I'm Still Here...

I'll Be Back...

Yes I am still here, just been busy holidaying, I will return swiftly with more Comic Book Blogs :)

Jack

ComicCorrigan

Rafael Albuquerque

Artist Focus !!!

Rafael Albquerque

The Brazilian comic book superstar began his artistic comic career in 2003 after posting his portfolio of work online. But I myself only recently discovered him once my love for Scott Snyder's dark and wonderful stories manifested. After I met Scott at Kapow (which was a fantastic experience) he signed my hardback edition of American Vampire 1 which I had excitedly purchased on the day as I kept meaning to read it, after all comic cons are the best places to buy items from. I swiftly read the book and immediately fell in love with it, from the splashes of colour and the gruesome story lines by Scott and Stephen.

Since, I have been manically searching the internet for as much artwork as I could by the brilliant Albuquerque's artwork, especially his Batman sketches and prints (they are phenomenal).

His back-up artwork for “The Fall of House of Wayne” is brilliant, I love his individuality. I recently done a sketch and ink of his shouting Martha Wayne which I was quite pleased of.
His artwork is beautiful and oddly different to my usual taste (as my favourite artist is the spectacular Jim Lee closely followed by the ultimate Sara Pichelli who I also met at Kapow in May, and I will also review her art soon too).

One of my favourite pieces by Albuquerque is his cover of Batman 10 which showed an angry, grimacing Batman, with a collage of Court of Owl masks shattered and smashed around his body and cape.

Skinner Sweet's first vampire panel underwater is also amazing, the tagline “Hello motherfucker! GOT ANY CANDY!” made this image all the better. The man is a genius with a pen and ink.

His involvement on American Vampire is something so beautiful and with Scott Snyder's storytelling it makes it so compelling.

I've now also got many images of sketches and prints done by Albuquerque on my iPhone, including many of the Dark Knight. One print which instantly springs to mind is Rafael's take on the Joker in the Dark Knight. A bloody Joker wearing his film attire of purple long tailed jacket, creased waistcoat and the words “Why So Serious?” scrawled in red below him.

Rafael is someone I definitely look up to now when I draw, as I mentioned previously I drew his shouting Martha Wayne panel from Batman 10 earlier this week, and also a sketch from American Vampire 1.

I hope he remains on American Vampire for a long time and carries on to feature on Batman's back up stories as Scott and James are writing some awesome stuff for master Bruce Wayne! (Also excited for Batman #11 The Conclusion!)

I hope he comes up with the incredible work, and I definitely look forward to seeing more of his new stuff!

Official Site:

http://rafaelalbuquerque.com/

Jack Corrigan

ComicCorrigan

The Amazing SpiderMan

With NO Power Comes NO Great Responsibility

Well to begin my review with a bad point about this film doesn’t seem promising I bet... But don’t worry its one bad comment on this raving review as I absolutely adored this film.

The only negative was the fact they didn’t utter the most famous SpiderMan phrase... At all throughout the whole film which was shocking. They did put their own spin on a little memorable speech for Peter from his uncle Ben, but nowhere near as great as the original phrase.

But other than that, this film was amazing! (The pun wasn’t intended, but it's sure as hell staying!)

The two and a quarter hour long epic was the perfect amount of fun, action, Spidey cockiness and mysteriousness needed to make a gripping flick like this.

I thoroughly enjoyed it from the word go, and I was sad to see it end (I know, a true geek comment) but it wasn’t the fact that it was an emotional ending, it was the fact we have got to easily wait another year and a half till we see “The Amazing GarfieldMan” swinging around the big apple!

The origin story certainly reminded me very much of Ultimate SpiderMan's beginning by Brian Michael Bendis (BMB, the legendary writer for Marvel). His input in the film was noted, but James Vanderbilt (Story) and Marc Webb (Director) certainly made it there own. They definitely created a masterpiece making Tobey Maguire's SpiderMan look like a weakling (even though Tobey was brilliant, the story wasn’t great for him unfortunately).

