Tag Archives: apocalypse

Take flight with Sideshow’s Archangel Premium Format Figure

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Angel, a former member of the X-Men, was saved by Apocalypse and transformed into Archangel, the Horseman of Death. Accorded a new physical form with techno-organic wings and blue skin, this once joyous mutant became a somber instrument of evil.

A harbinger of hope… or destruction? The Archangel Premium Format Figure by Sideshow brings this formidable character to collections in brilliant detail.

Measuring 28.75 inches tall, 16.8 inches wide, and 13.37 inches deep, this stunning piece presents Warren Worthington III in his classic blue and magenta costume after his transformation into the Eternal One’s Horseman of Death.

Apocalypse’s lethal henchman surveys the battlefield with his razor-sharp metal wings folded around his body like armor. His striking blue skin is a vibrant reminder of his extensive genetic alterations. Stripped of his own wings, four sets of poisonous blades instead protrude from Archangel’s back and shoulders as he flies above a base of demonic skulls. 

The Archangel Premium Format Figure comes with 3 swap-out portraits, allowing fans to explore various steps in Archangel’s journey through rage, revenge, and redemption. Included are a cowled head, a head featuring his gold Death mask, and an unmasked head sporting Warren’s loose blonde curls.

Add the divine Archangel Premium Format Figure to your Marvel collection. Available to pre-order now.

This site contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links and make a purchase, we’ll receive a percentage of the sale. Graphic Policy does purchase items from these sites. Making purchases through these links helps support the site.

Atomic Mass Games reveals Apocalypse and his Four Horseman for Marvel: Crisis Protocol

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Apocalypse is coming… to Atomic Mass Games‘ tabletop miniature game Marvel: Crisis Protocol. The massive figure was revealed as well as a tease as to what we can expect from it and some terrain to go with the release.

Apocalypse brings his own affiliation for the game. This ultimate encounter will pit you against Apocalypse and his Four Horsemen. Players will have a limited option for each of the Four Horsemen and to field all 4, you’ll need a minimum threat of 16. Archangel will be able to be either Death or Pestilence.

Apocalypse is massive, coming on a 65mm base. He’s immune to all status’ on his injured side making him difficult to deal with and sure to be a challenge. Check out his rules and the rules for the Horsemen.

Apocalypse features arm options which are sure to bring out the modeling fun of the hobby and there’s three terrain sets you can use to make a thematic table while you battle.

Movie Review: Revealer sends a stripper and a religious protester to the end of the world

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Revealer

Stripped down to its bare essentials, the Apocalypse is ultimately an overblown shaming session levied against humanity. Trumpets signal the new stages of shaming scheduled throughout the event and demons spew out from their underground caverns to give everyone a taste of their disdain. That it’s also known as Judgment Day is just icing on the cake.

Director Luke Boyce’s Revealer, currently streaming on Shudder, certainly takes this to heart as it forces a tense pairing of personalities with firm convictions on morality just as the Apocalypse unleashes its opening salvo. It’s a movie that seems to become more relevant every single day after it’s very recent release, especially in terms of dividing lines and Supreme Court decisions.

Revealer follows a stripper called Angie (Caito Aase) and a religious protestor called Sally (Shaina Schrooten), both stuck in a peepshow booth as the world ends outside. They each stand on opposite sides of a spectrum that’s divided groups of people since time immemorial: religion. Their anticipated animosity towards each other is present from the very beginning and has no qualms about being as brutal and piercing as possible every time any type of judgment is levied against the other, even after an unsteady alliance forms between them as demons and devils start making their way into the sex shop they’re held up in.

Comic fans should have a vested interest in this movie given the resumés of the screenwriting duo behind it, Tim Seeley and Michael Moreci. As two of the most versatile voices in the industry, Seeley and Moreci bring a finely tuned and honest sensibility to character creation that features the same approach to economical but precise dialogue writing present in comic book storytelling. This is perhaps most present in how the movie contemplates the idea of passing judgment onto others, on what lies in the very act of it and how difficult it is to let go of prejudices even when good intentions guide the conversation.

