Magen Cubed's Blog, page 19

Comic book review: Avengers #18

Deep in space, the Avengers join the Council of Worlds as they declare war on their cosmic invaders. The rebirth of the Skrull Empire. The first encounter with the Builders. From Jonathan Hickman and Leinil Francis Yu.

As the Infinity event builds up momentum, we have our first real taste of deep-space battle in this issue from Hickman and Yu. With the Skrull facing extinction at the hands of The Builders, they sacrifice their pride to go before the Galactic Council and seek their assistance as the Avengers arrive to help mount an assault in The Corridor. Political differences and interplanetary tensions are temporarily set aside as the coalition prepares to deal with The Builders, who are systematically razing worlds across the galaxy. Exactly why The Builders feel that this universe is broken and needs to be destroyed remains unclear, but their forces are vast and nearly unstoppable.  This poses a very dire threat to our leading inter-species federation, resulting in a visually spectacular but costly dog fight just beyond the event horizon of a neighboring black hole.

The premise of this issue is simple and direct, but Hickman offers a solid story with some interesting political undertones. His sympathetic portrayal of the Skrull as a once-proud warrior society provides a nice hook for the reader, who is otherwise used to seeing this species in a generally villainous light. The interactions within the council itself is pretty interesting to follow as well, and while he doesn’t spend a great deal of time on the principal characters themselves, we do get a few insights into how the team is dealing with all of this.

The true strength of the issue, however, comes from Yu’s great pencils. His page compositions are striking and the panel transitions are visually engaging. The violence in this issue, both aboard the Skrull warship in the first few pages and during the deep-space battle sequences, are so expertly rendered as to be exquisite. Even his Skrull are lovely, and that’s really saying something.  Gho’s colors make the dog fights a bright and frenetic spectacle that is something to behold.

Overall, this is a strong issue that moves the event forward with beautiful artwork and solid writing.

Comic book review: Infinity #1

The oversized kickoff to the year’s most anticipate Blockbuster summer event, changing the way you view the Marvel Universe! The outbreak of war on two fronts: Earth and Space, with our heroes torn between them. The world-shattering return of Thanos! From Jonathan Hickman and Jim Cheung.

The biggest event of the year has finally arrived as Hickman delivers this epic first issue with the help of Cheung’s exciting artwork. The numerous apocalyptic threads that we’ve seen in the pages of Avengers and New Avengers come to fruition as The Builders arrive in the Marvel Universe. Going from planet to planet, The Builders use the full breadth of their highly-advanced arsenal to raze each world they encounter, leaving devastation in their wake. Aiming their destructive path toward Earth, the Avengers enlist the help of SWORD, Nightmask, Starbrand, Ex Nihilo and Abyss to take on the threat both at home and in space. Captain America splits the team: He leads a space-faring assault to stand with the other empires in The Builders’ crosshairs, Iron Man stays behind to manage Earth’s defense systems in case the others fail.

Meanwhile, Thanos sends an Outrider to Attilan to discover what Black Bolt has been hiding from both his court and his fellow Illuminati. His secrets threaten to undermine everything he’s built, as Thanos makes plans to retrieve what Black Bolt’s been keeping hidden. Placing shills within SWORD’s ranks, Thanos mounts an attack against Earth, its heroes scattered dealing with the impending Builder threat. A year’s worth of comics has finally come down to this: The biggest, ugliest fight the Avengers have ever seen, and it’s just going to get worse from here.

The opening chapter of a six-part event, this oversized issue makes some big promises and manages to keep most of them. Hickman delivers a solid script, bringing together all of the plots he’s been seeding in Avengers and New Avengers. He does a great job of addressing varying perspectives without weighing down the story, or making it feel cluttered or busy. The story is expertly well-paced, with plenty of big action and intrigue to cash in on the spectacle of impending doom. This book is very big, of course, but segmenting the plot into smaller narratives makes for a tight and engrossing read that never comes across as unwieldy or cumbersome.

All of this is wonderfully executed by Cheung’s pencils, which carry the book across planets and solar systems to its ominous conclusion with great success. His panel compositions are highly engaging throughout, the page layouts making the most of the narrative tension. A very visually cohesive book with some interesting repetition of designs, Cheung recreates several panels we’ve seen from Avengers and New Avengers without feeling tedious, and serves as a successful supplement to those issues. It makes this event and all of its many preludes feel like one definitive arc, simply stretched over several titles and issues. Ponsor’s appropriately dark color palettes pull the whole thing together, and make for an engrossing reading experience.

