#your style is so dan mora its so pretty

[dudethatsmyundeaduncle]

Love getting into reading comics after years away and remembering that people used to draw in the most butt fucking ugly way you can imagine.

[bisexuel]

sorry to come into your askbox at 4 am but you are THE super girl mutual so. do you have a reading list for her? i wanna read more of her comics but idk where to start

HIIIII OMG I'M *THE* SUPERGIRL MUTUAL ?? SNIFF. 🥺

well truth be told i am very picky with my supergirls and a lot of her stories suck ass because unfortunately she is a woman in a comic book series. sad. and thanks to that and crisis she is not the easiest character to get into. but there are a few storylines/runs that i like that i can recommend <3 none of these are required to be read in any order and you can start wherever if you know her basic history!! this is more of a mads approved list 👍

-the silver age!! aka supergirl volumes 1 and 2, aka the first version of the kara we know and love, aka linda lee danvers, from her debut in 1959 all the way up to crisis in 86. she suffers from 60s-ism but she is undeniably at her most iconic. to remedy any confusion i also recommend checking out maid of might! i've found it to be a very helpful resource in mapping out her. erm. continuity.

-batman/superman (2003) #8-13 OR just watch superman/batman: apocalypse- tbh it's hard not to just recommend the movie. it's a very faithful adaptation WITHOUT the ugly oversexualized art style. some of the early post-crisis kara stuff i actually enjoy (i ALWAYS treasure her relationship with diana and the amazons. and her time under darkseid also. happens. but again it is a hell of a lot more tolerable in its adaptation)

-supergirl (2011)- i am a little disappointed at how much i like her new 52 run. in actuality it isn't that bad but her costume is (infamously) probably one of her worst ever. but if you can get past that it's pretty solid (though like a lot of post-crisis kara stories it can't really get past the "kara can't find any purpose" stage but i digress) and red daughter of krypton (#27-33) is one of kara's most popular stories for good reason. anyway, i am always a huge fan of when writers remind you of how kara didn't just live through krypton's explosion- she also lived through its slow agonizing death

-supergirl: woman of tomorrow- WHAPOW IT'S MY FAVORITE COMIC EVER the quintessential supergirl experience. adds some of my favorite stuff from pre-crisis and cleans up her backstory while it's at it . you need to read it everybody needs to read it.

-and finally, batman/superman: world's finest (2022)- it isn't really about her but hey given how you've already clearly dipped your toes into it i just would like to say dan mora's supergirl has a special place in my heart. keep reading this one ok

people have also expressed their love for the gates/igle run (supergirl 2005, #34-...46? iirc? i always thought 2005 had the ugliest art style but shrugs maybe it is good.) and future state: kara zor el, superwoman, neither of which i've read enough to give an opinion on but maybe you will enjoy them. ^_^

[eddycurrents]

For the week of 11 March 2019

Quick Bits:

Age of Conan: Bêlit #1 expands Marvel’s Conan franchise further with the beginning of this limited series featuring the early days of the notorious pirate Queen of the Black Coast. Tini Howard, Kate Niemczyk, Jason Keith, and Travis Lanham deliver a compelling story setting up the tragedy of Bêlit’s early life and her one-track mind for adventure on the high seas.

| Published by Marvel

Amazing Spider-Man #17, after two preludes (one branded, one not) and a simmering sub-plot of Taskmaster and Black Ant kidnapping the villains running for months, finally gives us part one of “Hunted” from Nick Spencer, Humberto Ramos, Victor Olazaba, Edgar Delgado, and Joe Caramagna. And it’s essentially more set-up. Don’t get me wrong, it’s still great, building anticipation for the hunt to really start in earnest, but it’s a slow build.

| Published by Marvel

Animosity #19 starts trying to pick up the pieces after the fall of the Walled City. There’s some very interesting questions raised regarding survival and existence from Marguerite Bennett in this one, as both the animals and humans try to figure out a way to bridge the divide.

| Published by AfterShock

Asgardians of the Galaxy #7 concludes this arc with Sera and the Ravagers, as they team up to help refugees and Ego, the Living Planet. I still think it’s weird to see essentially the movie version of Yondu in present day 616 continuity, but Cullen Bunn keeps this fun. I suspect that Sera/Angela fans will still be disappointed, though.

| Published by Marvel

Assassin Nation #1 is the exciting debut of this action thriller, somewhat in the vein of Skybound’s other title Die!Die!Die! mixing elements of extreme violence, action, and a bit of humour, from Kyle Starks, Erica Henderson, and Deron Bennett. It’s a damn good set up, immersing us into a world of assassins jockeying for a number one spot, screwing one another over and turning on them for the highest bidder, with two interesting hooks of “Chekhov’s Gun” trying to figure out who’s trying to kill him and Bishop searching for who killed his husband. Phenomenal art from Henderson, with some very inventive death sequences.

| Published by Image / Skybound

Avengers: No Road Home #5 takes it up another notch as the Avengers continue to battle against Nyx and her children, this time narrated by Scarlet Witch. The fight on Nightmare’s front gets particularly interesting as we see how scary Hulk has really become, along with a humorous fight between Hawkeyes. Sean Izaakse and Marcio Menyz really turn in some incredible artwork here. And the final scene is pretty savage.

| Published by Marvel

The Batman Who Laughs: The Grim Knight #1 isn’t something I was going to pick up, but I saw some gushing about it from people I trust and decided on a last minute purchase. Like the rest of the Batman Who Laughs mini-series, this is dark, giving us a “Batman” who picked up the gun that was used to murder his parents, and, though technically proficient, isn’t really for me. What I do really appreciate, though, is the artwork from Eduardo Risso and Dave Stewart. It is gorgeous, with Risso continuing to explore some of the softer, painted style that he’s used in Moonshine and Hit-Girl. It really is worth the price of admission.

