Ten Questions with Rob McNichol

The Sun's Lead Wrestling reporter, Football365's referee correspondent and creator and producer of The One Sided Ring podcast. http://robmcnichol.blogspot.com

1. The Undertaker's confrontation with Brock Lesnar has received quite a bit of mainstream attention, much less the wrestling community. What do you think went down.

Rob:I think it comes down to the wording. Taker said "You wanna do it?" WWE need Brock more than he needs them. I'd suggest it's likely they sent him an offer, to which no firm response has been received. That was Mark Calaway taking it upon himself to drum up a bit of publicity. Harmless fun.

2. One one would be hard pressed to say this is not a down period for the WWE. Raw ratings are down, Smackdown's ratings are disappointing, and PPV buys are near an all time low. Why do you think the WWE product is struggling as of late?

Rob:Wow. Difficult to give a quickfire answer to this. I could probably do a special podcast devoted to this and it would run longer than a PPV!! I'm not sure the 'as of late' part of your question is the key. I think wrestling fans have been told for too long, too often, that what they watch isn't important. It's two hours of frothy, throwaway light-entertainment that you can dip in and out of as you please. I don't think fans want that. I think people want, and gravitate to, a hard-hitting serious product they can get behind (UFC) with a genuine sporting feel (NFL). I think WWE has been much better for longer stretches in 2010 than it was in 2009, when the guest host nonsense kicked into overdrive. But they are suffering for not taking the product seriously for a long time.

3. In my opinion the creation of Nexus was one of the most exciting things to come down the pike in years. What's your take on how the WWE has handled this angle?(the whole thing and the recent developments with Cena)

Rob:I'd probably give them 6.5, maybe 7 out of ten for it. The first chapter was phenomenal. The Nexus debut was a stunning moment. (It came during a God awful show, but the moment was terrific.) I think everyone could see that booking them to lose at Summerslam was idiotic and killed a lot of their heat. Their ace in the hole is Wade Barrett. He is one of the best talkers I have heard in a very long time. He just has 'it'. Without him, this angle would have struggled. But it does have him, and I think the subtle development of Otunga as an underlying threat to his leadership is excellent. Gabriel looks like he could be a decent enough midcarder, too. I'm not crazy about the latest angle with Cena, because I feel it has too many plotholes, but if they time it right, Cena v Barrett in a blow-off match could do decent business, possibly at Royal Rumble.

4. As a face there's just something about Randy Orton that doesn't work for me. Something's missing what do you think it is?

Rob:I don't think he ever really turned, and to me that hurts him. It didn't have to be a change of attitude per se, but I would have liked to have seen him help a babyface or simply RKO a heel that was annoying the hell out of the crowd. The fans that started cheering him started cheering a cool heel. But there are certain things he can't do as a babyface to make him cool, so some of those cheers have dissipated. I'd give it time, though. Randy is one of the best workers in the world right now. He'll come through.

5. What do you think wrestling will look like in ten years?

Rob:Hindsight is 20/20, but foresight to the year 2020? That's impossible to say. Do that for the last thirty years. in 2000 WCW was alive but dying, and the WWF was on fire. in 1990 Hulkamania was around, and things were cartoony. in 1980 the territories ruled. I think the evolution of the next ten years will depend on TNA getting a decent booker; on how any handover from Vince to Steph/Triple H is handled; on whether ROH can survive with it's present outlook; on whether TV companies continue to support wrestling; on whether the current top stars help develop new ones; and various other individual factors. I don't even Vince or Dixie could answer your question satisfactorily.

6. Who do you think the Undertaker will face at Wrestlemania?

Rob:You want me to say Lesnar, right? (laughs). A couple of weeks ago I'd have said realistically it's between two men. John Cena and Sheamus. Personally I'd book him with Cena, but it's all dependent on when Taker wants to hang up his boots. If he wants to retire fully next year, then book him with Sheamus and let the Irishman end the streak. I've always been of the opinion the streak should end to put someone over, but only when Taker is done. If he is to carry on, then lets do Taker/Cena now while they can. It would have genuine big-match buzz, and you can actually get people believing Cena might be booked to go over.

The enigma in the equation is Wade Barrett. The Nexus attacking Taker angle at Bragging Rights was interesting If WWE believe in him enough, they could do Barrett v Taker. Taker would win to keep the streak alive, but booking Barrett in that spot would tell the world he is a main eventer. He wouldn't have to win to get over.