I wont reveal too much in this little review as it's still quite soon after the release, I suspect many people have not seen the film yet too!

(I may start a discussion or do another review with spoilers soon).

Stan Lee's cameo was classic, and it was easily my favourite cameo he had done throughout the marvel universe. He always makes me smile, his personality is just flawless and just purely entertaining.

But back to Spidey! His natural cockiness showed, which was very loyal to the comics, and frankly something I really wanted to see. He is most definitely one of the cockiest characters ever, not arrogant, just cheeky, which is highly amusing throughout the film.

Tobey wasn’t nearly as cheeky as the legendry Garfield was.

Garfield easily stole the show for me, he clinched it definitely. Him as Peter and Spidey went hand in hand, he knew where Peter ended and where Spidey began, which is a huge deal as Spidey is completely different from Parker obviously. Parker the shy, quiet but lovely boy no-one would ever suspect, and the high flying SpiderMan with more cheek and confidence than Tony Stark (if that's even possible!!!)

I was worried at first when they confirmed Garfield was the new Spidey, I believed there were many more people who I thought would play a better Parker, but boy was I wrong, he was phenomenal.

His relationship with Gwen was funny, brief, and heart breaking, a roller coaster of emotions. I wanted to see more, but I’m glad again they started with Gwen as his love interest and not Mary Jane straight away, although MJ is my favourite love interest. Don't get me wrong though... I love them both!

I loved how they showed how intelligent Peter really is, by showing him creating his own domestic gadgets, how he deals with handyman projects, and designing his own Spidey tech... i.e. the webshooters.

Finally!!! They put these bad boys in the film!!! Traditional Spidey, traditional webshooters! I was looking forward to this (if you couldn’t tell!), I always believed the webshooters where better than the organic idea invented for Tobey Maguire's SpiderMan, especially since the webshooters are loyal to the comics!

Uncle Ben and Aunt May were brilliant also, May didn’t have the 'look' (the short, tidy, grey hair), I thought she should always have but she definitely had the personality for her role.

Uncle Ben had the look, the wit, the humour, the whole thing. Martin Sheen as good old Uncle Ben was definitely the right move, he portrayed a classic Uncle Ben.

Emma Stone as Gwen Stacy I knew would be great, she had the look and was just overall incredible, the perfect role for her (just like I know Hathaway is going to be incredible for The Dark Knight Rises, which I will definitely review once its released!!!). As much as I love Gwen though I wonder if a certain storyline will appear in the Amazing SpiderMan 2...? And if a young, beautiful, red head next door neighbour will appear to mend an achy breaky heart?

Rhys Ifans played a fantastic and menacing Curt Conners/Lizard, who scurries around New York's subway awaiting a lurking SpiderMan. The CGI on him was also excellent, he looked frightening and sinister, the prefect villain, certainly the best villain for this flick.

The scene with Lizard and Spidey fighting in the school was easily my favourite scene (which featured Stan's tiny cameo). Incredible fight scene, and a funny clip which had me in stitches with SpiderMan after he commented on the Lizards situation: “Someone's in trouble!”

At the end... Don't forget to stay!!! A secret post credit scene is present, granted its not very long and it doesn't reveal much but its still worth waiting for!

Overall, amazing doesn’t sum up how brilliant this film really is, epic would be more appropriate for it. A must see, especially if you’re a die hard fan like myself!

I hope you enjoyed this review!

I will post a review on my favourite comic of the week, once I have got through my dozen to read!

It will most probably be Ultimate Comics Spider-Man #12! (Seems appropriate now too!)

Also an Artist Focus on someone I recently discovered a few months ago after the writer signed my copy of their Graphic Novel. STAY TUNED!!!

Jack Corrigan
ComicCorrigan

Nite Owl Review

“No Such Thing As A Free Lunch”

To begin a comic as J. Michael Straczynski (J.M.S) and Andy Kurbert did was both clever, exciting and instantly inviting. Jumping straight to what mattered; The Nite Owl.

