'Green Arrow' Volume 4: 'The Kill Machine' Comic Review

Sometimes you just have to revisit your favourites to truly appreciate everything else. For me, there are only 2 options. Batman, and the ultimate archer: Green Arrow.

 This is the Black Watcher, and here is the second half of my favourite series reviews, with Jeff Lemire and Andrea Sorrentino's 'Green Arrow' Volume 4: The Kill Machine.

Art:

I won't dance around the subject here, because this book's art could quite simply be described as the best collection of modern comic book art I have ever seen. I've always been one to try and avoid claims like that, but in this case the art is just too good not to recognise fully. The story is dark, gloomy and dramatic, and Sorrentino's art acts as a perfect match for this darker tone. Heavy usage of shadow and ink works beautifully with the masterful colours from Marcelo Maiolo, causing a constant back and forth between heavy shadows and silhouettes, alongside the brighter settings in the book such as the Black Mesa desert. While character's hair styles may be somewhat repetetive, the wide range of highly emotive body and face actions meld expertly with the cinematic establishing shots of Seattle and fast paced fight scenes. The art really is, for lack of a better expression, a piece of art.

Story:

The Kill Machine focusses quite strongly on rebooting Green Arrow's post New 52 story, and wastes no time in smoothly erasing the result of one of the character's worst runs in history. It takes Ollie and strips him down to hisnmost basic form. No trick arrows, no team, no support. It is when he's been brought down to this level that the Green Arrow we know and love comes to light. This is a younger, less refined Oliver Queen, but by no means is he less interesting. The story is told with elements of origin intertwined into a strong central narrative that brings family and trust into the forefront, introducing a new villain, Komodo, who has the potential to become one of GA's greatest villains if dealt with well (he has recieved nothing but good writing since his debut). Komodo is another archer, with ties to Ollie's past, and incredible bow skills. His involvement in the story brought an intrigue and complexity to Green Arrow that is unfortunately not always present within his stories, but is flowing strongly in this one. The story also allows for a lot of future developments to be made for the character, showing a secure future for Oliver Queen

Readability:

The Kill Machine is a very easy read, with enough intrigue and suspense on each page to keep you turning. There are a couple of moments in the book where the text is slightly heavy, but this is still well balanced by the plentiful, but not excessive, action scenes that add bursts of primal energy to sections that may initially appear to be somewhat calm.

Verdict:

 The Kill Machine is a fantastic introduction into the ever expanding and ever enthralling world of Green Arrow, and a masterclass in modern comic book art. Pick this up, and do not regret it.

Score:

10/10

'Batman' Volume 3: 'Death of the Family' Comic Review

Art:

I’ve previously talked quite in depth about the art of the New 52’s current Batman run, and the same discussion applies just as well here, if not even better. ‘Death of the Family’ is a dark book. Even for a Batman arc it is dark, and Capullo’s art reflects that darkness beautifully. There are very few artists whose work I could describe as being genuinely creepy at times, but Capullo is one of them. His design for the Joker is perhaps the most unsettling portrayal of the character I’ve ever seen. As grotesque and macabre as it might be, it still feels curiously appropriate and believable. Capullo takes the Joker’s personality, including the paradoxical horror of his character, and he paints it stunningly throughout the book. With scenes such as the GCPD break-in being told in an almost cinematic manner, showcasing the madness of the Joker, whilst creating an atmosphere of complete and utter dread, as the lights go out and heart rates go up. These scenes are where Capullo excels. However, it can’t be denied that there are some less than impressive slip ups from time to time, with a few odd expressions or rushed character drawings that sometimes feel stiff and detract from what is otherwise a hugely atmospheric and haunting set of visuals. You may even want to read this with one eye over your shoulder, and that is an impressive feat for a comic to achieve.

Story:

The story focusses on the return of the Clown Prince to Gotham after an extended absence following the removal of his face in the pages of Detective Comics. As per usual, Joker has a plan, and that plan involves the Batman, but this time he has a few other targets as well. Whilst not a completely original concept when dissected, the story still offers enough in the way of originality to be one of the most unique Joker tales ever written. This is the way that a Joker story should be written. Throughout the whole volume there is an overwhelming feeling of dread and violation that comes across as terrifyingly atmospheric. You never know what could happen next, and the knowledge of the Joker’s presence in Gotham is enough to leave the stories protagonists in a state of vulnerability and paranoia that is almost infectious to the reader. Elements of detective work are embraced to the benefit of the story, as the book lets you deduce what is going to happen next in conjunction with the book’s faithful representation of the Joker’s unpredictable manner. Whilst at times the story may dwindle, particularly in its somewhat disappointing climax, it still maintains the key to a great story, with a number of impressive dialogues between characters that allow the reader to truly explore the strange relationship between the Bat and the Joker. The end page alone is bound to make fans smile cautiously with gleeful expectation.