| Published by DC Comics

Buffy the Vampire Slayer #3 continues to be one of my favourite comics each month. Jordie Bellaire, Dan Mora, Raúl Angulo, and Ed Dukeshire are presenting a story here that so perfectly captures the spirit and fun of the television series, while also just being a great original tale. It’s fun to see the old faces in new situations, but it’s also an enjoyable story in its own right, introducing us to the characters and tossing them into the chaos.

| Published by BOOM! Studios

By Night #9 gives us Jane’s mom’s history with Charlesco and more or less the origin of the portal and the experiment. It’s particularly interesting as John Allison, Christine Larsen, Sarah Stern, and Jim Campbell tell the story in the visual style of an early ‘90s comic. There’s even a nice little nod to the Marvel Bullpen in there.

| Published by Boom Entertainment / BOOM! Box

Calamity Kate #1 introduces us to Kate, Vera, Jade and a world of monster hunting in this debut from Magdalene Visaggio, Corin Howell, Valentina Pinto, and Zakk Saam. Between this, The Girl in the Bay, and the forthcoming Dark Red, I’m loving the higher profile that Howell is carving for herself. She’s a great artist with excellent versatility.

| Published by Dark Horse

Catwoman #9 is a fill-in issue from Ram V, John Timms, and Josh Reed that’s one part revenge tale and one part heist, resulting overall in one hell of a good single issue. There’s a nice sense of rhythm and pacing to the story that fits with the theme of the heist, with some great artwork.

| Published by DC Comics

Cover #6 brings what has been one of the most unique, ambitious, and inventive uses of the comics medium I’ve seen in a long time to a close, with a bit of conversation and some gorgeous art from Brian Michael Bendis, David Mack, Zu Orzu, and Carlos M. Mangual. It get even more meta this issue, along with the usual multi-layered storytelling that delves into the comics world.

| Published by DC Comics / Jinxworld

Cyber Force #9 more or less completes the gathering of the team, presenting a bit of a quiet moment to collect themselves before setting up a confrontation with Cyberdata. There’s some interesting soul-searching between Dominique and Ripclaw on whether or not with the change they’re still them. And, as usual, the art from Atilio Rojo is pretty much worth the price of admission on its own.

| Published by Image / Top Cow

The Empty Man #5 has some gorgeous artwork by Jesús Hervás and Niko Guardia, especially among the repeating cycles of the opening and closing scenes.

| Published by BOOM! Studios

The Flash #66 brings back the single issue Rogue profile format for an origin story of the original Trickster, James Jesse, from Joshua Williamson, Scott Kolins, Luis Guerrero, and Steve Wands. Great art from Kolins and Guerrero.

| Published by DC Comics

The Freeze #4 concludes the first arc, with a very satisfying reveal of the serial killer and confirmation on a few other ongoing plot threads that nicely serve as a hook for future arcs. I’m really enjoying this one. Dan Wickline, Phillip Sevy, and Troy Peteri are telling a very compelling story here about essentially rebuilding society from a very different form of cataclysm, with some wonderful character-building and enough intrigue to keep you on your toes.

| Published by Image / Top Cow

Grimm Tales of Terror #13 is one of the better recent issues, with Joe Brusha, Umberto Giampà, Fran Gamboa, JC Ruiz, and Fabio Amelia diving into the story of a true crime writer investigating a serial killer in Detroit utilizing the signatures of other famous serial killers. There are a few really nice twists throughout the tale.

| Published by Zenescope

Gunning for Hits #3 throws a few wrinkles into Martin’s plans for Stunted Growth and Brian Slade as Slade’s bodyguard, “Mr. Gladstone”, causes problems while trying to extort Martin. This continues to be a dense, but satisfying, read every month. It feels like Jeff Rougvie, Moritat, and Casey Silver are just packing in as much content as they possibly can.

| Published by Image

Hawkman #10 features a larger than life confrontation between Hawkman and Idamm. Bryan Hitch, Andrew Currie, and Jeremiah Skipper deliver nicely on that widescreen epic feel of the assault on London.

| Published by DC Comics

Hit-Girl Season 2 #2 gets up close and personal with the uglier side of Hollywood as Kevin Smith, Pernille Ørum, Sunny Gho, and Clem Robins continue their arc featuring the adaptation of Hit-Girl’s side of the story from Kick-Ass by the film industry. Things get a little complicated.

| Published by Image

House Amok #5 concludes what has been an excellent, mind-bending series exploring truth and delusion and the power of family, from Christopher Sebela, Shawn McManus, Lee Loughridge, and Neil Uyetake. This finale doesn’t give any easy answers and actually raises a few more questions, all with some gorgeous artwork from McManus and Loughridge.

| Published by IDW / Black Crown

James Bond: Origin #7 begins “Russian Ruse” with Ibrahim Moustafa and Roman Stevens taking over art duties, joining Jeff Parker and Simon Bowland in this tale of essentially piracy in the Barents Sea. Nice set up of the Russians’ duplicity here and an inept Commander not listening to Bond’s observations.

| Published by Dynamite

Justice League Dark #9 unleashes the Lords of Order against pretty much everyone, causing death and destruction as they try to “cleanse” reality of the chaos they think infests it. Between them and the Otherkind, things aren’t looking particularly cheery for existence. Incredible artwork from Alvaro Martínez Bueno, Miguel Mendonça, Raul Fernandez, and Brad Anderson.