Revealer

The story’s success largely depends on Angie and Sally’s interactions and how genuine they feel as the Apocalypse threatens to burst their respective bubbles. The movie doesn’t only achieve this but does so by never allowing one of the characters to overpower the other with their worldviews.

Seeley and Moreci inject a fair amount of nuance into their dysfunctional pairing, promoting understanding rather than moral superiority. It’s not about whose worldview reigns supreme. It’s about finding a way to understand each other while also being able to challenge preconceived notions of right and wrong.

Boyce does a good job of giving these two characters enough unencumbered space for their conversations to take place while also creating a strong sense of dread as one particular devil sets its eyes on their souls. The story essentially takes place in just a handful of locations, all enclosed and claustrophobic. It’s theatrical in its approach and it maximizes the use of the limited budget in outstanding ways, putting the focus on character rather than on fire and brimstone. The Apocalypse is ever-present, but it’s mostly unseen. What’s impressive is that it is always felt. Therein lies the success of Revealer.

Caito Asse and Shaina Schrooten as the stripper and the religious protestor, respectively, melt into their roles and give each other more than enough emotion to play off each other. They go from total dislike for each other to brief bouts of understanding constantly and the effect is one that their performances carry through well.

Revealer

Given how heavy handed the script is though, mostly for good, the performances do sometimes fall into exaggeration and it can play against them. The humor doesn’t always hit the mark either, but not enough to distract from the story. It should be said that the movie isn’t an exercise in realism, but that some exchanges between Angie and Sally could’ve been reigned back a bit for more impact.

What we do get see of the Apocalypse, almost entirely in the form of demonic creatures, is memorable and plays to the fears and worries Angie and Sally argue about in their conversations. One particular creature stands out as a kind of Pinhead figure from the Hellraiser movies in its sense of presence and serious menace, and it helps propel a fair bit of tension and fear in what’s a very dialogue-heavy script. Other lesser demons also give Angie and Sally a few horror scenes that help to build their characters in surprising ways.

Revealer came out just as the American Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, the landmark 1972 ruling went on to protect the freedom of choice on abortions. In its wake, the national divide has widened, bringing to light more forceful forms of disagreements that aren’t that dissimilar from the kinds explored in the movie. This might be a small note that definitely requires further exploration, but the context in which the movie finds itself in does turn it into an urgent watch. It offers different ways to go about contemplating the things that keep us apart and to better gauge the impact of our moral judgments. It’s something to think about and Revealer definitely helps.

Revealer

Boyce, Seeley, and Moreci have a very confrontational horror movie in Revealer. It has two compelling characters that drive home a debate that seems more necessary with each passing day. It might just be that the Apocalypse is exactly what we need to put things into perspective and come together.

Review: The Nice House on the Lake #2

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The Nice House on the Lake #2
The Nice House on the Lake #2

The first issue of James Tynion and Álvaro Martínez Bueno’s The Nice House on the Lake set up an end of the world scenario with a huge cast and a mysterious host at the center of it, all of them weathering the apocalypse inside a well-stocked house. The people who were spared the final moments of human existence are all in shock come issue #2 of the series, and they’re in a mad scramble for answers.

Us readers can only be certain of one thing once the second part of the story has reached its final page: Tynion and Martínez Bueno are still on their way to give us one of the best new comic series of the year.

The Nice House on the Lake #2 puts its cast of characters through the wringer as they try to make some sense of how the world just decided to self-combust and melt almost everyone not on the house with them. Emotions run high and there’s a sense of disconnection among the guests. Reality as they knew it just stopped and anything that comes after the event is now going to be post-apocalyptic. Not an easy realization to come to.

Tynion and Martínez Bueno employ a few different techniques to the storytelling here to shake things up while also building the world their characters inhabit. For instance, the comic contains several pages that unravel as an official log of things said during certain moments immediately after the world seemingly ended. This presents the possibility some kind of secret group or organization is behind it all, perhaps torturing or experimenting with the people at the house for reasons unknown.

This is one of the series’ strong suits, guiding readers to make dark assumptions on what’s actually happening. In a sense, the horror on display in the comic is being driven by elements more commonly found in the Mystery genre. There’s a bit of a “whodunnit” at play here and it helps make the comic an even richer and more complex mystery box in the process.

