Here’s Part One of our Top Comic Picks for this week, focused on Marvel Comics titles released on Wednesday.

Shadowland: Ghost Rider #1 (one-shot) (written by Rob Williams, pencils by Clayton Crain): I have to admit, this is the first Ghost Rider-centric comic I’ve read in a LONG time. How long? Well, last time I checked in with the Spirit of Vengeance, it was the spirit doing the talking when the skull was on fire, not his host, whether it was Johnny Blaze or Danny Ketch. I was glad to see him show up in the main Shadowland book a few weeks back, when he was summoned by Wilson Fisk, the Kingpin of Crime, using an ancient Hand magical spell to be a weapon AGAINST The Hand, because for all the supernatural-heaven-and-hell stories I know he’s been featured in over the course of the past few years, to me he’s always been a street-level vigilante-hero, albeit one of the most powerful ones out there. So this book topped my reading this week, and it didn’t disappoint. Non-Ghost Rider fans should not avoid this book thinking that they’re not familiar with the character’s backstory or recent adventures. Yes, there are references to ol’ Bonehead’s battles with angels and demons, but for the most part this is a Shadowland story, and it’s an important chapter in the story considering who exactly Fisk sends Blaze to take out. What happens by the end of the issue will certainly be felt in the main Shadowland title and in Daredevil, so you don’t want to miss this. Plus, writer Rob Williams writes a VERY cool Johnny Blaze, full of biker-brand swagger and southern drawl, and Clayton Crain lives up to the “superstar artist” billing he gets, giving us lots of digitally-painted panels illuminated only by Blaze’s … well, blazing head and bike, and of course many, many ninjas poised to strike from within the shadows. RECOMMENDED

Steve Rogers: Super Soldier #3 (written by Ed Brubaker, art by Dale Eaglesham): When we last saw Commander Steve Rogers in the previous issue of this four-issue limited series, he’d just been hit with “anti-Vita Rays” which de-activated the Super Soldier Serum in his body, returning him to his 98-pound “weakling” state and leaving him presumably helpless and in the hands of an old enemy, the Machinesmith. I admit, if I wasn’t already reading this book and the plot up to this point was laid out to me that way, I’d say “ummm hello, what year are we in? That sounds campy as all get-out.” But of course, this story comes from Ed Brubaker, the writer who has never, EVER failed to make Steve Rogers interesting as a character, not as Captain America before his “death” and certainly not now in his current role as Commander of the Avengers and the world’s “Top Cop”–”camp” simply is not in Bru’s vocabulary. What we get in this issue is yet another example of how compellingly Brubaker can deliver Steve’s voice, his vulnerability during flashbacks to his childhood as a bullied “beanpole” kid, and his quiet, unswerving confidence in his skills as a soldier, serum-powered or not. It’s true that you never once doubt that Steve’s going to find his way out of this and get his just-short-of-superhuman strength and physique back before the end of the issue, but that happens not because the book is written in a predictable way, but rather because Brubaker inspires you to believe in Steve–he always has. Dale Eaglesham’s pencils continue to really shine here; unlike his stellar work on Justice Society of America, which featured a gigantic cast of characters that required panels full of figures vying for your attention, this book, focused as it is on a solo character on an espionage-type mission, which allows for more emphasis on distinctive physical action and expression. Short version: we get to see Steve Rogers kick some serious butt as only he can. “98-pound weakling” my ass. RECOMMENDED

Later today we’ll have our DC Comics Top Picks for you and Flash TV reviews, so keep checking back throughout the day!

Originally posted at PrimeTimeGeek.com.

PTG Episode 125 is brought to you once again by Florida Supercon. We’re just days away from the beginning of the fun down at the Doubletree Miami Mart, Airport Hotel and Exhibition Center. As we announced during the last hour, hotel rooms for the event are sold out for Friday and Saturday night, but that shouldn’t stop you from getting down there and enjoying as much of the convention as possible. If you’re there on Saturday or Sunday, make a point to head over the main stage and check out Revenge of the Nerd Comics, featuring our friend Lisa Corrao along with a host of other comedians speaking geek as only they can. We have a great chat with Lisa to start off this hour, talking about Revenge of the Nerd Comics, along with Star Wars geekdom, going to conventions, and the perils of handmade Halloween costumes at early ages. We thank Lisa once again for taking time between her performances at Bonkerz Comedy Club in Daytona Beach to chat with us for a bit–it was a lot of fun and hopefully we can have her back on the show again soon!