Readability:

The balance of text and imagery in ‘Death of the Family’ is very well done, with their being only a couple of isolated instances of text heaviness that are overwhelmed by the overarching quality of the book. Dialogue fits each character well, and moments that could quite easily be left alone are improved by the inclusion of insightful commentary and soliloquy from Batman.

Verdict:

‘Batman’ Volume 3 is an unsettlingly masterful dive into the mind of the world’s greatest villain, exploring his relationship with the Batman, whilst also managing to deliver one of the greatest Batman stories ever told. Although it may be somewhat hasty towards the end, the book still leaves the reader with a powerful feeling of unease, and awe, as they have just read what will surely become a timeless addition to the world of the Batman, and his ever smiling nemesis.

Score:

10/10

Little touches

Some of you may have noticed that my review scores have had colours lately, fairly minor I know. Basically, I'm gonna outline the colours corresponding to the scores here for you, just to make sure that it's not left open (some don't look too much like the intended colour, but oh well!):

1-3 Brown, for obvious reasons

4-6 Green, run of the mill, average

7- Bronze, not bad (or as close to it as I can get)

8- Pretty damn good, check it out

9-10 Exactly what it says on the tin, either perfect or just about.

So hopefully that's all clear now :) It only really came in recently, so don't expect it from my older work.

'Future's End' #1 Comic Review

This is another prime example of how DC is seeing how far they can push the fan base, with yet another weekly title on the shelves, DC really aim to rake in the money. As much as some of us may complain, the fact remains that each of the first four issues of ‘Batman Eternal’ (a weekly) took places in the top 10 bestselling comics of April this year. Don’t complain if you’re gonna buy them, folks. However, that’s an argument for another day.

Story

 ‘Future’s End’ #1 should in reality go by the name of ‘Future’s End’ #2, as the title did essentially begin with the FCBD 0 issue, which established some fairly important plot details (as far as I could tell). This makes me wonder why DC didn’t just throw the FCBD issue into this book anyway for the sake of those that didn’t manage to get a hold of a copy, but again, that’s another story. The book is of course, as the title suggests, focussed on the somewhat bleak, dystopian future of the New 52, where a cybernetic apocalypse has been set in motion, with a similar structure to that of the ever so popular Zombocalypse formula of wounding and subsequent infection. It’s this cybernetic dominance that acts as the book’s main antagonistic force. Following the escapades of a time travelling Terry McGinnis (Batman Beyond) and with an appearance from Grifter and an aging Firestorm, the book shows how these heroes go about their quest to save the DCU in a number of different well known locations. While the premise itself is suitably dark for the event, the book still feels like it is ultimately tied down by the tirade of apocalyptic works currently stagnating in pop culture, and results in it feeling quite clichéd. However it does show promise, with an ending that, while clichéd, is still quite enticing and leaves enough for the reader to want to return.

Art

The book’s art has a fairly standard feel to it, while not spectacular by any means; it still does enough to keep the book alive, and is admittedly impressive with the character’s themselves, with their designs feeling interesting and somewhat inspired, especially when there is such a variety of characters on display. Environments look foreboding and dark enough to match well with the subject matter, and the book on the whole has a fairly dread filled tone about it, unsurprising for a DC title.

Readability

The book, while not completely engaging, is still quite easy to follow and well balanced between text and visuals. However, it does, at times, feel a little too simple, although that is likely just a result of its weekly format leading to a more drip by drip method of storytelling, which is quite clearly on display here.

Verdict:

‘Future’s End’ #1 is a fairly uninspired take on the future of the New 52, but leaves enough to evoke some interest in the reader, and is faithful to the characters it portrays. While not as emotionally jarring as some other DC titles, it still shows enough promise with an ending that, as overdone as it is, brings in enough in the way of enigmas to warrant a second outing.

