Comics As Holiday Gifts

Something a little different today, kiddie cops. I’ve read a couple books since the last post, but instead of more reviews, today I’m gonna tell you a little about giving comics as presents, specifically at Christmas, but birthdays or just whenever work as well.

The idea isn’t a new one. I’ve been reading the suggestion and discussions about the pros and cons online for a couple years now. Handing out single issues of kid-friendly titles as Halloween treats is another variation. Especially when kids are involved, the giver might just be helping to create another generation of comics readers.

I don’t know any young children I can give comics to at the moment, but I do know some friends and family members who have expressed mild interest in comics before or who I feel might be willing to try them if the subject matter was of interest. Most of these intended recipients aren’t going to care much for superhero stories unless there was something else to it, but that’s not all I read either.

I’ve selected four titles I think these people might have an interest in (I can’t tell you who is getting what, they might be reading) and decided to go with the first trade paperback collection from each series. And I decided to post about them in case someone out there might also be inspired to try one of these books, if he/she hasn’t already.

Transmetropolitan
The first title is one we haven’t talked about here before because I don’t actually own a single copy of the book. Transmetropolitan was a series created and written by Warren Ellis. Most often, the artist was Darick Robertson. The series lasted for 60 issues between 1997 and 2002 and has been collected into, I believe, 11 trades. I’d always been curious about it, and finally had a chance to borrow the entire series from a co-worker. I was both surprised and revolted by what I found, enough so that I plan to buy myself copies of the trades, and figured a few of my more twisted friends might enjoy sampling the series.

The Comics Buyers Guide Standard Catalog of Comic Books describes the series thus: “Taking its title from a rowdy song by Irish rockers, the Pogues, and basing its main character on legendary “gonzo journalist” Dr. Hunter S. Thompson (author of Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas and the model for another famous comic strip character, Doonesbury’s Uncle Duke), Transmetropolitan positions itself squarely at the acid-etched edge of 1990s hip culture. Transmetropolitan follows the adventures of psychotic writer Spider Jerusalem in a nightmarish near-future, cyber-nightmare world of drugs, aliens, androids, mutants, technology gone mad, and lots more drugs.” I’d add that my favorite character, next to Spider himself, is the two-headed, chain-smoking cat he adopts in the series.

Fallen Angel
This next book has had an interesting life. Fallen Angel, written by Peter David and originally illustrated by David Lopez and Ferdinand Blanco, was never part of the mainstream DC Universe, but it was not published by DC’s more mature Vertigo imprint, either. That made it hard for the series to find an audience, and DC finally called it quits after 20 issues between 2003 and 2005. But just this last year, IDW Publishing picked up the series. To date, they have published 10 issues from David and new artist David Woodward.

Here’s how DC described the series: “Welcome to Bete Noire ... where dreams come to die. Quiet, almost mundane by day, Bete Noire’s shadows seem imbued with life by night. Criminals conduct their business unafraid, and the uncommon is commonplace. And moving through it all like broken glass — smooth, yet cunning — is the woman called the Fallen Angel, who helps people in need when they find themselves at a crossroads in their lives. But the Fallen Angel’s help isn’t always what it seems. If she deems you worthy, she can be your savior. If not, you’ll walk away from her worse off than you were before ... if at all.” The series explores just who and what the Fallen Angel is, and while she isn’t the typical “hero,” her exploits in Bete Noire are quite entertaining.

Fables
This DC Vertigo series, of course, came from the mind of Bill Willingham, and involves many of those famous fairy tale characters secretly living in New York among the rest of us Mundanes. Familiar faces are given added dimensions in these modern tales of the Fable folk, and readers learn that their lives really aren’t always “happily ever after,” especially when you consider most of these Fables have been around for centuries. And there’s also the little matter of why they are living here, having been driven from their Homelands by the mysterious Adversary.

The first arc of this ongoing comic book introduces us to the hierarchy of Fabletown with the capable administrator Snow White, constable Bigby Wolf, lothario Prince Charming, perennial con-man Jack Horner and a host of others as they are confronted by the disappearance, and probably murder, of Snow’s sister, Rose Red.