I loved the Watchmen series from when I first read the novel when I was 16 after seeing an extremely fantastic trailer for the 2009 film which all comic book geeks and fans alike were going mad for its arrival. But at the time I was a bit sceptical approaching this novel as it wasn't my normal genre of comics, I more often than not opted for the familiar Batman Stories such as Year One and Long Halloween (Which are both amazing reads) but I thought I would venture out of my comfort zone and read a critically acclaimed graphic novel.
I loved the novel, before I first picked it up I was unsure about the storyline so when I finally did begin to read it I enjoyed the experience of generally not knowing anything, all I knew was that these “heroes” had disbanded. I loved the mysteriousness and instantly was hooked, especially when I laid my eyes on the fascinating Nite Owl II.

So reading this comic was always going to be incredible for me, but it was one step better.

J.M.S has certainly excelled in this story, portraying Daniels father as a really nasty piece of work was maybe a shock to most people, including me. All Daniel had said about his father was that; “He left him a lot when he died.” Nor did he ever mention about his mothers abuse. I suppose even though it doesn't have to be said in the novel to be true, but I do think it was definitely a possibility. Fathers during the 60s were a lot more spiteful and discipline based, as compared to modern day society.

William's heart attack though was obviously a sad moment... but not for any one sane! Daniel and his mother didn't seem unhappy about his impending and inevitable death, cant say I blame them though... If anyone burnt my shrine including comics and memorabilia, and abused my mother, I think there would be some issues!

Hollis' approach to Daniel was another unexpected twist, he wasn't exceptionally friendly to Dan throughout the whole comic until he handed over his shrine. In the watchmen he seemed nothing like his earlier self, he seemed lovely and friendly just as I always imagined him to be.

I did love his first appearance in this issue of Nite Owl, his approach to crime fighting was excellent also, just wished he would have been less tough on the young Dan Dreiberg.

Rorschach's first appearance was “epic” to say the least.

He made me giggle like a little school girl when he first mummered: “Hurm”, and again when Dan snapped back: “Stop that.”

Andy Kubert as always brings everything to the table and nothing less, he always shows his amazing talent. He most importantly nailed the Nite Owls beautiful costume, it was flawless, even down to the utility belt and the symbolic night vision goggles.

J.M.S and Andy Kubert do remind me of the unlikely couple; ruthless J.M.S pushing the comic boundaries... While Rorschach pushes his victims down elevator shafts.

Andy Kubert, the silent but deadly artist and creator who puts no line wrong... Just as the Nite Owl knows all the ins and outs.

Overall Ratings

Story – 4/5 Art – 4/5 Surprise Factor – 5/5 Cover 4.5/5

Humour – 5/5 Emotional – 3/5 Recommend? – 5/5

The Beginning...

ComicCorrigan's Comic Fan Blog

Welcome!!!

 

My name is Jack Corrigan.

And I am a Geek. A Comic Geek.

Many of us hide in the shadows, but I don't think we should. More and more are coming out of the dark corners of solitude with other fans to enjoy comics which is the way it should be!

I've been a fan of comics since my mum first purchased me my first Amazing Spider-Man comic when I was nine. Ever since I've been to say the least obsessed with comics, only lately has my interest boomed since I can afford the demand of what comics I enjoy each week.

Before hand I recieved Graphic Novels for christmas and birthdays etc. now I enjoy them every week and many of them!!!

Courtesy of economiccomics.co.uk! (Amazing Online Subscriptions Company, 100% Reccomend)

 

So anyway!! Back to the Blog!!

 

I will be returning whenever possible to begin my blogs/posts about my;

 

 

Favourite Comic of the Week,

Panels of the Week,

Artist Focus!

 

 

And More!!!

 

 

Stay Tuned People!!!

 

 

Jack Corrigan.

ComicCorrigan.