Also in this hour, we present our first reviews of Burn Notice on USA and Merlin on SyFy. Both shows have a lot going for them, including clever writing and great character actors having fun with great material. We’re going to keep on reviewing Burn Notice and Merlin, but what other shows we cover is still in your hands. There’s ONE more day to vote in our Summer Shows Poll over on our Message Board at SomaCow.net/forum. We need more votes to break ties between shows, so sign up for a FREE profile there and cast your vote before tomorrow. Make your voice heard!

We wrap up the hour by spotlighting two comic releases from last week: Batman #700 (Morrison, Daniel, Quitely, Kubert, Finch) from DC Comics, and Captain America #606 (Brubaker, Guice) from Marvel. Enjoy!

Originally posted at PrimeTimeGeek.com.

PTG Episode 120 is brought to you by Slacker and the Man. In addition to hearing ‘The Man’s’ report on Florida Battle Con during this hour of PTG, check out the latest episode of SATM, Episode 119, featuring a new “Deadliest Geek Warrior” installment: The Hulk vs. Superman, along with movies to watch if you’re dying and reviews of the new Nightmare on Elm Street, Iron Man 2, Defendor, starring Woody Harrelson, and Black Dynamite. There’s lots in store on the horizon for Slacker and the Man, so why not spend your Memorial Day holiday getting caught up with a few episodes? It’s either that or watch the Star Trek: The Next Generation marathon on BBC America, and honestly, haven’t you seen all those episodes enough times already? (Just kidding.)

Also in this episode, we present our review on Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Gemma Arterton, and Ben Kingsley. Certainly not the worst video game movie ever made (Mortal Kombat: Annihilation will hold that “honor” forever, in my humble opinion), but far from the best, as well. There’s lots to enjoy in the movie if you’re in the mood for swashbuckling adventure–just don’t look for deep characterization and be prepared for LOTS of exposition in place of real dialogue. You know, just like the video game series.

We wrap the episode with reviews of two eagerly-awaited releases from Marvel last week, Secret Avengers #1 by Brian Michael Bendis and Mike Deodato and Thor #610 by Kieron Gillen and Doug Braithwaite. Enjoy!

Originally posted at PrimeTimeGeek.com.

PTG Episode 111 is brought to you by Vulcan Events. Well, we’ve been hyping it since MegaCon, and now its almost here: Vulcan Events’ Premiere Sci Fi Convention starts this Friday, April 30th, at 5PM, and runs through Sunday. Tickets are still available for pre-order, and will be available at the event, so be sure and stop by sometime during the weekend and enjoy the festivities. Saturday night should be particularly fun, as it will include a live performance by our friends Sci-Fried, a karaoke event, and much more. Click on the link above for the convention for more information, and we hope to see you there!

During this hour we’re pleased to have Javier Garcia, co-owner of Vulcan Events, on the phone to talk up the convention as well as talk about the experience of bringing the company into being along with business partner Fernando Martinez. Javier shares some stories with us about bringing the company and this first convention into being, as well as give us final details about what fans can expect to see and enjoy this weekend, so we hope you enjoy the interview. Also during this hour, Stu Cohen of Heroes Landing gives us the final rundown on what’s going on at his store on Saturday during Free Comic Book Day, as well as talking up a few comic book titles he in particular has been enjoying of late, including Jason Aaron’s PunisherMax and Andy Diggle’s take on Daredevil. We wrap up the hour debating the interesting mix of characters that Marvel has brought together for their new title Secret Avengers–Steve Rogers, Black Widow, Beast, Moon Knight, War Machine, Ant-Man, Nova, and Valkyrie–and Steve Rogers’ new uniform, since he won’t be running around as Captain America for a while. Enjoy!

