Good Bye, Ultimate Spider-Man.

For those of you who haven't read Ultimate Spider-Man 160 yet and plan to, stop now unless you don't mind spoiled endings. You've been warned.

This week, Ultimate Spider-Man #160 hits the shelves. It ends the "Death of Spider-Man" storyline. In this issue, Spider-Man dies a pretty heroic death stopping the Green Goblin from killing Aunt May and everyone else he loves. I'm going to admit that I'm sad to say goodbye to this character.

Ultimate Spider-Man is probably my favorite Superhero comic ever. It was the first I kept up with on a regular basis and it's the one that got me into western comics, period. I got the first volume for Christmas in 2005, along with the first two volumes of Bone, and a few Batman trades, including Year One, DKR, Hush, and A Death in the Family. Of all of those, Ultimate Spider-Man volume 1 was the first one I opened up and read. From that moment on I was in love with that series and I would go out and buy a new trade whenever I had the $15-20 to shell out for one.

The series was a fantastic re-imagining of Spider-Man for a new generation of readers. It had all of the elements of the classic Spider-Man stories, retold perfectly for a modern audience. Sure, some of the dialog was a bit awkward at first, but everything else was fantastic. Perhaps where the series was it's strongest was in just how well Brian Michael Bendis wrote the cast of characters and the drama that was their lives.

About a year later I started buying single issues just in time for the Ultimate Clone Saga story line. The thrill of buying individual trades was replace with the thrill of buying each new issue, which wasn't hard to wait for since Mr. Bendis and Mr. Mark Bagley could churn out issues at an insane pace. Sometimes it felt like I was only waiting two weeks between issues. As time went on, new artists came and went. But the book was still great and it even stayed good through Ultimatum, at which point it was the only readable book in the Ultimate line.

I remember how angry I got at Ultimatum and the idea that Jeph Loeb was just strutting on in and killing off everything he could in the Ultimate line and it looked like he had his sights on Spider-Man. I always looked at it as that one jerk everyone grew up with who loved breaking your favorite toys. I kind of feel silly now that I felt so violated, but reading that issue of Ultimatum (issue 5, which was the only one I bought) and seeing someone else come in and supposedly killing off this character that I've grown so attached to. It felt wrong.

Now I look at today. Bendis kept Ultimate Spidey alive and well for about two years past that. A new series got luanched and it was great. And Pete got a few more stories until Bendis set this in motion. But this feels right. He's not just some casualty in a really bad crossover story. He died doing what his Uncle Ben wanted him to and he died saving Aunt May.

So I'm sad, but at the same time, I don't feel angry or betrayed. If this version of Peter Parker that I've grown so attached to has to die, this is how it should end. He stopped the bad guys and saved the people he loves. And now we're going to have a new Spider-Man in this Ultimate line. I'm going to give that first issue a shot, but I'm actually ready to let go now. If this is my last hurrah with Ultimate Spider-Man, then so be it. If you somehow read this little blog post Mr. Brian Michael Bendis, thank you. I'm glad I got to come along for this ride. I'm sad, but I think I'm ready to leave it here.

The DC Comics Reset: Thoughts.

Okay, so the rumors have been confirmed: starting in September, DC comics is resetting 52 books back to #1 and is doing some slight rebooting. Unfortunately, we don't know much for sure right now and rumors are flying around like nobody's business. Be it The New York Times, G4, Bleeding Cool News, or even DC Comic's own forums, everyone seems to be talking about all of this.

So what do I think about all of this? Honestly, while I'm a bit excited and a bit worried, I honestly don't know what to think. I also think that everyone losing their heads over this renumbering and rebooting is overreacting. Why? Because I keep hearing how "DC is ruining everything" from Grant Morrison's run on Batman to just about everything else being printed. They think Jaime Reyes and other great, newer characters are disappearing. But what do we know so far? We know that a) DC is renumbering 52 comics in September b) there will be some costume redesigns by Jim Lee and c) the first title in this reboot will be Justice League by Geoff Johns and Jim Lee. Outside of those 3 things, it's all been speculation and anonymous sources, which aren't the most reliable sources.