Score:

6/10

TV Reviews! Format and first review announcement

This is my first step into yet another unknown territory, like a colonial period American with an interest in the world’s media. TV is one of those things that I have never fully explored up till this point as I felt that reviewing TV would be simply too difficult to do. Whatever the case, however, I’ve decided that it’s worth a try, so now I need to define a format, and here it is:

TV- Story, Acting Quality + Presentation, Watchability, Verdict, Score

This is fairly similar to my Film format, without music being judged, as I feel that TV’s use of music is too minor to hold its own section, so I have mixed it in with visuals to bring presentation as an alternative. Now that the technicality is out of the way, it’s time to move on to the fun stuff, i.e the review itself. It will be separate to this piece, just for the sake of it not looking daft in the title, but I can tell you that the first ever BWR Television review is of  ‘Hannibal’ season 2 episode 1!

As usual, feel free to rate it or slate it, and any feedback/suggestions would be appreciated!

 Do svidanya, folks.

'The Walking Dead' #126 Comic Review

Story:

This thing has been building up nice and slowly since September last year, the thing in question being the ‘All Out War’ arc. While hyped up immensely and made out to be the arc to end all arcs, I can’t help but feel as if I’ve been let down quite harshly by the arc’s ending. While I can’t deny that the arc has had its fair share of flaws during its run, I still felt as though I was being drip fed just enough to keep me hanging on each fortnight for the next instalment, even waiting excitedly at times. Sadly though, this issue, considering what it represented, namely the end of the titular war, just wasn’t good enough to justify the reader’s anticipation. The climax of the war was incredibly rushed and just downright disappointing to watch, culminating in nothing more than a particularly lacklustre action scene with very little in the way of genuine payoff. Considering how fantastic the series’ endings have been previously, one wouldn’t be out of place to say that this issue was simply not up to the standard. While, admittedly, the book does have what is essentially a series’ first in terms of post arc tone, it simply isn’t satisfying enough for me to acknowledge this unique change of direction that could have perhaps drawn more appreciation if the ending had been dealt with more cleanly, as the war aspect of this issue is quite swiftly expelled, leaving room for this change of direction to awkwardly take shape. One particular disappointment comes in the form of a section of character interaction towards the end of the book that feels really quite pointless, with very little in the way of any genuine emotional impact for me, which is something that ‘The Walking Dead’ has managed to pull off effortlessly before now.  This left me asking myself, yet again, if I had already seen this before, and unfortunately the answer was yes. This trend is becoming more and more common in ‘The Walking Dead’, which begs the question: “Is now the time to call it a day?”

Art:

Adlard’s performance in #126 is as usual still quite competent, with most panels remaining true to the current series’ standard. However, the aforementioned action scene’s art suffered from the same problem that the interaction scene suffered from later on in the book, and that was the distinct impression that left me saying that I had seen it all before, and the fact is that I have. The scene was boring, uninspired, and did not live up to the chaotic nature of what had come before it. The scenes involving Rick were particularly clichéd in their delivery, with the usual camera angles being brought in as yet another speech is given. However, I cannot fault Adlard himself too much as the story plays a large role in the art feeling so rehashed and limp.

Readability:

This issue is very familiar. The same speeches, conversations and dilemmas presented in previous books return once again to bring this issue down. Perhaps I’m just fed up with the series now, but I found this book particularly arduous to read, as it seemed to simply drag on in a fashion that makes me wonder how long this series has until Robert Kirkman’s weary character killing sword is brought down swiftly onto the neck of the series itself.

Verdict:

While not enough to warrant a pull list removal, I would advise all to lower their expectations for this issue, as its cliché ridden pages feel disappointingly familiar, and the ending which the readers expected remains undelivered, whilst the replacement, as different as it was, still does not live up to the hype that this arc had gathered. Though it cannot be denied that this issue has done enough to warrant my future curiosity if nothing else.

Score:

6/10

The Black Watcher Talks: The Black Watcher (Part 1)

The first part of my ultimate personal profile!

The Black Watcher Talks: Regen 1 (TFall)

Regeneration 1 is waiting for you here :D

'Revenge' #1 Comic Review

Art-

The cover for ‘Revenge’ is beautiful. It really is very well done. The grey of the figure with blood sprayed around him and his red tinted goggles look superb. You know what they say about not judging a book by its cover though. Where ‘I, Vampire’ Volume 1 had a terrible cover but a stunning interior, ‘Revenge’ #1 manages to do the exact opposite, by having some of the worst examples of comic book ‘art’ I have ever seen, hidden within its pages. The grotesquely boring violence and unnecessary sex in the book is drawn with about as much artistic flair as a broken nose, and the ‘humans’ within the book look as if they’ve been savaged by a black marker and bathed in a sea of Olive oil. It is quite truly awful, and not much else can be said about the interior as a result.

