I’m both excited about the upcoming return of The Brave and the Bold, and more than a couple of today’s comics, while not strictly Bat-books, do, in fact, guest-star a certain Dark Knight Detective. What can I say? Sometimes a theme just comes to you; other times, you have to make one up as you go along.
Tales of the Unexpected 4 (DC Comics) — Former Gotham City police det. Crispus Allen, now joined with the spirit of vengeance as the Spectre, has been keeping pretty close to his old stomping grounds. So, it’s only surprising that it has taken Batman this long to show up. And he’s none to happy about the Spectre claiming lives in his town. The lead story in this book just keeps holding my interest as a well-written, down-right creepy detective story. The Dr. 13 backup — the less said, the better.
Green Arrow 70 (DC Comics) — The Red Hood has traveled to Star City for an arms deal with the Brick. Batman has followed him. So we have GA and Bats against Brick and a former Robin. Two issues in and this story is still in the opening acts, but next issue promises to be a little more action-oriented. And writer Judd Winick is doing some nice characterization in this story.
Justice Society of America 2 (DC Comics) — I love this book right now. The sense of history. The feeling of family and legacy. I wish they would tone down Damage’s attitude just a bit as he seems a bit more angry than I remember him from previous appearances in the DCU. And, at least so far, Starman is just too crazy to safely keep around young heroes in training, in my opinion. But otherwise, this book, with just the right mix of new characters and ones picked up from other books in continuity, is a great read.
Outsiders 44 (DC Comics) — OK, no Batman in the last book. None here, either. But not just one, but two former Robins. This issue of Outsiders begins explaining where the Outsiders were during 52, and how they went from a divided super-team to everyone believing they were dead. Obviously Nightwing is part of the group, although at the beginning of the flashback, he’d be with Batman somewhere, and the Red Hood is to figure prominently in the story. I’m curious to see where this one goes.
Squadron Supreme: Hyperion vs. Nighthawk 1 (Marvel Comics) — OK, not really Batman in this one, either, but Nighthawk is obviously an “elseworlds” version of Bats. This limited series pits the two heroes against each other as expected, but uses the real-world events in the Sudan as a backdrop.
52 Weeks 37 and 38 (DC Comics) — The bulk of the first issue is taken up by the explanations about Supernova — who, how and why. Rip Hunter, Booster Gold and Skeets all figure into that mix. Plus, a quick check-in with the space heroes reveals that Animal Man is, in fact, not dead, but still in trouble. Next comes the unveiling of the monstrosities the mad scientists have been concocting and more on Montoya’s efforts to get the Question to Nanda Parbat before he dies.
Green Lantern 16 (DC Comics) — We really are back to Batman guest-starring this time as the entire Justice League descends on Russia to assist Hal. Doesn’t mean things are going well for the ring-slinger, though. In fact, the son of the late Abin Sur, the “villain” of this story, is quite happy at the end of this issue. On a personal continuity note: the League members depicted in this issue are not generic Leaguers, but rather the exact members from the new book. So obviously, this GL tale must “take place” after the new team is officially formed.
Aquaman: Sword of Atlantis 48 (DC Comics) — The new Aquaman, King Shark and the Dweller in the Depths are on the “road” seeking injustices for Arthur to right when they run afoul of the Fisherman gone just a tad freaky. Y’know that goofy-looking hood he always wears? It ain’t just a hood!
Birds of Prey 102 (DC Comics) — I’m really wondering what Manhunter’s secret agenda is here. The other agents coped quite nicely without Oracle’s help. And all I can say about Lois Lane is — classy. I really think she enjoyed baiting Barbara just a little bit, but I should’ve known she’d never betray a friend.
Checkmate 10 (DC Comics) — Pawn 502 gets lucky, or does he? This story arc concludes and I have to say: This is what this comic should be about. The heroes of Shadowpact were involved in this story line. That’s OK. Checkmate operates in a world filled with superheroes and supervillains; that fact should be acknowledged. But by and large, this should be a spy series. This story was. Kudos.
Fables 57 (DC Vertigo) — Snow and Bigby take the cubs to visit their grandfather, the North Wind, and the children promptly get into trouble — very dangerous trouble. Plus, a peek in on Pinnochio and Gepetto reveals a rather nasty temper on the part of the Adversary. Have I mentioned that I like this book? A lot.
That’s all we have for today, Kiddie Cops, because that closes out the comics I have until the next box arrives in a week or two. That means I’m caught up, which means next time we’ll have some more retro-reviews from 1987. However, that may or may not be next Tuesday as I will be out of town for a few days. See ya next time.
Tuesday, February 20, 2007
Tuesday, February 13, 2007
Moving Into January
Lot of ground to cover today, Kiddie Cops. I’ve managed to finish reading the last of the December-releases and start on January, if only a little bit, so let’s dive right in.
Powers 22 (Marvel Icon) — I read the entire Image run of this title as trade paperback collections. There is definitely an advantage to waiting for the trade on a title like Powers because it has a tendency to come out on such a slow, irregular basis; reading one entire arc all the way through leaves less opportunity to forget what's going on in the series between individual issues. And, of course, since I came to the Powers party late, I didn’t really have to wait that long between most of the trades, either.
Since the title switched to Marvel Icon, however, I’ve been buying the individual issues as they are released. One benefit to the pamphlet-style books is the infamous Powers “letter column.” It amazes me the number of people who don’t even seem able to string a group of words together and make a coherent sentence. If you’re e-mailing a friend or simply chatting online, slang and abbreviations are just fine, but when you’re sending something to a stranger, something you think might be printed — and especially for the seemingly never-ending supply of people soliciting writing advice from Bendis — you really should be able to compose a rational thought in print.
Maybe some of these people write what they do deliberately trying to provoke a certain response. In fact, I’m certain some of them do. But some of the “writers” featured there each issue have got to be legitimately clueless, and it worries me about the future of the industry when the most vocal “fans” are — I’m sorry to say — such morons.
Jack of Fables 6 (DC Vertigo) — New two-issue story arc begins. Jack and his fellows escapees are all in hiding. To wile away the time, jack regales his current traveling companions with a tale from his past, specifically, how he received winter powers and became Jack Frost. Another nice Willingham fable.
Daredevil 92 (Marvel Comics) — Penultimate chapter of Devil Takes a Ride wherein we learn the identity of the mastermind behind DD’s recent woes. The beginning of this arc was starting to lose my interest, but I am intrigued by the revelation that Vanessa Fisk is behind it all. Of course, since there is still one chapter to go, there may yet be more to the story.
Winter Soldier: Winter Kills (Marvel Comics) — This one-shot comic is everything a mega-crossover tie-in should be. It provides a nice, done-in-one story which adds to the overall tapestry of the crossover if you have an interest in picking it up without being so essential to the plot that the crossover won’t make sense without it. This tale by Ed Brubaker and Lee Weeks also relies heavily on flashbacks from World War II, and does this quite effectively, providing some nice scenes from the past which truly enhance the current drama being played out without changing everything you thought you knew from that time period. Highly recommended.
52 Weeks 35 and 36 (DC Comics) — Rain of the Supermen was very dramatic, but after a while, one has to start to question why Luthor gets away with everything so easily. Despite all of his denials, some of the general populace of the DC Universe beyond the heroes have to suspect he knows more than he is letting on. We also learn that the Question is not yet dead as I’d suspected a few issues ago. Does that mean there’s hope that this issue wasn’t really the death of Buddy Baker? I hope so.
