Horse revews for 2/15/12

2012-02-18T20:44:00.000-08:00

Article first published as Dark Horse Comics - New Release Reviews For February 15, 2012 on Technorati.

Not a bad week. Still I wish Dark Horse would spread its issues out so some weeks have 2 new releases and some have 10.

Welcome to another addition of Dark Horse Comics New Release Reviews. It's a small week but there are still some great comics available that will stir the music in your soul. Titles are scored on a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being the very best possible. We take the time to read these books so your time isn't wasted.

B.P.R.D. Hell On Earth : The Long Death - Issue 1 (of 3)

This is the first storyline that's starting in Dark Horse's year long Hell On Earth storyline that runs through the B.P.R.D. series. The Russia storyline concluded last month. Early signs point to the event being bloody and violent.

As was this issue. The pacing is weird and very dream-like which plays into the first part of the story. Can a ghost dream? The way the story ended sure felt like a nightmare. Still sadly missing Hellboy's humor with cold, disposable secondary cast make this hard for new readers. The coloring is quite nice, though.

Score: 7.5 out of 10

Star Wars Dawn Of The Jedi : Force Storm - issue 1

Last week there was an issue 0 for this new storyline and it was dry but very important for this series, taking place a long, long, long time ago in a galaxy far, far away. Specifically, thirty-six thousand years before Luke, Han, Lei, and Vader.

It's very alien and extremely dark. Still, rather exciting as it explores the very beginnings of the Jedi Knights. It spends a little too much time focused on the villains in the story but this is a great starting point to something fresh and different.

Score : 6.5 out of 10

King Conan: The Scarlet Citadel - Trade Paperback

This trade collects this four issue mini-series about a tale of Conan during his early years as king. The story is blessed by amazing chapter art by Darick Robertson. The story is full of peril and narration and dungeons. I think half the story takes place in a dungeon. There's even a giant snake which is kind of like a dragon. The art and coloring are kind of bland but it's over-shadowed by a rather dark and disturbing story.

Score: 7 out of 10

Prototype 2 : The Anchor - Issue 1

This is the first of many reviews to come in this and future columns for a comic that is available exclusively as a digital comic book. Next week there will be a review of the digital exclusive Dragon Age. Both are based on popular video games which may explain why they're debuting in the digital realm.

Prototype 2 is a fairly straight-forward story. It has a clear protagonist who may or may not be a good-guy but is very conflicted and seems to be trying to do the right thing. Compared to all the other video game adaptations, this is pretty good. Even if the art is average, at best.

Score : 6 out of 10

This was an alright week. None of the offerings fall into the must-have category. Still, none of them are likely to make you angry that you spent money on them. In particular, the Prototype 2 digital release is only 99 cents so that's worth a peak. Next week is a little slow, as well. Still there are some good things coming out so check in with us so you don't waste your time.

On a sad note, an announcement was made that on Tuesday, the 14th, WWII veteran John Powers Severin passed away at the age of 90. Severin was a pioneering artist who worked with some of the largest publishers including EC, Marvel, and DC as well as many smaller publishers that are no longer with us. He contributed to various Dark Horse comics including B.P.R.D. and Witchfinder. It would take the entire column to list all of the projects he's worked on and all of the masters of comic books who are mentioned in the same breath as Severin. If you don't know if you've seen his work before, look him up. The odds are you have and this should make you sad.

I am curious to see where this Dawn Of The Jedi story is going. The issue 0 was very dry for an info-dump but this universe is rich in its history. This could go somewhere

Pavel Kubina

2012-02-18T16:23:00.000-08:00

Huh. First Grossman. Now Kubina. Sounds like the team thinks this is the year to win it all. Defense has been a huge problem.

Kubina is a solid two Dman, unlike Grossman, and these acquisitions help make up for Pronger and cost us little. Though, we have had some success with draft-picks.

Honestly. everyone realizes goal-tending has been a problem for us. I think we're over the limit for contracts so one more trade must be coming.

Maybe we're going to get a goalie. I want to defend Bryz but ... he's just not doing anything to impress people. Sure, he's had two shut-outs which is two more than we had last season. It's the softies that just kill.

Ryan Miller. Please.

Sasquatch!!!!

2012-02-18T10:41:00.000-08:00

660th goal of Jagr's career makes it a 1-1 game after a terrible penalty called on Simmonds. 14th of his season.