| Published by DC Comics

Little Bird #1 is an experience. Darcy Van Poelgeest, Ian Bertram, Matt Hollingsworth, and Aditya Bidikar launch a dystopian future where a theocratic America seems to rule with an iron fist and a pocket resistance holds out in the Canadian Rockies. There’s a bit of a feel of Akira here, and Grendel: God and the Devil, maybe even a little Martha Washington, but still with its own unique elements and some seriously awesome art from Bertram and Hollingsworth.

| Published by Image

Livewire #4 concludes the first arc with a nice bit of soul-searching as Amanda comes to terms with what she did during Harbinger Wars 2. Between this, Age of X-Man: Prisoner X, and this week’s Shuri, Vita Ayala is definitely on fire right now. They’re doing some great character-driven work and it shines in this finale. Also, Raúl Allén and Patricia Martín can do no wrong. The layouts on this book are stunning.

| Published by Valiant

The Magnificent Ms. Marvel #1 is the beginning of a new era for Kamala Khan from Saladin Ahmed, Minkyu Jung, Juan Vlasco, Ian Herring, and Joe Caramagna. Using a kind of fable narration, setting up something new for the future while dealing with a continuation from Kamala’s current status in the presents, is a nice approach from Ahmed. It also marks a good jumping-on point for new readers as it recaps more or less what you need to know about Ms. Marvel’s history. Beautiful art from Jung, Vlasco, and Herring.

| Published by Marvel

Murder Falcon #6 is an epic, face-melting issue. Daniel Warren Johnson and Mike Spicer give us a bit of a tearjerker as Anne comes to terms with her situation with Jake and finally finds her voice. It’s really incredible. Also, giant monsters and metal.

| Published by Image / Skybound

Oblivion Song #13 jumps ahead three years for a new status quo, a few shuffled faces, and new situations for many of the cast of characters, providing an excellent jumping on point for new readers. There are some interesting bits about harnessing the flora and fauna of Oblivion for medical advances and the growing mystery about what the Faceless Men are doing. Gorgeous art as always from Lorenzo De Felici and Annalisa Leoni. De Felici really does some amazing reaction shots.

| Published by Image / Skybound

Old Man Quill #3 advances the Guardians’ story a bit further as they celebrate what little hope they’ve brought to the Wastelands, while hell in various forms circulates around them. It certainly pretty bleak, even in the good times.

| Published by Marvel

Outer Darkness #5 drops hell on the crew’s head as they crash on a relatively inhospitable ice planet with an ancient evil prowling and the crew at “Each Other’s Throats”. Also, naked cat girls. John Layman, Afu Chan, and Pat Brosseau are doing an incredible job with this mix of sci-fi and horror and the stakes seem to have been raised this issue.

| Published by Image / Skybound

Shuri #6 begins a two-part guest arc from Vita Ayala, Paul Davidson, Tríona Farrell, and Joe Sabino as Shuri travels to New York in search for the Lubber. Great art from Davidson and Farrell and Ayala has a wonderful feel for Miles and Shuri’s voices.

| Published by Marvel

Spider-Gwen: Ghost Spider #6 continues to suss out a new role for Gwen now that her identity is public and she’s returned to her own Earth. The character building that Seanan McGuire is doing here is pretty spectacular, especially given how strong the interpersonal relationships in the series were to begin with under Jason Latour and Robbi Rodriguez. Also, the art from Takeshi Miyazawa and Ian Herring is perfect.

| Published by Marvel

Star Wars: Age of Republic - General Grievous #1 is the last of these Age of Republic one-shots from Jody Houser, with Age of Rebellion coming next from Greg Pak and a rotating team of Chris Sprouse, Marc Laming, and others. This one focuses on Grievous and is a nice look into what he traded of himself in order to become the even worse monster that we see in the prequel trilogy and Clone Wars.

| Published by Marvel

The Stone King #4 concludes what has been a wonderful light fantasy adventure Comixology original series from Kel McDonald and Tyler Crook. There’s an interesting throughline in the story of responsibility for family versus responsibility for the greater society that comes to a head here, along with misunderstandings continuing to cause conflict. It’s not exactly a happy ending, but there is a set up for something more down the road that I’d love to see. Beautiful artwork from Crook.

| Published by Kel McDonald

Supergirl #28 concludes her jaunt with the Omega Men and the Supergirl clones, opening up more questions about The Circle and the destruction of Krypton. I’ve enjoyed the circuitous route Marc Andreyko has been taking us on to advance Supergirl’s mission, tossing bits of side adventure in growing out of her search, but it feels like we’re going to get down to brass tacks soon. Great art again this issue from Eduardo Pansica, Julio Ferreira, FCO Plascencia, and Chris Sotomayor. Pansica does some great horror and creature work and it shines through in the Kryptonian monstrosities. 

| Published by DC Comics

Superman #9 tells of Jonathan’s ordeal trapped on Earth 3, tortured at the hands of Ultraman. Great art from Brandon Peterson and Alex Sinclair during the Earth 3 sequences. It’s also interesting to see that dream still haunting Superman.

| Published by DC Comics

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder in Hell #2 continues to be revelatory. Mateus Santolouco, Marcelo Costa, and Shawn Lee are doing some incredible work as Shredder continues to be plagued by nightmares, demons, and the undead as he tries to figure out his way through hell and his status as a vessel for the dragon god’s spirit. Over the years, Santolouco has grown exponentially as a storyteller and this is just a masterpiece.

| Published by IDW

Titans #35 continues the team’s nightmare excursion to Unearth, fighting a possessed enraged Beast Boy, Raven’s angry aggressive side, and Mother Blood as we head into the series conclusion next issue. This is a very entertaining story from Dan Abnett, Bruno Redondo, Christian Duce, Marcelo Maiolo, and Dave Sharpe, really putting the team behind the 8-ball wondering how they’re going to get out of this mess. If they get out this mess.

