Kingdom Hearts 2 Volume 1 Review

Today where shaking things up a bit, and looking at a Manga. For those who don't know what Manga is, it's essentially a Japanese Comic book. This one in particular is based off the infamous Kingdom Hearts games. It mostly infamous due to the fact it's the peculiar crossover of Final Fantasy and Disney movies. If this is your first time hearing about it your probably thinking the same thing most thought of when they heard this, why. Why such a weird crossover. However it's not a bad as you'd think. They are pretty good games. So let's take a look.

Since I'm reviewing a whole volume I can't go into much detail since it's almost 200 pages long, and I don't want to be here forever. The story is about Roxas, a seemingly normal boy with normal friends. However Roxas has been trouble by various dreams about a boy named Sora (the main character of the first game) and his adventures to other world. Besides this weird things have been happening around town like people freezing in time and ghost like monster attacking him.

The art is very detailed even for Manga. It's very nice to look at, and unlike most comics almost every panel has a detailed background. The story is good, all though a bit confusing if you haven't played the games. Also this is manga so most American comic readers might find this weird. 

The characters are good and developed. The Final Fantasy characters that make cameo's stay true to there character with the exception of Setzer from Final Fantasy 6 who act the exact opposite of his character. It sucks that he's the only Final Fantasy character from FF 1-6 to appear in the games, and they completely screwed him up.

There isn't a lot of Disney in this, Donald and Goofy only show up twice during flashbacks to the first game. This isn't a problem, but it is a Disney crossover so you'd expect more. Overall it's not bad, and I'd check it out if your a fan of the games but if your not use to reading manga this might not be your cup of tea.

Rating: 3/5

Comic Panel of the Week: Watchmen Reference...?

Ultimate X-Men #13 Review

Today were going to take a look at the Ultimate universe version of the X-men. This particular issue stars everyone's favorite Cajun mutant Gambit, who we haven't seen since Wolverine/Gambit Victims #1. So let's take a look. The comic opens with a girl seeing her parents being murdered by Hammerhead.

She run's away, and we cut to Gambit who is using his powers to pretend he's a street magician in order to impress girls. After his show the girl from earlier comes up to him, and asks him if he can use his magic to bring her mother back to life. He goes to the scene of the crime, and Hammerhead spots them from across the river. He takes her to where he lives since she has no family left except her aunt that lives in Las Vegas. They fall asleep, and the comic ends with Gambit waking up to find the girl kidnapped. Probably by Hammerhead.

This comic is pretty good. The story is good, and it has it's sweet moments. The art is good for the most part. However sometimes the people's faces are stretched out, and they start to look like aliens. Overall I say you should check it out, especially if your a fan of Gambit.

Rating: 2/5

Comic Panel of the Week: Superman vs Darkseid

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #3 Review

Some of you may be familiar with the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, known by most people from the 80's TV show. This however is not the 80's TV show. Some of you may remember my review of "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures #59", that comic took inspiration from the the show however the comic were looking at today take inspiration from the original Mirage Comic. As such this is more dark then the TV show. Which means some fanboys won't like this.

The comic opens with Raphael and Cassey Jones stopping a mugger from stealing a old lady's purse. When they try to return it the women runs away in terror because of Raphael, you know, being a giant turtle. Cassey says they should of thought that through and they talk. Apparently Raph is not himself since he has amnesia.

Meanwhile, the rest of the Turtles are sparing. While Splinter is watching them he remembers how he found them. Back when he was a normal rat he found a cat (Apparently named Old Hob) trying to "dine on Turtle soup", the soup being the mutagen. He manages to save 3 of them but the other one somehow got away. He falls down into the sewer, and fall unconscious. He awakens to find himself and the Turtles mutated.

Back in the present Splinter send the 3 turtles to find Raphael. While out searching Donatello and Leonardo get in an argument about weather Raph is alive or not. Michelangelo breaks it up, and it' around hear I noticed a problem. One of the elements they took from the old comic is the fact all there mask's are the color red. The problem is in some parts it's hard to tell the turtles apart.

I'm so confused!

Anyway the comic ends with Raph and Cassey noticing two people fleeing from the cops, and they beat them up. Only to be confronted by a gang lead by the Cat that tried to eat him,who is also mutated. How the hell did he become the leader of a gang anyway? This comic is good. The story is interesting, and new. The art is pretty good as well, even if it is a bit over-stylized. Overall this comic is pretty good, however if your a diehard fan of the 80's TV show you might not like this.

Rating: 3/5

Comic Panel of the Week: Onomatopoeia

The Deadly Duo #4 Review

As Image month comes to a close, I only have one more comic to review. I would tell you the history of this comic but I can't find it anywhere. All I can gather is that it was a series that lasted 4 issues, and it's about two heroes called Kill-Cat and Kid Avenger. Other then that I got nothing. So let's get started. The comic starts off with Kill-Cat and Kid Avenger on the set of a movie based on there heroics. The movie itself is a cheesy action movie, going so far as staring Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Nice casting.

During one of the scenes Arnold loses control of his gun. Kill-Cat realizes that something is wrong with the gun, and stop him with the help of Kid Avenger and a girl named Riptide. From Youngbloods. Anyway they start to film the next scene in Alaska, I think. They don't really say where they are.

The actor playing a villain called Radiator is knocked out by the real Radiator who then pretends to be the fake Radiator. Anyway he uses on of the helicopter props to cause, avalanche and the three heroes have to save everyone again. Kill-Cat and Radiator get in a fight, and Radiator reveals the reason he did this was because he wasn't the main villain in the movie.

Anyway the fight ends when Radiators powers melt the ice he's standing on. The comic ends with Kid Avenger coming to help Kill-Cat, and his rocket boots melt the ice some more trapping both of them in the ice with Radiator.

Let's start with the plot. It's stupid. It feels like a parody of Superhero movies. Even the characters feel like a parody, and are very very silly. The art is bad 90's art to the max. Apparently this is the last issue, and it's obvious why. Overall this is not a good comic by any means. So Image month is over, and next week were going to look at something more modern. Something more mainstream.

Rating: 1/5