Will this event forever change the way we view the Marvel Universe forever? Only time will tell. For now, Infinity is looking to be an interesting chapter in the career of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes.

Comic book review: Fearless Defenders #8

New costume! New arc! New status quo I still won’t tell you about! Misty kicked ass in Valkyrie’s world, now it’s time to see how Valkyrie fairs in Misty’s. Guest staring Elsa Bloodstone! From Cullen Bunn and Will Sliney.

Elsa Bloodstone makes an appearance this issue as Val, Misty and Annabelle find themselves neck-deep in monsters in Chinatown. Someone is genetically engineering Brood and the case brings them into a fight with the Celestial Order of the Hai Dai. With Val riding shotgun in Annabelle’s body, they have to fight through ninjas and aliens to get to the bottom of it. Add in Val’s new costume design and an appearance from Morgan LeFay, and you’ve got yourselves a new arc for this team as they race to keep up with LeFay’s growing lineup of new Doom Maidens.

The new status quo for Val and Annabelle is admittedly interesting, with Annabelle able to switch back and forth in order to keep Val from succumbing to her Rage persona again. It keeps things a little unpredictable, Annabelle continuing to serve as Val’s host for the foreseeable future while the team gains new members and allies. Despite this, and the strength of the last issue, however, the writing this time around is a little underwhelming. Bunn fires off a number of duds with his characterization of Elsa, who comes off as a stale English cliché for much of the issue. The sudden appearance of the as-of-yet unnamed female Brood drone, positioning herself as a potential Shield Maiden, was just clunky in its execution.

As for the artwork, after Stephanie Hans’ amazing appearance on the last issue, going back to Sliney’s pencils feels like a bit of a letdown. His art still suffer from a misguided handle of female anatomy and perspective in fight scenes so awkward as to be laughable. I find it a bit boggling that everyone in this book can have nearly identical pouty-lipped, overly-tweezed features, distinguished only by their different hair and skin colors. To me, it defeats the purpose of having an all-female team book with some of Marvel’s strongest women just to package them as hokey cardboard cutouts. This obvious disconnect between intent and execution is too jarring for this reader to overlook, especially after the fantastic (and resoundingly non-exploitative) artwork of the last issue. Not every page is awful, but after six other issues from this artist, the artwork doesn’t seem to be getting better any time soon.

Not a terrible issue, but overall a bit underwhelming. My love/hate relationship with this book will continue for another month, it seems.

Comic book review: Avengers #17

“ALL QUIET” The Avengers recruit more members to deal with the soon-arriving threat to Earth. The Builders enter the Marvel Universe. The Finale of the Prelude to INFINITY: Part Four. From Jonathan Hickman and Nick Spencer and art from Stefano Casseli, Marco Rudy and Marco Checchetto.

The Infinity prelude comes to a close as the Avengers call on some unlikely help in dealing with the threat bearing down on the planet. While AIM retrieves their lost project after the thrashing it delivered to the team in Perth, Manifold appears with orders from Captain Universe: Go bigger. Captain America does just that, going to Mars to recruit Ex Nihilo and Abyss, while Iron Man goes to his station orbiting the sun to call on Adam and Starbrand. Together, they prepare to face off against the invading forces seen in New Avengers and the upcoming Infinity event.

Overall, this is a solid issue and a decent conclusion to this four-part prologue arc, as all the moving parts of Hickman’s Infinity event come together cohesively. It offers little resolution, as one would expect, and instead serves as the launching point of the next arc, pausing only to reference the narration of the opening issues. Adam provides the encapsulating narration for the last section, quoting the predictions about the team’s coming struggles. This ties some of the thematic elements together, and is a nice “Aha” moment for those playing along at home. Some of the character banter felt a bit out of place given the somewhat dour tone, but otherwise Hickman and Spencer deliver another pretty good script.

Caselli, Rudy and Checchetto offer some strong visuals in this issue, and keep the pace moving with interesting page layouts and panel compositions. Their compatible styles work together well here, which is not always the case of having multiple artists on the same issue, but it comes together with few noticeable or jarring inconsistencies. This particular combination of artists do well to sustain a sense of visual consistency, creating an interesting combination of artwork that reads pretty seamlessly from one page to the next. Martin’s somber color palettes help to unify the art and maintain the ominous tone of the overall plot, and fill any “visual gaps,” so to speak, as the story moves from artist to artist.