| Published by DC Comics

Tony Stark: Iron Man #9 continues the “Stark Realities” arc, nicely advances Controller’s assault on Stark Industries, the eScape users causing havoc, the mole within Stark, and the corruption causing Tony’s current simulation, from Dan Slott, Jim Zub, Valerio Schiti, Paolo Rivera, Edgar Delgado, and Joe Caramagna. Some really interesting possible revelations about Tony during this issue.

| Published by Marvel

Transformers #1 begins a new continuity, a new universe, a new era for the Transformers, from Brian Ruckley, Angel Hernandez, Cachét Whitman, Joana Lafuente, and Tom B. Long, as we start off some time in the past of Cybertron, before Autobots or Deceptions, as Bumblebee watches over a newly-forged Cybertronian as he makes his first decisions. We also get bits of an uprising of “Ascenticons”, though their ideals and motivations aren’t really explained, just showing a disagreement between longtime friends Megatron and Orion Pax (not Optimus Prime yet). It’s not bad, with some nice bits of humour, and there is an interesting mystery for a cliffhanger, but it is slow. The art is nice, but like the story there’s nothing flashy about this right now. I’ll certainly give it a few more issues, but there’s really nothing “bold” about this new era. Don’t expect something radical out of the first issue, this one plays it pretty safe.

| Published by IDW

Winter Soldier #4 delves into RJ’s father, Richie, attempting to get back into his life. It’s heartfelt and bittersweet, with Kyle Higgins, Rod Reis, and Clayton Cowles delivering a gripping tale with one hell of a set up for the final issue. Reis’ art remains absolutely incredible.

| Published by Marvel

Wonder Twins #2 is more fun from Mark Russell, Stephen Byrne, and Dave Sharpe. There’s some nice commentary on the state of corporate run prisons in the United States in amongst a humorous send-up of z-list villains in the Legion of Doom’s farm team, the League of Annoyance. Great art from Byrne.

| Published by DC Comics / Wonder Comics

Other Highlights: Accell #19, Auntie Agatha’s Wayward Home for Rabbits #5, Blackbird #6, Dark Ark #15, GI Joe: A Real American Hero - Silent Option #4, Go Go Power Rangers #18, The Goon #1, Head Lopper #11, House of Whispers #7, LaGuardia #4, The Life and Death of Toyo Harada #1, The Long Con #7, Marvel Action: Spider-Man #2, Marvels Annotated #2, The Maxx 100 Page Giant, Prodigy #4, The Punisher #9, Radio Delley, Rick & Morty Presents Jerry #1, Riverdale: Season 3 #1, Runaways #19, Spider-Man/Deadpool #47, Star Trek: Discovery - Captain Saru, Star Wars: Han Solo - Imperial Cadet #5, The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl #42, Wonder Woman #66

Recommended Collections: Astonisher - Volume 3: Black Hat, Batman vs. Deathstroke, By Night - Volume 1, Defenders: The Best Defense, Infinite Dark - Volume 1, Mata Hari,  Moonstruck - Volume 2, Rick and Morty vs. Dungeons & Dragons, Shadowman - Volume 3: Rag & Bone, She Could Fly, Sleepless - Volume 2, Star Wars Adventures - Volume 5: Mechanical Mayhem, Strangers in Paradise XXV - Volume 2: Hide and Seek, Trout - Volume 1: Bits & Bobs, Vampironica - Volume 1, The War of the Realms Prelude

d. emerson eddy knows a muffin man.

[junker-town]

Michael Vick reflects on forgiveness, his football career, and what’s next

Fox Sports analyst Michael Vick spoke with SB Nation just before Christmas to discuss a little bit of everything.

Michael Vick is one of the most electrifying players the NFL has ever seen. Along with becoming one of the most popular athletes in Atlanta sports history, Vick set the standard for mobile quarterbacks during his 13-year NFL career, paving the way for guys like Lamar Jackson.

Vick is also one of the most polarizing players in NFL history. His career was put on pause in 2007 after he pled guilty for involvement in a dogfighting ring and spent 21 months in federal prison. His comeback in 2009 with the Philadelphia Eagles yielded the best season of his career, which he pursued until his retirement in 2015. He now spends most of his time as an analyst with Fox Sports on Fox NFL Kickoff (as well as other FS1 programming) and working with the Team Vick Foundation.

Vick sat down with SB Nation to discuss his career, his time in prison, forgiveness (and the lack thereof), along with what he wants to do in the future.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

SB NATION: Some quarterbacks ran well before you, but you were the first Michael Vick. Which players did you admire growing up, and did you ever envision becoming a player that never existed before?

MICHAEL VICK: I grew up admiring Joe Montana, Steve Young, Jerry Rice, Barry Sanders, Walter Payton, Deion Sanders, John Elway, Randall Cunningham, Warren Moon. Elite players who were all game-changers. I saw that there was room for that in the game of football. Even when I was young, when I first started attacking the field and running the football the way I did in high school, I just told myself I’d never change my style. And then I told myself when I go to the National Football League, if I made it one day, that I’d use the same style. I didn’t think that it was something different, I was just like, ‘This is the way I play. And it’s special, and it’s different, and I’m gonna use it.’

SBN: At what point did you realize, “I’m a different quarterback,” in the sense that you’re making plays that have never been made before?

MV: I think it was my second season, and we went on an eight-game run after a tough start. We went on an eight-game winning streak, and I just felt like I was the best player on the field when I stepped on the field. It’s different when you feel that way, and you know that, and you come into a game saying, ‘Nobody on the field is better than me. Even if it’s Ray Lewis out there, if it’s Charles Woodson. No offense, but I’m the best player on the field.’

