Amazing Adventures Vol. 1 #1

Released just a few months before Marvel Comics changed its name from Atlas Comics, Amazing Adventures Vol. 1 #1 is the debut of an anthology series that would go through two name changes and only last 15 issues in which the last one introduced Spider-Man. But this issue, while not having Spider-Man, still has a collection of very entertaining stories that Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, and Steve Ditko all worked on. The first sees an alien conqueror called Torr land on Earth with an astronomer being the sole witness and the only one to stop him, the second is a literary romance reprinted from an older comic, while the third story has a thief hiding from the police at a wax museum soon being haunted by the figures coming to life, and the final story sees the origins of the mystical Doctor Droom who was an early take of what Doctor Strange would eventually become. While the comic is certainly of its time, the work put towards it can't be denied as the writing between Stan and his younger brother Larry Lieber manage to make the stories engaging, thrilling, and entertaining even when it's often over-wordy with its dialogue and exposition. Kirby and Ditko's art is not as highly defined as their later work, but still very breathtaking, creative in certain alien designs, and managing to make the more terrifying moments stand out. What helps out above all else is the coloring from Stan Goldberg that keeps the lighting at the right amount to convey whenever a scene is ordinary or frightening. Before Marvel became who they were, comics like Amazing Adventures Vol. 1 #1 showed that they were taking one step closer to getting to that point. Over all: 100%

Top list so far for 3rd set of comics:

1. The Complete Peanuts Vol. 15: 1979-1980

2. Daredevil Vol. 1 #170

3. The New Teen Titans Vol. 1 #1

4. Green Arrow Vol. 1 #1

5. Star Wars: Dark Empire #1

6. Amazing Adventures Vol. 1 #1

7. Barbarella Vol. 1

8. Aquaman Vol. 1 #21

9. Fantastic Four Vol. 1 #48

10. Deadman: Love After Death #1

11. Walt Disney's Uncle Scrooge and Donald Duck: The Don Rosa Library Vol. 1

12. Blue Beetle Vol. 5 #1

13. Showcase Vol. 1 #75

14. Detective Comics Vol. 1 #441

15. Marvel Super-Heroes Vol. 1 #18

16. Eternals by Jack Kirby: The Complete Collection (Eternals (1976-1978))

17. Hulk Vol. 5 #1

18. Avnegers: War Across Time #1

19. The Yellow Kid

20. Sabrina the Teenage Witch Vol. 1 #8

21. Archie and Me #132

22. Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars #1

23. Action Comics Vol. 1 #674

Deadpool & Wolverine

After Disney bought Fox there was much worry over whether or not the MCU would continue any of the old X-Men continuity or completely ignore it and start from scratch, but thankfully Deadpool & Wolverine quelled those fears and then some. After Deadpool's time travel shenanigans from the end of his second film, which includes traveling to the main universe failing to join the Avengers, Wade has retired and lost his purpose. Wade is soon recruited by the TVA as he serves a purpose in a future conflict but when he learns that his universe is planned to be erased due to his Wolverine's death, Deadpool suits up again and rebels against them to save it. Believing that getting a new Wolverine would help, the Merc with a Mouth travels the multiverse, finds and gets beaten by various Wolverines, finds one with a dark past, ends up in the Void, runs into other Deadpools, recruits fallen heroes, and takes on the twin sister of a version of Professor X. If one thinks this movie is way over the top, has glaring story problems with a rather thin plot, is overstuffed with cameos and references, and over relies on fan service, then you're right but it does it all in a very on the nose and self aware way. Director Shawn Levy, who also cowrote with Ryan Reynolds, Rhett Reese, Paul Wernick, and Zeb Wells, still gives this entry the series's familiar over the top violence, crude humor, and fourth wall breaking and meta style while adding his own distinctive inventive action scenes. The writers knew that for a movie that is meant to pay homage to the Marvel films that Fox produced you have to make an absolutely wild and unhinged movie that would also befit the MCU's first R rating. Yes, some of the writing has large plot holes and certain story decisions just feel like an excuse for certain moments to happen for the sake of happening, but it's done so cleverly, quick, and entertaining that one can overlook it knowing what kind of movie it's being. Although the one flaw with the writing that certainly cannot be overlooked that hasn't improved from Deadpool's first two films is that Vanessa is once again relegated to such a small role and splitting them up until the end. What adds to the wild and fun style is the mixture between Rob Simonsen's playful original score and the use of popular songs for each action scene that really fits with both the type of action and how it relates to the story itself within. Ryan Reynolds has not lost his touch in playing Wilson despite the six year gap, while Hugh Jackman manages to return with a bang after saying he had retired the role in 2017. While it's not the same version as his original, Jackman has a good mixture of familiarity while having small nuances to show some slight differences. But the aspect that is the essential driving force behind this movie is the buddy trip chemistry between Jackman and Reynolds that is just absolute perfection. The rest of the cast excel just as well, whether they be entirely new, the regulars who return from the previous films, or even long awaited returns of actors who had last played well known characters years or even decades before. Sometimes it's okay if a plot is a bit convoluted just to get the story moving, and while Deadpool & Wolverine is one of those films it at least manages to be an engaging, self aware, and absolute joy ride with a wonderful tribute during the credits. Over all: 100%