New Universal 2 (Marvel Comics) — More questions and still no answers that make much sense in this series so far, but I still get the vibe from this story that we readers are in the dark intentionally while the author of our confusion knows exactly what is going on. Under those circumstances, I can be patient for answers.
Superman 658 (DC Comics) — On-time issues growing with this title right now, which aren’t helping my overall enjoyment much. I just can’t make up my mind on this arc from Kurt Busiek. The first issue, 653, I believe, was excellent. The next two introduce a new alien named Subjekt, whose interaction with Superman was also great. Then this great character is suddenly and anti-climactically dispatched in favor of the alternate future shown to our hero and his friends by the insufferably egocentric Arion. I cannot stand this incarnation of the Atlantean mage. I’ve never really followed his adventures before, but I’m surprised he could carry a title if Arion’s character has always been like it is portrayed here. I could maybe like Khyber if he is developed more over time. And the alternate future and the ever-growing threat of man’s downfall are intriguing. But I can’t get past the boor presenting it all to Superman.
Manhunter 27 (DC Comics) — What th--?! I can hardly wait for the next issue of this book so Marc Andreyko can explain this one.
Nightwing 128 (DC Comics) — In all honesty, the ending of this first arc by Marv Wolfman was a tad disappointing, but the overall arc is still head and shoulders above the dreck that preceded it. Now that Marv is on the title to stay for a while instead of just filling in for a few issues, I look for things to get even better.
Civil War 6 (Marvel Comics) — Double-agents and double-crosses abound in this issue, and I’m truly anxious to see what happens in the final chapter and where the Marvel Universe is going from here as the powers-that-be keep promising real change in the aftermath of this “event.”
Civil War: Front Line 10 (Marvel Comics) — Not sad, but surprised to see Sleeper Cell and the usual text piece gone from this issue, but then I’ve always said I feel Embedded and The Accused are the strongest two components in this title. Nice to see the entire issue devoted to these stories this time. I kept hoping for a reveal from Sally and Ben that I knew the writers wouldn’t share with us and spoil things, and I genuinely feel the pain and torment Robbie Baldwin is suffering through.
Boneyard 23 (NBM) — Another title that doesn’t come out nearly often enough, but this one is designed to be a quarterly comic anyway, so I can’t complain. Interesting solution to Abbie’s current problem, but I have to wait three whole months to see how it plays out.
Justice League Unlimited 29 (DC Comics) — This issue focuses on B’Wana Beast and Animal Man and their respective differences as the League takes on first the denizens of Gorilla City, then Queen Bee.
Batman 662 (DC Comics) — The end of the Grotesk story line. I really kind of thought that Grotesk was going to turn out to be the sister rather than the brother, even though the story indicated otherwise. Overall, this arc was OK, but unspectacular.
JLA Classified 26-31 (DC Comics) — This story line by Howard Chaykin was disappointing. Several other writers of late have done stories pitting the Justice League against a “real world” dictator, forcing them to debate whether or not to interfere in the politics of a sovereign nation. But what disappointed me the most with this arc was the characterizations of the Leaguers themselves. I realize this story is “out of continuity” and takes place much earlier than the events of Infinite Crisis, so the Batman here should be the paranoid, non-trusting one. He and Superman aren’t friends. But this group is like a twisted parody of even that League. My ideal Justice League is made up of a group of individuals who work with each other for the greater good because they respect each other’s dedication to the same ideals. They may not always trust each other. They may not always see eye to eye with each other. They will have internal conflicts from time to time. But deep down, they remain a group. The “heroes” in this tale don’t even like each other a little bit. There’s no reason for them to cooperate.
Well, that was a lot. So let's call it a wrap, and see ya next time.
Powers 22 (Marvel Icon) — I read the entire Image run of this title as trade paperback collections. There is definitely an advantage to waiting for the trade on a title like Powers because it has a tendency to come out on such a slow, irregular basis; reading one entire arc all the way through leaves less opportunity to forget what's going on in the series between individual issues. And, of course, since I came to the Powers party late, I didn’t really have to wait that long between most of the trades, either.
Since the title switched to Marvel Icon, however, I’ve been buying the individual issues as they are released. One benefit to the pamphlet-style books is the infamous Powers “letter column.” It amazes me the number of people who don’t even seem able to string a group of words together and make a coherent sentence. If you’re e-mailing a friend or simply chatting online, slang and abbreviations are just fine, but when you’re sending something to a stranger, something you think might be printed — and especially for the seemingly never-ending supply of people soliciting writing advice from Bendis — you really should be able to compose a rational thought in print.
Maybe some of these people write what they do deliberately trying to provoke a certain response. In fact, I’m certain some of them do. But some of the “writers” featured there each issue have got to be legitimately clueless, and it worries me about the future of the industry when the most vocal “fans” are — I’m sorry to say — such morons.
Jack of Fables 6 (DC Vertigo) — New two-issue story arc begins. Jack and his fellows escapees are all in hiding. To wile away the time, jack regales his current traveling companions with a tale from his past, specifically, how he received winter powers and became Jack Frost. Another nice Willingham fable.
Daredevil 92 (Marvel Comics) — Penultimate chapter of Devil Takes a Ride wherein we learn the identity of the mastermind behind DD’s recent woes. The beginning of this arc was starting to lose my interest, but I am intrigued by the revelation that Vanessa Fisk is behind it all. Of course, since there is still one chapter to go, there may yet be more to the story.
Winter Soldier: Winter Kills (Marvel Comics) — This one-shot comic is everything a mega-crossover tie-in should be. It provides a nice, done-in-one story which adds to the overall tapestry of the crossover if you have an interest in picking it up without being so essential to the plot that the crossover won’t make sense without it. This tale by Ed Brubaker and Lee Weeks also relies heavily on flashbacks from World War II, and does this quite effectively, providing some nice scenes from the past which truly enhance the current drama being played out without changing everything you thought you knew from that time period. Highly recommended.
52 Weeks 35 and 36 (DC Comics) — Rain of the Supermen was very dramatic, but after a while, one has to start to question why Luthor gets away with everything so easily. Despite all of his denials, some of the general populace of the DC Universe beyond the heroes have to suspect he knows more than he is letting on. We also learn that the Question is not yet dead as I’d suspected a few issues ago. Does that mean there’s hope that this issue wasn’t really the death of Buddy Baker? I hope so.
New Universal 2 (Marvel Comics) — More questions and still no answers that make much sense in this series so far, but I still get the vibe from this story that we readers are in the dark intentionally while the author of our confusion knows exactly what is going on. Under those circumstances, I can be patient for answers.
Superman 658 (DC Comics) — On-time issues growing with this title right now, which aren’t helping my overall enjoyment much. I just can’t make up my mind on this arc from Kurt Busiek. The first issue, 653, I believe, was excellent. The next two introduce a new alien named Subjekt, whose interaction with Superman was also great. Then this great character is suddenly and anti-climactically dispatched in favor of the alternate future shown to our hero and his friends by the insufferably egocentric Arion. I cannot stand this incarnation of the Atlantean mage. I’ve never really followed his adventures before, but I’m surprised he could carry a title if Arion’s character has always been like it is portrayed here. I could maybe like Khyber if he is developed more over time. And the alternate future and the ever-growing threat of man’s downfall are intriguing. But I can’t get past the boor presenting it all to Superman.