7. If you were going to give the Hogan/Biscshoff regime a grade so far what would it be? Why?

Rob:I'd say D-. Put simply, their influence in the past 12 months has seen TNA massively increase their spending, and it's gained nothing. They've added RVD, Hardy, Flair, Anderson, Tommy Dreamer and others, all on decent contracts, but it's done little. House show business is up because they do more shows, but the attendances aren't skyrocketing. Buy rates are negligible, and their ratings are no different to what they were before Hogan and Bischoff turned up. The average rating in 2010 so far is lower than in 2009, although this obviously does include some ratings up against Raw.

More importantly, I guess, is that the quality of shows is low. I liked TNA's show in the back end of 2009. When got out of the Main Event Mafia, pushed Wolfe, Angle, AJ, Morgan in the right places, I thought they were onto something. But for the most part, Impact this year has been very poor. Often nonsensical and head-scratching, and at worst simply boring. It's damaged goods, and the worst thing for Hogan/Bischoff is they talk about TNA needing more exposure, but the facts are that they are able to pop a short-term rating, but the fans soon disappear because they don't like what they are presented with.

It's a D- because they haven't gone out of business. The mark is in red ink, with "must do better" written in large lettering.

8. Who's the most underused wrestler in the business today?

Rob:Another massively difficult question to answer, because there is a difference between underused, underrated and used wrongly. Samoa Joe, for example, is on TV a lot, so to call him underused would be wrong, but I'm not crazy about how he has been booked. You could look to a few guys like Petey Williams and Jimmy Rave, who I think are great talents but don't have a job. You could argue it's someone like Shingo, Christopher Daniels or Davey Richards, who happen to work for small promotions and don't get the international TV exposure their talent deserves.

If we're talking talent signed to the big two that don't get enough high profile airtime, I'd say before he got injured WWE didn't get enough out of Christian. I don't understand why there wasn't a major feud between him and Edge or Jericho. I think Gail Kim is probably the best female wrestler in WWE, but it's easy to forget she even works there. It's ridiculous. I don't know what the unexplained reason for the absence of Desmond Wolfe is, but TNA's booking of him was nothing short of a joke.

9. What is your reaction to the Hardy heel turn and how do you think it's played out so far.

Rob:It's still early days. His promos have been better than I expected, but it's wrestling style I'm worried about. He just isn't suited to being a heel in the ring. Heels have to work a 'bump-and-feed' style, and I can't see Jeff pulling it off. I hope to be wrong, but that's my fear. I also think to get him over as a heel World Champ he will be win by cheating all the time. I'm utterly sick of seeing heels with no credibility.

I think they turned Hardy because they wanted to do something shocking, as opposed to be it being a cleverly plotted out plan.

10. Who are some of your all time favorite wrestlers?

Rob:I was a huge Bret Hart fan growing up, and watching old tapes and spending time with the man just strengthens his position in my head as my favourite ever. I think Shawn Michaels' body of work, all round performance and consistency stakes him a claim for being the best of all time.

I've always been a 'wrestling' guy. I like smaller guys who work realistically. The tragedy aside, Chris Benoit was a phenomenal worker. Being at Wrestlemania to see Rick Steamboat was a highlight of my wrestling viewing life. I've always thought the Dragon was underrated. You have to include Kurt Angle in any of these lists, too. Curt Hennig and Chris Jericho would make my top ten.

Ten Questions with Dan Phillips

He's talented, foulmouthed, opinionated but most of all Dan Phillips is the absolute best reviewer in comics(IGN) and for my money also one of the best minds. I was given the pleasure of interviewing the incomparable Mr.Phillips via email. enjoy.

What drew you to comics? What still keeps you reading them today?

A – First off, I want to point out how surreal it is to be on the other end of one of these Q & A sessions after conducting interviews for IGN for the past four-plus years. With that out of the way, I should probably just dive into answering the questions – one thing I’ve come to hate in my experience interviewing comics writers is when an interviewee dances around the questions, hides behind snark, gives boring stock answers or all of the above.

I guess the short answer is that I’ve always been drawn to comics, from the days my dad would read old Batman issues to me. The long answer is that my interest in comics ballooned from a casual enjoyment to a full blown obsession upon my first exposure to Batman: The Animated Series. That brilliant show had a profound impact on me, carving a vicious little scar across my impressionable mind that exists to this day. That show led me to a comic store – a trade of A Death in the Family was the first thing I remember buying with my own money and absolutely loving – which led to a love of all things Bat-related and, finally, an interest in all comics.

As for what keeps me reading them today, I could probably write a hell of a lot about that topic. Again, the short answer is I truly do love the art form. I’m paraphrasing here, but I believe it was Harvey Pekar who said something along the lines of “you can tell any story with words and pictures.” I truly believe that comics offer a chance to capture unbridled imagination more so than any other medium. When they’re done right, comics are more creative, original and exciting than any other art form. I also do love serialized stories a great deal, which is why I’m also becoming a giant fan of television as an art form, though it will probably always come in a distant second to comics.