Boneyard
And lastly we have the first collected volume of Richard Moore’s great monster tale, Boneyard, from NBM. This quarterly comic started in 2001 and explains how everyman Michael Paris comes to inherit a cemetery which just happens to be filled with talking gargoyles, a biker werewolf, a card-playing skeleton, a bumbling witch, a wise-cracking raven, a vampish sea creature and a thoroughly enchanting vampiress. The denizens of the cemetery — or boneyard — try to convince Paris to save their home, while the townsfolk hope to buy the property and bulldoze it under.

So, there’s some of the comics-themed presents I’ll be giving this year. Maybe there’s something for you in there, too.

Lightning Round

Hey, kiddie cops. I know it’s been over a week since I had a chance to post something. But that doesn’t mean I haven’t been reading. In fact, since last time, I’ve finished the rest of the books received in my last shipment. So, without further ado, let’s dive right in and catch up a bit.

52 Weeks 24 and 25 (DC Comics) — I’ve said it before; I’ll say it again. Individual issues are not always great, but the overall story line this series was designed to tell is interesting. I’m curious where Ralph is headed. I like the story line with Montoya, Question and the Black Marvel family. The Steel/Luthor story seems to be old news, but is maybe going somewhere interesting. Green Arrow’s cameo was nice. Super Chief didn’t last long, did he?

Action Comics 844 (DC Comics) — This wasn’t a bad beginning, but it almost seems more a sequel to the Donner films so far more than a continuing story of the comic book Superman. That isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but is this story gonna “fit” in continuity? I mean, Jimmy isn’t an inexperienced photographer anymore.

Birds of Prey 99 (DC Comics) — Black Canary’s departure. I agree with scribe Simone that it feels right for Dinah to leave now, even though I’ll miss her. As far back as Longbow Hunters we’ve seen that Dinah wants children but wrestled with the issue of raising one while adventuring. Now she has one. It makes sense for her to step back now.

Captain America 23 (Marvel Comics) — A nice interlude with Winter Soldier/Bucky and Nick Fury in the middle of the Civil War tie-in. It updates us on the ongoing story line with Bucky, but doesn’t interupt the flow of the Cap Civil War events. Very nice.

Checkmate 7 (DC Comics) — I wanna like this title, but it just doesn’t seem to be as good as it should be. I know the Suicide Squad has its fans, but I can take it or leave it. I think this title should include some superheroes on the periphery, but for the most part, avoid overt superhero action and costumes.

Civil War: Front Line 7 (Marvel Comics) — Typical stuff here. The first two stories following the reporters and the former Speedball are excellent storytelling, while the Sleeper Cell bit does little for me, and the final bit just seems pretentious. I think one of the reasons Sleeper Cell is uninteresting to me is there is no tie-in to the Civil War. I assume this Atlantean faction is merely trying to take advantage of the strife above for their own ends, but that is just a guess on my part, not something we’ve been told.

Criminal 1 (Marvel Icon) — Not sure if this is a mini or an ongoing. Not even sure if I like it yet or not. But it was an OK beginning from I writer I really like, so I’ll hang around.

Daredevil 90 (Marvel Comics) — This issue seemed to slip just a bit. Matt is trying to track down who had Foggy killed because he doesn’t know Foggy isn’t really dead. Forget that Matt would be very hard to fool on that point, but I don’t like how easily he’s gotten sidetracked by this woman, even if she does have a power that explains why.

Donald Duck & Friends 345 (Gemstone Publishing) — Just good Disney fun. I’ve always liked Donald, and the mix of classic and newer tales is great. Plus, there’s always one story featuring someone else, this titme a great Goofy tale. Shouldn’t we all laugh more?

Fables 54 (DC Vertigo) — Sons of Empire continues. I didn’t think things could get much creepier than the Snow Queen’s plan for destroying both Mundies and Fables. I was wrong. Hansel is so far beyond creepy that he belongs in his own Mundie slasher series.