SBN: And that said, Dec. 1, 2002. Vikings, in overtime, the 42-yard touchdown run. What was the huddle like before that? What do you remember about the play, and where does that rank for you among the best plays that you’ve ever made?

MV: It’s funny because that play versus the Minnesota Vikings don’t even rank among my top plays. I think it’s probably a play that I can be proud about because I didn’t pre-determine that I was going to run. They played a defense that I thought they was going to play, so I think part of being a good quarterback — a great quarterback is being one step ahead and always having a backup plan. And the backup plan just worked. I just made a great play, but an even better decision.

SBN: From your perspective, in terms of comfort and fit, what were the most significant differences in playing for Dan Reeves and Jim Mora? Do you wish you could have gotten more time with Reeves?

MV: Dan drafted me with a plan of what he would do long-term — he just never got the shot. He was fired after I made a comeback after an injury in my third season, and it was a really rough time because what he did in 2002 showed me that he was going to take advantage of my talent.

Even though it’s not what you see today, it was still him using my athleticism and my abilities. It worked for our team, and we had a somewhat average football team. I think our defense was probably better than our offense, and we was able to make the playoffs. But it was different when Jim came in and he brought his offensive coordinator that he had known in San Francisco. They introduced me to this West Coast system and it was like they was just trying to turn me into a passer. It took everything away from me. Everything I got, I had to earn. It certainly wasn’t easy because I was always in scramble mode, and always had to improv.

SBN: How frustrating was that for you? Because you had such a rare gift, and you said you felt like you were the best football player out on the field, and they’re not playing to your strengths.

MV: It wasn’t frustrating because I made it work. I was good enough to take a system, learn it, go out on a professional football field, and make it happen. We went to the NFC Championship game. I didn’t get frustrated until teams started picking up on tendencies and what we was doin’. It was just no change in direction, so everything was like, ‘This is the way it’s going to be.’

But the frustration wasn’t there because I was able to make it work. I think once I rushed for 1,000 yards in 2006, I felt like I had so much responsibility I knew I needed a change in the offense. I started to feel it myself, the coaches felt it, and I think ownership felt it as well.

SBN: That’s part of what made you great — you made things work. Now being from Newport News, getting drafted No. 1 overall by the Falcons —moving from there to Atlanta is a pretty big jump. How was the adjustment, being in Atlanta and signing a big contract, for you? What was your lifestyle?

MV: The great part was that I was raised humbly and I felt everything that I had to work for — high school, college — there was no need to change. I still like to go back home; I still like to be around my mom and my sisters and my family. Going to Atlanta, it wasn’t a culture shock — it was just more being so focused and not wanting to be a bust.

My only concern coming into the National Football League was just be the best player that you can be, earn a second contract, and prove that you’re not a bust. Any distraction that I had as far as going to a new city, a new culture, a place where hip-hop and entertainment was at its peak and pinnacle — I was just able to fall right in.

SBN: I think one of the most interesting aspects of your career that goes over a lot of people’s heads is that you peaked in Atlanta during a significant time for this city, culturally. Trap music godfathers were coming up and Atlanta was getting its respect as the place for hip-hop. What was it like being in the “Rubberband Man” video with T.I. and Usher, and how did that come about?

MV: Being in the “Rubberband Man” video was so cool, man. Me and T.I. kind of hit it off early. Ludacris, I used to run into him all the time — Usher, 2 Chainz, back when he was young, Gucci Mane, Outkast, you know — it was so fun to be out in the city and to know these guys that I respect what they do on so many levels. And here we are, together, changing the culture. I was just able to come around with the football aspect of it, and the sports demographic of it. I’ll tell you this, the hospitality from all those guys, even though most of them was from Atlanta — they welcomed me in like I was one of them.

And Atlanta will always be my second home. Those guys are all still friends to this day, and we did something great for the city at a time when times was changing.

SBN: You talked about your relationship with the city in your Players’ Tribune article, how difficult it was watching the Falcons draft Matt Ryan, including how you still follow the Falcons. How passionate are you about the Falcons and how often do you get back to Atlanta?

MV: I get back at least once a month. I still root for the guy; I still root for the fans, most important — that they get the entertainment. So it’s great to see, man. Arthur always has me around; we still play golf together. I just continue to pray that they get it together and that they keep working through trying times. You know, better days are ahead, and I hope they keep head coach Dan Quinn. I think he’s a great guy. I had a chance to meet him personally, and I really like him. It’s more about the entertainment for the city and putting on for the city. That’s what’s most important.

SBN: I think one of the most iconic pictures of your time in Atlanta that best explains how important you were in making the franchise relevant is the one of Arthur Blank pushing you in a wheelchair when you were injured in 2003. What has your relationship been like with him over the years?

MV: When people ask me about my relationship with Arthur, I always tell them it’s consistent. He’s always the same person, always full of energy, always positive, and always caring. If it was ever a more honest man that I’ve ever met in my life, it was Mr. Blank. I think every player on the Atlanta Falcons team and every person that ever worked with him could probably say the same thing if you didn’t rub him the wrong way because he can be snappy too.

So that’s what creates the respect level, and that’s why people love him, because you talk about being a true boss. He’s a true boss. He’s a guy you want to work for.

SBN: Your time here obviously came to an abrupt end when you spent 21 months in federal prison. You had your humble beginnings; you reached the top of the top. How did being in that atmosphere change you as a person?

MV: It’s scary — when you first go in, and you don’t know what to expect. Anybody who don’t come from that type of lifestyle, or never put themselves in a position where you can be sent off to prison — I couldn’t adjust, I couldn’t relate. But I did because I knew enough, and I knew people, and I knew how to handle myself. It was life-changing, because I had to get to know more about myself personally, and the everyday challenge of pushing yourself to take your mind outside of the prison.