 

Story-

The story follows Griffin Franks, an actor whose glory days are far behind him, as he portrays the on screen vigilante ‘The Revenger’. This is about as far as I can go with the story of this book. The rest of this piece is completely debased by the gratuitously overused violence and sex that stalk the book’s pages, melded with a particularly bland, boring and also somewhat indecisive set of character dialogues that add very little to the overall experience of the book, out with their ability to distract you from the artistic genocide occurring elsewhere on the page. For the sake of objectivity I must say that Ross does a very minimal job of making ‘The Revenger’ seem ever so slightly believable, but even then this is crushed by the book’s obsessive need to remind the reader that revenge is the overriding theme and drive of the book’s story.

Readability-

In terms of readability, some may find the book quite difficult to actually go through as a result of the abundance of, quite frankly, disturbing imagery that is contained within its pages. This is also not assisted by the books generic dialogue that remains highly uninteresting and tasking to read through.

Verdict-

‘Revenge’ #1 is a horrendous excuse for a comic book that was better suited as a tree than it is as paper. Please, do not buy this, as Image need to be alerted to this book’s lack of quality immediately.

Score-

1/10

'The Conjuring' (2013) Film Review

Story-

‘The Conjuring’ is loosely based upon the ‘real life haunting’ of the Perron family, which occurred in 1971 at their Farmhouse in Rhode Island. The usual ‘New House Horror’ cliché is the base foundation of the film’s plot, which is to be expected from a Wan film, with a couple of flashbacks tying into the story time events of the film. In many ways, this could have been the setup for a fairly run of the mill, jump scare cash in like many other films, but the way in which the story is handled creates a more interesting and deeply explored experience. It makes use of the source material well, and manages to create a relatively well thought out mythology around the demon, Bathsheba, and her presence in the Perron family home. Although the film is not without its share of plot holes and too good to be true moments, that are becoming far more present in the genre’s modern form. These are, however, far from film breaking, and aren’t inherently noticeable without the application of the proverbial fine tooth comb, and even then, they are little more than a slight annoyance.

Acting + Visuals-

The general acting standard within ‘The Conjuring’ is surprisingly high. Where other films’ child actors fall down face first, the children within ‘The Conjuring’ do a good job at translating the imagined fear of the character into a quite commendable visual display, making the audience genuinely feel like the actors, as well as the characters themselves, are terrified of what is happening in their new home. Their expressions are remarkably believable, as opposed to being overly exaggerated and silly, and their vocal delivery is surprisingly powerful when required, both in scenes of horror and scenes of family building. The same can be said about almost all of the remaining cast members. The two leads (Wilson and Farmiga) are particularly compelling as the real life paranormal investigators, Ed and Lorraine Warren. They bring a feeling of expertise and stability towards the beginning of their appearance within the film, slowly descending into an admirably portrayed feeling of past turmoil and dread that builds with the tension of the film’s events. A similarly noteworthy dual performance comes from the film’s other on screen couple (Livingston and Taylor) as the husband and wife of the Perron family, Roger and Carolyn. They play the roles of both loving parents and terrified victims with equal success, coming across as a believable relatable couple. The supporting cast is also, again, surprisingly good, with even the most irrelevant characters such as the town Sheriff being portrayed with a certain level of expertise and quality. In terms of the film’s visual presentation, the usual theme of heavy contrast and a de-saturated colour palette is employed with no significantly ground-breaking effect, other than the usual tonal implications of this chosen visual style. The camera work carries James Wan’s trademarked use of extreme close ups and long cuts throughout very closely linked rooms, that add a sense of claustrophobia to the setting, as well as a menace, in particular in the case of the infamous ‘Abigail’ doll, through the use of extreme close ups. The minimal CGI that is used in the film is, while not perfect, good enough to add to certain scenes without taking the audience out of the immersion completely.

