Luke X

So I found this gem because I follow Michael Rowe (aka Deadshot from Arrow) on Instagram. I don’t know much about Valiant or the indie comics scene, but I gotta say this makes me want to get into it.  He’s playing a character called Ninjak in an upcoming web series that’s supposed to be released in 2017. The character seems to be an extremely intelligent Batman-esque ninja that works for British Intelligence, and from the trailer it looks like a potential cult classic in the making. I’ll definitely be looking forward to watching this show.

-Batman #1 (2016)

My two favorite Hunter X Hunter characters: Phinks and Hisoka.

All-New Wolverine #1

(Charm City Rogues Podcast)

Acquired these gems for my birthday.

Green Lantern Vol. 3, 1994

#48 - First appearance of Kyle Rayner

#51 - First appearance of Kyle Rayner as the new Green Lantern.

Amazing Spider-Man Vol. 1, 1967

“You could drop Tony Stark naked in the middle of the desert and he’d fly out in a jet made of sand and cactus needles.”

Loved this line.

This reveal panel was TOUGH. Hopefully he brings something new to the table despite being another evil speedster, but at the very least he looks cool as fuck.

Although DC lost a lot of fans with its "New 52" relaunch, there were a few comics that I actually thoroughly enjoyed during that time. One of the more notable titles being the New 52 Batwoman. I hadn't had much familiarity with the character prior to coming across it, but I picked it up because I thought the artwork looked pretty amazing. The atmosphere was dark but the colors were vibrant, and the way illustrator J.H. Williams III depicted the character really brought her to life.

Kate Kane (Batwoman) is actually a gay woman who gets discharged from West Point military academy under the "Don't ask, don't tell" policy. In this series they really do an amazing job of exploring her sexuality and making it a defining part of her character in a genuine way. The storytelling, by W. Haden Blackman, and the illustration combine to make some memorable moments that really spotlight her romantic life. I was especially captivated by her level of introspection and how she struggled to balance family issues (particularly with her father) with her romance and time spent as Batwoman. 

Despite the name however, she's actually not one of Batman's affiliates. She was instead inspired by an encounter with him that led her to take on his moniker as her own. Initially she seeks to become a vigilante as a means of escape from her own despair, but she eventually develops her own sense of justice and goes through a rigorous metamorphosis to finally become "Batwoman." 

However, the series did have some controversy surrounding it when DC decided to not allow Kate and her love interest to get married. This garnered some negative backlash and ultimately led to creators Williams and Blackman to depart prior to the conclusion of the series. 

If you follow me on Twitter (LukeXCage) then you’ll know that I was freaking out and re-tweeting every reveal and trailer that was announced, and there were quite a few great moments. Here are some of my most memorable ones (in no particular order)

1. Doctor Strange Trailer

I wasn’t terribly excited for this movie when it was initially announced, although I had become a fan of Benedict Cumberbach after watching Sherlock Holmes. So when he was revealed to be the Sorcerer Supreme I could definitely see it.  The teaser didn’t do a whole lot for me but when the official trailer dropped I was genuinely excited. It gave me Inception crossed with The Matrix vibes. I’m also a big fan of Chiwetel Ejiofor so I expect his Baron Mordo to be great. And that cape shot….epic.

2. Luke Cage Trailer

This show is just shaping up to be everything I could ever hope for. Once I heard the beat to ODB’s Shimmy Shimmy Ya drop and saw him rip that car door off I pretty much lost it. Then they proceeded to give us a preview of the now heralded hallway fight scene that Daredevil popularized. I just need to shake Mike Colter’s hand at some point in my life.

3. Spider-Man: Homecoming Concept Art

Not a whole lot to say here since it’s just one image, but we do get to see the new villain: The Vulture. Not one of my personal favorite Spidey rogues but I’m still just excited for the simple fact that we’re actually getting a Marvel Spider-Man movie. Given how Tom Holland killed the role in Civil War I have really high hopes for this movie. And I will say that the Vulture concept does look pretty dope.

4. Black Panther cast photo

Listen to the first episode of my podcast to see how I feel about this one but I’ll give you a hint: Black Excellence.

5. Justice League Trailer

You can feel however you feel about BvS but I personally enjoyed it. I’ll admit it had it’s fair share of plot and pacing issues, and that stupid ass “Martha!?” moment, but it also had some great tie-ins to notable comic book storylines. I love the darker tone of it with that Zach Snyder touch. This trailer was epic from start to finish and did an amazing job of building the hype for me. The whole cast looks great but Jason Momoa as Aquaman takes the cake by far, because he’s just that nigga.

6. Wonder Woman Trailer

I’ll be the first to admit that I doubted Gal Gadot being casted as WW initially. I just wasn’t convinced by her daintiness and felt like they opted to go for looks over talent. She proved me wrong in BvS. Her portrayal of Diana was regal, mysterious and tough, so kudos to her. I like the choice of making her movie a set piece to really establish the mythos and legend of her character, plus that shot of Themyscira looked magical as hell.

7. Iron Fist Teaser

They didn’t really give us a whole lot here, but that shot of Danny being restrained in bed piqued my interest more than anything. I’m really interested in seeing how they blend the mysticism of the character into the more grounded nature of the other Defenders shows. I also can’t wait to see the chemistry between him and Mike Colter, hopefully giving us some great Heroes for Hire moments.