Your goals and your ways of thinking are always more vibrant, I think, when your back is against the wall. I can’t speak for other people, but I just came out a better person. More understanding, more loyal, more trusting — I had a better understanding of life. I always knew I needed that. I always wanted to be a person who wasn’t always shying away from the big opportunities and the rooms that I could be around, and the people I could be around. I always shied away from that. I thought I didn’t need it. It’s like, man, I gotta take advantage of some of the great things that God has put into my life. I came back more of a people person and I respect that more than anything.

Photo by Jonathan Ernst/Getty Images

SBN: Was there a single moment for you where you decided you wanted to be better?

MV: Nah, every day made it tough. You know, first of all, you’re sitting in the cell and you’re asking yourself, ‘Why am I here?’ And you feel like the scum of the earth. So all you can do is aspire to do great things.

I was able to think in the short-term because I didn’t have a long way to go. I had so many people in there who supported me and pushed me to be better, pushed me every day. As crazy as it may sound, and I know it’s ironic, I always tell people I wouldn’t change that part of my life for anything because I learned so much about people, so much about myself, and it made me a better person.

SBN: What was it like to finally leave?

MV: I was happy to leave. I was so ready to leave. I was more than ready. I made notes and read a lot of books and wanted to stick to my script. And I did it — and I had a chain of events that happened in order to get back into the league and to accomplish certain things off the field, to build my family and restore my legacy on and off the field. That was more important to me than anything, more important than football because that came easy. The hard work was all the things that I had to think about and put together mentally.

SBN: There have been a lot of signatures and various petitions to keep you out of the Pro Bowl as a captain. For people who haven’t forgiven you for your involvement in dogfighting, what would you say to them?

MV: I understand the forgive-but-not-forget mentality. That’s supposed to be logical and the way we supposed to live. Just know that I’ve done everything in my power to make amends, and that’s about all I can do. And I’ll continue to do that for the rest of my life because it’s a lifetime commitment. The person I have to make happy at the end of the day is myself; only God can judge me just like he’ll judge everybody else.

So I’d say to those people just let God judge me and kind of ease on out of it. I’m finding my way in life. Allow me to find my way and everybody do them. Fight for their cause, but do it with integrity — do it without bringing down another individual or another man who has a family to feed and a lot of opportunity in life to help. We’re all human, and we all make mistakes.

SBN: Do you think it’s fair some people haven’t forgiven you and also probably never will? Do you understand where those people are coming from?

MV: No — I mean, I don’t really understand where these people are coming from. Honestly, I don’t. I don’t know them personally; I haven’t hurt anybody or any animal that’s connected to them. So that shows me that it’s just pure hatred. I can’t hate you because you’ve committed a crime — I can’t do that, you know? Now there’s a bunch of things that I don’t believe in, and there’s a bunch of things I do believe in. But when somebody breaks the law, I can’t hate them for it. I don’t know the reason why they went through that, and they don’t know the reasons why I went through what I went through. Or do they care to even entertain or research it? It’s too much; it’s too much.

SBN: Have you forgiven yourself?

MV: I forgave myself upon [the end] of my prison sentence. The entire time I was in prison, I knew why I was in there. Every day I was hurtin’ and cryin’, and my heart couldn’t take it anymore. It wasn’t until I knew that every dog was taken care of upon paying the $1 million restitution. I got clarity on that, and once I walked out of them doors and walked away, I left my life there in that prison. I left everything behind me, and I moved forward. That was the day I forgave myself. That was May 22, 2009. That was the day.

SBN: Coming out, did you expect to see success as quickly as you did? I’m sure it was difficult to try to stay in decent NFL shape in there.

MV: Yeah, I was just so hungry to get back, man. I used to always tell my wife, ‘If I could just get one more chance — I just want one more chance to start again.’ Because you don’t know if you’ll ever get another chance, I just wanted to be a starter again, and when I got it, I was just super-focused and so determined to be the best player on the field. There was nothing that was going to come between that.

SBN: Going through that first season back and your big success the following year, what was that experience like for you?

MV: I had to overcome a lot of adversity. First, getting my body back in shape and being able to test it out on a football field and knowing that the hard work over the last year and a half paid off. And then I looked at the competition I was about to face once Kevin Kolb went down. I had the chance to go up against Donovan head-to-head, and Eli Manning, Peyton Manning, head-to-head with Jay Cutler. Me and Matt Schaub, my former backup, had a chance to go back-to-back at each other on a Thursday night. All I could do was look up at the sky before the games and thank God that I was back out there. I was just watching it from prison. Real moments.

SBN: When you came back to Atlanta with the Eagles, what was that like for you?

MV: It was a tough week, man — just being the guy who was the starter in that city, and now you’re on another team and you’re not starting anymore. It just wasn’t a cool feeling because you know the reasons why. You feel sorry for the fans more than anything, the people you let down. Football will go on, but people will never forget the excitement and the things we was able to do. Now you’re on the other side, and it’s difficult. It was just a tough day for me. But I enjoyed it, and we won the game. That was even better. [laughs]

Photo by Todd Kirkland/Icon SMI/Icon Sport Media via Getty Images

SBN: I’m curious, because I have a specific player in mind, who is the one player you hated facing during your career?

MV: Warren Sapp. Regardless of who you put in front of him, right guard or left guard, he’d beat them up for four quarters. He’ll be in your ear for four quarters, and he’ll hit you for four quarters, and it’s not fun for four. [laughs] So I just played against the Bucs twice a year, and I knew the night before the game, coming into the game, I’m gonna get hit. I have to get prepared for it, and be ready for it — be a man. He made me grow up as a quarterback, too, so that was a good thing.