2. What's the state of comics today?(from both the writing and production side)

A - Although I’m certainly as guilty as anyone of sometimes focusing on the negative aspects of the industry more than the many positives, I do firmly believe that comics are at the highest quality they’ve ever been both in terms of creativity and production values. More money than ever goes into the production of comics and hiring talent, and although some companies and creators are guilty of putting out trash, there are more outstanding comics out there than there has arguably ever been at any one time – granted you’re willing to go hunt them out among all the shitty books out there.

Look, there will always be people who claim the Stan Lee/Jack Kirby/Steve Ditko heyday of Marvel was more prolific in terms of generating new ideas, or the British invasion of the eighties was a more sophisticated era of creativity, or even those that look at the Image days as some sort of creative high point (believe me, they exist). But I think those people are more than a little delusional, and are probably letting their nostalgic connection to those periods cloud their judgment. I for one grew up with the Batman and Superman comics of the Knightfall/Death of Superman era, and though I still enjoy those books on some level to this day, I would never be stupid or crazy enough to say that era of comics was across the board better than it is now. We truly are living in a new renaissance in terms of quality and creativity, and I think the good greatly outweighs the bad.

3. Where do you think comics will be in ten years? And what role do you think digital will have?

Comics will always exist in some form or another. Whether or not they exist as we know them – specifically in floppy form sold through direct market stores – remains to be seen. I happen to be of the belief that comics will always exist in printed form, both in floppies and trades. But I will admit I think it’s entirely possible that the current business model of distribution as we know it can crumble at some point and have to be completely remade, even if I don’t think it’s likely. What I am sure of is that digital will change things to a huge, unimaginable extent – for the better, I believe. The current business model is archaic and designed to get comics in the hands of a shrinking audience. Any avenue designed to reach new readers such as digital distribution should be welcomed, not feared by short-sighted shop owners and publishing dinosaurs desperate to hold onto their small piece of the dwindling pie.

4. There's been much talk about the future of the Superhero movie, with Scott Pilgrim and Kick Ass under performing at the box office. Are super hero movies a trend that's coming to an end or a legitimate genre that's here to stay?

A - This is a bit of a loaded question that can be answered from a lot of angles, and I think you’re asking a lot of different things here. First off, I believe Scott Pilgrim and Kick Ass under performed at the box office for a number of reasons, the least of which being the public’s fatigue with comic-inspired movies. If you ask most people out there, I’d venture most had no idea those movies were even based on comics.

Besides being a well-spring for new ideas, Hollywood loves comics – and will continue to loves comics – because they allow producers and execs to see a visual representation of what the movie will look like before they plop down a single dollar for a script. Comics are, among other things, ready-made storyboards for a prospective movie. That won’t change, and I believe producers and execs will continue to scour comics for potential source material.

Whether or not the superhero movie will remain as popular as it is now is another question entirely. Superheroes are a hit because they represent American mythology people can relate to on a primal level whether or not they’re comics readers. It’s our culture’s version of the hero’s journey, in many respects. The Greeks had Hercules. We have Batman, Superman and the X-Men.

But at the end of the day, the superhero movie is a genre – it happens to be a very versatile genre, but it’s still just a genre. And any genre – be it horror, sci-fi, westerns or whatever – runs the risk of being over-exposed in theaters. Particularly when many of them are poorly and haphazardly made.

5. My favorite quote of yours (besides Hey now) is ..."Comics is a medium not a genre." I was hoping you could elaborate on that phrase a bit.

A - One of the biggest problems currently facing the industry, I believe, is the disproportionate number of superhero comics dominating the market. I love superheroes as much as anyone, but there’s absolutely no reason, other than the shortsightedness of publishers looking to retain the readers they already have rather than grow their audience, that the number of superhero titles out there should so greatly outweigh the number of crime comics, horror comics, romance comics, fantasy comics and comedy comics combined.

Yes, comics are a medium, not a genre. By that, I mean that comics are simply a vehicle to tell stories or make artistic statements; just as prose, stage, screen, poetry, music and painting are all simply vehicles to tell stories and/or make artistic statements. What stories you choose to tell, and what artistic statements you choose to make, among other things, determine the genre. Genre is a subsection of medium or form. And comics are without a doubt a medium or form. I hope that makes sense. This is another topic I can probably babble on about for hours.

What’s important is that we’re slowly changing the common, mainstream perception that comics and superheroes are synonymous. No, comics are a medium, and superheroes are a genre common to the comics medium.