Originally posted at PrimeTimeGeek.com.

PTG Episode 107 is brought to you by Heroes Landing. Thanks again to Todd and Stu for supporting our recent Facebook Fan Page drive–monetary incentive works EVERY time! If you’re in the Clermont area this weekend and you’re a Star Wars fan, then you’re GOING to want to stop by Heroes Landing on Saturday and be a part of the Star Wars Grand Florida Alliance meeting going on there from 5-9PM. As we’ve mentioned on the show a number of times these past few weeks, renowned sculptor and production designer Brian Muir, who has worked on some of the most well-known film franchises in Hollywood history, will be on hand to talk about his autobiography, In the Shadow of Vader, and to meet fans and answer questions. Should be a great night, so be sure and stop by!

In this episode we cover the announcement of the 2010 Will Eisner Award nominees, awarded each year for excellence in the comics industry. Certainly a lot of names on the list will be familiar if you listen to PTG on a regular basis, and not all of them because we’ve been praising them all along. There’s one nominee that I personally have a problem with, and seeing his name on the list was ALMOST enough to start a vintage “Felix is Fuming” rant. But since we’ve retired that segment for the sake of my listeners ears and my blood pressure, it’s merely a … heated monologue, rather than a rant. Also in this episode, PTG Flash Reviews returns to FlashForward, getting caught up five episodes into the second half of Season One, and also to Fringe, which gets back to a more conventional (for that show) style episode, complete with gross-out opening minutes and some seriously bizarre Walter Bishop culinary multitasking. We wrap up by spotlighting two Superman titles that shipped last week, Superman: Last Stand of New Krypton #2 (eh) and Superman: Secret Origin #5 (improving!). Enjoy!

Originally posted at PrimeTimeGeek.com.

PTG Episode 80 is brought to you by New Year’s Geek! Yup, it’s 2010, and if you haven’t had enough yet of ringing in the new year by Saturday night, be sure to stop by Club 57 West to be a part of New Year’s Geek–once again, here’s all the info you need to make it to the party:

• The Event: New Year’s Geek
• The Date: Saturday, January 2nd, 2010
• The Location: Club 57 West – 57 W. Pine Street in Downtown Orlando
• The Lineup: Captain Dan and the Scurvy Crew, Sci-Fried, Marc with a C, Emergency Pizza Party, Krondor Krew
• The Time: 8PM-2AM

I’ll be there for a bit after Saturday night’s show, so hope to see you there!

So it’s 2010, and a Happy New Year to everyone visiting this site today–hope you had a great NYE and are ready for a great new year and new decade. It will be interesting to see if 2010 starts the same way 2009 ended in terms of the box office, with Avatar leading the way. No major studio releases coming this weekend, so that result seems pretty likely. In this episode we spend some time talking about Avatar, and though I certainly acknowledge what the film achieves technologically, the screen story was less than satisfying and derivative of LOTS of films that weren’t as flashy visually but told the “going native” story more effectively. Sherlock Holmes, on the other hand, was lots of fun all around, and I had very few complaints. They’re both certainly worth seeing, so head over to the theater if you haven’t seen them yet and form your own opinions.

Oh, and just clarify in case the title of this episode leads to any confusion: Prime Time Geek is still on Twitter, and will be for the foreseeable future. What’s gone is my personal Twitter page, PTG_Felix. Twitter is awesome for lots of people–Ross from SomaCow could doubtless sell you on the benefits and uses of Twitter to just about anyone. But for me personally, it was kind of unnecessary. Guess I’m just a Facebook guy, after all.