Martínez Bueno’s art continues to impress in issue #2, presenting everything and everyone in a kind of haze that just deepens the horror being experienced by everyone in the house. It helps that Martínez Bueno also proves to have complete control over the characters’ body language. It’s theatrical, to a point, in terms of making the reader take everything into account to get a better sense of the story.

The Nice House on the Lake #2
The Nice House on the Lake #2

The Nice House on the Lake is an intoxicating read, period. It’s hard to stop pouring over each panel, each line of dialogue trying to figure everything out. Issue #2 gives readers enough story to keep them hooked while also teasing so much more horror to come. The monthly wait is starting to get difficult, and I can only see it getting harder to hold out till the next chapter.

Story: James Tynion, Art: Álvaro Martínez Bueno, Colors: Jordie Bellaire Publisher: DC Black Label
Story: 10 Art: 10 Overall: 10 Recommendation: Buy, read, read it again, come up with multiple theories, repeat

Purchase: comiXology – Kindle – Zeus Comics – TFAW

Review: The Nice House on The Lake #1

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The Nice House on the Lake #1

James Tynion IV has been doing career-defining horror work as of late, with books like Something is Killing The Children, his self-published horror anthology Razorblades, and The Department of Truth standing as prime examples of what the idea of “new horror” should truly stand for. Among those books, though, it’s his most recent one, The Nice House on The Lake, that might end up being his most unsettling. It could even result in becoming his greatest work should the entire story capitalize on the dark promises made in its first issue.

Co-created with artist Álvaro Martínez Bueno, The Nice House on The Lake concerns itself with a group of eleven people who have been invited to a luxurious house by a mysterious figure called Walter that’s acquired their friendship and acquaintance over the years. It’s supposed to be a long weekend, but something will keep them in place for a long time.

Walter is obsessed with the end of the world. Not the why, necessarily, but the how. With that macabre interest leading the way, what transpires in the story’s first chapter is the culmination of Walter’s apocalyptic desires and the beginning of a terrifying new status quo that marks a point of no return for humanity. That is, except for the select few currently staying at the house.

There’s a substantial amount of story packed into this first issue. Not only do Tynion and Martínez Bueno set up the conditions through which the end of world becomes a reality, it introduces a large cast of characters all with their own distinct look and personality. There’s a sense of purpose to each character’s presence as well, as if they’re meant to play a special role in the proceedings.

Each character is presented via title card that includes their assigned role—be it The Writer or The Painter—and the specifics of their first encounters with Walter. The style in which this is presented reminded me of Dungeons & Dragons character creation cards, minus the stats. Eleven characters might feel like a lot, but the cards are quite helpful in keeping tabs on everyone and I suggest you keep the first issue handy while reading upcoming issues to stay on track with what everyone’s doing.

The Nice House on the Lake #1

While there are more than enough clues as to where the story will go in future instalments, The Nice House on The Lake does seem to be settling in for an extended stay in the titular house. Martínez Bueno wastes not a single panel producing stunning images of the house and its surroundings. There’s an air of House on Haunted Hill (1959) about it and how it stands alone overlooking everything below it. Martínez Bueno imbues the structure with a heavy sense of dread that’s as inviting as it is ominous, excessive as it is threatening.

Fans of the exceptionally sinister horror movie The Invitation (2015) will find a lot to love here as well. Directed by Karyn Kusama, the movie follows a man who’s invited to a friendly get-together only to discover there’s a violent agenda shared among some of the guests. It’s one of the most disturbing movies in recent years and its isolated house of horrors setup shares certain similarities with Tynion and Martínez’s story. I highly recommend The Invitation, especially as a good companion piece to the comic in terms of how it manages to capture an acute sense of dread that’s also present in The Nice House on The Lake.

The Nice House on the Lake #1

The Nice House on The Lake has arrived with the intent of reaching deep within our souls in search of that primal fear that entertains the end of the world. Surprises abound and new horror concepts push the comic into uncharted waters. The first issue alone carries enough fear to scare readers into following the entire series all while questioning just how they would react knowing the end of the world has finally left the realm of imagination and violently entered the confines of reality.