Manhunter 27 (DC Comics) — What th--?! I can hardly wait for the next issue of this book so Marc Andreyko can explain this one.
Nightwing 128 (DC Comics) — In all honesty, the ending of this first arc by Marv Wolfman was a tad disappointing, but the overall arc is still head and shoulders above the dreck that preceded it. Now that Marv is on the title to stay for a while instead of just filling in for a few issues, I look for things to get even better.
Civil War 6 (Marvel Comics) — Double-agents and double-crosses abound in this issue, and I’m truly anxious to see what happens in the final chapter and where the Marvel Universe is going from here as the powers-that-be keep promising real change in the aftermath of this “event.”
Civil War: Front Line 10 (Marvel Comics) — Not sad, but surprised to see Sleeper Cell and the usual text piece gone from this issue, but then I’ve always said I feel Embedded and The Accused are the strongest two components in this title. Nice to see the entire issue devoted to these stories this time. I kept hoping for a reveal from Sally and Ben that I knew the writers wouldn’t share with us and spoil things, and I genuinely feel the pain and torment Robbie Baldwin is suffering through.
Boneyard 23 (NBM) — Another title that doesn’t come out nearly often enough, but this one is designed to be a quarterly comic anyway, so I can’t complain. Interesting solution to Abbie’s current problem, but I have to wait three whole months to see how it plays out.
Justice League Unlimited 29 (DC Comics) — This issue focuses on B’Wana Beast and Animal Man and their respective differences as the League takes on first the denizens of Gorilla City, then Queen Bee.
Batman 662 (DC Comics) — The end of the Grotesk story line. I really kind of thought that Grotesk was going to turn out to be the sister rather than the brother, even though the story indicated otherwise. Overall, this arc was OK, but unspectacular.
JLA Classified 26-31 (DC Comics) — This story line by Howard Chaykin was disappointing. Several other writers of late have done stories pitting the Justice League against a “real world” dictator, forcing them to debate whether or not to interfere in the politics of a sovereign nation. But what disappointed me the most with this arc was the characterizations of the Leaguers themselves. I realize this story is “out of continuity” and takes place much earlier than the events of Infinite Crisis, so the Batman here should be the paranoid, non-trusting one. He and Superman aren’t friends. But this group is like a twisted parody of even that League. My ideal Justice League is made up of a group of individuals who work with each other for the greater good because they respect each other’s dedication to the same ideals. They may not always trust each other. They may not always see eye to eye with each other. They will have internal conflicts from time to time. But deep down, they remain a group. The “heroes” in this tale don’t even like each other a little bit. There’s no reason for them to cooperate.
Well, that was a lot. So let's call it a wrap, and see ya next time.
Tuesday, February 06, 2007
More Quickie Reviews
I still haven’t made it quite all of the way through the December-release comics in my stack, and I’ve already received the January releases. Needless to say, I’m running a little behind where we usually are at this time of the month, so here are some more short and sweet reviews as I try to catch up just a bit.
Checkmate 9 (DC Comics) — Sarge Steel and Sasha Bordeaux verbally spar in this issue over who can best take down the terrorist organization Cobra, and over who most screwed things up last issue. I’ve heard rumors that this book may not have much longer to live, which would be sad, but so far, it hasn’t really lived up to its potential.
Teen Titans 42 (DC Comics) — This issue is a nice recap of the history of Kid Devil. I knew most of Blue Devil’s story, but not Eddie’s, so this was nice.
Civil War Front Line 9 (Marvel Comics) — Sally slaps down Captain America during an exclusive interview as she points out that both sides of the war see themselves as right and will stoop to any low in order to bring down the other side. Morally, I’m on Cap’s side, but as we’ll see in a bit, Cap has a parallel with Iron Man’s side using bad guys.
Civil War: War Crimes (Marvel Comics) — Captain America’s rogue heroes make a deal with the Kingpin in an effort to doublecross Iron Man’s band of zealots. I think I would have liked this better if Captain America himself had not made the decision to work with Kingpin. Other heores can make an occasional mistake: Spidey was on the wrong side of things for a bit, then wised up, for example. But Cap should be above reproach in his actions.
The Lone Ranger 3 (Dynamite Entertainment) — A few more changes to the story I’m familiar with, but nothing that really detracts or lessens the overall origin of the masked man. This is a good comic.
Fables 56 (DC Vertigo) — Very nicely done Christmas tale introducing us to holiday-themed Fables while also providing hints of things yet to come involving not only Snow, Bigby and the cubs, but also Flycatcher.
Iron Man/Captain America: Casualties of War (Marvel Comics) — The two heroes meet on neutral ground in an effort to talk things through. Captain America states that such a thing would’ve been much easier before the Thor clone killed Goliath, which is true, but no less tragic. These two heroes have fought before, but will this be the last time?
New Avengers: Illuminati 1 (Marvel Comics) — This series is starting off to be a little disappointing for me. This first issue takes us back to the time of the Kree-Skrull war and shows exactly how the six members of this secret cabal tried to persuade the Skrulls to leave earth alone rather than retaliate. The plan is disastrous at first, but the newly formed group manages to succeed in the end. If each issue of this limited series is going to look at a specific event from Marvel history, then this series is nothing more than an expanded version of the Illuminati one-shot from a few months ago.
Athena Voltaire: The Collected Web Comics (Ape Entertainment) — This trade collects the first two story arcs introducing 1930s aviatrix Athena Voltaire as she takes on Nazi plots, mysterious yetis and vampiric descendants of Dracula. The stories in this collection are a little more raw than the current miniseries starring the same heroine, but they depict the origins of the character and her creators.
52 Week 34 (DC Comics) — This was a sad installment of the weekly comic as we see not only the death of the Question, but also the betrayal of the Black Marvel family, some of the best characters in this series. And Luthor decides to literally pull the plug on his Everyman project.
Batman 661 (DC Comics) — I am seriously losing interest in the Grotesk story line. Why couldn’t this tale have been done in two issue instead of four? John Ostrander can be an exceptional writer, but this is a case where writing for the trades truly hurts the medium. As a fill-in story, this arc wouldn’t fit into a trade collection with either the Grant Morrison story before it or the one after, so it has to be long enough to support its own trade collection, but the story feels artificially padded by being four issues.
Detective Comics 827 (DC Comics) — This Batman tale, on the other hand, kept me guessing. Paul Dini brings back Scarface, but who is in control and who is pulling the strings, the dummy or the brand-new Ventriloquist?
Justice League of America 5 (DC Comics) — Finally, this story is starting to make a shred of sense and flow in a somewhat linear fashion. All of the various players have been brought together more by chance than by Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman’s selection process. But they’ve all agreed to work with Solomon Grundy in an effort to stop the latest incarnation of Amazo in Red Tornado’s body. I’m hoping things continue to get better to the point where this all makes sense at some point.
Lastly, here’s another book from that stack of out-of-continuity trades and graphic novels I read from occasionally. This time out, we have Neal Adams’ Monsters (Vanguard Productions) — This beautifully illustrated graphic novel presents an original tale featuring the three most popular movie monsters — Count Dracula, Frankenstein’s monster and the werewolf — together in one story. In addition, the book offers notes and sketches from Adams, a truly revolutionary comic artist and story-teller.
