Comic Review - Thor 1-12

Title/Storyline

Thor 1-12
Publish Date
2008
Creative Team(s)
JM Straczynski, Oliver Coipel, Marko Djurjevic
Publisher
Marvel
Story
Thor is finally back (and so is Dr Donald Blake) after the final Ragnarok in the previous Thor series destroyed all things Asgardian. That was why he was not part of Civil War (only his clone appeared if you recall).

When Thor restores Asgard on Earth, he carefully executes his plan to restore only its “good” inhabitants but eventually, Loki was inadvertently freed. But he returns as a she (yup, you read that right) and she looks hot (and you will know why when you read #12 or in the Spoiler Section below)!

The story flows directly into Marvel’s first book that has an issue number as big as 600 – Thor 600!

Art
Oliver Coipel is a very good artist but I disliked how Thor was made to look like a primitive Neanderthal! Other than that, I loved his work here in the series. His artwork is very clean but jam-packed with details and subtle nuances of the characters.

Now, mark my words - Marko Djurjevic is a superstar in the making. His work on issues 7-8 was simply breath-taking. Reminiscent of Trevor Hairsine, Gary Frank, Ethan Van Sciver & Mike McKone’s finest work. His pencils are more detailed than Coipel’s.

Additional Comments
There were many things that I didn’t like about the new Thor series initially. I didn’t like the new armor, or the fact that Asgard is now floating over Oklahoma (!!). Thor was also made to look more like a Neanderthal in Coipel’s renditions than a Norse god.

Fortunately, the good things far out-weigh the negatives. JM is a genius! I absolutely loved how he took his time to weave an intricate tale that changes almost everything we thought we knew about the Asgardian lore. We learn more about Odin, Balder (who happens to also be Odin’s son!), Loki and how Loki had a hand in all these events we learn of only now. Having Loki come back as a woman using Lady Sif’s body is totally wicked and a stroke of genius!

Food Review - Zhen Wei Vegetarian House

NameZhen Wei Vegetarian House
Food
Vegetarian Chinese
Location
Behind the Main Road in Taman Connaught. Cheras. Right next to the UR My Pet House.



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Getting there
As you come from Jalan Cheras towards Mid Valley, this restaurant is located at the right side (ie: opposite side of the UCSI), vice versa. The shop is located behind the shops facing the main road.

ParkingThere are ample parking spaces around the shop-lots and also at the houses nearby.

ServiceThe wait staff is quick to attend to diners with the menu and immediately take your orders. You may also ask them for some recommended dishes if you are not a regular.

Ambience
It is a no-frills eatery with only the very basics but very clean, well-lit and well-kept. Taste
We had the following:

- Kon Choy Pai Kuat Tong (Pork Ribs in Dried Vege Soup)
- Choe Mai (Unpolished Brown Rice)
- Kangkung with Keiji (Water spinach sprinkled with Chinese wolfberries)
- Fried Tofu Bricks with White Fungus in Lemon Sauce - Deep Fried Abalone Mushrooms in Cheese Sauce and curry leaves
- Mixed Vege and Nuts in Yam Bowl

For vegetarian dishes, they were indeed tasty. However, in comparison to meat dishes, they may seem relatively more bland as the meat flavors are derived artificially. This is more pronounced with the soup and the tofu dishes than any of the other dishes. The Unpolished Brown Rice had a very rich texture that is so unique everyone ought to try it at least once. The Deep Fried Abalone Mushrooms were also exceptionally good as they were fresh from the kitchen – warm and crunchy but smothered with the “cheese” sauce which everyone loves.

Presentation
All the dishes are neatly presented on plastic plates.

VarietyThere is more than enough variety of dishes ranging from “meat” & “seafood” to the various creative forms of tofu to sate even the appetites of any non-vegetarian.

Value for Money
For all of the items that are listed above for 4 adults and 1 child, it set us back by about RM50. It’s not in the same price range of economy mixed rice but then again, this is an air-conditioned restaurant. Hence, it’s good velue.

Overall
A good place for some body-cleansing vegetarian meals in a clean and comfortable environment.

Movie Review - Defiance

BONDing in the Balkans by the Bielski Brothers

Movie Title
Defiance
Year
2008
Genre
War Drama

Story
Based on a true event, 3 Jewish brothers - Tuvia Bielski (Daniel Craig), Zus Bielski (Liev Schreiber), Asael Bielski (Jamie Bell) became unsung heroes when they helped shelter a group of Jewish refugees from the Nazis in the forests of Eastern Europe during WWII.
Acting
Acting from the leads was top-notch, as can be expected from a movie by Edward Zwick, who produced other top-billing movies like I Am Sam, The Last Samurai and Blood Diamond. Powerful stuff from the 3 leads although Craig & Schreiber basically hogged the limelight for most of the movie.

Overall
The film was over 2 hours! I have to say that while I was watching it, I couldn’t wait for it to end. Not because it was a bad movie or that it had bad acting, it’s just that it was not entertaining enough to warrant 2 hours of the viewers’ time. However, it was refreshing to see that during a war, there are heroes like the 3 brothers who rise to the occasion and do their bit to help restore our faith in humanity.

Rating: 5.5/10