Writer: James Tynion IV Art: Álvaro Martínez Bueno Colors: Jordie Bellaire Letterer: AndWorld Design
Script: 10 Art: 10 Overall: 10
Recommendation: Buy, watch The Invitation, and start prepping your doomsday stash

Purchase: comiXology – Amazon – Kindle – TFAW

Create Chaos with Apocalypse on Marvel Contest of Champions

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The Rise of X has begun and after a long slumber, he’s back stronger than ever. Claim your destiny, dominate and become Champion with Apocalypse as he makes his way into The Battlerealm in Kabam’s MARVEL Contest of Champions.

Thousands of years ago in ancient Aqaba, the first living being on Earth to express the mutant X-gene was born, given the name “En Sabah Nur” or “The First One”. As he traveled the Earth, En Sabah Nur deemed himself “Apocalypse” convincing ancient civilizations that he was a deity and manipulating them into fighting wars which he justified as stimulating growth, judgment, and destruction. After conquesting the Earth for many millennia Apocalypse used Celestial technology to enter a period of suspended animation for many centuries, awakening in the current age and deciding the Earth is ready for further examination.

Take a look at Apocalypse’s Champion Spotlight, which details his abilities, history, strengths recommended masteries.

Hasbro Reveals New Wave of Spider-Man, AoA Apocalypse, Moon Knight, and More

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To celebrate today’s Fan First Friday livestream event, Hasbro has revealed new Marvel premium 6-inch and deluxe comic figures from their Marvel Legends lines.

In addition to the three Legends 6-inch Retro Spider-Man figures that were revealed earlier this year at New York Toy Fair, three new figures from the wave were revealed during the stream, including Electro, Green Goblin, and Daredevil. Alongside this wave, a handful of other comic figures, including the 6-inch A.I.M. Trooper figure, the 6-inch Moon Knight figure, and two deluxe figures, Marvel’s War Machine and Marvel’s Apocalypse, are also available for pre-order starting today.

MARVEL LEGENDS SERIES 6-INCH SPIDER-MAN RETRO COLLECTION Figure

(HASBRO/Ages 4 years & up/Approx. Retail Price: $19.99/Available: Fall 2020)

Fans, collectors, and kids alike can enjoy this MARVEL LEGENDS SERIES 6-INCH SPIDER-MAN RETRO COLLECTION Figure, inspired by the character from the MARVEL SPIDER-MAN comics. This quality figure with premium design, detail, and multiple points of articulation for high poseability and display is a great addition to any action figure collection. Includes figure and 3 accessories. Available for pre-order at Hasbro Pulse, Amazon, GameStop, Entertainment Earth, and Big Bad Toy Store.

MARVEL LEGENDS SERIES 6-INCH ELECTRO RETRO COLLECTION Figure

(HASBRO/Ages 4 years & up/Approx. Retail Price: $19.99/Available: Fall 2020)

Fans, collectors, and kids alike can enjoy this MARVEL LEGENDS SERIES 6-INCH ELECTRO RETRO COLLECTION Figure, inspired by the character from the MARVEL SPIDER-MAN comics. This quality figure with premium design, detail, and multiple points of articulation for posing and display is a great addition to any action figure collection. Includes figure and 2 accessories. Available for pre-order at Hasbro Pulse, Amazon, GameStop, Entertainment Earth, and Big Bad Toy Store.

MARVEL LEGENDS SERIES 6-INCH PETER PARKER RETRO COLLECTION Figure

(HASBRO/Ages 4 years & up/Approx. Retail Price: $19.99/Available: Fall 2020)

Fans, collectors, and kids alike can enjoy this MARVEL LEGENDS SERIES 6-INCH PETER PARKER RETRO COLLECTION Figure, inspired by the character from the MARVEL SPIDER-MAN comics. This quality figure with premium design, detail, and multiple points of articulation for posing and display is a great addition to any action figure collection. Includes figure and 2 accessories. Available for pre-order at Hasbro Pulse, Amazon, GameStop, Entertainment Earth, and Big Bad Toy Store.