6. Where do you think the comic industry has room to grow? Where is the industry missing the mark in that respect.

A - I think I’ve hit on some of this in my previous answers, but let’s dive in some more, because god knows the industry has room to grow in many directions. First and foremost, we need to grow our readership and audience by any means necessary. If that means abandoning the old business model, moving into digital distribution as a viable alternative to the direct market, changing the types of stories we tell or all of the above, so be it. We need more people reading comics. The sales numbers – as unreliable as they might be - support the argument we’re losing readers faster than we’re bringing them in – at least in terms of who is going to the store on a weekly basis. Trade sales might indeed be on the rise (some would argue against that, but I won’t), but in the end, aren’t most trades just a collection of individual issues? There’s no reason we shouldn’t be able to get more people reading comics individually. If millions of people are willing to watch a show like Lost or Sons of Anarchy in serialized form, why wouldn’t they be willing to read a comic story in a similar fashion?

Of course, we haven’t even gotten into the topic of piracy and the role it’s playing on sales and the growing reality that comics are at in all-time high in terms of popularity and approaching new lows in terms of actual sales. But that’s a topic for another day. I for one agree with the sentiments recently voiced by Mark Waid and Image Publisher Eric Stephenson, that piracy may in fact do more good than bad, and that publishers are fools for looking at those who read pirated comics as little demons to be feared and persecuted, rather than interested parties willing to take the next step into purchasing comics.

7. What are you reading right now, in terms of comics. If you were stranded on a dessert Island but somehow you could miraculously have comics delivered to you which ones could you not live with out.

A - It probably goes without saying that I’m enjoying Morrison’s Batman work quite possibly more than I’ve ever enjoyed another era of Batman comics. And seeing how Batman is my all-time favorite superhero character, Morrison’s Batman would have to go on that list. I’m also a rabid fan of the crime/noir genre in any medium, so books like Scalped, Criminal and Stumptown also rank atop my list of favorites. Darwyne Cooke’s Parker adaptations have been sublime.

Chew is a funny, original, subversive and immensely enjoyable book month in and month out. The same goes for Eric Powell’s Goon (when it actually appears), which is one of the most demented and awesome books ever created.

On the Vertigo side of things, I cherish Unknown Soldier and hate that it’s ending prematurely. The Unwritten is a great, incredibly imaginative book that reminds me in many ways of Sandman. There have been some true gems in Vertigo’s new Crime line of OGNS, but a few stinkers as well. I’ve never been the biggest Hellblazer nut, but much of what I’ve read with the character I’ve enjoyed.

In general I tend to follow creators more than characters. I’ll give anything Warren Ellis writes a try. Same goes for Jason Aaron, Jonathan Hickman, Ed Brubaker, Robert Kirkman, Joe Kelly and Joe Casey (his Godland is a must for any Kirby fan). And that’s only talking about current comics. I can go on forever about classic favorites, but I’ll leave that for another day except to say that Gotham Central fulfilled my two loves – Batman and the crime genre – more than any other comic ever.

8. I know that the Superman franchise is near and dear to both of our hearts. What's the state of Big Blue these days.(Looking for your thoughts on the OGN,next movie and JMS, run and even War of Supermen and New Krypton if you're so inclined)

A - Superman IS near and dear to my heart, so this is another tough question to try and answer in full.

I guess to start I’ll say that for a number of reasons, many which allude me, DC has struggled for the past two decades with Superman, their oldest and most identifiable superhero character. I think both the company and the creators they choose to handle him by and large are very intimidated when it comes to taking chances with the character, chances which would get people talking about the Man of Steel in a way they haven’t since DC killed him off. Many are just too precious with the character and the mythos, ultimately leading to an ever-growing mountain of forgettable, stale Superman comics. I also think the character’s near-invulnerability plays into writers’ struggles to craft exciting stories around him; many are simply unable to challenge the character morally and intellectually while still telling the type of bombastic, action and spectacle-driven stories people want from the property. I definitely don’t think taking Superman out of most of his books, moving him off Earth or having him neglect his duties to walk across the country are wise creative decisions if the idea is to remind people why Superman is arguably the greatest superhero of them all.

The only modern writers to really show a great handle on the character, for my money, are Morrison, Geoff Johns, Joe Kelly and Mark Waid – these guys have all shown the ability to honor the mythology while making interesting statements about Superman and what he means to people, all while taking enough bold chances to make for exciting, entertaining stories. Millar likes to claim he has the perfect Superman story in mind, but I’ll believe it when I see it. I long ago stopped paying credence to the garbage that comes out of that guy’s mouth.