Before I could post this, Jagr scored again. 2-1 Philly. He's inching closer to 666 goals! I can't wait.

Flyers vs. Pens

2012-02-18T10:15:00.000-08:00

Philly looked great against Buffalo on Thursday. But, that was Buffalo.

They face Pittsburgh today. Philly won the first two in the series. I think those two were before Malkin was rolling. This should be a much better test.

This is Nicklas Grossman's first game as a Flyers. Looking for him to be smart and physical. This could be the thing our D needs. He's playing with Meszaros. Best of luck to them both. Personally, I'd have him with Carle but we'll take what we can get.

Bryz has the start which is good. I really think they need to give him a lot of starts before the playoffs. Give him time to build his confidence back up.

And this is JVR's first game back after his concussion. I think he missed 15 games. Hockey gods .... no more concussions, please.

Easter ...

2012-02-16T14:01:00.001-08:00

I think the most appropriate place on earth to celebrate Madri Gras or Carnivale would be Easter Island.

I finally saw the premiere of The River

2012-02-13T21:16:00.001-08:00

I finished watching it tonight. I'm not sure what to make of it. It has all the typical points of horror films. Rather decent production value. It looked great. The effects were solid and I bet it sounded great with the mix.

It has a wide group of characters doing all sorts of things. Unclear motivation that puts the characters into perilous situations. Questionable decisions that often times seems like it's done just to move the plot forward.

Predictable jumps. There was one bit with these dolls on a tree and I thought that something would be the logical step in escalation and I nailed it.

I guess there is enough here to get me to come back next week.

Flyers are not going to hoist Lord Stanley's cup

2012-02-13T21:12:00.000-08:00

Certainly not this season. Not unless Homer can pull off a trade that only involved over-paid veterans. Honestly, no one fits that bill. Maybe Bryzgalov does if he doesn't get his head back in the game. Still i think it's more defense than anything. It seems like the Dmen are always running around and scrambling for position. I suppose some of it is that the forwards play way loose with defense.

Or if Pronger comes back in time to do something of note. But, hell, we're not even sure he's EVER going to come back. I hope he makes the best decision for him. He's awesome and no one has played with such snarl as he. He is orange and black.

My biggest concern is that some of the youngsters get traded for rental players. I'd rather let the young ones grow up a bit and figure things out than trade them away. Look at Lupul and Versteeg. Both are excelling elsewhere.

I pray they don't give up on JVR as he has upside. He just needs time and the right line-mate. Look at Hartnell. Remember LeClair. Be patient with him. Don't send him to some other team because it might help now. Not sure how I feel about Voracek. I kind of think if he were to get moved it wouldn't be that big of a deal.

We're not going to win this year. If they can, send Carle and Shelley elsewhere. And in the minors there is Leighton and Walker. Even for 5th rounder. Leave everybody else alone.

Unless they can do straight up Ryan Miller for Bryz. They should do that in a heart-beat. Bobrovsky is the future of the team and the Bryz deal is seeming like it's gonna screw things up for us.

Dark Horse Reviews for 2/8/12

2012-02-12T20:13:00.000-08:00

Article first published as Dark Horse Comics - New Release Reviews for February 8, 2012 on Technorati.

What an amazingly large week from Dark Horse Comics. And an very satisfying week, as well. Lots of great reads.

Looking for some fun and excitement now that the Super Bowl has passed us and it's seven months to the start of the next NFL season? Then you came to the right place as we're going to review ten new comics from Dark Horse. Titles are scored on a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being the very best possible. We take the time to read these books so your time isn't wasted.

Conan The Barbarian: Queen Of The Black Coast - Issue 1

As long-time fans of Conan in comic book form, we we're over-joyed to see the return of The Queen of the Black Coast ... Bêlit! This story has a mixture of humor and action but none over-shadows the complex honor of the title character. This issue is setting the stage for what is to come.

Score: 7 out of 10

Buffy The Vampire Slayer Season 9 - Issue 9

One of the things we loved most about this issue was the back-story provided about Nikki Wood, the mother of Principal Wood and the Slayer that Spike killed to get his trademark jacket. That story tied nicely in with Buffy's current condition.

And one that is particularly topical given what recently went down with the recent controversy involving Planned Parenthood. Like the best stories, Buffy continues to deal with the supernatural as well as real issues affecting females.