Music-

Not much can be said about the score of ‘The Conjuring’ that can’t be said about any other modern horror film soundtrack. It’s use, however, can be commended, as the right balance of silence and sudden bursts of orchestral intensity is achieved quite comfortably throughout the film, with the screaming violins of ‘Insidious’ being reintroduced with a slightly less sudden, and more dragged out and intense use of grindingly suspenseful strings that makes certain scenes all the more terrifying as a result.

Watchability (Fear Factor for horror)-

Do not be fooled, as this is a very scary film. It is definitely one of the scariest Wan-era horrors I have ever seen, with Sinister taking the second place. What ‘The Conjuring’ does better than its predecessor ‘Insidious’, is undoubtedly the film’s building of tension. Rather than going with the usual output of jumpscare after jumpscare, Wan instead favours a far more intelligent and scary approach, akin to the likes of ‘The Exorcist’. With long cuts and tense, dragged out music, being used very effectively to build a level of tension that ultimately makes what starts as a very slow film (for the right reasons, however) into a memorably frightening horror with a reasonable climax that, while not as clever as the rest of the film, is still quite frightening, incorporating a mix of both the classic exorcism, with the more modern rollercoaster jumpscares so often seen nowadays. Does the final ending pay off though? This question I would have to answer with a no. While not the most dissatisfying ending in cinema, it still seemed somewhat too easy for me to feel truly satisfied. It did, however, set itself up quite well for a sequel.

Verdict-

‘The Conjuring’ is an enjoyably scary film with plenty of tension and scares that feel less cheap, and cleverer than any Wan-era horror before it. While not the most satisfying in the ending department, ‘The Conjuring’ still brings more than enough horror fun to the table to warrant a good night in with the lights out and the volume up high.

Score-

8/10

'I, Vampire' Vol. 1 Comic Review

Now, before you read this review, please note that the picture above was chosen as opposed to the book's cover, as the cover that was chosen is, to put it bluntly, awful, and completely unrepresentative of how brilliant this book really is.

Art-

This book has some of the earlier works from my favourite artist, Andrea Sorrentino, and his equally talented colourist friend, Marcelo Maiolo. Need I say any more? These two are the best in the industry. I say that as fact, because there is no other artistic pair in the world of comic books that surprise me in their work as much as Sorrentino and Maiolo. Sorrentino’s work here, while not as refined as his work in Green Arrow, is still absolutely mystifying, with his trademarked use of strong, heavy shadow in his inkwork, as well as the minimalistic feel of his character’s expressions, come together to create an atmosphere of mystery and horror. This is met perfectly by the dark greys and deep blood reds used by Maiolo on both his human and vampire characters, but still with enough contrast between the two to give each race a clear distinction, in particular with the menacing reds used on the bleak faces of the vampires. One thing to be noted alongside this is how well the pair manages to construct the settings for the book, from the rundown darkness of Gotham city, to the moonlit riverside where Andrew and Mary are first introduced. This particular scene captures Sorrentino’s ability to draw not only human characters, but the mystical ones as well, particularly the vampires in their other forms as wolves and giant winged beasts, with each act of transformation and transmutation shrouded in a stunning smoke effect that is used frequently.This blending of traditional horror mythology, and arcane visuals creates a very unique and compelling environment for the story to unfold in. In terms of character design, Sorrentino has managed to take Andrew Bennett’s old design and replace it with a far more modern and, in some respects, likeable design, whilst still retaining on of the character’s trademarks in the form of his grey hair streak. Sorrentino has also achieved a particularly commendable feat in designing a vampire that I believe could be one of the best there is. With the modern design of their clothing blending seamlessly alongside the traditional romanticism of vampires as a race, while still retaining their terrifying nature with a grotesque, yet surprisingly fitting set of facial features that appear during bloodlust such as an essential split across the face, revealing a sea of razor sharp teeth, and bloodshot eyes with dilated pupils. The art, in my eyes, could not have been more suited to this book.