As for JMS’ Superman: Earth One, which I recently tore to pieces in my review for IGN, I pretty much said everything I wanted to about that project without getting into spoilers. I hated most of the changes JMS made to the property in an effort to make him hip and modern, not because they were changes, but because they ran in the face of what I like about the character and why I think he’s such a powerful fictional creation. The alien invasion angle was dull and derivative, the core villain a thin caricature. Most importantly, I don’t think he said anything interesting about the character, and worse, failed to honor what makes him great to begin with. If you want me to get into greater detail than that I will at a later point. For now let’s leave it at that. Let me just reiterate that my reason for hating Earth One had nothing to do with opposing to any creator making changes to the mythology. Like I said, the character needs more creators willing to take a chance or two and tweak the character for modern audiences. I just think JMS failed rather miserably at the task, even if I admire his willingness to try. JMS is nothing if not daring.

Finally, I’m pretty pessimistic about this new movie, although I’m trying my damndest to keep an open mind. I generally don’t like Zack Snyder as a director, and thinks his interest in the visuals of filmmaking usually lead to him neglecting important things like story. Hopefully Jonathan Nolan and David Goyer’s script provides him a blueprint to tell a compelling narrative, but some of the earlier reports indicate they’ve created more of a story outline than an actual script. We’ll see.

9. We now have a title for the long awaited Batman movie. In typical Nolan fashion he's spoon feeding us information. The latest is that he's not using the Riddler as the villian for the new movie. Who do you think he will use and which villains would you like to see him use.

A - I have absolute faith in Nolan’s vision of the Bat-universe, so if he’s opposed to using the Riddler, I’m fine with that. By now, after his first two stellar movies, I think he’s proven he deserves the benefit of the doubt. I think by now it’s also a foregone conclusion he’ll be using Catwoman in some capacity, and my guess is as a femme fatale and morally ambiguous love interest for Batman. I think she’ll straddle the line between ally and rogue, as she so often does, rather than serve as the film’s chief antagonist.

Whether the belief is irrational or not, I still in my gut feel like we haven’t seen the last of Two-Face. It’s clear they intended to have Ledger’s Joker around for a second go around, and his tragic death obviously changed those plans. I think that may be why Two-Face’s fate was left more ambiguous than it possibly would have been if Ledger hadn’t die before the end of production. I think they left the window open for Two-Face to survive for a third film despite alluding to his death at the end of Dark Knight. But I could be very, very wrong.

10. Tell me about your band.

In addition to my work as a freelance writer, I also play in a band called The Frank Stalloners. We’ve been playing together in some form or another for close to ten years, but only in the past two have we gotten our act together and started writing our own material and gigging out hardcore. We gig out all over the NYC area, and our sound could best be described as “roots rock,” or more specifically, a cross between rock, blues, funk and R&B. You can check our songs out for yourself at our myspace, facebook and Band Camp pages, which all house the first three tunes of the demo we’re currently hard at work on. By all means, google us, follow us on twitter, facebook us, and let us know what you think. And if you’re so inclined, come check out a show and say hello if you’re ever in the NY area. At the very least, we know how to show others a good time.

Myspace.com/thefrankstalloners

Twitter: @frankstalloners

http://www.facebook.com/TheFrankStalloners

http://thefrankstalloners.bandcamp.com/

Scalped 42

What you need to know:In the gut-wrenching conclusion to "The Unwanted," Carol decides the fate of her unborn child while Dash struggles with the idea of fatherhood

Happiness: It's a word not often associated with Scalped, which made the first scene of the book so powerful. One big happy family, it's the first time I can remember seeing the principle characters happy. Too bad it was a dream.

Great Scene: Last month Scalped contained the most gut wrenching scene I've ever seen in a comic. Jason Aaron follows up with scenes just as strong in this issue. Dashell and Carol meet for the first time in months, not only does Aaron capture the awkward exhilaration that a lovers reunion carries, but he also conveys the unsaid. In in relationship the things that you want to say but don't are always the most poignant.

Abortion: Roe v Wade was a long time ago, but it's still a hot button issue. He handles it with care and class, and no matter what you're stance on the issue is you can see the humanity in Aaron's depiction.

What you won't

Undercover story: Lost in the drama of Dash' life is the fact that he is still an undercover FBI agent. AAron addresses this a little in this issue and we are surely headed down that road again. However I do miss that aspect of the comic.

You're not reading it:It amazes me that in comics the best books don't sell. For the life of me I just don't get it. Scalped is a masterpiece. If you're not reading it do it today.


Bottom Line: There's not a better book on the shelves today.

Grade: A+

Incorruptible #11 Review

What you need to know:The super-villains of the world are galvanizing in the wake of Plutonian's rampage on earth. Only one man can stop them. Formerly one of their own, Max Damage turns up the heat against his one-time criminal colleagues, and teaches them what it means to be INCORRUPTIBLE!