That’s it for today, Kiddie Cops. Next time we’ll hopefully finish up the last holdouts from December and move into January. Until then, happy collecting.
Checkmate 9 (DC Comics) — Sarge Steel and Sasha Bordeaux verbally spar in this issue over who can best take down the terrorist organization Cobra, and over who most screwed things up last issue. I’ve heard rumors that this book may not have much longer to live, which would be sad, but so far, it hasn’t really lived up to its potential.
Teen Titans 42 (DC Comics) — This issue is a nice recap of the history of Kid Devil. I knew most of Blue Devil’s story, but not Eddie’s, so this was nice.
Civil War Front Line 9 (Marvel Comics) — Sally slaps down Captain America during an exclusive interview as she points out that both sides of the war see themselves as right and will stoop to any low in order to bring down the other side. Morally, I’m on Cap’s side, but as we’ll see in a bit, Cap has a parallel with Iron Man’s side using bad guys.
Civil War: War Crimes (Marvel Comics) — Captain America’s rogue heroes make a deal with the Kingpin in an effort to doublecross Iron Man’s band of zealots. I think I would have liked this better if Captain America himself had not made the decision to work with Kingpin. Other heores can make an occasional mistake: Spidey was on the wrong side of things for a bit, then wised up, for example. But Cap should be above reproach in his actions.
The Lone Ranger 3 (Dynamite Entertainment) — A few more changes to the story I’m familiar with, but nothing that really detracts or lessens the overall origin of the masked man. This is a good comic.
Fables 56 (DC Vertigo) — Very nicely done Christmas tale introducing us to holiday-themed Fables while also providing hints of things yet to come involving not only Snow, Bigby and the cubs, but also Flycatcher.
Iron Man/Captain America: Casualties of War (Marvel Comics) — The two heroes meet on neutral ground in an effort to talk things through. Captain America states that such a thing would’ve been much easier before the Thor clone killed Goliath, which is true, but no less tragic. These two heroes have fought before, but will this be the last time?
New Avengers: Illuminati 1 (Marvel Comics) — This series is starting off to be a little disappointing for me. This first issue takes us back to the time of the Kree-Skrull war and shows exactly how the six members of this secret cabal tried to persuade the Skrulls to leave earth alone rather than retaliate. The plan is disastrous at first, but the newly formed group manages to succeed in the end. If each issue of this limited series is going to look at a specific event from Marvel history, then this series is nothing more than an expanded version of the Illuminati one-shot from a few months ago.
Athena Voltaire: The Collected Web Comics (Ape Entertainment) — This trade collects the first two story arcs introducing 1930s aviatrix Athena Voltaire as she takes on Nazi plots, mysterious yetis and vampiric descendants of Dracula. The stories in this collection are a little more raw than the current miniseries starring the same heroine, but they depict the origins of the character and her creators.
52 Week 34 (DC Comics) — This was a sad installment of the weekly comic as we see not only the death of the Question, but also the betrayal of the Black Marvel family, some of the best characters in this series. And Luthor decides to literally pull the plug on his Everyman project.
Batman 661 (DC Comics) — I am seriously losing interest in the Grotesk story line. Why couldn’t this tale have been done in two issue instead of four? John Ostrander can be an exceptional writer, but this is a case where writing for the trades truly hurts the medium. As a fill-in story, this arc wouldn’t fit into a trade collection with either the Grant Morrison story before it or the one after, so it has to be long enough to support its own trade collection, but the story feels artificially padded by being four issues.
Detective Comics 827 (DC Comics) — This Batman tale, on the other hand, kept me guessing. Paul Dini brings back Scarface, but who is in control and who is pulling the strings, the dummy or the brand-new Ventriloquist?
Justice League of America 5 (DC Comics) — Finally, this story is starting to make a shred of sense and flow in a somewhat linear fashion. All of the various players have been brought together more by chance than by Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman’s selection process. But they’ve all agreed to work with Solomon Grundy in an effort to stop the latest incarnation of Amazo in Red Tornado’s body. I’m hoping things continue to get better to the point where this all makes sense at some point.
Lastly, here’s another book from that stack of out-of-continuity trades and graphic novels I read from occasionally. This time out, we have Neal Adams’ Monsters (Vanguard Productions) — This beautifully illustrated graphic novel presents an original tale featuring the three most popular movie monsters — Count Dracula, Frankenstein’s monster and the werewolf — together in one story. In addition, the book offers notes and sketches from Adams, a truly revolutionary comic artist and story-teller.
That’s it for today, Kiddie Cops. Next time we’ll hopefully finish up the last holdouts from December and move into January. Until then, happy collecting.
Tuesday, January 30, 2007
Winter Colds Suck
Been down with a cold most of the weekend, unfortunately, so I’ve spent most of my days off asleep. I hate that when your weekend is taken from you like that. But any readers I have on this blog probably don’t much care that I’ve had a cold; they’re just wondering what I thought of the most recent comics I’ve read. So, let’s jump right in with some lightning reviews:
Batman 660 (DC Comics) — The second part of Grotesk by John Ostrander and Tom Mandrake. I still like this story so far, but this issue seemed a bit slower in the pacing than the first.
Tales of the Unexpected 3 (DC Comics) — I’ve heard some online dissatisfaction with this series, so far, mainly because of the ascension of Crispus Allen to the role of the Spectre. Allen was not a well-known enough character for this role for some, apparently. I haven’t read every appearance of Det. Allen, but I am familiar with him from Gotham Central and the Bat books before that, and I like the series, although I don’t know if he could support an ongoing title. This issue’s Spectre entry was a little darker than the previous two, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. The Dr. 13 backup feature, however, is just ridiculous.
Justice League of America 4 (DC Comics) — As I’ve stated before, I’m very disappointed in the pacing and flow of this story. But there are interesting bits here and there — so the Starro’s we’ve seen aren’t real, huh? How does that tie in with the reveal at the end of this issue? Is he real? — and I hold out hopes that things will improve in what should be DC’s best and brightest.
Fallen Angel 11 (IDW Publishing) — A new story line begins with this issue as we see Jude fall increasingly more into his role as magistrate of Bete Noire.
Secret Six 6 (DC Comics) — Now that this series is over I can state for the entire six-issue run: Not nearly as good as the initial Villains United miniseries. These characters have potential, and Gail Simone is usually an incredible writer, but this follow-up just fell flat for me.
Aquaman: Sword of Atlantis 47 (DC Comics) — The second half of a classic Aquaman tale by Kurt Busiek, Phil Winslade, Karl Kesel and Butch Guice, this was a solid flashback story.
Birds of Prey 101 (DC Comics) — Spy Smasher seems to have a history with Oracle with which I am unfamiliar, possibly stemming from an earlier incarnation of Suicide Squad. But man, does she have a mad-on for Barbara and seems to be giving the Birds a genuine threat.
That’s it for today, Kiddie Cops. Short and sweet. Se ya next time.
Batman 660 (DC Comics) — The second part of Grotesk by John Ostrander and Tom Mandrake. I still like this story so far, but this issue seemed a bit slower in the pacing than the first.