SBN: OK, that was my second guess, I was going to say Simeon Rice. Back in the day, it always seemed like he was causing the most issues. I remember when I was a kid, and being annoyed with the Buccaneers defense twice a year.

MV: I would say Julius Peppers before Simeon Rice. Simeon Rice was good, but Julius Peppers was hard to get away from too.

SBN: 12-year-old me hated Simeon Rice.

MV: He was good off the edge. [laughs] Big dude No. 97 on over there. He was a monster.

SBN: Speaking of a monster, I have to ask: Along with Tecmo Bowl Bo Jackson, what’s it like being the greatest video game athlete — Madden NFL 2004 Vick — of all time?

MV: [laughs] Yeah, it’s an honor man, because I idolized Bo in Tecmo Bowl. The best ever. To be labeled as one of the best video game players ever, it says a lot, man. It’s something my kids will hear, and it’ll last for a long time. It’ll be a part of my legacy forever.

SBN: When the game first came out, were you putting in work on the big screen with yourself and the Falcons?

MV: [laughs] Nah, I could never play with myself. That was one thing I couldn’t do; that was very difficult. Now, ironically, I can play with Lamar Jackson on the game and beat everybody.

SBN: I’m glad you brought up Lamar. Do you have any kind of relationship with him?

MV: Yeah, we talked coming out of college. And you know, I’ll probably want to pick up the phone and call him. If I want to get to him, I can. Lamar’s doing his thing, man, and that’s what’s most important right now. His focus is through the roof right now, and people are trying to leave him alone, they’re trying to limit all his contact. And I know what it’s about, man. I know what it’s about, we’ll catch up. But Lamar’s an amazing talent, and the NFL is blessed to have him right now.

SBN: You tweeted about him a few years ago saying he was five times better than you, which was a big deal — you’re you. But then this year happened, and he’s got a good chance to win MVP. Do you still think he’s better than you?

MV: I don’t think anybody’s better than me at the quarterback position. Now, I can say that you can do it better than me. And that’s what it is; he’s doing it better than what I did in the offenses that I was in versus the offense that he’s in. He’s doing it at a high level, man. He’s showing that he’s competent and capable, and he knows how to play the game at a high level. That’s what you want from a starting quarterback. That’s what you want your guy to look like, and build an offense around a guy like that, you’re gonna win Super Bowls.

SBN: You’ve mentioned many times that you felt you could have worked harder in your career, describing yourself as the last guy in and the first one out. Do you ever think about how much better you possibly could have been with different work ethic?

MV: Yeah, I think about how much better I could have been. But for me to be better, I would have had to become a coach on the field and call my own plays and change the offense up. You see what I’m sayin’? When you’re only doing so much, how much more can you allow to happen within the offense other than you being more vocal and more verbal and saying, ‘All right coach, I don’t like that, we need to do this.’ That’s not trusting the coach and everything he calls.

So I’m studying to make sure I understand everything that he calls. How about studying to call my own? And design my own.

Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images

SBN: Do you want to get back into the NFL as a coach or in another capacity, perhaps?

MV: Not until my kids grow older, so I can’t do that just quite yet. Down the road, man, I’ll coach college football down the road for sure. Head coach, that’s it, get some kids ready to go to the league. Have fun with it, win some games, win a bunch of bowl games, make whatever national championship. We’ll be that good.

SBN: Now, where is a lot of your energy focused these days?

MV: Working with the Boys & Girls Club, remodeling, rebuilding Boys & Girls Clubs all across the world. That’s what our charity is doing — Team Vick Foundation — that’s what we do. We give kids things to wear and places to be, places to go hang out, places to go learn.

SBN: Lastly, I just kind of want to know how you feel about where you’re at in life right now? You had an amazing career with its ups and downs, incredible life lessons. People talk about you, whether it be good or bad. I just want to know how you feel right now.

MV: I feel great, man. I got a family that loves me dearly. I got a wife that’s amazing. I have a great relationship with the NFL, and I have an incredible job working with Fox as a sports analyst. I’m around a ton of people that care about me and appreciate me and respect me. When that’s how you live your life, and simplifying, you put your family first, and then you work as hard as you can to be the best that you can be at your profession, to fulfill all your obligations, you can sleep at the end of the night. I’m proud of myself because I’m still learning in life, still educating myself, I’m still working to be the best person that I can be. Those are things that nobody can control but me. I appreciate that because that’s like playing quarterback — gotta get it done baby. So that’s what I do.

[eddycurrents]

For the week of 4 December 2017

Quick Bits:

Astonishing X-Men #6 concludes the first half of Charles Soule’s experiment into a non-fixed art team, featuring a new artist each issue. I’m still not convinced that it works for a long form story, but it has yielded some very pretty art, including this issue’s art from Mike del Mundo. There’s also a physical return from one of the characters in the book in an unexpected way. I’m still not sure it’s really him, something still feels very wrong about the whole thing, but it makes some interesting storytelling.

| Published by Marvel

Barbarella #1 is about as absurd as you’d expect. Love and lust outlawed, abundant female prison sex, and an oppressive religious patriarchy. Between Mike Carey’s script, Kenan Yarar’s art, and Crank!’s rectangular word balloons, this all feels very much like something out of Metal Hurlant. To me, that’s a good thing, but your mileage may vary. I like Yarar’s art, reminds me a lot of Mortiat.

| Published by Dynamite

Black Cloud #6 returns from its trade break, kicking off its second story arc with a focus on Frank and some really nice guest art from Paul Reinwand.