World creation: Mark Waid has created a solid, realistic(as far as superheroes go)post apocalyptic world. When I read this book, I always think, yeah if this were real that probably would happened. Characters make logical decisions based on their surroundings. Not to mention that so much of this world plays off the beats in its sister book Irredeemable. I'm yearning for a crossover at some point.

Alana Patel: Alana Patel is the former girlfriend of the Plutonian, who helped push him over the edge by revealing his secret identity. Alana has been captured by a group of white supremacist that believe that Plutonian has spared them because he thinks them they are the master race. The guilt that Alana feels is palpable and her reaction to seeing Max Damage use his powers is spot on. She's a very non stereotypical woman in a story that could easily turn her into cannon fodder.

Balance: So many times when I write a review, the writer has tried to cram too many plots into one book, for one reason or another it doesn't work. This isn't mark Waid's problem, in fact he thrives when he has several plot threads working at the same time.

What you won't

Art: I've got to say I'm more than a little disappointed with the art. The facial expressions and thus the character acting is very weak. Too often background characters aren't filled in properly as a shortcut. It wasn't awful, it was serviceable, but mediocre at best.

Bottom Line: You should be reading this book. In eleven issues it's yet to disappoint.

Grade: B

Incognito Bad Influences #1 Review

What you need to know: It's been over a year since Zack Overkill came out of Witness Protection to build a new life. But working for the government isn't that different from being controlled by them, and his new secret identity is becoming more trouble than it's worth... So what will Zack do when tasked with a mission that sends him on a hunt into darkest corners of the super-criminal underworld where he was raised?


Captions: Brubaker writes the best captions in the business hands down, no one else comes close. Brubaker's captions have a way of letting you into a character's head(even though they are more narrations than internal monologues) Captions in comics have become so overused I used to cringe when I saw them, and I still do most times, unless it's Brubaker's.

Art: At this point it goes without saying that Sean Phillips' art is fantastic. Phillips captures the over the top, yet murky world of Incognito to perfection.

Creative Team: With apologies to Bendis/Maleev, Brubaker and Phillips are the best creative team in comics. If you're just becoming aware of this dynamic duo, do yourself a favor and run your comic shop and pick up Criminal and Sleeper. It's some of the best stuff I've ever read.

Creative Storytelling Brubaker and Phillips throw some unconventional panels at us. I'm always a big fan of this approach, it always stands out when done well. You can just tell that these two are becoming more and more comfortable with each other with each issue.

Mundane Life: One thing the Incognito does so well is to capture the mundane, and then contrast it to life with superpowers.

What you won't

All Star Bru/Phillips: If you read my reviews you'll notice the term All star thrown around. What I mean by this is that a highly successful group of individuals gets together and makes a movie,book,comic etc.. Of course the star power draws you in much like an all star game. However if you've seen an All star game you'll understand that they generally disappoint. They are fun outings that in the end really don't mean much. I wouldn't go so far as to say that Incognito is a disappointment. But it definitely lacks the same punch as Sleeper and Criminal.

Time Shifting: Every time I got into the story, the narration would stop and say I'll tell you more about this later. It was an annoying tactic that was used twice and completely took me out of the moment.

Too much exposition: I know this was a first issue, but this was very exposition heavy. There were about two pages too many of recapping. To some degree this is understandable because this is a creator owned book and who knows how many people are jumping on, but it was still too much for my taste.


Bottom Line: Though it is a slight disappointment, Incoginito is a good comic. Even more important Brubaker has laid the foundation for a story that's sure to enthrall.

Grade: B

Nike "Rise" LeBron James Commercial

WWE's Undertaker, Brock Lesnar Exchange Words Following UFC 121

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zjHtxPew5Os

Power Girl 17

What you need to know: Power Girl has a murder mystery to solve, but she’s got some particularly talented friends in the detecting business. Enter: Batman!

What you'll love

Humor: Judd Winick is not known for his comedy but maybe he should be,Winick makes good use of comedic timing and sarcasm. Like most things Winick his comedy is very underrated.

Batman: I'm not a fan of guest appearances. I can't tell you how many times a guest appearance has lured me into buying a book,only to find that the guest wasn't needed, or worse yet the writer didn't have a handle on the character. Not the case here, Winick has Dick Grayson's Batman down. He also summed up the difference between Bruce's Batman and Dicks in the first two pages.

Set Pieces: Many feel that Grant Morrison writes the best set pieces in comics, with apologies to Mr. Morrison I'd submit Winick's name into that competition. Winick's action scenes are generally sprawling, with Power Girl Battling her enemies for what is literally miles. At the same time each fight is intense, almost intimate.