Tales of the Unexpected 3 (DC Comics) — I’ve heard some online dissatisfaction with this series, so far, mainly because of the ascension of Crispus Allen to the role of the Spectre. Allen was not a well-known enough character for this role for some, apparently. I haven’t read every appearance of Det. Allen, but I am familiar with him from Gotham Central and the Bat books before that, and I like the series, although I don’t know if he could support an ongoing title. This issue’s Spectre entry was a little darker than the previous two, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. The Dr. 13 backup feature, however, is just ridiculous.
Justice League of America 4 (DC Comics) — As I’ve stated before, I’m very disappointed in the pacing and flow of this story. But there are interesting bits here and there — so the Starro’s we’ve seen aren’t real, huh? How does that tie in with the reveal at the end of this issue? Is he real? — and I hold out hopes that things will improve in what should be DC’s best and brightest.
Fallen Angel 11 (IDW Publishing) — A new story line begins with this issue as we see Jude fall increasingly more into his role as magistrate of Bete Noire.
Secret Six 6 (DC Comics) — Now that this series is over I can state for the entire six-issue run: Not nearly as good as the initial Villains United miniseries. These characters have potential, and Gail Simone is usually an incredible writer, but this follow-up just fell flat for me.
Aquaman: Sword of Atlantis 47 (DC Comics) — The second half of a classic Aquaman tale by Kurt Busiek, Phil Winslade, Karl Kesel and Butch Guice, this was a solid flashback story.
Birds of Prey 101 (DC Comics) — Spy Smasher seems to have a history with Oracle with which I am unfamiliar, possibly stemming from an earlier incarnation of Suicide Squad. But man, does she have a mad-on for Barbara and seems to be giving the Birds a genuine threat.
That’s it for today, Kiddie Cops. Short and sweet. Se ya next time.
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
Welcoming A New All-Ages Comic
Most comics really aren’t written for kids anymore. As the average age of comics readers has gone up, stories have gained in sophistication and use of continuity. It’s gotten to the point where the big two comics publishers have created specific all-ages lines in recent years, catering to a younger audience.
All-ages comics are a necessary idea. Most current readers didn’t become readers as adults; they began reading as youngsters and either continued the habit or went back to it after “growing out of” it at some point. The way to keep interest in comics growing is to attract new readers, preferably younger ones who will be around for a while.
Enter the Guardian Line of comics which debuted in December. I have not yet received the first issue of The Seekers or Genesis 5, but two other titles have definitely debuted. Code seems to be a little darker in tone, certainly more cryptic in its first issue, and thus might appeal to a slightly older audience, but Joe and Max is a quintessential all-ages comic.
All of the Guardian comics have a basis in Judeo-Christian beliefs, but at least in the first issue of these two books, there is little that would specify denomination or exclude other mono-theistic religions. A belief in God, the battle between good and evil and the concept of angels is all that is required. I highly recommend both Joe and Max and Code, and look forward to reading The Seekers and Genesis 5.
Joe and Max 1 (Guardian Line) — Max is an angel charged with protecting elementary schooler Joe so that Joe will be able to grow up and defeat the evil Steven Dark. Only Joe can see Max, and after their initial introduction, Max can only speak in biblical quotes. This first issue sets all of that up by having Dark confront Joe one day after school with a vision and an offer. Dark shows Joe the future where an adult Joe brings an end to Dark’s evil, then vows to kill the boy if he does not renounce God and agree to work with Dark. Max shows up to save Joe after the boy refuses to renounce God and this pair is off and running for some exciting adventures.
Code 1 (Guardian Line) — Code is a mysterious man without a past. All he knows when he wakes up in the morning is that he is a soldier of God with a mission to fulfill. As he begins his day, he meets other denizens of New Hope City who say he has been around for six weeks. He also knows that a man named Steven Dark is evil and must be defeated. That’s when the demons start coming after him. None of the demons are killed, but they are dispatched by Code using a variety of fighting techniques. That is, until the final scene when three specific agents of Dark gain the upper hand and threaten to behead Code.
Justice Society of America 1 (DC Comics) — Wow! This book’s relaunch is everything Brad Meltzer’s Justice League is not. It’s a coherent story that builds on the past while justifying the new first issue by providing a new beginning for the team. There are several cameos and great little character moments without the story seeming disjointed and confusing.
Martian Manhunter 5 (DC Comics) — Why do friends/teammates never trust each other when one of them is featured in a miniseries? In this issue, Green Arrow, Green Lantern, Black Canary, Vixen and Zatanna confront J’Onn about his recent actions. I give writer A.J. Lieberman some credit in that he has the heroes start out talking instead of just swinging fists, but the conversation all too quickly degenerates, nonetheless.
Green Arrow 69 (DC Comics) — Batman visits Star City follwoing the trail of the Red Hood. Too soon to comment on this arc, although there were some nice character bits included in this first chapter.
JSA Classified 20 (DC Comics) — Scott Beatty, Rags Morales and Michael Bair turn in a grissly finale to their two-part Dr. Mid-Nite/Ultra-Humanite storyline.
Short entry today, its true; but at least the last entry wasn’t weeks ago, right?
See ya next time, Kiddie Cops.
All-ages comics are a necessary idea. Most current readers didn’t become readers as adults; they began reading as youngsters and either continued the habit or went back to it after “growing out of” it at some point. The way to keep interest in comics growing is to attract new readers, preferably younger ones who will be around for a while.
Enter the Guardian Line of comics which debuted in December. I have not yet received the first issue of The Seekers or Genesis 5, but two other titles have definitely debuted. Code seems to be a little darker in tone, certainly more cryptic in its first issue, and thus might appeal to a slightly older audience, but Joe and Max is a quintessential all-ages comic.
All of the Guardian comics have a basis in Judeo-Christian beliefs, but at least in the first issue of these two books, there is little that would specify denomination or exclude other mono-theistic religions. A belief in God, the battle between good and evil and the concept of angels is all that is required. I highly recommend both Joe and Max and Code, and look forward to reading The Seekers and Genesis 5.
Joe and Max 1 (Guardian Line) — Max is an angel charged with protecting elementary schooler Joe so that Joe will be able to grow up and defeat the evil Steven Dark. Only Joe can see Max, and after their initial introduction, Max can only speak in biblical quotes. This first issue sets all of that up by having Dark confront Joe one day after school with a vision and an offer. Dark shows Joe the future where an adult Joe brings an end to Dark’s evil, then vows to kill the boy if he does not renounce God and agree to work with Dark. Max shows up to save Joe after the boy refuses to renounce God and this pair is off and running for some exciting adventures.
Code 1 (Guardian Line) — Code is a mysterious man without a past. All he knows when he wakes up in the morning is that he is a soldier of God with a mission to fulfill. As he begins his day, he meets other denizens of New Hope City who say he has been around for six weeks. He also knows that a man named Steven Dark is evil and must be defeated. That’s when the demons start coming after him. None of the demons are killed, but they are dispatched by Code using a variety of fighting techniques. That is, until the final scene when three specific agents of Dark gain the upper hand and threaten to behead Code.
Justice Society of America 1 (DC Comics) — Wow! This book’s relaunch is everything Brad Meltzer’s Justice League is not. It’s a coherent story that builds on the past while justifying the new first issue by providing a new beginning for the team. There are several cameos and great little character moments without the story seeming disjointed and confusing.