Okay, so we know that the Justice League is getting a new most likely getting a reset origin. Everyone in that image is pretty young looking and many reports have quotes indicating that this is the case. But what about Batman, Wonder Woman, and Superman? Wonder Woman just got a rebooted origin. Geoff Johns himself just got finished with Superman Secret Origin last year. And what of Batman Inc. and Batman and Robin? Grant Morrison seems to have plans in motion and Damian Wayne has finally started coming into his own. Are we done with all of that at the end of the summer? And let's now forget that Blackest Night and Brightest Day both just brought a handful of characters back to life and into new territory. And we already know that DC plans to keep characters like Jaime Reyes and the new Batwoman around and in fact want to try and diversify their line-up of heroes a little more.

So the only conclusion I can see as plausible is this: DC isn't wiping the slate completely clean. There's too much going on and too much still being planned for them to just up and do away with everything. Instead, I'm thinking that Flashpoint is going to end with Barry Allen having to fix the DC Universe, but unfortunately can't repair everything completely like before. Instead, he's forced to repair it all as best he can, which leads to whatever changes we get. For all I know I'm wrong on that completely, but I just don't see a total reset in order here.

As for why there resetting, the answer is obvious: they want new customers and more sales. Comic book companies need new blood reading their product and DC is trying something new to make that happen. This is even more obvious when you consider that they're pushing for day one releases of each of the 52 renumbered series. Comic shops aren't exactly the most lively places and some cities and towns don't even have any. Imagine how many potential customers there are with no access to the newest DC titles every week. That's who DC wants to attract.

Honestly though, outside of this, I don't think there's enough information to really gauge just how positive or negative a thing this is. We just found out about all of this yesterday and we've still got September solicits and San Diego Comicon coming our way, both of which should shed a little more light onto just what we should come to expect in terms of what DC is putting out. So for now, I think everyone just needs to take a breath, step away from the computer for a bit, and calm down. This isn't the end of the world and who knows, maybe we're about to see something really great coming out of DC.

Indie Comics I Like: 6/1/2011

So now that I'm done being lazy and back to somewhat regular posting, it's time to return to the indie spotlight. Then I decided that was a dumb name and that "Indie Comics I Like" is better. This week I've got a new title from Image comics, plus four that I haven't gotten around to talking about. Oh, I'm also trying out a new Format for these short reviews. Feedback would be very awesome.

Reed Gunther #1

Writer: Shane Houghton

Artist: Chris Houghton

Reed Gunther And the Steak Snacking Snake! is the story of a Cowboy who rides a bear. Oh, and he's fighting a giant snake, too. If you can't tell how awesome that is just by reading that sentence or looking at that cover to the left, then there is no helping you.

So what's going on in said awesome comic? Well, in our fun filled first issue, Reed and his bear buddy Sterling are helping a cow herder save her cows from a giant, cow eating snake. It's a fun introduction to a world where a cowboy can ride a bear and giant snakes harbor thousands of tinier snakes. There's also a great sense of humor here, which goes hand in hand with the ridiculousness of the book. I found myself laughing at least once every page.

The art also suits the book really well; it's fun and cartoon-y. I'm used to first issues looking a little awkward since the artist usually hasn't gotten too used to drawing the characters yet, but right here everything's great. It also speaks levels of the artist that he can do so much with such simplistic face designs; you can tell what the characters feel and think just by looking at them.

All in all, this was a great first issue. If I had one criticism, it's that this is technically a reprint the with the first three issues of the series available on the book's website (issue 4 is sold out, sadly). That being said, reprinting through Image is a fantastic way of getting the title out there for more readers to try. It's also a great title for both older and younger readers, which is always a great thing in an industry so caught up in stuff that caters to older audiences.

Verdict: READ IT!