MARVEL LEGENDS SERIES 6-INCH GREEN GOBLIN RETRO COLLECTION Figure

(HASBRO/Ages 4 years & up/Approx. Retail Price: $19.99/Available: Fall 2020)

Fans, collectors, and kids alike can enjoy this MARVEL LEGENDS SERIES 6-INCH GREEN GOBLIN RETRO COLLECTION Figure, inspired by the character from the MARVEL SPIDER-MAN comics. This quality figure features premium design, detail, and multiple points of articulation for posing and display, and is a great addition to any action figure collection. Includes figure and 3 accessories. Available for pre-order at Hasbro Pulse, Amazon, GameStop, Entertainment Earth, and Big Bad Toy Store.

MARVEL LEGENDS SERIES 6-INCH GWEN STACY RETRO COLLECTION Figure

(HASBRO/Ages 4 years & up/Approx. Retail Price: $19.99/Available: Fall 2020)

Fans, collectors, and kids alike can enjoy this MARVEL LEGENDS SERIES 6-INCH GWEN STACY RETRO COLLECTION Figure, inspired by the character from the MARVEL SPIDER-MAN comics. This quality figure with premium design, detail, and multiple points of articulation for posing and display is a great addition to any action figure collection. Includes figure and 4 accessories. Available for pre-order at Hasbro Pulse, Amazon, GameStop, Entertainment Earth, and Big Bad Toy Store.

MARVEL LEGENDS SERIES 6-INCH DAREDEVIL RETRO COLLECTION Figure

(HASBRO/Ages 4 years & up/Approx. Retail Price: $19.99/Available: Fall 2020)

Fans, collectors, and kids alike can enjoy this MARVEL LEGENDS SERIES 6-INCH DAREDEVIL RETRO COLLECTION Figure, inspired by the character from the MARVEL comics. This quality figure features premium design, detail, and multiple points of articulation for posing and display, and is a great addition to any action figure collection. Includes figure and 5 accessories. Available for pre-order at Hasbro Pulse, Amazon, GameStop, Entertainment Earth, and Big Bad Toy Store.

*The full MARVEL LEGENDS SERIES 6-INCH RETRO SPIDER-MAN wave is available for pre-order at Entertainment Earth and Big Bad Toy Store.

 MARVEL LEGENDS SERIES 6-INCH A.I.M. TROOPER Figure

(HASBRO/Ages 4 years & up/Approx. Retail Price: $14.99/Available: Fall 2020)

Fans, collectors, and kids alike can enjoy this MARVEL LEGENDS SERIES 6-INCH A.I.M. TROOPER Figure, inspired by the character from the MARVEL comics. This quality figure features premium design, detail, and multiple points of articulation for posing and display, and is a great addition to any action figure collection. Includes figure and 2 accessories. Available for pre-order exclusively at Hasbro Pulse.

 MARVEL LEGENDS SERIES 6-INCH MOON KNIGHT Figure

(HASBRO/Ages 4 years & up/Approx. Retail Price: $19.99/Available: Fall 2020)

Fans, collectors, and kids alike can enjoy this MARVEL LEGENDS SERIES 6-INCH MOON KNIGHT Figure, inspired by the character from the MARVEL comics. This quality figure features premium design, detail, and multiple points of articulation for high poseability and display, and is a great addition to any action figure collection. Includes figure and 9 accessories. Available for pre-order exclusively at Walgreens.

MARVEL LEGENDS SERIES 6-INCH DELUXE MARVEL’S WAR MACHINE Figure

(HASBRO/Ages 4 years & up/Approx. Retail Price: $29.99/Available: Fall 2020)

Fans, collectors, and kids alike can enjoy this MARVEL LEGENDS SERIES 6-INCH DELUXE MARVEL’S WAR MACHINE Figure, inspired by the character from the MARVEL comics. This quality figure features premium design, detail, and multiple points of articulation for high poseability and display, and is a great addition to any action figure collection. Includes figure and 8 accessories. Available for pre-order at Hasbro Pulse, Amazon, Best Buy, Entertainment Earth, and Big Bad Toy Store.