Jack of Fables 4 (DC Vertigo) — The promos for next issue seem to indicate this won’t happen, but wouldn’t it be too funny if after all this planning and helping all of the other escapees, Jack himself doesn’t make it out?

JSA Classified 18 (DC Comics) — The back half of a two-parter featuring Hourman, both the modern version and the Golden Age one. A solid tale from Tony Bedard, as usual. And besides, it isn’t necessarily that hard, but its always fun to watch someone out-think Bane.

The Lone Ranger 2 (Dynamite Entertainment) — I stand corrected from my criticism of last issue. Black Bart is an enforcer, not the criminal mastermind. This issue hints that the individual who pulls Bart’s vicious strings is none other than Butch Cavendish, the villain from Ranger lore. Brett Matthews, you have my apologies for doubting you. Carry on.

Martian Manhunter 3 (DC Comics) — Enter the Justice League, which was good to see. After all the divisiveness stemming from Identity Crisis and leading into Infinite Crisis, it’s nice to see these heroes acting like colleagues and friends once again. Oh, wait. Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman don’t seem to want to listen to J’Onn about what is going on. Right now, I’m willing to assume that maybe this wasn’t really the three heroes it appeared to be. So much subterfuge has been going on in this story dealing with shape-shifting Martians, that’s what I’m hoping anyway. Otherwise, this story might’ve worked better before IC.

New Avengers 24 (Marvel Comics) — This Civil War tie-in is the Sentry entry, but seems to be more about fallout from the House of M and the Inhumans than Civil War. It’s sad that the interaction between books that I love from DC is one of the things I don’t like about Marvel because I buy fewer of those books and am less interested in the intermingling there.

Omega Men 1 (DC Comics) — My knowledge of this team is limited to their interaction with the Titans in the “olden” days, but I liked their recent cameos in Adam Strange and Infinite Crisis, so I decided to give this a try. Andersen Gabrych’s usually great writing didn’t hurt either. But I have no clue what is going on in this title right now. That’s not good.

The Perhapanauts: Second Chances 1 (Dark Horse) — OK, this mini DOES seem to pick up right after the trade I just read, as I assumed it should. But the letters column has a bunch of people commenting on issue #104. Now, I could just assume the first mini was numbered funky and move on, but the letters also mention a story titled “The 28th Anomaly.” There’s no story with that name in the trade. Am I missing something here?

Secret Six 5 (DC Comics) — Did they really just kill the Mad Hatter?!?

Stan Lee Meets the Thing 1 (Marvel Comics) — Much better than the Spidey one-shot, the only other one of these I read. It’s been long enough now that Ben has come to grips with his appearance. Heck, most New Yorkers have, too. He’s a celebrity, not a monster now. Good to see that reflected here.

Supergirl and the Legion of Super-Heroes 23 (DC Comics) — Cosmic Boy decides the Legion needs to deal with the superpowered delusional in their midst. So, does that mean Supergirl is going to be going away soon? Dunno if I trust these “Kryptonians.”

Superman/Batman annual 1 (DC Comics) — This is a totally bizarre story, but it’s a fun one. Accept it for that and it works. Look for more and it falls apart.

Tales of the Unexpected 1 (DC Comics) — I’ve heard this mini isn’t getting much interest online. Truthfully, it wasn’t great. But it was intriguing, and I liked Crispus when he was alive, so I’m intrested enough to hang with this one a bit longer. The Dr. 13 story left me cold, but then I’m not as familiar with the character.

Uncle Sam and the Freedom Fighters 4 (DC Comics) — I thought this might be the exception to the mostly so-so minis DC is spitting out right now, but I’m starting to lose interest in this one big time, too. This is supposed to be an alien suddenly sitting in the White House and part of a shady government operation spitting out new metahumans like they’re no big deal, and no other teams notice? No Titans, no JSA, no Superman, no GLs. Just doesn’t ring true.

Whew! That was a bunch, but that’s all of the October releases I have. See ya next time.

He’s Back! He’s Back!!!!