2024 top list so far:

1. Dune: Part 2

2. Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga

3. Deadpool & Wolverine

4. A Quiet Place: Day One

5. Inside Out 2

6. Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes

7. The Fall Guy

8. MaXXXine

9. The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare

10. Abigail

11. Monkey Man

12. Late Night with the Devil

13. Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire

14. The Book of Clarence

15. Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire

16. Drive-Away Dolls

17. Kung Fu Panda 4

18. Lisa Frankenstein

18. Argylle

20. Mean Girls 2024

MaXXXine

MaXXXine is the third part of Ti West's X horror trilogy and sees Mia Goth return as Maxine Minx from the first movie. Now set in 1985, Maxine has found success as a porn actress since the events of 1979 and auditions for and manages to grab the lead in a horror sequel. All the while, Los Angeles is terrorized by a serial killer targeting provocative women who sets its sight on Maxine while she's also being investigated by a mysterious private investigator. What makes this movie, and the trilogy as a whole, so unique is how much West managed to make each movie unique and capturing different aspects of horror over the decades. This entry goes for a slasher vibe similar to the first entry but with the stylistic violence of a giallo film with the aesthetic, mood, and feeling of a neo-noir similarly to those of Brian de Palma. Ti's direction and writing is spot on, capturing great moments of absolute terror while having smaller light moments that balance the horror and drama well. The characters are well defined, the pacing is brisk thanks to West also editing, and the reveals at the end are well done. Eliot Rockett's cinematography and Tyler Bates's scoring really do capture the grunginess and paranoia of the 80s. Much like the last two films, Goth not only gives a strong performance but also shows why her character should be seen as some of the most iconic in horror alongside Laurie Strode and Sidney Prescott. The rest of the cast also manages to stand out thanks to the writing and their performances, with special mention going to Kevin Bacon, Giancarlo Esposito, and Lily Collins. Whether or not Ti West decides to follow up on MaXXXine, it'll definitely won't be easy to try to top it. Over all: 100%

2024 top list so far:

