My Favorite Things of 2013: Comics and Movies

Movies:

Man of Steel- Oh, goddamn, I love this movie. Superman's return to the big screen is one of my favorite things to happen to nerd media in a while, but not because it was the best comic book movie DC has to offer. It wasn't. It was orange and strangely paced. Zak Snyder's incarnation piqued my interest mainly because it was one of the most divisive film among nerds I've seen in years. They either LOVED this movie or completely LOATHED this movie. The fact of the matter is the love or hate for Man of Steel is completely dependent upon what kind of Superman you think Superman should be. If you think Superman should be a wise, alien demi god who gets everything right when nobody else can or should, then you may cringe a little watching it (although, let's be honest...Zak Snyder Superman is set up to be, more or less, the DC version of Chris Evans Captain America and that's worked out so far). If you're okay with a story about a guy who falls right off the "new guy on the superhero block" tree and hits every branch, car, building and orbital satellite on the way down, you'll fit right in with this one.



Gravity- This one gets special mention because I was so skeptical going into it. On one hand, I've never hated anything I've seen from Alfonso Cuaron, so it wasn't like watching a M. Night Shyamalan movie where I have ALMOST EVERYTHING HE'S EVER DONE to hold against him. On the other hand, I wasn't exactly sold on the idea of Open Water...In Space. With that said, this one pulled me in almost immediately. I'm not even going to waste a lot of time harping on how gorgeous this movie is or the fact that this is ONLY movie I have EVER liked in 3D because these are obvious things for anyone who watches this movie with eyes and a brain. First of all, I didn't know there were so many Sandra Bullock haters and I'm not sure I understand why, but let me be the first to invite them all over for a family sized helping of "Stop That Shit." There's pretty much nobody else in Hollywood that does "Everyday woman in a supremely fucked up situation" quite like Sandra Bullock (except maybe Anne Hathaway...maybe). I'm unashamed in saying that this is easily one of the best "...in space" movies in years. You know you have a good movie in your hands when Neil Degrasse Tyson can write a days long Twitter dissertation about all of its scientific inconsistencies....and he STILL loves it.

Comics: 

"Yes, I'm breast feeding. Yes, I'm okay with that."

Saga- After all the praise I've given this book via reviews, I really shouldn't have to praise this book ever again. But I will anyway. In a year's time, I've told probably every person I know who would actually listen to me talk about comics (or anything, really) to read this. Brian K. Vaughn and Fiona Staples' space epic dwarfs pretty much anything else happening in comics right now. Vaughn does something here that not every writer can do: He succeeds in making an intergalactic story accessible and relatable while still maintaining a sense of bizarre sci-fi without it ever falling flat (Take notes...I'm looking at you, Thanos Rising). When it's exciting, the action practically turns each page itself. When it's weird, the artwork is practically weird enough to leap right out of the panels and slap you with a rubber dildo while still not chasing you away. The engaging character development is the closest I've seen a comic book come to being on par with television shows like Breaking Bad and Walking Dead (on its good days). If it keeps going at the quality it's at now, Saga will go on to be talked about in the same conversations as titles like Transmetropolitan, DMZ and Y The Last Man (another Vaughn book).


Hawkeye- Quiet as kept, since Daredevil: End of Days (by David Mack, who praised my blog, by the way...I'll probably NEVER stop talking about that) wrapped up, Matt Fraction's Eisner Award winning story about what Clint Barton does when he's not being an Avenger is probably the BEST thing Marvel has in its arsenal. If you've seen the Avengers movie (and honestly, even if you haven't), you don't need to know much about this character going into it. Clint Barton is an Avenger, he has a bow and arrow...and his personal life is kind of a mess. Except for the Avenger part, everyone knows a guy who's kind of a sad case like Hawkeye and that's the vibe that powers this book through each page. Also, Fraction's characterization of Kate Bishop, Hawkeye's apprentice/bff/little sister figure/handler, makes me think that a). she should have a solo title (which she kinda does at times in this book) and b). should absolutely be played by Ellen Page if the opportunity ever arises.