Probably a short entry today as time of late — both for reading and posting — has been a little in short supply, but I want to lead off today’s post with the return of Marv Wolfman to the life of Richard “Dick” Grayson, aka Nightwing, formerly the original Robin, the Boy Wonder.

Nightwing 125 (DC Comics) — Wow!

I don’t like some of the things Devin Grayson did with the character near the end of her run, but I can chalk them up to Dick feeling guilt over his role in Blockbuster’s death and, despite what he told other heroes he ran across at the time, that he had not really gone rogue prior to the destruction of Bludhaven but was instead weaving an elaborate trap for Deathstroke and trying to salvage Ravager. C’mon, is all of that any more of a stretch than the “rogue” behavior he is showing over in the Outsiders right now?

But then the Crisis (Infinite Crisis) occurred, and all other plans were abandoned in an effort to save everything from destruction. Then, as depicted, he went off with Bruce and Tim to train and re-dedicate himself.

I’m not overly fond of the confusing storyline Bruce Jones brought Nightwing back with One Year Later, either. I can buy the re-animated and slightly off-kilter Jason Todd/Red Hood confronting Nightwing, but the rest of the story line was just bizarre, including, when did Dick start jumping into bed with every girl he meets?

But all of that is over. Now, the writer who re-imagined the Teen Titans and got me interested in comics again, has taken the reins of one of those characters. This isn’t a return to the character the way he was 20 years ago, nor should it be. Dick has grown and experience much since last he led the Titans. I see those characters as always having emotional ties, bonds, to each other, but these characters are no longer teens or members of the current Titans roster. Life moves on.

But Marv doesn’t settle for “erasing” everything either. Like any true writer should, he takes the work of previous creators and incorporates it with his own as part of the character’s history while still finding his own direction. This Nightwing is still in New York, but still getting to know the city as his encounters with Jason, Cheyenne and the rest in the previous arc didn’t leave him much time to get acclimated. He meets some new people, including one young woman who seems particularly interested in him, yet does not hop into bed with her right away. He’s acting like the well-trained, confident, capable pro he is after all of his years of crime-fighting, and he is showing the detective skills he has displayed in the past as the protoge of the Batman.

This new direction with the new creative team (Dan Jurgens’ art is great, too; too bad he isn’t sticking around) is full of new people and new situations, but a recognizable main character and an overall positive attitude that has been lacking for some time. Kudos.

Fallen Angel 9 (IDW Publishing) — Lee is back in town just in time for the big reveal at the end as this story is suddenly and surprisingly tied into her first adventure as a fallen angel on earth. Along the way, the mystery that is Bete Noir is heightened. This is a fun book to read. So much so, that I think I will be giving some Fallen Angel trades as gifts to people I think might enjoy this series.

Detective Comics 824 (DC Comics) — Another great Paul Dini story, this time featuring Penguin, more from the Riddler, cameos by Lois Lane and Zatanna. I am loving his run on this book, including the touches he brings to the series from the Animated universe.

Justice league Unlimited 26 (DC Comics) — Speaking of the Animated universe, this comic is like having new episodes of the series, this time with Aquaman, Dr. Fate, Superman and Booster Gold confronting Felix Faust and Black Manta.

52 Week 28 (DC Comics) — Black Adam takes another page from the Marvel family by granting a portion of his power to Isis’ brother, Amon, creating Osiris, and we see where all the evil geniuses have ended up as Will Magnus is kidnapped to their island. Each individual issue of this series is giving what seem to be smaller and smaller pieces along the way, but this is truly a great ride.

Green Arrow 67 (DC Comics) — Continuing the look at Ollie’s missing year, we see him training with an assassin to further hone his fighting abilities. We also see the beginnings of his mayoral campaign as news reaches him of events back in Star City. Unfortunately, we also learn that the money he raised to finance his adventuring and campaign were not gained through strictly legitmate means. Not new ground for the character for anyone who has read the Longbow Hunters, but somewhat more disturbing than that event.