Another solid read that kicks off the next leg of this team book, opening the door to the larger event around the corner.

The Dreaded Arm-Cling: Why Marvel Needs More Heroes and Less Damsels

Thor 2: The Dark World

If you were awake during San Diego Comic Con the last few summers, you would know that Marvel is kind of on a winning streak. With Thor 2: The Dark World coming out this November, the buzz mill thoroughly stirred with news coming out of the set of Captain America 2: The Winter Soldier, and ABC about to premiere Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. this fall, pretty much everybody and their dog is talking about the Marvel Cinematic Universe.  Following up on Iron Man 3‘s record-smashing opening earlier this spring, the success of this franchise doesn’t seem to be slowing down anytime soon. As a Marvel fan, both of the comics and the films, I can’t say I’m particularly upset about the recent surge of cool stuff coming out of the House of Ideas (/House of Mouse.)

But, I do have to tell you, after looking at the new poster for Thor 2, I was a little disappointed with Marvel.

Pepper Potts: Damsel?

Look familiar? Yes, that’s right: The dreaded damsel-in-distress arm cling. Having graced the covers of books and comics for decades, it is a staple of movie posters across time and space, depicting masculine heroes protecting their buxom love interests from danger and mystery. And Marvel movies are all about that on their posters this year. Okay, so, I get it. It’s a genre convention. It’s familiar. It automatically screams “Hey, you should watch this. This guy is our hero and he has a hot girlfriend.” I got that. But – guess what? – it’s cheap and gross. It’s 2013, and we don’t need this crap anymore.

Do I need to see Pepper Potts cling to Tony Stark to know that he’s a hero? No. Do I need to see Jane Foster demurely hold onto Thor’s muscular torso to know that he’s a powerful god? Definitely not. You know why? Because these women are strong and capable on their own merit, both on the page and in film. They’re not cheap throwaway romantic interests, no matter how badly the writers try to assure us of this. They’re interesting. They’re well-rounded. They do stuff. And, yes, they even do cool stuff. If this is news to you, you should be reading more comic books.

Did you even see Iron Man 3? No, seriously. Did you notice that Pepper was kind of a badass? And if you read the comics at any point in the last few years, you’d know she’s been cruising around the Marvel Universe in her own suit as Rescue. Kind of like how she wore the suit in Iron Man 3, as short as that scene was. She is her own damn hero, saved Tony twice in the movie, and has saved him countless times in the comics. So why the hell is Iron Man not clinging on to Pepper?

Oh, that’s right. Because this is a movie about cool dudes doing cool things, with pretty women on the side. In short, you lose this round, Marvel. You can make it up to me by putting this on the poster of Avengers 2. (Because, hey, that’s canon, right? And you guys are all about canon!)

Cap and Iron Man: As close as you can get with a PG13 rating

Comic book review: X-Men #3

The X-Men find out what Arkea is capable of, and the phrase “rampaging horde” comes to mind. Can Arkea be defeated? Can the X-Men take down one of their own, if that’s what it takes? From Brian Wood and Olivier Coipel.

The opening arc of Wood and Coipel’s all-female X-title draws to a dramatic conclusion, as Sublime and Akrea’s sibling rivalry comes to a head in Budapest. While Kitty Pryde is at the school trying to stop Akrea’s all-out siege, Storm leads the rest of the team on a stake-out of a hospital outside of the meteorite impact site. Akrea, who hitched a lift back to Earth via meteorite, initially used Jubilee’s recently adopted son Shogo as a host. Now, hopping a ride in Karima’s body, she returns to a nearby hospital specializing in neuro-prosthetics and cybernetic implants. While her exact plan is vague, Akrea wants to reestablish herself as the dominant life on the planet, and is using human hosts to achieve that.

Realizing that Akrea has taken over the patients inside through their implants, Storm leads the team into the hospital deal with the threat head-on. Karima, who comes out of her catatonic state, regains consciousness long enough to use Psylocke’s telekinetic blade to stab herself, ridding her of Akrea but nearly killing herself in the process. The team appears divided over Storm’s decision and Karima’s sacrifice. Returning home, there’s no time to rest, anticipating the return of Akrea and even more collateral damage from her enduring feud with Sublime.

