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Reviews and commentary by Tony Isabella
"America's Most Beloved Comic-Book Writer & Columnist"
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TONY'S ONLINE TIPS
The After-Poll Report (03/12/02)
for Tuesday, March 12, 2002
If it's Tuesday, and it is, this must be the special "after-the-polls" edition of TONY'S TIPS. Here are the final results of the TONY POLLS questions which were active last week, complete with the usual two-cents-worth-of-commentary from yours truly. Life is good, isn't it?
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WHICH OF THESE ALAN MOORE WORKS IS YOUR FAVORITE?
Watchmen.....46 votes (26.90%)
Superman: "Whatever happened to the Man of Tomorrow?".....30 (17.54%)
Swamp Thing.....17 (9.94%)
From Hell.....15 (8.77%)
Top 10.....11 (6.43%)
V For Vendetta.....10 (5.85%)
Marvelman/Miracleman.....8 (4.68%)
Batman: The Killing Joke.....6 (3.51%)
League of Extraordinary Gentlemen.....6 (3.51%)
Superman: "For the Man Who Has Everything".....6 (3.51%)
Captain Britain.....4 (2.34%)
Ballad of Halo Jones.....3 (1.75%)
1963.....2 (1.17%)
Promethea.....2 (1.17%)
Supreme.....2 (1.17%)
Tom Strong.....2 (1.17%)
Bojeffries Saga.....1 (.58%)
My choice was FROM HELL, Moore's examination of Jack the Ripper in collaboration with Eddie Campbell. I wasn't surprised to see Watchmen, Superman, and Swamp Thing score more highly because, as we've seen, TIPS readers tend to be DC-centric. But, as good as those others are, FROM HELL is one of the finest graphic novels in the history of comics. I've read it three times and, each time, it captures my attention anew and shows me the power of the comics art form to explore the human condition.
******
WHO IS YOUR FAVORITE GREEN LANTERN?
Two weeks ago, I asked that question of TONY POLLS visitors. Almost immediately, I received anguished e-mails pointing out that I had left Guy Gardner off the small list of choices. The results of the original poll were as follows
Hal Jordan.....98 votes (57.65%)
Alan Scott.....41 (24.12%)
Kyle Rayner.....20 (11.76%)
John Stewart.....11 (6.47%)
I posted the same question last week with Guy Gardner added to the list. Here are those results
Hal Jordan.....81 votes (53.64%)
Alan Scott.....37 (24.59%)
Guy Gardner.....11 (7.28%)
Kyle Rayner.....11 (7.28%)
John Stewart.....11 (7.28%)
There were 19 fewer votes cast the second time around. Hal, Alan, and Kyle all had fewer votes while John Stewart retained his votes from the first poll. Percentage-wise, Alan and John gained ground with Hal and Kyle losing it.
I cast my vote for HAL JORDAN, the Green Lantern of my youth. As for the others, I like Alan and John a lot, I can tolerate Kyle, and I think Guy is just about the dumbest super-hero of the 1990s. Every time DC tried to change Guy, they made a bad character worse. Persistence isn't always a virtue.
I understand Guy died during DC's recent WORLDS AT WAR event. I would call that an acceptable loss. But, then, I would have said the same thing if he'd been taken out by Kite-Man.
******
Here are four Academy Awards questions. Who would you like to see win the Oscar for ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE?
Denzel Washington.....47 votes (38.52%)
Tom Wilkinson.....23 (18.85%)
Russell Crowe.....22 (18.03%)
Sean Penn.....16 (13.11%)
Will Smith.....14 (11.48%)
ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE?
Ian McKellen.....82 votes (68.33%)
Ben Kingsley.....14 (11.67%)
Jim Broadbent.....11 (9.17%)
Jon Voight.....8 (6.67%)
Ethan Hawke.....5 (4.17%)
ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE?
Nicole Kidman.....35 votes (30.43%)
Halle Berry.....25 (21.74%)
Judi Dench.....22 (19.13%)
Sissy Spacek.....21 (18.26%)
Renee Zellweger.....12 (10.43%)
ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE?
Jennifer Connelly.....52 votes (44.83%)
Maggie Smith....22 (18.97%)
Helen Mirren.....16 (13.79%)
Marisa Tomei.....14 (12.07%)
Kate Winslet.....12 (10.34%)
I haven't yet seen any of the movies for which these actors were nominated; that's why I used the word "like" in the question. My choices were thus based on either who I had liked in some other movie or who I wanted to get all snugly with.