Originally posted at PrimeTimeGeek.com

PTG Episode 68 is brought to you by bitter cynicism. After all, what else are we Joss Whedon fans supposed to feel when it comes to FOX continuing to screw him (and us) over? By now, you’ve probably heard the news first brought to us Wednesday by Entertainment Weekly’s Michael Ausiello, that FOX announced it was canceling Dollhouse, choosing to air its remaining episodes and then let the show go, rather than picking up the “back 9″ episodes in order to complete the season. Along with the finality that comes from knowing the end is definitely in sight, here’s what else we know:

• eight episodes remain unaired, and those will begin airing in December, following the November sweeps period. Throughout December, episodes will air in back-to-back two-hour blocks, then air as single episodes through January;

• Before the cancellation of the series became official, Whedon told TV Guide that Episode 13 would be written as a series finale, reminding everyone that doing so was not out of the ordinary for him: “People forget but I did this every year with Buffy. That’s just insurance. I didn’t do it with Firefly and look what happened. I went mad as a March hare and made a movie.”;

• In the same interview, Whedon revealed that both Alan Tudyk (Alpha), Amy Acker (Dr. Saunders), and Felicia Day (who appeared in the unaired “Epitaph One” episode) would be returning before the big finale.

So there’s lots to look forward to as we near the end of Dollhouse’s journey, and it remains to be seen whether it will join Firefly as a series where we wonder about “what might have been” had it been allowed to continue. By December I’m sure I’ll feel more optimistic and positive about what we’re getting. But right now, despite the fact that it isn’t much of a surprise, well, to say it’s a disappointment is a massive understatement. As for Joss himself, he had this to say on his blog at Whedonesque.com:

I don’t have a lot to say. I’m extremely proud of the people I’ve worked with: my star, my staff, my cast, my crew. I feel the show is getting better pretty much every week, and I think you’ll agree in the coming months. I’m grateful that we got to put it on, and then come back and put it on again.

I’m off to pursue internet ventures/binge drinking. Possibly that relaxation thing I’ve read so much about. By the time the last episode airs, you’ll know what my next project is. But for now there’s a lot of work still to be done, and disappointment to bear.

Thank you all for your support, your patience, your excellent adverts. See you again. -j.

In this episode we talk about the end of something else that may or may not be near and dear to your hearts. Lots of lots of Blockbuster stores will be closing over the next year, as the irresistible force of change led by Netflix and Redbox drive the once-mighty brick-and-mortar video rental chain into irrelevance and extinction. Blockbuster was a big part of my life for a very long time, so as you might imagine, I have a lot to say about its slow demise. Also, we bring you Flash TV Reviews of Heroes, FlashForward, and the premiere episode of the new V series, which packs a whole heckuva lot into one hour of television to get us primed for a full season of alien invasion resistance. We wrap up the hour with last week’s top comic picks from Marvel, including new issues of Amazing Spider-Man, Captain America Reborn, and the new limited series focused on long-time X-Men fan-favorite Psylocke. Enjoy!

Originally posted at PrimeTimeGeek.com

PTG Episode 60 is brought to you by your advertisement can go HERE. Jones Soda Company, Pepsi Co. (’cause we love Mountain Dew and your Amp line of energy drinks), FOX, CW (’cause we actually WATCH your Friday night programming, unlike the rest of the U.S.), yes, I’m talking to you.

In this episode we introduce two brand-new segments … or rather, new sound drops to lead into established segments on the show, our “FLASH! TV Reviews” and PTG’s Top Comic Picks. FLASH TV Reviews will provide capsule reviews/recaps of the latest episodes of Heroes, Fringe, Dollhouse, and (eventually) FlashForward as long as new episodes are being aired. Later, as the Fall season rolls on, we’ll make changes to that lineup depending on which shows are on hiatus and which are airing new episodes, as well as including any mid-season entries. The new V series, which premieres in November, will most likely join this lineup, as will the latest season of 24 when it starts up in January. For now, in this first “official” installment, we review Heroes “Acceptance”, Fringe “Momentum Deferred” (guest-starring Leonard Nimoy and Theresa Russell), and Dollhouse “Belle Chose” (guest-starring BSG alum Michael Hogan). We also continue our revival of the “Eat More Geek” segment, spotlighting Jones Soda Company’s new “Dungeons & Dragons” themed sodas, and bring you two comic titles you need to pick up from last week if you haven’t already, DC Comics’ Batman and Robin #5 by Grant Morrison and Phillip Tan, and Icon’s Criminal: The Sinners #1 by Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips.

