Male Cosplay Monday..!

50 Most Influential Fictional Characters #20-11

From November 28th to December 25th 2013, we collected top ten lists from both members of the Facebook group and visitors to the site to compile the list of CBNAH Top 50 Most Influential Fictional Characters of All Time. Today we bring counting down from #20-11.

20. Frodo Baggins

Created By: J. R. R. Tolkien
From: The Lord of the Rings
First Appearance: The Fellowship of the Ring (1954)

19. Atticus Finch

Created By: Harper Lee
From: To Kill a Mockingbird
First Appearance: To Kill a Mockingbird (1960)

18. Harry Potter

Created By: J. K. Rowling
From: Harry Potter
First Appearance: Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (1997)

17. Jean-Luc Picard

Created By: Gene Roddenberry
From: Star Trek: The Next Generation
First Appearance: Encounter at Farpoint (1987)

16. Raphael

Created By: Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird
From: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
First Appearance: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #1 (1984)

15. Darth Vader

Created By: George Lucas
From: Star Wars
First Appearance: Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope (1977)

14. Holden Caulfield

Created By: J. D. Salinger
From: The Catcher in the Rye
First Appearance: The Catcher in the Rye (1951)

13. Captain America

Created By: Joe Simon and Jack Kirby
From: Captain America and The Avengers
First Appearance: Captain America Comics #1 (1941)

12. Hamlet

Created By: William Shakespeare
From: The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark
First Appearance: The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark (1602)

11. Son Goku

Created By: Akira Toriyama
From: Dragon Ball
First Appearance: Dragon Ball (1984)

2 Cent Holiday Reviews - Marvel NOW & The DCnU

Hello everyone and welcome back!  This week is going to be all big two comics.  Come back in a few days for some lesser-known publisher reviews, including the newest issue of Saga.  For now, let's take a look at Avengers #2, Avengers Arena #2, Captain America #2, FF #2, Thor God of Thunder #3, Wolverine & The X-Men #22, Uncanny X-Force #35, X-Factor #249, Batwoman #15, Green Lantern #15, Green Lantern Corps #15, Supergirl #15, Sword of Sorcery #3, and Wonder Woman #15.  Let's go.

 Avengers 2:  Top quality art, top quality writing....but I'm still waiting.  Too much set up can cripple a series.  Luckily, the first two issues were released two weeks apart so my patience isn't being tested.  Yet.  If issue three doesn't take place in the present and only offers more back story then I might just drop this.  I remain to have high hopes.  In Hickman We (still) Trust!

 Avengers Arena 2:  This issue really pulls at your heart strings.  If you thought the last chapter was brutal, wait until you see the barely note-worthy/noticed death here.  The entirety of this month's production focuses on one of the new and more innocent characters unlovingly dubbed as "Deathlocket".  It's exactly in Battle Royale's spirit where we get the perspective of an innocent child trapped in this murder game, alone and filled with fear.

 Captain America 2:  It's been one year since issue one.  Cap and his young charge Ian (the baby) have been surviving the harsh wasteland of Dimension Z on instinct alone.  There are predators everywhere and worse yet, organized monsters with weaponry, armour and transport.  But Cap never falters.  He never gives up hope.  Even when captured.

 FF 2:  The machine that goes "boop boop!"  I loved that.  As expected, the mission that should have taken the official Fantastics away for four minutes is taking longer, leaving Scott and the new recruits as the permanent team.  The media takes a dump on our heroes which leaves many of them not very confident.  Mole Man shows up to get a piece but he is shut down quickly.  And Darla finally dons the Thing's body suit.  All this, plus Allred art.

 Sword of Sorcery 3:  Amaya continues her rigorous training and her aunt calls for a meeting in neutral lands.  The end of the issue also answers how/when she joins up with the JLD, something that was bugging me before.  Meanwhile, in the Beowulf back up, we learn something interesting about the current DC verse.  Something that happened in the stories past, which is our present.

 Thor God of Thunder 3:  The God Butcher story arc continues and it is magnificent!  From the art to the writing, everything is very imaginative.  I may not be enjoying the current Wolverine ATXM storyline, but this Aaron has me gripped by the short hairs.  Things get darker/more complex and Thor remembers feeling fear.

 Batwoman 15:  Strange.  I thought I had purchased Batwoman and not the Guilt-Riddled Diary of Detective Maggie Sawyer.  I hate when Batwoman does this; one, not featuring Williams' art and two, the focus of the book landing on one of its minor characters.  The creators may think it is artsy but it's just dissatisfying.