I voted for Denzel Washington, Ian McKellen, Nicole Kidman, and Marisa Tomei. I'll let you figure out why.
******
Our match-up questions are always popular, so I had three of them on last week's ballot...
BUGS BUNNY or MICKEY MOUSE?
Bugs Bunny.....144 votes (95.36%)
Mickey Mouse.....7 (4.64%)
I like Mickey. I really do. There's no doubt in my mind that he'd be a good guy to hang with for baseball games or bowling. You could lend him your tools and he'd always bring them back, and even help you with those two-man jobs that crop up around the house from time to time. He's okay in my book.
But BUGS BUNNY is a mad genius. I am in awe of his diabolical mind and refusal to accept defeat. Bugs wrote the book on homeland security. I voted for him in this category and, if he were real, I'd vote for him for President.
******
DAFFY DUCK OR DONALD DUCK?
Daffy Duck.....100 votes (67.57%)
Donald Duck.....48 (32.43%)
The bottom line is that Warner cartoons were always funnier than Disney cartoons. However, in this case, the comic-book DONALD DUCK, as brought to life by Carl Barks, is such a favorite of mine that I had to vote for the Disney duck.
******
BUCK ROGERS OR FLASH GORDON?
Flash Gordon.....84 votes (60.43%)
Buck Rogers.....55 (39.57%)
I never thought these newspaper strips were particularly well-written, or that either hero had much dimension. I went with FLASH GORDON because he dressed better and Mongo looked cooler than any place Buck Rogers visited.
******
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE JENNIFER CONNELLY MOVIE?
Rocketeer, The.....63 votes (47.01%)
Labyrinth.....20 (14.93%)
Dark City.....10 (7.46%)
Hot Spot, The.....6 (4.48%)
Mulholland Falls.....6 (4.48%)
Once Upon a Time in America.....6 (4.48%)
A Beautiful Mind.....5 (3.73%)
Requiem for a Dream....5 (3.73%)
Career Opportunities.....3 (2.24%)
Inventing the Abbotts.....3 (2.24%)
Pollock .....2 (1.49%)
Some Girls.....2 (1.49%)
Waking the Dead.....2 (1.49%)
Phenomena.....1 (.75%)
My message board crew has this thing for Jennifer Connelly. One of them, Steve Pyskoty-Olle, suggested this question and even sent me a list of Connelly's movies. I voted for the only one I've seen...THE ROCKETEER.
******
This is MARVEL WEEK at the TONY POLLS page. I've posted ten questions asking you to weigh in your favorite current and classic Marvel titles; on Marvel's desire to increase the frequency of some titles and related issues; on Marvel's ESSENTIALS collections; on your favorite MAX COMICS title; and on a special "personal to Tony" question. Face front and be counted, frantic ones. What with this being cyberspace and not Florida, your votes won't be overturned by the man...
...and I don't mean Smilin' Stan Lee!
I'll be back on Friday with one of my recent COMICS BUYER'S GUIDE columns and the usual plethora of new material to thrill you anew. See you then.
Tony Isabella
<< 03/09/2002 | 03/12/2002 | 03/16/2002 >>
Discuss this column with me at my Message Board. Also, read Heroes and Villains: Real and Imagined.
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THE "TONY" SCALE
ZERO: Burn your money before buying any comic receiving this rating. It doesn't *necessarily* mean there's absolutely nothing of value here - though it *could* - but whatever value it might possess shrinks into insignificance before its overall awfulness.
ONE: Buy something else. Maybe I found something which wasn't completely dreadful in the item, but not enough for me to recommend it when there are better comics available. I only want what's best for you, my children.
TWO: Basic judgment call. I found some value, but not enough to recommend it. My review should give you enough info to decide if you want to take a chance on it. Are you feeling lucky today, punk? Well, are you?
THREE: This denotes something I find perfectly respectable. There are better books out there, but I wouldn't regret buying this item. Based on my review, you should be able to determine if it's of interest to you. Let the Force guide you.
FOUR: I recommend anything earning this rating. Unless you don't like the genre, subject matter, or past work of the creators, I believe you'll enjoy this item. Isn't it uncanny how I can look right into your soul that way?
FIVE: Anything getting this rating is among the best comicdom has to offer. You should buy/read this, even if the genre/subject matter doesn't appeal to you. It's for your own good. Me, I live for comics and books this good...but not in a pathetic "Comic-Book Guy" sort of way.
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