MARVEL LEGENDS SERIES 6-INCH DELUXE MARVEL’S APOCALYPSE Figure

(HASBRO/Ages 4 years & up/Approx. Retail Price: $29.99/Available: Fall 2020)

Fans, collectors, and kids alike can enjoy this MARVEL LEGENDS SERIES 6-INCH DELUXE MARVEL’S APOCALYPSE Figure, inspired by the character from the MARVEL X-MEN AGE OF APOCALYPSE comics series. This quality figure features premium design, detail, and multiple points of articulation for high poseability and display, and is a great addition to any action figure collection. Includes figure and 3 accessories. Available for pre-order at Hasbro Pulse, Amazon, Best Buy, Entertainment Earth, and Big Bad Toy Store.

This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links and make a purchase, we’ll receive a percentage of the sale. Graphic Policy does purchase items from this site. Making purchases through these links helps support the site

Sunday Roundtable: Does Cross Media Comic Promotions Help?

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JLA Roundtable atlantisSundays are known for folks gathering around tables on television and pontificating about some of the hottest topics out there, offering their expertise. We bring that tradition to Graphic Policy as the team gathers to debate in our Sunday Roundtable.

On tap this week?

Marvel has announced a new Apocalypse centered event, and the Avengers look to be dealing with Civil War II. Both events tie in to next year’s movies. Is cross media marketing a good idea? Will it help or hurt either medium? Does it get you interested more or less in any of it?

Mr. H: I particularly am not the biggest fan of it as I feel it’s shameless product placement to a certain degree. Also it places the books under a level of predictability which can hamper the creative teams on a roll or just stunt the current progress of a feature monthly title.

Elana: I’d be fine with product placement if it was actually going to be good reading. But this is just going to make things more convoluted.

Daphne: Feeling like I couldn’t understand current storylines unless I bought eighteen other books is exactly what kept me out of comics for such a long time, and what keeps newcomers away as well. Too much cross-promotion just undoes the MCU’s efforts to be (mostly) self-contained and accessible to new fans. If Marvel was using the Battleworlds/Secret Wars reboots as a way to fix the fact that their properties are collapsing under the weight of their own canon, promotions like these just sabotage those efforts. I’m probably going to skip all the event stuff and focus on self-contained stories like I did last year.

Alex: I doubt I’ll read Civil War II, to be honest. I’m more inclined to look at the Apocalypse story line but only because I’m reading Extraordinary X-Men, not because I’m looking forward to it.

But that’s more to do with my general unhappiness with Event and Crossover comics. Like Daphne, I’m going to stick to titles that are unrelated to the crossover/events, or save my money.

Troy: I’m going to be a mean girl for a moment and remark that we kind of already had Civil War II with the whole mess that was AXIS. In some ways cross media crossover, such as Cerebro taking after the cinematic version the comics are subtle and effective. Other examples like Nick Fury Jr’s and Coulson’s inclusion into the comic canon are hamfisted and required a significant degree of gymnastics narrative wise.

Civil War II (AKA III) In the comics feels like the obvious. A desperate plea to cash in on the movie counterpart. I’m really hoping I am proven wrong and that the story does it justice.

Troy: I have to agree Mr. H, above and beyond the predictability issue, I am really worried that a crossover is being announced so soon after a major relaunch. I fear also worry for the creative flow of the narrative. In a way, crossover have tended to hijack stories as of late. You could almost sense the writer’s reluctance or perhaps struggle to make it fit. The all Female X-title during Battle of the Atom comes to mind here. I think it’s safe to say that most if not all comic fans will see the corresponding summer blockbusters. But it’s not necessarily the case that the converse of that is true, particularly the casual movie goer.

Elana: YES the idea that they have to get COMICS readers excited to watch their new movies?!?! Dude, do they not notice that the movie viewership dwarfs the comics readership? Do they not know everyone who reads their comics is already going to see the movie?!? This is just insane

Alex: Even comics fans who don’t read those specific comics will see the movies. Unless it was Fantastic Four.