Martian Manhunter 5 (DC Comics) — Why do friends/teammates never trust each other when one of them is featured in a miniseries? In this issue, Green Arrow, Green Lantern, Black Canary, Vixen and Zatanna confront J’Onn about his recent actions. I give writer A.J. Lieberman some credit in that he has the heroes start out talking instead of just swinging fists, but the conversation all too quickly degenerates, nonetheless.
Green Arrow 69 (DC Comics) — Batman visits Star City follwoing the trail of the Red Hood. Too soon to comment on this arc, although there were some nice character bits included in this first chapter.
JSA Classified 20 (DC Comics) — Scott Beatty, Rags Morales and Michael Bair turn in a grissly finale to their two-part Dr. Mid-Nite/Ultra-Humanite storyline.
Short entry today, its true; but at least the last entry wasn’t weeks ago, right?
See ya next time, Kiddie Cops.
Friday, January 19, 2007
Time To Play A Little Catch Up
January is better than half over, and I’ve yet to post a single tidbit about the December releases. Let’s rectify that just a little bit right now.
52 Weeks 30 and 31 (DC Comics) — Not sure I enjoyed the glimpse of Batman’s activities as much as I expected. This issue almost seems as if Dick and Tim are abandoning Bruce to his demons. We also get some glimpses into the beginnings of plots from the Mystery in Space and the Omega Men miniseries. We also learn that while Supernova is not a reincarnated Superboy (no surprise there), he is someone we are familiar with under an assumed name. Right now I’m figuring the safe guess is Booster Gold trying to start over.
Captain America 24 (Marvel Comics) — I was a little disappointed in this issue, the last of the Civil War tie-ins for this title. This comic read more like a fill-in issue to me. There was the big reveal of Arnim Zola at the end, but I’m not that familiar with this WWII villain, so that wasn’t an emotional moment for me, really.
Green Lantern 15 (DC Comics) — This book was also a little disappointing. This Wanted: Hal Jordan story arc was supposed to include guest appearance by Green Arrow, Batman and others who have yet to make an appearance.
Aquaman: Sword of Atlantis 46 (DC Comics) — This issue, on the other hand, was a nice surprise. I don’t dislike Kurt Busiek’s run as writer on this title or his “new” Aquaman, but I like the classic hero better. This is the first of a two-part tale featuring the classic Artie, which is A-OK with me.
Powers 21 (Marvel Icon) — I read the image issues of this series in trade paperback form, reading complete story arcs in one sitting. It’s a bit of a change reading these single issues as they come out. I still like the story lines Bendis and Oeming are creating, but things seem to drag a lot more by comparison. It’s also sad how the only remaining letter column in comics today has so many inarticulate idiots who give fans a really bad name.
Teen Titans 41 (DC Comics) — I like Geoff Johns’ writing. I like the Titans and the legacy the team has. So why don’t I like this title so much of late? Maybe Bombshell hit it with her taunts to the newly revived Joseph Wilson, “The glory days are over, Jericho. The Teen Titans will never be the family they once were. ... No one trusts anyone. Hell, they don’t even like each other.” Hopefully, now that this arc is winding down, that will change.
Batman 659 (DC Comics) — Grotesk from John Ostrander and Tom Mandrake begins, and it gets off to a good start. Classic Batman comics here.
new universal 1 (DC Comics) — I have never read any of the original New Universe comics in the concept’s first go ’round, so I’m coming into this series with no knowledge of how things were done before, no insight about in-jokes and special tribute moments. But I also have no preconceived biases about the series. After this first issue, it looks promising.
Agents of Atlas 5 (Marvel Comics) — This series surprised me. I fell for the teaser of a double agent last issue pointing to Venus. That is what I was supposed to think so I’d be surprised when the double agent was revealed to actually be M-11, sort of.
Detective Comics 826 (DC Comics) — Dini is having a wonderful run on this book; this one is another done-in-one great.
Outsiders 43 (DC Comics) — I’m not quite sure what it is, but this story arc that ends with this issue just feels like a final story line of a title. Maybe just because I’m losing interest, although I am curious about the flashback story beginning next time.
Manhunter 26 (DC Comics) — Excellent return to a great comic. Glad to have Manhunter, Andreyko and Pina back.
Nightwing 127 (DC Comics) — This issue was a little confusing and jarring, not quite as good as Wolfman’s first two. I like Nightwing’s focus as he struggles to free himself from the deathtrap, but some of the recap/backtracking took a couple reads to figure out.
Welcome To tranquility 1 (Wildstorm) — Another promising start to a new series, but this one is almost a little too cartoony. I’m not ruling it out yet, but I’m hoping for great things from Gail Simone.
Special Bonus Review
Sandman Mystery Theatre Book 1: The Tarantula (DC Comics) — This trade collects the first four issues of the 1993 series by Matt Wagner and Guy Davis re-imagining Wesley Dodds’ Sandman character from the WWII era. While these stories are set in the late 1930s, they include a darker, more modern storytelling style which makes these books not for the faint of heart. But the book is well worth a read if you like noirish, gritty crime drama.
52 Weeks 30 and 31 (DC Comics) — Not sure I enjoyed the glimpse of Batman’s activities as much as I expected. This issue almost seems as if Dick and Tim are abandoning Bruce to his demons. We also get some glimpses into the beginnings of plots from the Mystery in Space and the Omega Men miniseries. We also learn that while Supernova is not a reincarnated Superboy (no surprise there), he is someone we are familiar with under an assumed name. Right now I’m figuring the safe guess is Booster Gold trying to start over.
Captain America 24 (Marvel Comics) — I was a little disappointed in this issue, the last of the Civil War tie-ins for this title. This comic read more like a fill-in issue to me. There was the big reveal of Arnim Zola at the end, but I’m not that familiar with this WWII villain, so that wasn’t an emotional moment for me, really.
Green Lantern 15 (DC Comics) — This book was also a little disappointing. This Wanted: Hal Jordan story arc was supposed to include guest appearance by Green Arrow, Batman and others who have yet to make an appearance.
Aquaman: Sword of Atlantis 46 (DC Comics) — This issue, on the other hand, was a nice surprise. I don’t dislike Kurt Busiek’s run as writer on this title or his “new” Aquaman, but I like the classic hero better. This is the first of a two-part tale featuring the classic Artie, which is A-OK with me.
Powers 21 (Marvel Icon) — I read the image issues of this series in trade paperback form, reading complete story arcs in one sitting. It’s a bit of a change reading these single issues as they come out. I still like the story lines Bendis and Oeming are creating, but things seem to drag a lot more by comparison. It’s also sad how the only remaining letter column in comics today has so many inarticulate idiots who give fans a really bad name.
Teen Titans 41 (DC Comics) — I like Geoff Johns’ writing. I like the Titans and the legacy the team has. So why don’t I like this title so much of late? Maybe Bombshell hit it with her taunts to the newly revived Joseph Wilson, “The glory days are over, Jericho. The Teen Titans will never be the family they once were. ... No one trusts anyone. Hell, they don’t even like each other.” Hopefully, now that this arc is winding down, that will change.
Batman 659 (DC Comics) — Grotesk from John Ostrander and Tom Mandrake begins, and it gets off to a good start. Classic Batman comics here.
new universal 1 (DC Comics) — I have never read any of the original New Universe comics in the concept’s first go ’round, so I’m coming into this series with no knowledge of how things were done before, no insight about in-jokes and special tribute moments. But I also have no preconceived biases about the series. After this first issue, it looks promising.