Powers 20 (Marvel Icon) — My only complaint about this book is how much time passes between new issues. This book was easier to read in trade form — the way I first discovered it — so you can get a complete arc at once. Otherwise, it is hard to remember what happened last time by the time a new issue arrives.

That’s it for today, kiddie cops. Happy collecting.

Combo Platter

OK, we’ve covered several months’ worth of all the regular titles I have from 1986. Today we’re gonna look at a few “odds ‘n’ ends” books I have mixed in here, such as ...

Batman annual 10 (DC Comics, 1986) — This story is a classic Hugo Strange tale, at least for me. The evil genius sets about not so much defeating Batman nor Bruce Wayne, but almost erasing them from existence as he slowly takes everything away from the Wayne Foundation to the manor to freezing all bank accounts and assets, making Batman realize how much he depends on the wealth of Bruce Wayne to function. Then things get even more personal when Strange takes away Alfred and Jason.

Aquaman 1-4 (DC Comics, 1986) — Now this story is a little bit different. I was a little disappointed with this miniseries when it first came out in 1986. At that time, I liked Aquaman, but wasn’t as familiar with the character. I didn’t know about his fiery temper as that wasn’t how he was depicted on the Superfriends or in the issues of Justice League of America which I’d read. And I didn’t much care for the new blue camouflage costume. And I didn’t know who these other underwater races were. I didn’t even know who Ocean Master was at that time. So, I just didn’t care for this series much initially. In fact, I even committed the horrible sin of parting with my original copies of this series at some point, only to have to hunt down the back issues when I decided to give the series another try a few years later.

Series writer Neal Pozner takes some factual information about Atlantis, combines it with supposition and various other fictional depictions of Atlantis and combines them all into the back story that forms the basis for this series. Then he uses that tapestry of information and previous story-telling to completly destroy Aquaman’s current status quo. New Venice is destroyed. Aquaman is despised in Poseidonis. And his half-brother, Orm, is collecting mystical artifacts in an effort to finally best Arthur. In trying to hunt down Ocean Master, Aquaman comes across some savage underwater races, some mystical ones, and even learns some new things himself along the way. How could I do any less? This still isn’t my favorite Aquaman story, but it is an important part of the history of both Atlantis and the King of the Seven Seas.

And that brings us to the fall of 1986 with our retro-reviews, but in case you haven’t noticed, in the real world, we’re almost halfway through the month of November. Most recent batch of new comics has arrived, and I have started digging into those, although not as far as I’d like to be. So, here’s a few quick thoughts on some more timely books:

52 Week Twenty-Two (DC Comics) — OK, I just gotta ask: Who the hell is Super-Chief? I remember an Apache Chief from the Super Friends show, but no Super-Chief or any other American Indian super characters, not in DC’s stable, anyway. The evil versions of the Metal Men were kinda interesting. Has that been done before? All the evil genius robotics experts, seems like someone would’ve thought of it before ...

Jalila 5 (AK Comics) — Overall, I was a little disappointed in the AK Comics this month after giving them some hype last time around. The writing seemed slightly more disjointed in this title compared to last month.

Rakan 5 (AK Comics) — This title still holds a little promise. This was the first of a two-part story where the lone warrior joins a gang of thieves. It isn’t explicitly stated, but I assume he infiltrated them to break the ring up.

Zein 5 (AK Comics) — The writing in this title also suffered somewhat, which makes sense since the writer of this title and Jalila are the same. But Zein is even worse than Jalila was. Early in the book, a villain previously captured escapes. Zein is there in his secret identity, but spends almost 4 1/2 pages doing little other than talking to himself. Part way through the fight, he makes the decision to not change to Zein but let the villain escape and follow him. Two panels later, he thinks to himself, “If I could just change into Zein, I’d stop him!” So, why can’t he change, other than his own decision not to. I hear that this line of books is going to graphic novel form in a few months. Maybe bigger will be better, but this month was not a good showing for AK.

Mystery In Space 2 (DC Comics) — Or maybe I’m just being overly critical, because the first issue of this series was good, but this one just left me feeling ... I don’t know what, but not much of it.