Score: 9 out of 10

Lobster Johnson : The Burning Hand - Issue 2

Like issue 1, this was a great issue. Unlike issue 1, Lobster Johnson actually is in more than 4 panels. The book starts with a brilliant Noir cover and builds with real tension while presenting dynamic villains and heroes. Full of spunk and historical gumption, this is a can't miss.

Score: 9 out of 10

The Strain - Issue 3

There is an awkward pace to the way the story unfolds but it does manage to find a rhythm in the way it builds its terror. The story gives a fairly realistic presentation of how the government would react to a vampire assault. It's a quick read that is hampered by it's weak artwork and lettering.

Score: 6.5 out of 10

Dark Matter - Issue 2

It's a shame that this series didn't start with issue 2. Or, maybe the writers just needed a warm-up issue but this was a lot better than issue 1 even if the ending was telegraphed a dozen pages earlier. Though, I'm guessing there is a big swerve coming involving the main characters being tricked into fulfilling their mission. The artwork is underwhelming.

Score: 6.5 out of 10

Star Wars Knights Of The Old Republic : War - Issue 2

This series suffers from the worst thing imaginable in story ... the protagonist is not interesting or appealing in the slightest. This makes it very hard to care about a plot that it filled with pointless combat and in decipherable political intrigue. The art doesn't help, either.

Score: 3 out of 10

Star Wars Crimson Empire III : Empire Lost - Issue 4 (of 6)

All joy we felt at continuing to see characters that are universally loved is shattered by awful artwork and a plot that is mired in politics to the point of nausea. At least you could tell what was going on unlike the Knights of the Old Republic: War comic.

Score: 5 out of 10

Star Wars Agent of the Empire : Iron Eclipse - Issue 3 (of 5)

If anyone reading this has a line to George Lucas, please encourage him to read Agent of the Empire: Iron Eclipse. Tell him to stop whatever lame Star Wars story he's considering producing and start making movies involving Jahan Cross.

If you love Star Wars and James Bond, this will be nirvana for you. Though not as sexy as last issue, it was the single key component missing from most Star Wars comics and the last three films. It's fun.

Lots and lots of fun.

Score: 9 out of 10

House of Night - Issue 4

House of Night continues to be a great comic book and a great story for teenage girls. It touches upon important themes as morality and animal rights. The characters grow and change and this is a worthy companion to Buffy The Vampire Slayer.

Score: 9 out of 10

Murky World - One Shot

This is a weird and perverse story by a master artist. All of the typical things one expects from Richard Corben are present yet it was somehow disappointing.

Score : 5.5 out of 10

This was an excellent, excellent week. Sure there were a few clunkers such as Knights Of The Old Republic, Crimson Empire, and Murky World. They're quickly overshadowed by Buffy The Vampire Slayer, House of Night, and Lobster Johnson. Get to your local comic book store and pick up some of these great reads.

I'm not even sure where to begin because this was such a great week. Buffy was awesome and particularly poignant given everything going on with the current culture war on women's rights and reproductive health.

I think House Of Night is fantastic. It makes me wonder who is adapting this for film and TV. Lobster Johnson is just fantastic.

Wide open net

2012-02-12T17:12:00.000-08:00

Briere's pass to Schenn was about as easy as you can get. I'd like to see the two of them find some chemistry.

Briere really needs some help making the regular season a little more manageable. He's great in the playoffs but he takes a pounding in the regular season. He's definitely missing Leino and Hartnall.

Schenn just made up for penalty he took, earlier. I think we'd all like to see him live up to the hype surrounding him.

Maybe we'll even see his brother in a Flyers uniform.

Whitney Houston

2012-02-12T16:40:00.000-08:00

Celebrity deaths are weird. You get this huge swelling of people who make the celebrity topical. Facebook posts. RIPs (don't get me started on this.)

I guess she was talented. Her record sales would back that. Though, I can say I've never spent any money on her work. Not my thing. I remember her songs but R&B doesn't move me very much.

She was attractive. The Bodyguard era she was looking mighty fine. OK. Looking for photos to use for this post I forget just how hot she was. Wow. Don't know if she was recently but she was sexy.

She seemed to be a kind of train-wreck personality but that never seems to stop people from thinking less of celebrities. Reality programs seem to celebrate and even encourage bad behavior.

Really, I'm no more or less sad about her death than anyone else who died yesterday.