This issue delivers an intriguing ending to a solid opening arc, leaving plenty of unanswered questions and opened doors for future development. Akrea’s precise end-game is a bit hazy, and the circle-chase she led the team on appears to have little rhyme or reason at the moment, but I’m willing to suspend my disbelief when the dialogue and characterization is this good. The Akrea/Sublime clash makes for a curious backdrop for this team-that’s-not-a-team to continue to grow, with the broad swathe of personalities in this cast clashing and complementing one another in interesting ways. Jubilee’s position as an accidental mother is nice to see unfold over time, her resolve hovering between panic and steadfast resolution in heartfelt ways. This will continue to be fun to watch, and Wood definitely has my attention.

Issue after issue, Coipel’s pencils emerge as the true strength of this book. Wood provides a sturdy script but the dynamism of the artwork is what really makes this title pop. Clever page design and engaging panel compositions keep things moving at an energetic pace, and I’m an eternal sucker for the beautiful two-page spreads of this and the previous issues. The well-struck balance of each character’s internal emotional state with the action-adventure elements allows every cast member to feel completely realized, wearing their personalities like their iconic costumes. It makes for organic characterizations that feel effortless and well-rounded, which, on a team book, is a rare quality to find these days.

Everything in this title works together, and works well. What results is a consistently strong and visually satisfying read with great writing to boot. I’m looking forward to where this book is headed.

Comic book review: FF #10

They’ve handled media mockery, crippling self-doubt, kidnapping, and the greatest fiends the Negative Zone could throw at them — but can the FF handle THE SPOOKY KIDS? From Matt Fraction and Mike Allred.

Allred returns in time for some fourth-wall hijinks with tigers and Pym particles. Fraction writes his creative team into this issue, posing as interested representatives of Marvel Comics looking to make a comic based on the team’s adventures. While the FF is off dealing with their own PR battles, Alex Power is struggling with his orders from Doctor Doom to kill Old John. Unable to follow through, he turns to Ahura, Bentley, Tong and Onome to ask them if they knew anyone who had killed before. Ahura takes Alex and the kids to see his imprisoned uncle, Maximus the Mad, pitting them against the Inhuman in a tense game of twenty questions that results in his uncle’s freedom.

This quirky issue takes the book to whole new levels of self-awareness as Ant-Man takes the unsuspecting Marvel creators on a strange and ironic ride. While fourth-wall breaks tend to disappoint, often becoming too tongue-in-cheek for their own good, Fraction manages to make it work here. Allred capitalizes on this with several amusing visual gags and great attention to detail, putting them in the middle of everything in a lovingly self-effacing way, without stepping outside of the perimeters of the book. So, kudos on them for that.

Almost totally irreverent until the last two pages, the interplay between the kids continues to be one of the most noteworthy aspects of the title. Alex’s battle with his orders from Doom creates a nice backdrop for the kids’ misadventures, as Bentley, Ahura and Tong emerge as reoccurring characters of interest, with Onome not too far behind. Everything about this issue is pure weird fun, from Artie and Leech’s misadventures at the zoo to the throwaway cover and premise, wonderfully helmed by Allred’s lively and engaging pencils. Laura Allred’s colors and textures steal the show, however, creating amazingly detailed backgrounds that makes the most of every panel.

Another fun and charmingly weird issue, from a fun and charmingly weird book.

Comic book review: Captain Marvel #14

Part 5 of 5 of THE ENEMY WITHIN: THE CONCLUSION TO THE HARROWING FIVE-PART CAPTAIN MARVEL/AVENGERS ASSEMBLE EVENT IS HERE! Captain Marvel will end Magnitron’s reign, NO MATTER WHAT IT TAKES. From Kelly Sue DeConnick with art by Scott Hepburn and Gerardo Sandoval.

With the fate of her home on the line, Captain Marvel is pushed to her limits in the conclusion of this crossover event. As Magnitron attempts to replace New York City with his own version of Kree-Lar, his plot to materialize his kingdom on our planet will kill all eight million people below. Aided the last piece of Psyche Magnitron shrapnel still imbedded in Carol’s brain, Magnitron uses the field generated by his sentries to pull his city through the portal, making her party to his final plan. With the Avengers spread too thin and unable to disrupt the field, Carol has no choice but to fly into the atmosphere, out of the range of Magnitron’s power source, and close the portal herself.

In using her flight, Carol saves the city but causes a brain hemorrhage. Captain America takes Magnitron into Avenger custody as SWORD turns to deal with the deactivated sentries scattered all over the country, but Carol is beyond their help. Adrift in space, she’s still alive, but her condition remains unknown. Below her friends and fellow heroes realize her sacrifice and mourn it, unsure of how the episode will affect her, or who she’ll be when she finally returns.