Outsiders 41 (DC Comics) — This book was a little better. We’re still moving veeeeeeerrrrrrrryyyyyy slowly, but we do seem to be moving toward some resolutions to how and why the Outsiders were believed dead? how this book interacts with the rest of the DCU? just what is Grace’s secret that they keep alluding to? how and why Sivana has been manipulating the group since Day 1? just what Winick is thinking?

Agents of Atlas 3 (Marvel Comics) — And finally, we end on a high note. This comic remains fun. Maybe I’d feel differently if I was familiar with any of these characters from before, but I’m not. So I don’t care as some history is likely rewritten. I’m just enjoying the modern story of a group of one-time heroes re-uniting to save the world once again.

That’s it for today. Thanks for stopping by, and see ya next time, kiddie-cops.

Titans Together!!!

In the last couple days, we’ve discussed several month’s worth of The Warlord and Jon Sable, Freelance. As far as the regular titles I have from 1986, that just leaves us the Titans. Things were not looking good when last we checked in with this band of young heroes, and 1986 was not a great year for the group, as they were put ever more through the wringer. Today’s wringers involve The New Teen Titans #18-23 (DC Comics, 1986) and Teen Titans Spotlight #3-6 (DC Comics, 1986-87).

NTT 18 begins with the revelation that Starfire, her parents and her brother did NOT die in the explosion of their starship. Loyalists on board knew of Blackfire’s plan to kill them, and secretly transported the royal family to Okaara, a nearby moon, where they will train and regroup. Dick is emotionally distraught after Kory’s wedding, then thinking, however briefly, that she had been slain, that he and Joey decide to return to Earth. Checking in with the other Titans, Raven is still missing; Donna and Terry are fighting because Donna has been too busy of late to help Terry with a writing assignment he must finish or lose his job; and Victor and Garfield discover that Steve Dayton, Gar’s step-father, has gone slightly crazy once again from the use of his Mento helmet. Sounds like a soap opera when you boil it down like that, huh? But then, having lives and problems outside of superheroing is one of the things that made me love Marv Wolfman’s take on the Titans. It made them seem more like real, complex, three-dimensional people.

Issue 19 takes these growing problems team members are experiencing and uses them to drive wedges between the Titans and force them in separate directions. The group’s new tower headquarters is built, but is there still a group to use it? Dick returns to Earth angry and hurt over what he sees as Kory’s betrayal of him. He goes to Wayne Manor and finds Batman and new Robin Jason Todd in the middle of a case and too busy to talk with him. Joey learns that Kole died in the Crisis while he and Dick were away. Donna and Terry’s problems grow, prompting her to turn down Vic and Gar when they come to her seeking help in subduing Mento. Instead, she feels she must go and comfort Dick, which leaves Terry, Vic and Gar all feeling abandoned. When she arrives at Dick’s apartment, Donna finds him ready to lash out at anyone because of his own hurt. Donna makes a prime target when Dick starts to berate her leadership of the team in his absence. Meanwhile, Kory is still on Okaara, forming a small army of loyalists ready to take the planet Tamaran back from her sister, Blackfire.

So Kory’s alone in space, Dick sets off alone to find Raven and Gar and Vic are left alone to deal with Mento. So who is left for Donna to call when the government needs the help of the Titans? The “original” team — Speedy, Aqualad, Hawk, Flash and Robin. But they aren’t exactly a great team either, as each has his own issues to deal with. While Robin has always been the leader of the group, this Robin is new hero Jason Todd, not experienced Dick Grayson. Flash is now Wally West, trying to honor the memory of his uncle, Barry Allen, who died in the Crisis; but Wally’s powers are reduced from what they once were, and he is afraid of failing to live up to Barry’s ideal. Hawk, always the more militant half of the brother duo, no longer has Dove to temper his violence; Dove was another casualty of the Crisis. As was Aquagirl, lover of Aqualad. So, he is pretty dispondent, as well.