Character: Winnick makes Power Girl, strong, smart, sexy, sarcastic and resilient, but most of all he makes her likable.

Art: Words cant describe how much I love Sami Basri's art. It's like reading the Power Girl animated series. It's just beautiful.


What you won't

Nothing: I've got nothing. It's a deliciously fun book.


Bottom Line: If you have preconceived notions about Power Girl(I did) throw them out of the window, this book is everything a super hero comic should be.


Grade: A+

Morning Glories 3

Morning Glories

What you need to know: Morning Glories is a private school full of danger, mystery and deceit, in this issue the plot thickens as students continue their first day of classes.

What you'll love you

Art: My view of artist is similar to way sports referees are viewed, if you've noticed them they haven't done their job. (Sorry, I'm a writer so sue me) Joe Eisma defies this rule, his art is spectacular, not only is it beautiful and eye catching, but it masterfully conveys the emotion and mystery of Morning Glories.

Catchy slogan: With these kinds of stories it's critical that the foundational slogans and catch phrases work. Spencer knocks it out of the park with "the hour of our release draws near" It's catchy and appropriately cryptic and most of all it makes me want to know more(which is the point)

Cinematic: Morning Glories reads like a movie or TV show. It's an appealing approach that serves this book well. When I'm reading Morning Glories I'm completely ensconced in the world that Spencer and Eisma have created. Their cinematic approach is a big reason why.

Characterization: The ensemble cast format has its pitfalls,(I'll hit that later) but one thing it has the potential to do is create favorites among the audiences. So far for me it's the head strong Casey and the pathological Ike. It'd be very easy for these characters to become cliched but Spencer breathes life into each archetype.

What you won't

Ensemble cast: Done well the ensemble format can be better than any other story telling vehicle, done poorly and you have New Avengers(I'm joking,lol) Large casts are a juggling act and its impossible to please everyone. I enjoy Casey and Ike, but what if I didn't? I'd be stuck with them for an entire issue.

Depth: So far this the only true weakness I can find. The difference between a story that's very good and great is in it's emotional resonance, is it's ability to connect with to connect with its audience. It's still very early but Morning Glories isn't strong on big themes, or exploration of the human condition. Maybe it won't be that kind of book, maybe it will, but depth is the trait that creates greatness and this book definitely has the potential to be great.

Bottom Line: Nick Spencer is well on his way to becoming comics next superstar and Morning Glories could be the vehicle that takes him there. It's a must read every month.

Grade: A

Red Review

What you need to know: Frank Moses is a a retired blacks ops agent, living a dull life of retirement when he is forced back into the spy game by an assassination attempt.

What you you'll love

The Cast: The cast is as star studded as they come, sometimes this can be a bad thing but it works in Red. Each heavyweight gets just enough time on screen. It's a juggling act done well.

Willis: If you're a fan of Mr. Willis then Red is the movie for you. Willis does a superb job with some very mediocre material. Every moment Willis is on the screen, Red morphs into a better movie.

Mary Louise Parker: I didn't know Parker was in the movie, she certainly wasn't a selling point on the trailers or posters. Despite this Parker steals the show, she provides the movie's only true moments of humor. The very definition of a scene stealer.


What you won't

Mindless plot: Red's plot is so mindless, so contrived that it defines comprehension. I couldn't help but think of the movie the Losers. The plot to the two movies are almost identical, yet the Losers with a small budget, and lesser know stars is everything Red tries to be and is not.

Uneven: Action comedies are tricky, you have to find the right balance. Structurally Red finds a healthy balance between its two genres. Where it struggles is in its tone. At times Red is very serious other times it's whimsical, it's not a good mix.

Over the top: To say that the use of machine guns in this movie is excessive, is to say that snow is cold. One of the first scenes in the movie has Willis' character attacked by a hit squad of roughly twenty men in the middle of suburbia. Supposedly these people live in the shadowy world of covert ops. I somehow doubt they'd open fire in the middle of the suburbs.


Bottom Line: Red is more overwrought Hollywood drivel. If you are big fans the actors involved you may find some enjoyment in Red,otherwise skip it or what for it to come to a Red box near you.

GRADE: C

Top ten QB's in the league right now

Top Ten Quarterbacks in the NFL Right now

Written by: Cory Carlton

There is a lot of debate over who is the best quarterback in the NFL. There has always been this debate and there is almost never a unanimous best player because of the subjective nature of the question. What defines best? Even in history there is no definitive best quarterback. Depending on where you are and who you ask, you may hear names like Montana, Unitas,Elway,Dan Marino(you might hear Brett Farve as well but that is just utter nonsense). Well I think there is no difference between best and greatest, they should be one in the same. Now we must decide how we must define true greatness in a quarterback. Over and over again the common theme in great quarterback is leadership. Leadership is very subjective as well, there is only one way to define leadership and that is W’s. And there is only one place where W’s matter and that’s the playoffs. So as a result you will see this as a common theme throughout my list.