DeConnick delivers a strong finish to this arc, with an issue full of good old-fashioned superheroism and some heartfelt moments for Carol fans. All the build-up of Carol’s memories body betraying pays off here, putting her in a position to play into Magnitron’s schemes. While the villainous plot is a bit on the generic side, the execution is spot-on, and never feels cheesy or overplayed as Carol resigns to stop Magnitron at any cost to herself. This event had its share of soft spots in the middle issue, but the conclusion makes up for that with its emotional resolution, opening doors to the next chapter in Carol’s life.

As for the artwork, I have to admit I’m not a big fan of Hepburn and Sandoval. Sandoval’s faces, in particular, are a bit cartoonish and exaggerated, appearing out-of-step with the rest of Hepburn’s renderings. In general, however, the art is decent and sees things through to a solid finish, with strong execution of the action sequences and some dynamic panel compositions throughout. Their styles, while not interchangeable, are compatible enough to provide a cohesive reading experience.

Overall this issue provides a good ending to a fun and engaging superhero adventure, with equal measures of heart and heroics.

Comic book review: Fearless Defenders #7

I know. You’re still upset about issue 6. But stick with us for a status quo change so big we can’t actually show you anything! From Cullen Bunn and Stephanie Hans.

Stephanie Hans takes up the artistic reins this issue as Annabelle Riggs deals with her new status as a member of the celebrated dead in Valhalla. While she struggles to fit into the afterlife, Valkyrie goes in search of Annabelle to resurrect her and make amends for stranding her there. Her quest reunites her with Clea, the exiled sorceress Val helped hide in Valhalla, whose skills Val requires. Clea is hesitant but agrees, bringing Annabelle back to the mortal coil, but at a price: Val must sacrifice herself, and Annabelle is now her host.

Hans’ artwork steers this book in a beautiful new direction, after several issues of Sliney’s underwhelming pencils. Her vision of Valhalla is lush and fertile, her characters gorgeously rendered with the help of strong panel compositions and soft, otherworldly color palettes. Gone is the generic cheesecake anatomy and porn star faces we’ve been dealing with for six issues, replaced with decisive action sequences and evocative interior spaces that keep the story balanced and well-paced. Finally, Hans strikes the right balance of emotional weight and action-adventure, making for a highly engaging visual reading experience.

Bunn’s script this issue is straightforward but intriguing. While I was surprised to see Annabelle come back so quickly, the decision for Val to immediately seek redemption makes sense and is true to her character. Their relationship remains downplayed, and very much based on the mutual respect of warriors. Annabelle’s romantic interests in Val haven’t been awkwardly shoehorned into the plot, despite my reservations, and are now given the opportunity to take an interesting turn and further develop her character.

Val sacrificing herself for Annabelle, and Annabelle’s upgraded status as Val’s host, adds another layer to the team dynamics here. While things seemed to be smoothed over between them, and Misty is likely on her way to forgiving Val for killing Annabelle in the first place, this opens the doors to new intrigue as the Defenders gear up to tackle LeFay’s new team of Doom Maidens. Overall a solid issue with stellar artwork, that lays the foundations for the next leg of the title.

How I Can Love Hollywood, Even When I Hate It

Look, I support independent media. I do. I love indie comics and books, music and film. As a writer and reviewer carving a name out for myself in the vast indie publishing landscape, I know firsthand why you have to support smart, innovative independent work when and where you find it. It’s important and it doesn’t just happen in a vacuum. Every single penny counts, and I can tell you that this is the gospel truth. Without the growing support for indie publishing, I probably wouldn’t have any work out there, and you wouldn’t be sitting in your pajamas reading this blog post.

But let’s be real for a minute: I love my entertainment comfort food. I read my superhero comic books every month, and I watch their Sunday morning cartoon tie-in shows on DisneyXD. Big budget Hollywood spectacles put my ass in the theater every summer without fail, 3D glasses perched on my face, a tank of Cherry Coke sweating between my hands. I have deep and complicated feelings about the Star Trek franchise, starting at The Original Series and concluding in J.J. Abrams’ frustrating contributions, which I will blurt out to strangers with little to no prompting. In short, I’m a soft entertainment junkie, indulging in popular culture’s endless feast of bright, shiny, and corporate-owned distractions.