That leaves Speedy. We find out in issue 20 that the reason the government called the Titans specifically is because the assassin the group is trying to stop is Cheshire. We also learn that in his off-panel relationship with the goverment, Speedy had a heretofore undisclosed relationship with Cheshire — an actual relationship. An intimate one. In fact, we learn in this issue that Roy has fathered a daughter, Lian, with Cheshire.

Further complicating matters, Cheshire tries to drop a few hints that things are not what they seem. She is not really there to kill anyone; she is being paid to make it seem like she is targeting ambassadors and force the Titans to act. This will expose the heroes’ presence at a secret summit that was supposed to have no security whatsoever. The revelation that the Titans are there makes it look like the U.S. has not complied with the rules of the summit and forces the talks to break up, all of which means the Titans are now in trouble with the government.

So where’s Joey during all of this? He’s on a solo adventure of his own in the pages of Teen Titans Spotlight #3-6. While waiting to see what will become of the Titans, Joey has been working with his mother, Adeline Wilson, and her company, Searchers Inc. In this story, we learn that shortly before joining the Titans, Joey had met a girl, fallen in love with her, become engaged, then lost her when she died in a boating accident. Unbeknownst to Joey, the girl’s father was actually one of the main council behind the H.I.V.E., a criminal cabal from early Titans issues. The man wanted to leave the H.I.V.E. and had hired Searchers Inc. to fake his and his daughter’s deaths so they would be safe from the H.I.V.E. So, Penny, Joey’s fiancee, isn’t really dead. Joey learns this when Penny shows up on his doorstep, asking for help from Joey and Searchers Inc. She explains what happened before and reveals that the H.I.V.E. has found her and her father again.

This is a good story, but be warned, it is very convoluted and detailed. There are a number of twists and turns, some predictable, some unexpected, that make this story hard to break down without revealing too much. It might have been better as a slightly shorter story. At the time, I thought four-issues was a bit long. But again, it is a good story.

Back to making the other Titans’ live miserable, NTT #22 presents three separate stories following Dick, Vic and Gar, and Kory, as well as a wrap-around that serves as a nice epiogue to the Jericho story from Spotlight. Dick has found Raven: she, Arella and Azrael are all at the Church of Blood. Mirroring his plan from the earlier Teen Titans book, Dick disguises himself to gain entry into the Church of Blood. Unbeknownst to him, Mother Mayhem knows he is there from the start, and sets about capturing and brainwashing Dick again. Vic and Gar, still trying to find a way to help Steve Dayton, are assaulted by Mento in the form of him assuming mental command of Victor’s metal body and pitting the two heroes against each other. And Kory, her family and the loyalists with them launch an assault on Blackfire in a bid to reclaim Tamaran.

These stories culminate in NTT #23, which focuses on the civil war on Tamaran. Kory is fighting to restore her parents as the rightful rulers of the planet. Blackfire is fighting to retain control of the planet she now rules. Odd thing is, many of the Tamaranean people support Blackfire. They had grown tired of King Myand’r’s tendency to keep peace by making concession to their enemies. Blackfire is cold and ruthless, but she is also an excellent administrator, and in her short rule has done much to improve the lives of her people and strengthen political ties with other races to benefit Tamaran. In the end, the people chose to follow Blackfire, with her parents held as esteemed advisors. Kory cannot believe that the people would embrace Blackfire and leaves the planet in disgust, heading for Earth in the hopes of putting her life back together there.

Most definitely not happy days for the Titans right now.

Going Into The Wild Places

Last time we checked up on Travis Morgan, the Warlord, a character created by Mike Grell. Today we’re going to look at the next six issues of the book Grell was working on in 1986, Jon Sable, Freelance #34-39 (First Comics, 1986).

One of the first things to note is that the book becomes a First Comics Deluxe Series with issue #34 meaning that it gains a few extra story pages and the paper quality used is better. The first two issues we’re looking at today form a somewhat gritty arc as Jon shows up in a small Idaho town where he meets up with a Native American guide and sets out on a “hunting” trip. In the wilderness, Jon explains to his guide that they are there to do more than shoot animals. “Not just to hunt ... to learn,” he says. “And to get back some of what I lost.”