Have a great weekend, and if you can, stop by this week’s live broadcast of PTG on Saturday night, starting at 8PM. Hope to see you then!

Originally posted at PrimeTimeGeek.com.

PTG Episode 50 is brought to you by 300, which you will be reminded of endlessly while watching Gamer should you choose to do so. Yes, Gerard Butler is playing an ENTIRELY different character possessed of an entirely different type of charisma, brooding and silent versus regal and defiant, but every time he speaks, it’s tough not to hear King Leonidas, regardless of the words themselves. OR you may be reminded of Crank and Crank 2: High Voltage, since those are the signature directorial works to date for the directors of Gamer, Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor. Hopefully you’ll be reminded of a movie you enjoyed or still enjoy, and thus the experience of watching Gamer might be lifted somewhat. Believe it or not, the movie’s premise is pretty cerebral, and the future world it depicts is viciously satirical. Neveldine and Taylor were the screenwriters here, as well, and they seemed to have had a point and an agenda, which come off as much more important to get across than the film’s paper-thin plot and one-note characters carried along by that plot. What we get–a frenetic, exhausting mess of explosions, chases, and scenes featuring creepy internet clichés in place of believable characters–is presented with gleefully gratuitous exuberance that will leave you on the edge of your seat for all the wrong reasons. Makes me wonder what the result might have been if the script might have found its way into the hands of, say, Ridley Scott or Oliver Stone. Ah, well. Listen to the podcast for more on that.

From the title of this entry, it’s pretty obvious we spend some time in this episode talking about the Disney-Marvel deal that was the talk of Geekdom and beyond for most of last week. Also in this hour, top independent comic picks from last week, including Buck Rogers #3 and The Boys #34 from Dynamite Entertainment and Incognito #6 from Icon (not pictured above). Yeah, yeah, Icon isn’t an independent, it’s a Marvel imprint, but its world is in no way connected to what goes on in mainstream Marvel, so its close enough.

PTG Episode 43 is brought to you by the 70th Birthday of Marvel Comics. All this month, to celebrate 70 years of publishing greatness (and also to get a few more bucks out of our wallets, if we have them), Marvel is publishing a number of its issues with special variant covers that … well, cover the breadth of Marvel’s most enduring characters. The art that frames each cover is by artist Jim Cheung. Check out a couple of the covers available this week:

If you’ve got the extra dough to fork out for these, grab ‘em–think of it as supporting the economy, rather than supporting any need to have EVERY variant cover of an issue, no matter how true that might also be. In all honesty, the Cheung art makes them all look quite snazzy.

Episode 43 focuses on J. Michael Stracynzski’s efforts to re-introduce and revitalize comics characters once owned by Archie Comics and published under their Red Circle imprint, now licensed to DC Comics, and situate them within the DC Universe, Those efforts began this week with one-shot issue “The Hangman”. Similar one-shots, each focusing on a Red Circle character, will be released one per week through the month of August. Certainly having JMS’s name attached to it lends serious geek cred to the title, but seriously, does it have a chance to even make an impression on DC readers right now, with that little thing called “Blackest Night” they have going on that’s got everyone, even non-superhero comics fans, snapping up issues faster than anyone can say “Green Lantern”? Time will tell … Also in this hour, PTG’s Top Comics Picks for the week ending 8-8-09 and EricathePimp’s latest book review, this time focused on an older work by science fiction author Orson Scott Card, The Worthing Saga.

Looking ahead to this Saturday, August 15th, PTG welcomes back Mad Mario, Destroyer of Worlds to the SomaCow studios, where he will bring his unique “charm” and insight to a variety of subjects we have on tap, most notably the new film District 9, which will wrap up our coverage of the 2009 Summer Movie Season. We’ll also be tackling this past summer’s movies as a whole as well as looking ahead to movies and television coming up in the Fall. Don’t miss it!