Agents of Atlas 5 (Marvel Comics) — This series surprised me. I fell for the teaser of a double agent last issue pointing to Venus. That is what I was supposed to think so I’d be surprised when the double agent was revealed to actually be M-11, sort of.
Detective Comics 826 (DC Comics) — Dini is having a wonderful run on this book; this one is another done-in-one great.
Outsiders 43 (DC Comics) — I’m not quite sure what it is, but this story arc that ends with this issue just feels like a final story line of a title. Maybe just because I’m losing interest, although I am curious about the flashback story beginning next time.
Manhunter 26 (DC Comics) — Excellent return to a great comic. Glad to have Manhunter, Andreyko and Pina back.
Nightwing 127 (DC Comics) — This issue was a little confusing and jarring, not quite as good as Wolfman’s first two. I like Nightwing’s focus as he struggles to free himself from the deathtrap, but some of the recap/backtracking took a couple reads to figure out.
Welcome To tranquility 1 (Wildstorm) — Another promising start to a new series, but this one is almost a little too cartoony. I’m not ruling it out yet, but I’m hoping for great things from Gail Simone.
Special Bonus Review
Sandman Mystery Theatre Book 1: The Tarantula (DC Comics) — This trade collects the first four issues of the 1993 series by Matt Wagner and Guy Davis re-imagining Wesley Dodds’ Sandman character from the WWII era. While these stories are set in the late 1930s, they include a darker, more modern storytelling style which makes these books not for the faint of heart. But the book is well worth a read if you like noirish, gritty crime drama.
Sunday, January 07, 2007
Welcome To The First Entry Of 2007
Sorry for the delay since the last post; between real life and the holiday season, life has been somewhat grueling of late. But I’m back now with another batch of Retro-Reviews before we delve into the recently received December releases. But first, a thought which has occurred to me of late.
I’ve been switching back and forth for several months now between reading dozens of current comics, then reading some from two decades ago for a few weeks. There are some marked differences in the comics from the two settings. I don’t mean plot or characterization differences, although those exist, as well. This is something far more basic — pacing.
Most books now, even continuing books are written as story arcs. They typically run four to six issues, sometimes more, but very rarely more than 12. Each monthly book is intended to be only one chapter of that overall arc, sometimes containing only one piece of the story-telling triumvirate of beginning, middle and end. And they tend to read rather quickly. I average about 10 to 20 minutes reading most current comics.
Many of the books featured in these Retro-Reviews can take me nearly an hour to finish, front-to-back, with no more pages. The older issues have more words, to be sure. The writers of the period tended to be more verbose. But the creators also packed each issue with much more, I think. Not every comic book from the 1980s was a stand-alone story. But even when an issue was part of a larger story arc, each issue had its own beginning, middle and end; its own climax and breathers; its own little resolutions and setbacks, no matter how small, along the way to the larger finale.
I’m not saying every story then was better than every story now. Certainly not. But the stories were often more full, more developed. Richer, in a way.
Anyway, just a thought I’ve had.
Last time, we caught up with a few issues of The Warlord and DC’s first post-Crisis crossover event, Legends. These books fall around that same time and shortly after.
Batman 402 (DC Comics, 1986) — The story in this issue is written by Max Allan Collins and illustrated by Jim Starlin. Robin Jason Todd appears in the issue, both in and out of costume, but has a fairly small role, so we can assume he is still recovering from the injuries he received in Legends. The story centers on a former police officer driven by the loss of his wife and child into thinking he is Batman. His actions are much more savage than the real Dark Knight’s, resulting in the deaths of several small-time criminals and prompting a confrontation with the real Batman. But the identity crisis is the impetus for a number of discussions on what the Batman does, how he operates, why he does what he does, and whether or not he should employ lethal force. The story winds up with an interesting musing from Batman. Robin, who has witnessed the final take-down, says, “Broke some ribs, huh? That why you didn’t hit that guy sooner?” Batman replies, “Robin, somehow it was hard to swing at him. After all, who am I but just another guy who thinks he’s the Batman?” Certainly not the always-confident version of today, but this is a good Batman nonetheless.
The New Teen Titans 26-27 (DC Comics, 1986-87) — When last we saw the Titans as a whole, Nightwing and Raven were being held by the Church of Blood, and the others had just fought Mento’s Hybrid creations, resulting in the kidnapping of Aqualad. Then Flash (Wally West) and Changling played prominent roles in the Legends miniseries. These issues pick up with the return of Starfire after her African adventure in Teen Titans Spotlight #1-2.She wants the team to immediately rescue Nightwing and Raven, while Changling insists that the team must go after and help Mento and rescue Aqualad. After some debate, the team opts to build their numbers by first going after Nightwing and Raven. They travel to Zandia, home base for the Church of Blood, and are joined once again by Robin Jason Todd. In Zandia, the Titans meet Twister, a young girl corrupted by Brother Blood and confront the Brotherhood of Evil.
The New Teen Titans annual 2 (DC Comics, 1987) — The annual contains two stories. The first is a somewhat timeless tale of a team-up between the Titans and the new Dr. Light confronting giant robot dinosaurs built by aliens. The story is every bit as fantastical as that description sounds, and is framed by Wonder Girl Donna Troy telling her step-daughter a bedtime story. The second but main feature of the book is the history of Brother Blood. The entire 700-year history of the character is related by Mother Mayhem, and falls where it does because it details the Titans finally gaining access to the main Church of Blood in Zandia. Mother Mayhem tells the Titans the history of Brother Blood before his planned “resurrection” in hopes of convincing them to leave him alone.
The New Teen Titans 28-29 (DC Comics, 1987) — Obviously, the Titans aren’t going to leave Blood alone. They’ve learned that Nightwing and Raven are being held at the New York church where Blood’s “resurrection” is to be staged. Making use of the duped Azrael and the brainwashed Raven and Nightwing, the Church of Blood whips the world into a frenzy of spiritual need, then present their resurrection event in front of the world. When the Titans attack, things have been manipulated so that they appear to be attacking a benevolent entity with mankind’s best interests at heart. And the combined powers of Raven and Brother Blood truly seem to be defeating and destroying the Titans.
Jon Sable, Freelance 44-45 (First Comics, 1987) — These two issues present the two-issue tale, The Hard Way. Sable is hired to protect the only copy of a never-released six-year-old film as it finally makes its way to its debut at the Cannes Film Festival. The story itself, especially the resolution, seems a bit overly convoluted and disappointing considering the title’s usual level of quality. But these books are noteworthy as the beginning of the end of the series.
Mike Grell wrote the story and illustrated the cover, but he did not do the interior art. That chore was completed on these two issues by Judith Hunt. The art isn’t bad, but as happened when Grell started giving up duties on the Warlord, the trend here would continue. The letters page in issue 45, tells readers that with the next issue, Grell will give up all interior art duties to new artist Mike Manley. The reason for this is so that Grell can devote more time to a Sable graphic novel, but as far as I know, one never materialized. And this series only continued through issue 56, so the writing was apparently on the wall a year before Grell’s departure.