Yeah, I’m that guy. My DVD collection consists of equal parts gut-wrenching independent films and schlock-and-awe blockbusters. My television viewing habits consist of groundbreaking cable dramas and terrible, terrible network dribble. I believe in supporting indie filmmakers, musicians and publishers vigorously and often, as well as throwing my hard-earned dollars at the massive soulless behemoths behind the film, television and publishing industries at large. I have action (sorry, I mean collectible) figures. I keep yelling at strangers on the internet about how much I love Pacific Rim. I go to Comic Con. I’ve even been known to wear costumes in my day. (No, there is no shame in my game.)

And, you know what? That’s okay. My love for independent media doesn’t have to cancel out my franchise loyalties. Fans don’t have to choose between indie street cred and the warm comfort of their favorite shows and comics, and their allegiances to Big Corporate and Little Guy don’t have to nullify each other. Feel free to support what you support, and enjoy whatever it is you enjoy. Just do yourself (and your fellow man) a favor and be smart about what you support. That’s what being an informed media consumer is all about.

Be aware of the messages your corporate-funded media contains, and be prepared to critique a lot of what you see. Don’t just think of it in terms of “Is this a good story?” although that’s important to bear in mind. Is this soulless schlock really worth your time and money? If not, keep moving, and stop rewarding bad behavior and lazy writing. But, more than that, consider questions like, “Does this perpetuate negative stereotypes?” and, “Does this contain harmful or offensive social agendas?” This is important: Not only are we the products of the media we consume, but our media is a product of the types of ideas and values we choose to propagate. It’s a big cycle, and as a consumer of media, you play a part in it, too.

So ask yourself: Is your favorite TV show or book series doing a really crappy job of representing characters of color? Then voice your opinion. Does your favorite comic book reinforces misogynistic clichés? Does your favorite movie franchise dehumanize specific religious groups, or your favorite video game use hateful language against LGBT folk? Then do something about it. Hit the internet, talk to other fans, Tweet your ass off. If you feel this issue is far too problematic for your comfort level, bail out. Take your money and your time elsewhere. Screw them anyway. Put your love into something you can feel good about.

Yes, of course, there are alternatives. You’re likely going to get better content in films and books, comics and music from independent creators. These outlets are typically less restrained by heavy-breathing corporate overlords and market-watching, and have more freedom to push their own agendas. (Not every indie media concern is more socially aware, but, in general, they are far less beholden to gross conventions and social platitudes.) Yes, Hollywood is going to keep churning out the same repetitive garbage as long as they keep getting away with it. But, as a media consumer, shouldn’t you demand more from popular media in general? Shouldn’t popular media be a healthier reflection of our everyday values and experiences? Shouldn’t you feel good about the pop culture you consume once in a while?

As a comic book reviewer, it’s something that I constantly struggle with. Do I, the hapless consumer, just accept that the industry isn’t generally interested in advancing the types of issues I care about? Do I continue to demand better content, stronger stories, and more identifiable characters, even when most people view superheroes as mindless entertainment? Do I applaud creators for the work they are able to produce within the constraints of the industry, or do I hold them to a higher standard than that? Do I give up fighting back on all of these issues and simply give up to enjoy the largely brainless enjoyment superhero comic books offer, or do I just move on to better content? At point is enough enough for me?

Let me put it another way: I love Captain America, right? I’m pretty sure everybody knows this by now. But, as much as I love Cap, even I have to admit he’s a pretty faulty character. He’s been reworked and rehashed in dozens of (not very productive) ways over the decades, and he’s been used as a vehicle to tell fairly brainless action-adventure stories. Yeah, there have been some really good runs, but there’s also been a lot of crap. So do I want Captain America to be a stronger, more complex character? Absolutely. Do I want to see him in better stories? Of course. Will that happen tomorrow? Probably not, but I’m allowed to be critical and demand more from my pop culture. Hell, I have to be. So in all my reviews I try to be analytical but fair, and to very clearly lay out my grievances as well as my praise. I may not get what I want every time, but if I say nothing, I let the bastards win. (And you can never, ever let the bastards win.)

So, yes, gobble up your candy-coated television shows and your sugary-delicious video games. Enjoy what you enjoy, but always be aware of what you’re consuming. Always be critical, always be conscious, and always demand more from these mainstream media publishers and content creators. And, more importantly, be sure to give a fair share of your love, money, time and support to indie creators as well. They’re just as valuable as corporate concerns, and often publish better content. With enough support a lot of little presses and studios can make the jump to mainstream recognition. With any luck, some of them can take that culture of forward-thinking with them into the spotlight, too.

And if Little Guy can make it to Big Corporate-status, isn’t that a win for everybody?