Brett: I actually have a question to add on top of that. We’ll be maybe 6 issues in to some books, some might be around issue 10 at most. Is that too soon for crossover events? I can name so many books that were killed by being part of an event too early and killing momentum.

Daphne: Oh, it’s way too soon. Ms. Marvel and Squirrel Girl, for example, only just came out and then immediately got rebooted and then ended up part of other people’s crossover events in the same issues they got relaunched. The cycle is just happening faster and faster.

Troy: I would say it depends on the writers, how they manouever with the mandate they are given. The AvX tie ins for Wolverine and the X-Men volume 1 started very early in my opinion. But they were among the best of the event. They were integrated perfectly into its own story. If I had a preference or a moratorium I would probably lean towards a 15-20 issue limit.

Alex: For tie ins or an event?

Brett: It’d be a tie in for an event or crossing over for some event like they’re doing

Alex: Right. I was thinking that’d be an astronomical number for an event.

Troy: Alex: For a tie in to an event

Alex: When it comes to the tie-ins, I’d rather see the Wolverine and the X-Men style AvX type; those that work without you really needing to read the main arc and don’t detract from the current series, regardless of the number. There’s nothing that makes me drop a book than a long, unrelated set of tie ins to an event I don’t care about.

To answer your question, Brett, I honestly think so, mate. I’m more likely to drop a title six to ten issues in if I have no interest in a crossover than I am after 20 or more (unless there’s only two parts to said crossover).

Mr. H: All great points guys. When promotions do this it just smacks of hack writing. They need to get the message that this isn’t best for their creations long-term regardless of the short term profit.

Alex: There’s a reason that most movie tie in comics are generally sub par (specifically those with “…The Movie” in the title, and not adaptations inspired by movies like Fight Club).

Elana: The idea is insane because what the SHOULD be doing is figuring ways to get the people who are excited about the movies that are coming up to go back and read the comics they are based on. That’s how you grow an audience. Asking your current, limited audience to buy more stuff that’s only going to muddy the plot and confuse things is going to make it worse.

I swear the original 52 thing back in 2006 was the last wonderful crossover. I just loaned it all to a friend who is new to DC comics and he LOVED it. He didn’t know the characters. Didn’t matter. It was nice and contained and a really fascinating concept. If the publishers aren’t going to do something that tight they need to not do it at all.

Paul: I am torn on this topic; I can see this working for the Apocalypse crossover simply because Apocalypse is a long time villain of the X-Men (now we have Archangel and Kid Apocalypse to throw into the mix) so sure we can have them turn up into the storyline. Sure, it’s clearly a ploy to coincide with the movie but if handled properly, could make for some great story telling, what with the time displaced X-Men and all. As for Civil War, well as Troy said, been there done that. I have hard time seeing the heroes of the Marvel U letting another civil war happen after the last time, I don’t care how many reboots the universe has gone through. That is nothing but a shameless cash grab to go along with the movie and readers will know it.

Brett: All great points folks. That wraps up this week’s roundtable. What do you readers think? Sound off in the comments below!

The First Official Look at Psylocke and Apocalypse in X-Men: Apocalypse

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Though a leaked, grainy version of the X-Men: Apocalypse teaser trailer is making its way around the web, as per usual Entertainment Weekly has the first official look at some of the characters for next year’s X-Men: Apocalypse directed by Bryan Singer.

The cover shows off Olivia Munn‘s Psylocke, as well as Oscar Isaac as Apocalypse. Also featured is Michael Fassbender in a new Magneto uniform.