 Green Lantern 15:  Baz continues his quest to prove his innocence.  The third army is everywhere and they've just landed on Earth.  Our only hope...Lantern B'Dg?!!

 Green Lantern New Guardians 15:  Lesson 5: Greed.  And a lesson hard-won.  Someone sacrifices their life aiding Kyle's troop and it's heartbreaking.  Next:  Rayner VS Ganthet!

 Supergirl 15:  Kara and H'el, sitting in a tree.  I guess even alien chicks dig goth boys.  In this issue:  the city of Kandor, a plan to save Krypton, and super hormones!

 Wonder Woman 15:  Diana's search for her family continues and takes her to Manhattan's underground.  This particular sibling does not want to be found or involved in any more "family business"  but Lenox and Diana give him no choice.  The New God Orion however will make their job more difficult.

 Wolverine & The X-Men 22:  I'm not enjoying this circus arc at all.  Did Aaron's brain take a vacation?  Or is he reserving all his creative fluids for Thor: God of Thunder?  Either way, it's a silly, childish and I hate to say it, stupid arc so far.  I really want it to end.  Also, the new characters Eye-Boy and Shark-Girl are super lame.  You have a generation of students to work with but you invent two of the most ridiculous characters in comics?  Hell, one of the New X-Men kids is even an Atleantan, what was the point of creating Shark-Girl????  Waste.

 Uncanny X-Force 35:  Final Issue.  Remdender tries to end things on as much as a positive note as a book of this nature will allow.  Not a mind blowing ending and some of the character personalities felt a bit forced (Deadpool) but I guess they needed to set up the title for its next version.  I however will be getting off at this stop.

X-Factor 249:  Think I'm starting to lose interest in this book. Once it was a favourite I thought could never do wrong, now I'm just bored.  I was expecting it to get more interesting after its haircut (the shedding of half the cast) but it really hasn't.  The art is always bad which the writing typically saves but it wasn't enough this time.  I'm getting tired of the same formula each issue:  Madrox doubts himself, M is a bitch, Longshot is dumb, Layla is mysterious, Shatterstar is brave, Rictor is whiny, Pip is vulgar, etc etc.  Next month is the title's 250th issue and the last chance it gets.

2 Cent Reviews: Marvel NOW!

This batch, I take a look at a few of the Marvel NOW books released for the last 2 weeks of November   Next, I'll do some DCnUs.  But for now, X-Factor 247, Captain America 1, Fantastic Four 1, FF 1, Thor God of Thunder 2, and Uncanny Avengers 2.

 X-Factor 247:  Mr. and Mrs. Madrox.  I like the ring of that.  X-Factor takes a rest with this issue as Layla and Jaime go on their honeymoon.  And of course, that means zombies and decapitation.

 Captain America #1:  Great insight to Captain America, his past, his personal life, everything.  Very interesting fact, Cap turns 90 in this issue.  Impressive.  Top that all of with my favourite obscure villain Arnim Zola and you've got yourself a pretty good first issue.

 Fantastic Four #1:  In this issue: Matt Fraction makes me not hate him.  He fits nicely with the traditional aspects of the Four.  Everyone plays their role perfectly.

 FF #1:  Basically, Future Foundation here correlates with Fantastic Four for a twice a month experience.  All by Fraction except the difference being; while the first is more traditional, this iteration is astoundingly original.  It's trying new things in the Baxter building.  From the cast (which includes a few of my favourites) to the always-amazing Michael Allred pencils, this one is the obvious winner.

 Thor God of Thunder #2:  The story keeps growing as an epic.  We are privy to witness Thor at 3 points in his life, his past, present and future as he fights against the God killer.  The art is great and the writing is wonderful.  Jason Aaron really knows how to tell a good story, no matter the character or property.

Uncanny Avengers #2:  I can already tell that this is going to be a quality book.  Red Skull's plans are revealed.  And they're dark as fuck.  Issue one had me unsure as to whether this title would live up to the hype, but after reading issue 2, I'm convinced.

Bucky's Back, Tim Eats His Words

Yesterday I was a little hasty in declaring that Winter Soldier would, most definitely, be about a new winter soldier and not Bucky at all. According to Marvel’s Next Big Thing blog, while their will be other winter soldiers in the book, Bucky will be the main man. Brubaker described the book, saying “This is me trying to create a book that is James Bond meets Splinter Cell in the Marvel Universe.” Can anyone say AWESOME?! Anyway, I promised I would eat my words. So here I am, eating them. Literally.