1. Dune: Part 2

2. Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga

3. A Quiet Place: Day One

4. Inside Out 2

5. Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes

6. The Fall Guy

7. MaXXXine

8. The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare

9. Abigail

10. Monkey Man

11. Late Night with the Devil

12. Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire

13. The Book of Clarence

14. Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire

15. Drive-Away Dolls

16. Kung Fu Panda 4

17. Lisa Frankenstein

18. Argylle

19. Mean Girls 2024

Barbarella Vol. 1

More famous for its 1968 adaptation with Jane Fonda, Barbarella Vol. 1 depicts the original serialized stories of the French erotic sci-fi adventurer. The stories, originally published in issues of V Magazine throughout 1962 and written and drawn by Jean-Claude Forest, sees the title character fly through space, take on crazed dictators, travel through underwater caverns, and other such things normally depicted in these adventure sci-fi stories known for at the time. One big difference to those other stories is how often Barbarella ends up barely clothed or even outright naked throughout each of her adventures. It may have been seen as too salacious and controversial back then, and often very dated and sexist in today's standards to how Barbarella's nudity was depicted, but she's definitely a character who often knows how to use her sexuality and allure to get ahead. Forest's writing is very simple and standard, especially for the time, but manages to be well done, fun, and keeps one invested enough for the next adventure. While his art style is good and manages to convey a lot of colorfulness despite mostly being black and white. He gives a lot of detail to each of the characters' faces and has very well done backgrounds and technology designs. While there are aspects to these stories that are definitely dated, the collection given in Barbarella Vol. 1 still gives some really engaging tales. Over all: 100%

Top list so far for 3rd set of comics:

1. The Complete Peanuts Vol. 15: 1979-1980

2. Daredevil Vol. 1 #170

3. The New Teen Titans Vol. 1 #1

4. Green Arrow Vol. 1 #1

5. Star Wars: Dark Empire #1

6. Barbarella Vol. 1

7. Aquaman Vol. 1 #21

8. Fantastic Four Vol. 1 #48

9. Deadman: Love After Death #1

10. Walt Disney's Uncle Scrooge and Donald Duck: The Don Rosa Library Vol. 1

11. Blue Beetle Vol. 5 #1

12. Showcase Vol. 1 #75

13. Detective Comics Vol. 1 #441

14. Marvel Super-Heroes Vol. 1 #18

15. Eternals by Jack Kirby: The Complete Collection (Eternals (1976-1978))

16. Hulk Vol. 5 #1

17. Avnegers: War Across Time #1

18. The Yellow Kid

19. Sabrina the Teenage Witch Vol. 1 #8

20. Archie and Me #132

21. Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars #1

22. Action Comics Vol. 1 #674

A Quiet Place: Day One

The third film in the franchise, A Quiet Place: Day One is a prequel to the first two installments depicting the start of the alien invasion. Unlike its predecessors, this entry focuses on entirely different characters, though Djimon Hounsou does briefly reprise his role from the second film. Lupita Nyong'o leads as Samira, a dying cancer patient who must traverse an invaded Manhattan alongside her cat and an English law student she befriended to escape the island and the aliens without making too much noise. Taking over from John Krasinski as writer and director, though sharing story credit, Michael Sarnoski manages to keep the essence of the other two films while still making this his own. By setting it in the middle of Manhattan, it not only gives this entry a new location but makes the tension more intense and the characters' actions a lot harder compared to that of a forest or the woods as the previous entries were set. Sarnoski's direction has a lot more movement and more unique camera choices that take advantage of its bigger locations. What helps heighten the tension is the incredible sound design that these films always take advantage of, the cinematography from Pat Scola never making it easy to discern what could be appearing in the background, and the editing by Gregory Plotkin and Andrew Mondshein being very smooth and well paced. Of course, without the cast giving strong performances audiences wouldn't be as taken to the film if they hadn't. Nyong'o makes the feeling of being scared by aliens while also feeling hopeless from her cancer seem so easy. And her chemistry with Joseph Quinn, who plays the student Samira befriends, is incredibly strong and is the absolute heart of the movie. As either a prequel or on its own, A Quiet Place: Day One is magnificent, terrifying, and an absolute blast from start to finish. Over all: 100%

2024 top list so far:

1. Dune: Part 2

2. Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga

3. A Quiet Place: Day One

4. Inside Out 2

5. Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes

6. The Fall Guy

7. The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare

8. Abigail

9. Monkey Man

10. Late Night with the Devil

11. Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire

12. The Book of Clarence

13. Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire

14. Drive-Away Dolls

15. Kung Fu Panda 4

16. Lisa Frankenstein

17. Argylle

18. Mean Girls 2024

Inside Out 2

Nine years after the original film, Inside Out 2 sees the original five emotions being joined by newly developing ones just as Riley enters her teens and developing puberty. Joy Sadness, Anger, Fear, and Disgust must now learn to work with Anxiety, Envy, Embarrassment, and Ennui as Riley attends a hockey camp, learns her friends are attending a different high school, and tries to impress one of the players so she can join her team when school starts. This Pixar sequel manages to hit some of the same strides as its predecessor but while still keeping itself fresh and expand upon the ins and outs of Riley's mind. The animation is, of course considering the studio involved, stunning and very imaginative when it comes to things regarding memories and deep secrets. Meg LeFauve and Dave Holstein's script is strong, giving the movie a worthy story to follow off from the first movie. The way Riley's actions and the day-to-day happenings of her inner mind intersect are quite beautiful and striking. How the two manage to balance the emotional drama and the quick comedy shows how Pixar, while they falter at times, have never lost their touch. The biggest praise to the writing should of course go to how Anxiety's attempt to take over causes Riley to doubt herself and have a panic attack all the while Anxiety has a meltdown over not being able to undo it. Anxiety works not just because of the writing but also being perfectly casted and performed by Maya Hawke whose voice is exactly what you expect the personification of a teenager's anxiety would sound like. Hawke, alongside both the returning actors like Amy Poehler, Phyllis Smith, and Lewis Black and the new cast such as Tony Hale, Liza Lapira, and Ayo Edebiri, all give astounding, thoughtful, and hilarious performances that are hard to ever forget. It doesn't matter if Inside Out 2 is a better film than the first one, what does matter is that on its own it's powerful. Over all: 100%

2024 top list so far:

1. Dune: Part 2

2. Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga

3. Inside Out 2

4. Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes

5. The Fall Guy

6. The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare

7. Abigail

8. Monkey Man

9. Late Night with the Devil

10. Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire

11. The Book of Clarence

12. Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire

13. Drive-Away Dolls

14. Kung Fu Panda 4

15. Lisa Frankenstein

16. Argylle

17. Mean Girls 2024

Aquaman Vol. 1 #21

In Aquaman Vol. 1 #21, Aquaman is hit by a growth serum that makes him too gigantic to live in and rule Atlantis. All the while, The Fisherman, in his first appearance, plans to use the same serum on himself to plunder all of Atlantis. This is a fun issue with pretty good, though admittedly over dramatic, writing from George Kashdan and great artwork from Nick Cardy. While it has the usual over narration and often clunky dialogue expected from that era, seeing as it came out in 1965, Kashdan keeps it from being stale and manages to keep it entertaining and enlightening. As for Cardy, his work is the absolute highlight as he does a good job at showing how different things look on the surface and underwater. Switching between bright colors for the surface to more darker shadows of the underwater world are incredible. Aquaman has proven himself to be a remarkable hero, despite the jokes that have surrounded him for years, and Aquaman Vol. 1 #21 is a story that proves why he's iconic. Over all: 100%

Top list so far for 3rd set of comics:

1. The Complete Peanuts Vol. 15: 1979-1980

2. Daredevil Vol. 1 #170

3. The New Teen Titans Vol. 1 #1

4. Green Arrow Vol. 1 #1

5. Star Wars: Dark Empire #1

6. Aquaman Vol. 1 #21

7. Fantastic Four Vol. 1 #48

8. Deadman: Love After Death #1

9. Walt Disney's Uncle Scrooge and Donald Duck: The Don Rosa Library Vol. 1

10. Blue Beetle Vol. 5 #1

11. Showcase Vol. 1 #75

12. Detective Comics Vol. 1 #441

13. Marvel Super-Heroes Vol. 1 #18

14. Eternals by Jack Kirby: The Complete Collection (Eternals (1976-1978))

15. Hulk Vol. 5 #1

16. Avnegers: War Across Time #1

17. The Yellow Kid

18. Sabrina the Teenage Witch Vol. 1 #8

19. Archie and Me #132

20. Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars #1

21. Action Comics Vol. 1 #674