Story-

 The book follows Andrew Bennett, a vampire who has lived for centuries, long enough to become near immortal, and his quest to defend humanity from his captivatingly sadistic ex-girlfriend, Mary, Queen of Blood. As ridiculous as that may sound, the book is in fact incredibly interesting, and the story is genuinely compelling throughout. It explores a number of themes in a beautifully reflective manner, with Andrew and Mary taking centre stage throughout as the two main characters of the story. Morality, love, regret and many other topics are discussed in a way that only two age old vampires could discuss them. It’s romantic, it’s tragic, it’s action filled and above all else, it makes you want to read more. I was lucky enough to already have bought the second volume by the time I finished the first one, so that I could dive straight in again, and there are not many books out there that manage to strike such a powerful feeling of urgency into me that forces me to find the next chapter as soon as possible. This story is one that could have easily been badly handled and most likely ruined by any other writer, but Fialkov managed to make the reader empathise and sympathise with the characters in the book by exploring themes that any human can understand. That is where the genius comes through. These human elements are being explored and debated through the eyes of someone who by definition is non-human, and this unique perspective, that of a man who has lived for hundreds of lifetimes, allows for the reader to even more deeply understand the character’s emotions and compulsions, despite his inhumanity.

Readability-

‘ I, Vampire’ Vol. 1 is, on the whole, a very well balanced read, with enough text to keep the story engaging and fulfilling, but not enough to make each page feel like a chore. Even the more text heavy pages are made far less arduous by the stunning artwork, making this a very easy and fun read.

Verdict:

‘I, Vampire’ Volume 1 is a must for fans of horror comics, action comics, romance comics or any comic. With hauntingly beautiful imagery and a gripping, emotional, character driven story, you really could not ask for more.

Score:

10/10

Blog Status Update #1: BWR One Shot intro

Hey guys, a quick update regarding the blog's new tab, BWR One Shots, these are essentially just articles that I'll be writing about a variety of things, much like a Black Watcher Talks video, but with a little more structure to them. I hope you enjoy them!

BWR One Shot #1: Violence and heroes

Imagine it now: Superman, in all his shining glory, the blue and red soul of the US of A, gleefully brandishing a Kryptonian Pulse rifle, as he rains his own brand of fiery incapacitation upon the crowds of human miscreants below him. Yeah, doesn’t sound too natural, does it?

What I’ve noticed during my travels in the world of comics, games and films is that the use of weaponry by heroes, and the reaction it garners from said hero’s fanbase, is extremely varied and sometimes a bit bewildering. Where a character such as Deadpool is glorified and idolised (somewhat unjustly considering how few stories of his have been genuinely interesting) by casuals and devout fans alike for his trademarked gratuitous, humorous and weapon filled violence, yet Superman in Zack Snyder’s somewhat divisive reboot, ‘Man of Steel’ (2013) was vilified and generally cited for (SPOILER ALERT) breaking General Zod’s neck at the end of a film in what was clearly an effort to stop any further death/destruction that may have taken place had Zod stayed alive, and it was also made clear that killing Zod took a huge toll on Superman after he let out a shout that would make Dinah Lance proud. What is it that is so acceptable about Deadpool’s brand of violence when pitted against the die-hard restraint of the likes of Batman and Superman that (unfortunately for them) doesn’t always pay off?

Now I know a lot of this can be put down to the characters themselves, after all, Supes is supposed to be the greatest beacon of “Truth, Justice, and the American Way!” that there ever was. However, I can’t help but feel like this prejudice is completely unjustified.

Take Green Arrow; a highly popular character who now has two comic series of his own (as well as appearances in other titles) as well as a hugely popular TV series that has led to the expansion of DC Entertainment’s television presence with the eve of the new Flash series fast approaching (hehe), yet in his comic he straight up kills people. Not just maiming or dishing out many variants on the term grievous bodily harm, but genuinely putting them down without a care in the world. Now I love Green Arrow more than any other character but even I have to admit that that is pretty damn cold. That doesn’t affect his sales though. Why care so much about the ethics of Spidey, Batman and Supes if you’re just going to wash over the triggers and three fingered gloves of the more violent characters?

I’m not trying to complain, because if I’m honest I really don’t care if someone else complains about it, but what I do dislike is the sort of reaction that the likes of the MOS ending received from some who clearly don’t take this point into consideration as they type their comments, DP shirt and belt buckle at the ready.

Oh wait, I forgot, it’s *absolutely* ok because he’s ‘funny’.

The Black Watcher Talks: 100 Likes Celebration

YES! YES! YES! We've made it! The first genuine major milestone has been reached and now beaten. Here's to 2014.

The Black Watcher Talks: Green Arrow #29's End

Fresh off the line! This one is an absolute shocker! 

The Black Watcher Talks: Bow Hunting

I hope this video sheds some light on a pretty nasty and divisive topic,but one that needs discussed.