| Published by Image

Extremity #9 is pretty damn amazing. I mean, every issue of Extremity is like reading pure gold, a perfect mix of characters, action, and stunning artwork, but this issue is one hell of a heartwrencher. Daniel Warren Johnson just keeps getting better and better.

| Published by Image / Skybound

Faith’s Winter Wonderland Special is a fun fantasy adventure from Marguerite Sauvage, Francis Portela, MJ Kim, and Andrew Dalhouse that sees Faith need to come to the rescue of one of her childhood programme hosts in an interesting commentary on imagination versus consumerism.

| Published by Valiant

The Gravediggers Union #2 brings things more into focus as it gives shape to the prime movers working behind the scenes to cause the chaos occurring on the supernatural levels. Toby Cypress’ art is just perfect for this.

| Published by Image

Klaus and the Crisis in Xmasville #1 is another great instalment in this series. There’s just something magical about this collaboration between Grant Morrison and Dan Mora and this issue is no different. Mora’s art alone is worth it, especially when it comes to his use of colour and shading.

| Published by BOOM! Studios

The Mighty Crusaders #1 isn’t half bad. The main draw is Kelsey Shannon’s artwork, but Ian Flynn’s story isn’t a bad set-up. It does play upon the history and legacy of the Mighty Crusaders characters, but it’s not really an impediment to new readers understanding anything.

| Published by Archie Comics / Dark Circle

No. 1 With a Bullet #2 is some pretty heavy stuff. It begins dealing with the fallout of Nash Huang’s privacy being violated through a sex tape she don’t know was being filmed leaking to the public. Jacob Semahn does a great job of showing the common reactions of the public, as well as how shattered the target of such a violation’s personal life can become. Coupled with the art of Jorge Corona, this is really shaping up to be one of the best things Image is publishing right now, and Image is publishing a lot of great books.

| Published by Image

Paradiso #1 is yet another stunning debut from Image. It’s sci-fi, but its world actually kind of reminds me of China Miéville’s New Crobuzon. This world looks lived in, broken, and winding down, but still filled with a hint of magic (or technology as it were). Ram V does a good job of teasing us with this world, and the life of Jack Kryznan, but it’s Devmalya Pramanik’s art that gives it real substance. Pramanik has a style that reminds me a bit of a mix between John Ridgway and Eddie Campbell which, when mixed with Dearbhla Kelly and Alex Sollazzo’s colours, just make this book look amazing.

| Published by Image

Rasputin: Voice of the Dragon #2 sees Bruttenholm investigate further into Albert Mayhew and his manor. Christopher Mitten once again shows us some beautiful artwork and layouts.

| Published by Dark Horse

Sleepless #1 makes this series look like the story may be a bit of a slow burn. It also shows that every series should probably have a fennec in it. We’re introduced to Poppy, the illegitimate daughter of a deceased king, and her protector, Cyrenic, a “sleepless” knight, at the time of the coronation of Poppy’s uncle as the new king. The pacing gives Leila del Duca’s art a lot of time to breathe, but we’re light on any explanation here beyond the surface so far.

| Published by Image

Star Wars: Darth Vader #9 kicks off Jocasta Nu’s battle against the dark side in the Jedi Archives in earnest. This issue sees her take on the Grand Inquisitor, who is shown still as an overzealous, arrogant adversary. Next issue promises the confrontation with Vader himself.

| Published by Marvel

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #77 regroups a bit from the action, having the Triceratons lick their wounds and meet up with the Turtles, while the Foot have a discussion with Agent Bishop. It’s interesting and disconcerting still to see Splinter as the “bad guy”.

| Published by IDW

Venom Inc.: Alpha has some wonderful artwork from Ryan Stegman. His layouts, as usual, add a lot to the storytelling and visual flow of the story, and they’re just immensely readable. The story itself is interesting as well. It looks like we may finally be getting an explanation for how Flash lost the symbiote, but in the meantime, we’ve also got a villainous faction stealing Mania, and potentially birthing more.

| Published by Marvel

Violent Love #10 brings the series to a close with numerous revelations. I wish there were more to come for the series, but this has been a great ride. Victor Santos’ art is perfectly suited to crime comics and Frank Barbiere has managed to craft characters in Daisy and Rock that you truly care about.

| Published by Image

Witchblade #1 is a promising new beginning. The art from Roberta Ingranata and Bryan Valenza is very nice. Ingranata’s art reminds me a bit of Peter Gross and Mark Buckingham, probably a little more spare, and when coupled with Valenza’s rich blues gives the book a kind of dreamlike quality about it. We’re left to wonder a bit about the details of exactly what’s going on, but Caitlin Kittredge certainly makes it compelling.

| Published by Image / Top Cow

Other Highlights: Agent 47: Birth of the Hitman #2, Alters #8, Archie #26, Avengers #674, Black Bolt #8, Captain America #696, Doctor Strange #382, The Fix #10, Giant Days #33, Guardians of the Galaxy #148, Hawkeye #13, Iceman #8, Inhumans: Once & Future Kings #5, Iron Fist #75, Love & Rockets #4, Mirror #9, Moonstruck #4, Noble #7, Paper Girls #18, Red Sonja #11, Rock Candy Mountain #6, Scales & Scoundrels #4, Spider-Man #235, Spirits of Vengeance #3, Throwaways #10, The Unbelievable Gwenpool #23, Usagi Yojimbo #164

Recommended Collections: Babyteeth - Volume 1, Black Bolt - Volume 1: Hard Time, Judge Dredd: Mega City Zero, Micronauts: Wrath of Karza, Lumberjanes - Volume 7, Rick & Morty - Volume 6, Rocket Girl - Volume 2, Shirtless Bear-Fighter, Star Wars - Volume 6: Out Among the Stars

d. emerson eddy has miles to go before he sleeps.