The Intrepids #4

Writer: Curtis J Wiebe

Artist: Scott Kowalchuk

Colorist: Donna Gregory

Letterer: Ariana Maher

Another great new title from Image is The Intrepids, a tale of youngsters with unique talents guided by a scientist named Dante. Their mission? Stop mad scientists like the evil Doctor Koi. It's a bit like the James Bond meets the X-men and it's blast to read. Much like Reed Gunther, this is a fun read, though this title is a bit darker.

This issue our heroes find themselves unsure of their mentor and theirs a bit of tension in their ranks. Our fearless leader, Crystal, isn't sure that Dante is being completely honest. Genius inventor Chester, however, believes that they should all be grateful and trust Dante. It's a nice little scene that doesn't eat up too much time and it provides a bit more depth for Chester's character. Of course this issue isn't all bickering and character moments; we get a few pages of super espionage.

Mr. Kowalchuk's art is great, too. I think the thing I appreciate most is that his women look like women in this line of work should. He's also got a real distinct look to his work. It doesn't look much like anything else I've ever seen and that's a great thing. I'd also do a disservice to not mention these lovely covers. Mr. Kowalchuk does a fantastic job of making overs that feel like classic comic book covers. I absolutely love it.

Overall, this is some good comic book. If you haven't picked it up yet, give it a try.

Verdict: READ IT!

Super Dinosaur #2

Writer: Robert Kirkman

Artist: Jason Howard

Letterer: Rus Wooton

If you read comics, you should know the name of Robert Kirkman. He's the guy who created The Walking Dead and Invincible, two of Image's best selling titles. Both are also pretty gruesome and definitely aren't for kids. Well now he's got a title that is for kids: Super Dinosaur! Super Dinosaur is the the story of Derek Dynamo and his best pal Super Dinosaur as they wage war on Max Maximus and his corrupted Dinos. This series is pure fun and you should give it a try. While it's a kid's title on the surface, there's enough meat in the story for older readers to get enjoyment out of it, too. Also, it has a Dinosaur with robot arms, which is automatically great. The only real issue here is that the dialog can be a bit off at times, and there was one moment that felt like it was a toy advertisement. Outside of that, though, everything here is a-okay.

Verdict: READ IT!

Gladstone's School for World Conquerors #1

Writer: Mark A. Smith

Artist: Armand Villavert

Colorist: Carlos Carrasco

Letterer: Fenografiks

Gladstone's School for World Conquerors #1 is a comic about the students of the world's greatest school for super villainry. The story follows Kid Nefarious and his friends Martian Jones, Mummy Girl, and Ghost Girl as they attend the school in hopes of one day becoming super villains. But not is all as it seems as it looks like Super Heroes and Super Villains, much like Pro Wrestling, predetermine their fights ahead of time. This is a really great concept for a comic that is pulled off really well. It's also pretty funny, with perhaps the funniest moment being the short introduction to the school's history in the beginning. Also. like Super Dinosaur and Reed Gunther, the title is a great book for kids.

Verdict: READ IT!

Nonplayer #1

Writer and Artist: Nate Simpson

Okay, so while all the Other titles today are really good stuff, Nonplayer is hands down the best of the bunch. It's also the only title that I wouldn't say is necessarily kid-friendly. I'm also a month late on this one, so I won't spend too much time telling you how good it is when just about everyone else out there has been freaking out over it. Heck, it sold out it's first week on shelves and I had to wait for the second printing. Anyways, this is a comic about an MMO and it's pretty awesome. But as awesome as the story is, the art is what steals the show on this one. Perhaps the best part about the art is that I can't tell if it's CG or not and that it actually works so well; I usually hate static CG images, but here it's breathtakingly beautiful. Mr. Simpson has really created something awesome here and I feel so bad only giving it a short review, but I'm pretty sure you've all read this or read about it by now. There's nothing to really tell you other than asking "Isn't this awesome?"

Verdit: READ IT TWICE!

That's it for this week's indie books. I also think you should give Flashpoint #2 and Flashpoint: Batman: Kinght of Vengeance #1 a shot. I'm really digging Flashpoint so far and it looks like it's going to lead to a DC reboot, which I might just post about later tonight!