Teen Titans Spotlight 7-8 (DC Comics, 1987) — Both of these issues of the Spotlight series focus on Hawk by Mike Baron, Jackson Guice and Larry Mahlstedt. When last seen in New Teen Titans, Hawk was even more angry and prone to violence than ever before. That’s the Hank Hall presented here, although he’s still effective enough to defeat a group of very small terrorists who first take over a Colorado nuclear power plant, then lead Hawk to their home base in South America where their hive is being threatened.
Wonder Woman 1-2 (DC Comics, 1987) — This is the re-launch of the Amazon princess by George Perez and others. First there was Superman in John Byrne’s Man of Steel. Then Batman by Frank Miller. Now it’s Diana’s turn. And when DC re-starts Wonder Woman, they go all the way back to the beginning of time, re-telling motivations of the Olympian gods, the full history of the Amazons and the creation of Diana to thwart a mad plot orchestrated by the god of war, Ares. This is a very dramatic recreation of the Wonder Woman story.
That’s it for today. Again, next time we’ll dive into some of those more current December-released titles. See ya next time, Kiddie Cops. Happy collecting.
I’ve been switching back and forth for several months now between reading dozens of current comics, then reading some from two decades ago for a few weeks. There are some marked differences in the comics from the two settings. I don’t mean plot or characterization differences, although those exist, as well. This is something far more basic — pacing.
Most books now, even continuing books are written as story arcs. They typically run four to six issues, sometimes more, but very rarely more than 12. Each monthly book is intended to be only one chapter of that overall arc, sometimes containing only one piece of the story-telling triumvirate of beginning, middle and end. And they tend to read rather quickly. I average about 10 to 20 minutes reading most current comics.
Many of the books featured in these Retro-Reviews can take me nearly an hour to finish, front-to-back, with no more pages. The older issues have more words, to be sure. The writers of the period tended to be more verbose. But the creators also packed each issue with much more, I think. Not every comic book from the 1980s was a stand-alone story. But even when an issue was part of a larger story arc, each issue had its own beginning, middle and end; its own climax and breathers; its own little resolutions and setbacks, no matter how small, along the way to the larger finale.
I’m not saying every story then was better than every story now. Certainly not. But the stories were often more full, more developed. Richer, in a way.
Anyway, just a thought I’ve had.
Last time, we caught up with a few issues of The Warlord and DC’s first post-Crisis crossover event, Legends. These books fall around that same time and shortly after.
Batman 402 (DC Comics, 1986) — The story in this issue is written by Max Allan Collins and illustrated by Jim Starlin. Robin Jason Todd appears in the issue, both in and out of costume, but has a fairly small role, so we can assume he is still recovering from the injuries he received in Legends. The story centers on a former police officer driven by the loss of his wife and child into thinking he is Batman. His actions are much more savage than the real Dark Knight’s, resulting in the deaths of several small-time criminals and prompting a confrontation with the real Batman. But the identity crisis is the impetus for a number of discussions on what the Batman does, how he operates, why he does what he does, and whether or not he should employ lethal force. The story winds up with an interesting musing from Batman. Robin, who has witnessed the final take-down, says, “Broke some ribs, huh? That why you didn’t hit that guy sooner?” Batman replies, “Robin, somehow it was hard to swing at him. After all, who am I but just another guy who thinks he’s the Batman?” Certainly not the always-confident version of today, but this is a good Batman nonetheless.
The New Teen Titans 26-27 (DC Comics, 1986-87) — When last we saw the Titans as a whole, Nightwing and Raven were being held by the Church of Blood, and the others had just fought Mento’s Hybrid creations, resulting in the kidnapping of Aqualad. Then Flash (Wally West) and Changling played prominent roles in the Legends miniseries. These issues pick up with the return of Starfire after her African adventure in Teen Titans Spotlight #1-2.She wants the team to immediately rescue Nightwing and Raven, while Changling insists that the team must go after and help Mento and rescue Aqualad. After some debate, the team opts to build their numbers by first going after Nightwing and Raven. They travel to Zandia, home base for the Church of Blood, and are joined once again by Robin Jason Todd. In Zandia, the Titans meet Twister, a young girl corrupted by Brother Blood and confront the Brotherhood of Evil.
The New Teen Titans annual 2 (DC Comics, 1987) — The annual contains two stories. The first is a somewhat timeless tale of a team-up between the Titans and the new Dr. Light confronting giant robot dinosaurs built by aliens. The story is every bit as fantastical as that description sounds, and is framed by Wonder Girl Donna Troy telling her step-daughter a bedtime story. The second but main feature of the book is the history of Brother Blood. The entire 700-year history of the character is related by Mother Mayhem, and falls where it does because it details the Titans finally gaining access to the main Church of Blood in Zandia. Mother Mayhem tells the Titans the history of Brother Blood before his planned “resurrection” in hopes of convincing them to leave him alone.
The New Teen Titans 28-29 (DC Comics, 1987) — Obviously, the Titans aren’t going to leave Blood alone. They’ve learned that Nightwing and Raven are being held at the New York church where Blood’s “resurrection” is to be staged. Making use of the duped Azrael and the brainwashed Raven and Nightwing, the Church of Blood whips the world into a frenzy of spiritual need, then present their resurrection event in front of the world. When the Titans attack, things have been manipulated so that they appear to be attacking a benevolent entity with mankind’s best interests at heart. And the combined powers of Raven and Brother Blood truly seem to be defeating and destroying the Titans.
Jon Sable, Freelance 44-45 (First Comics, 1987) — These two issues present the two-issue tale, The Hard Way. Sable is hired to protect the only copy of a never-released six-year-old film as it finally makes its way to its debut at the Cannes Film Festival. The story itself, especially the resolution, seems a bit overly convoluted and disappointing considering the title’s usual level of quality. But these books are noteworthy as the beginning of the end of the series.
Mike Grell wrote the story and illustrated the cover, but he did not do the interior art. That chore was completed on these two issues by Judith Hunt. The art isn’t bad, but as happened when Grell started giving up duties on the Warlord, the trend here would continue. The letters page in issue 45, tells readers that with the next issue, Grell will give up all interior art duties to new artist Mike Manley. The reason for this is so that Grell can devote more time to a Sable graphic novel, but as far as I know, one never materialized. And this series only continued through issue 56, so the writing was apparently on the wall a year before Grell’s departure.
Teen Titans Spotlight 7-8 (DC Comics, 1987) — Both of these issues of the Spotlight series focus on Hawk by Mike Baron, Jackson Guice and Larry Mahlstedt. When last seen in New Teen Titans, Hawk was even more angry and prone to violence than ever before. That’s the Hank Hall presented here, although he’s still effective enough to defeat a group of very small terrorists who first take over a Colorado nuclear power plant, then lead Hawk to their home base in South America where their hive is being threatened.
Wonder Woman 1-2 (DC Comics, 1987) — This is the re-launch of the Amazon princess by George Perez and others. First there was Superman in John Byrne’s Man of Steel. Then Batman by Frank Miller. Now it’s Diana’s turn. And when DC re-starts Wonder Woman, they go all the way back to the beginning of time, re-telling motivations of the Olympian gods, the full history of the Amazons and the creation of Diana to thwart a mad plot orchestrated by the god of war, Ares. This is a very dramatic recreation of the Wonder Woman story.
That’s it for today. Again, next time we’ll dive into some of those more current December-released titles. See ya next time, Kiddie Cops. Happy collecting.
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