1. Brees- I know he only has one ring, but look at who he beat, the so called best quarterback in the NFL. With a team with ZERO pro bowlers on offense besides him. You put Sean Payton and Drew Brees on ANY offense in the NFL and they will put up numbers and more importantly theywill win. This year New Orleans is hurt to no end, Brees is on one leg and they still find ways to win. Ill take Drew Brees and you can have the field and Ill come out on top.

2. Brady- Three Rings. Period the end. Whether it be with Randy and Wes or the disappearing act Deon Branch, Tom Brady is to Joe Montana what Kobe Bryant is to Michael Jordan.



3. Roethlisberger :Another shocking pick I feel. Don’t get me wrong I am NOT a Big Ben fan in any capacity. But as they say men lie, women lie, RINGS don’t lie,especially from the QB position. Sure he has always had a good run game and a pretty good defense. But there are only handful of quarterbacks in the history of the game that does what he did against the Cardinals. I believe the list goes something like this (Montana,Elway,Unitas,Brady, Steve Young, Eli Manning,Warner, Tarkenton, and Maybe Troy Aikman notice the absence of one Peyton Manning from this list. )




4. Rodgers- I know what you're saying. How is it POSSIBLE if we are talking winning, would you put Aaron Rodgers with 0 playoff wins over Peyton Manning three time MVP with a ring. Simple Rodgers is playing as well as Peyton has ever played in his career. And I’ll take the unknown or one game of Rodgers playoff data over the known choking data that Manning has displayed. Had he not been playing Rex Grossman in the superbowl he’d still be 0fer forever. He is the second coming of Brett Farve which another topic all together that I refuse to get started on.



5. Manning- Don’t Get me wrong, I’m not bashing Peyton. He is the second best regular season quarterback of all time, behind only Dan Marino. Peyton Manning's playoff stats are 28TD, 19 INT in 18 Games. To compare those Stats to a quarterback from last season Let's compare this with Quarterbacks of a similar rating last year.

• Joe Flacco 88.9
• Kyle Orton 88.6
• Jason Campbell 86.4

Peyton’s all time regular season QB rating is 95.4 which puts him ONLY behind Steve Young as the most prolific regular season QB of all time. Now compare that to the best QB of all time Joe Montana who’s regular season QB rating of 92.3 and a playoff rating of 95.6. Clearly coming up big when it means the most, not reverting back to playing like Jason Campbell. Don’t get me wrong, Jason Manning, I mean Peyton Manning is a top five quarterback in this league. But he is NOT the best now and isn’t CLOSE to the best of all time. End of Story. If he gets another one, then and only then can we revisit this.

6.Eli- He would be higher on this list if there was ANY consistency to his play. Bottom line: with the game on the line against the three time defending champions and maybe one of the best dynasty’s in the history of the NFL, Eli came up like the best clutch quarterback in the history of the NFL. Not to say he is or has taken a step forward since then, but Eli consistently plays well towards the end of the games on the biggest stage. And there is definitely something to be said about playing at a superstar level when all the lights are shinning on you.




7.Rivers- This is the one person that I feel like could be higher on this list with just a couple of breaks. At the end of the day, Rivers has had some of the most talented teams in the NFL for a good four year span and didn’t get it done. So he sits towards the bottom of this list.


8.Tony Romo- I know I know. How can I make a column about winning and then put Tony in my top ten. But the guy has talent, A LOT of it and plays very well for stretches. When we are talking people below him on this list? He has to be above. 95.3 Career regular season QB rating. He has two good playoff games and two bad ones. I just need more data. Is he a choker?? Yes.. Does he still have time to change my opinion?? Absolutely.. Will he?? Most likely no.


9.Donanovan Mcnabb- ummmm I present you with http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DLg0KyxQbYM%09%09%09%09%09%09And people call TO a loser??? Cmon man!



10.Matt Ryan- Not much to say about Matt Ryan. He is like the freshman girl you see in college that is small and kind of cute. I need to see Matt Ryan undergo and makeover or hit a growth spurt and become a hot girl. Until then he will stay on the outskirts.



10.Schaub- He really doesn’t deserve much of my time or yours. He plays well 11 games a yr,hokes against the Colts twice misses then playoffs, goes to the off season comes back and does this same thing next year. Sadly enough this will not change.