We also get some info from EW as to what to expect from the film as well as who Apocalypse’s Four Horsemen are:

As the new film opens, 10 years have passed and Raven (Lawrence), Charles (McAvoy), and Erik (Michael Fassbender) are still estranged, but not for much longer. The Big A awakens from his Egyptian tomb, sizes up the global ’80s vibe, and decides he’s not down with the Reagan era. “It’s a chaotic world of conflict and war and destruction,” Singer says. “It’s one giant civilization that now requires one giant culling. That’s why he needs ­special assistants in this process.” He finds teenage Storm living on the streets in Cairo, Angel (Ben Hardy) duking it out in a fight club in Berlin, and Psylocke (Olivia Munn) working behind the Iron Curtain for the mutant-broker Caliban. But his big get is Erik, who has been attempting to live a “normal” life in Poland. “He’s fallen in love and he’s basically left his metal ways behind,” Fassbender says. Pretty quickly, though, his world is shattered and “normal” is no longer an option. Says Fassbender, “Apocalypse finds Erik at a low ebb and recruits him.”

ew-cover-1373-xmen

Review: Sheltered #1

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sheltered01_coverSo, the apocalypse is happening. Or maybe it has already happened. Either way, we’ve seen it. Right? Right. Sheltered is yet another attempt to hop onto the post/pre-apocalypse bandwagon; right off the bat I’ll tell you, Sheltered tries something new, which thankfully makes it stand out from the crowd a little bit.

(SOILERS) Issue #1 quickly sets the scene: a collection of trailers and small houses have been built in the snowy, mountainous wilderness somewhere in North America, probably in the United States (Obama is name checked). This community contains several families preparing for some kind of catastrophic event by building bunkers and gathering water and canned goods. We’re introduced to Victoria (who goes by Vic) and her father, the seeming protagonists, and how they deal with their neighbors. Soon enough, the narrative jumps to two kids, Lucas and Joey, who have been planning a coup, and then successfully murder all of the adults. Probably. Everything is a little unclear.

Therein lies the blessing and curse of the first issue of Sheltered. It sets up an interesting kind of Lord of the Flies in the Snow with Guns kind of environment. That’s fun, and I want to read that book. However, the twist of Lucas and Joey being the ringleaders to lead a revolution against their own parents was essentially given away the first time we see them. Vic says, “those guys are creeps,” and boom. You know something is going down. Furthermore, Lucas, the apparent ringleader, is given absolutely zero characterization, other than having a prominently displayed copy of The Catcher in the Rye in his room. (And could the book choice have gotten any more cliché?) He just seems a sociopath willing to kill his own father. What this means is that issue #2 will again have a lot of world building to do; it was an interesting choice on Ed Brisson’s part to develop a status quo and then immediately change it. And it seemed like all of the kids were in on the plan except for Vic, which makes me wonder, “What kind of personality is Lucas that he could persuade every single kid in town to be willing to kill their parents?”

However, I like where this is going. I want Lord of the Flies in the Snow with Guns and a Cult Leader. I want that very much. I’m excited for the next issue.

The art is also a strange mixture. Johnnie Christmas’ (By the way, what a great name.) art at times perfectly fits the situation, while at others it seems strangely lacking in detail. Characters are gangly with long faces and hands, and it reminds me very much of Jeff Lemire’s style. I have absolutely no problem with that (Underwater Welder, anyone?), however Christmas’ art loses a lot of detail when the panels pull back to mid shots and long shots. Characters lose all facial features and distinctive characteristics; it got to the point where it was sometimes unclear to me who was who when I saw them from a distance. When backgrounds are given detail, it’s frequently beautiful. The setting is without a doubt gorgeous, and the sterile white plays nicely against the angry red bloodshed that comes at the end of the issue. However, usually the backgrounds on long shots lack the level of detail necessary when establishing location.

Another issue I had, which seems like a bigger deal than it actually is, was that ages were impossible to determine. At times Vic looked around 12, whereas at others she looked as old as 24 or 25. Lucas’ father is somewhere between 35 and 60. I say this is less of a problem than it should be because I assume that as the story continues and we learn more about these characters, we’ll learn the ages of the kids via dialogue or thought processes. As I said above, there aren’t many (if any at all) adults left, so . . . that’s not really an issue. But still, I’d like some consistent facial features.

In the end, Lord of the Flies in the Snow with Guns and a Cult Leader with Sometimes Questionable Artistic Choices is one that I have faith will find itself as it continues, and I look forward to reading along.

Story: Ed Brisson Art: Johnnie Christmas
Story: 7 Art: 7 Overall: 7 Recommendation: Read

Image Comics provided Graphic Policy with FREE copies for review.

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