The Black Watcher Talks: The Lego Movie Video Game

It's a shame that the combat system is so flawed. Not great.

The Black Pleb Watchers of Wrestling: Episode 2

Episode 2 everybody

'Harley Quinn' #3 Comic Review

This series has been nothing but great fun since it started :D I highly recommend it!

The Black Watcher Talks: Twitch Shooters

With Titanfall coming up, I felt it appropriate to do this little beauty r.e the most divisive genre in gaming.

The Black Pleb Watchers of Wrestling Episode 1: Pilot

This is the beginning of another new show from both Black Watcher Reviews and my friend Andrew over at Plebs of Wrestling!

The Black Watcher Talks: Titanfall

I came, I played, and I repeated step one. This is going to be a monster.

The Blacklist: February 2014

Some of you may remember my old 'Blacklist' segment from a while back. Well here it is again with an all new vision, format and style. Enjoy, my friends.

The Black Watcher Talks: Battlefield 4 Fixes

EA and DICE have officially saved Battlefield 4!

'Green Arrow' #27 Comic Review

It just keeps on getting better! A brilliant book

The Black Watcher Talks: Alien Isolation

I personally cannot wait for this!

2014 Update, and Happy New Year!

Welcome, one and all, to my official update on 2014 and the future of Black Watcher Reviews. Before we get down to business, I want to wish everyone a very happy and healthy 2014. For me, 2013 has been a year of experimentation, discovery and practise. I joined the Big Glasgow Comic Page, I wrote reviews for the Alloa Advertiser, I started video reviewing and now I have managed to finally include gameplay as part of our channel. 2013 has set a solid foundation for us, as a whole, to move forward, and fully explore how far the boundaries of Black Watcher Reviews can be pushed. We have videos, we have text reviews and above all else we now have the tools to start a year where Black Watcher Reviews can go the distance. Although recently I haven't written or recorded any new reviews, this doesn't mean I'm finished with reviewing, in fact, it means the exact opposite. The reason that I have done no recent comic book reviews isn't down to a lack of interest, it is in fact due to my inability to pick up my last 3 weeks worth of comics thanks to a combination of bad weather, being out of the country, and embracing the holiday season. A bad excuse, I know, but the only one I have that isn't a lie. So when I say I'm not done with reviews, what I really mean is brace yourself for reviews. No, seriously, you should, cause I am not gonna hold back. Well, I will if I get tired or bored during a reading, but I'll do my best. It'll more than likely be a mixture of both text and video, but it'll all depend on what it is and when I do it. My standard review formats for comics and games will go unchanged, while I'll set out a new film review format, as I feel like I've been neglecting the medium that actually started BWR, here's a quick reminder of how it goes:

Comics: Art, Story + Content, Readability, Verdict, Score

Games: Story, Gameplay + Features, Presentation (Incl. Glitches), Verdict, Score

Films (New): Story, Acting Quality + Visuals, Musical Score, Watchability, Verdict, Score

These are the formats that each new review will follow from now on. Recently, I have also toyed with the idea of introducing TV reviews in the future, but again, it's still only an idea, and will need more planning before it takes a true form. Shows would most likely be a mixture of WWE and my current show roster, possibly expanding later on. Still though, without ideas, nobody would care, hence why I created my new 'The Black Watcher Talks' show, focusing on topical opinions of mine regarding relevant subjects. I'd like to think that this will help add a new dynamic to BWR without taking away from the page's heart of unbiased, and hopefully helpful critiquing (yes, I know how bad that sounds, but hey-ho). There will, of course, be more ridiculous ideas and brain farts in future, but for now I'd like everyone to know the plan, and be ready to face 2014 with excitement and dedication. Stay happy, stay safe, and above all else, keep watching.

Do svidanya, bye bye
-Jamie (The Black Watcher)

The Black Watcher Talks: Game DVR

Episode 3 of 'The Black Watcher Talks' focussing on the Xbox One's Game DVR feature.

The Black Watcher Talks: Battlefield 4 Multiplayer

Episode 2 of 'The Black Watcher Talks', discussing Battlefield 4's numerous problems and glitches.

The Black Watcher Talks: Dead Rising 3

The first episode of my new series 'The Black Watcher Talks'! Feel free to give feedback and opinions e.t.c.

I have now embraced the future

Well guys, here it is. A new era for The Black Watcher and Black Watcher Reviews. I CAN NOW POST GAMEPLAY :D