His guide, Winter Wolf, replies sagely, “There are things a man can only find in himself ... but sometimes you have to go to the wild places to look.”

There are some truly wonderful wildlife illustrations in this first issue as Jon relearns about the woods and the pair explore the wild world. The violence comes in when John and Winter Wolf stumble across a camp of survivalists who have kidnapped several women.

Issue #36 is somewhat lighter in tone. Jon is back home in New York, and Grell uses the opportunity to move him around the city, checking in with various supporting cast members and seeing how everyone is getting along. Along the way, Jon and Myke “accidentally” run into a woman named Claudine Jobert who hires Jon as a guide/tracker for an expedition to Africa in search of a legendary ivory ape statue. Jon is somewhat reluctant at first, doubting the statue even exists, but sees the trip as a chance to show Myke his former home. This issue sets up the next arc which plays out over issues 37-39.

The African safari story line offers some more gorgeous wildlife art. As far as plot, Madame Jobert quickly reveals herself to be a self-important, selfish woman with no regard for nature or other people. Jon prevents her from needlessly killing an elephant, but later, she wounds a jaguar, forcing Jon to track it down and finish it off. Jon is very seriously wounded in his effort to dispatch the wounded cat, but this tragedy works in his favor. While he is laid up and the little band is forced to make camp for several days, Jon notices a series of “secret messages” being send between Madame Jobert and someone else.

After Jon recovers from his injuries, he first proves that the ivory ape was indeed a hoax, then must take desperate measures to save his own and Myke’s life from Madame Jobert, who is really the person responsible for the murders of Jon’s family. She has brought him here to Africa in an effort to trap and kill him, as well. Overall, these are some truly excellent comics, both in terms of art and story.

Enter The Lost World ...

I decided that themed post from last time worked rather nicely, so I’m going to continue it with this batch of Retro-Reviews while we wait for my next shipment of “new” comics to arrive. And, if you’re at all familiar with today’s header, you know that today’s topic du jour will be The Warlord, specifically The Warlord # 103-107 (DC Comics, 1986).

Following the epic battle to reclaim Shamballah in #100, Travis Morgan returns from battle to find his daughter, Jennifer, rapidly aging and seemingly near death. In the next issue, new writer Michael Fleisher has Morgan set out in search of a powerful wizard who might be able to help Jennifer. Readers of this blog will recall that I was less than impressed with the first two issues by Fleisher. The tales just weren’t as engaging as previous issues had been. That changes in issue 103, due in part to Fleisher exploring possible origins for Shakira, Morgan’s shape-shifting ally.

Still on the trail seeking the wizard who may be able to help Jennifer, Morgan comes across a seemingly abandoned village and is attacked by a huge cat. Narrowly escaping death, Morgan learns that the tiger is a woman who transforms under the moonlight, and that this ability/curse is the deliberate work of one man who has experimented on several people in the past leaving them with similar abilities. Morgan also notices that the collar worn by the woman in both her forms is identical to the one worn by Shakira, and that the villain of the story gave all of his test subjects such collars. After escaping from the “mad scientist,” Morgan is met by Shakira herself. She has been following Morgan the last two issues, trying to catch him and travel with him during his quest for the wizard who can help Jennifer. Naturally, Morgan wonders if Shakira is the result of a similar experiment by the recently deceased madman.

This makes for an interesting theory of Shakira’s origins, and a much better story, but there are holes in this theory, as pointed out in a letter by “T.M. Maple” printed in issue 107. Among “Maple’s” points, Shakira can change at will from feline to human and back whereas the subjects in this tale cannot; Shakira is the size of a house cat while those in this tale are larger felines; and Shakira is aware of her actions and retains her intelllect in either form unlike the experiment subjects. But again, for a red herring, this was an entertaining tale. And an ongoing one.

Issue 104 picks up where 103 left off: Morgan explains his theory to Shakira, who, as always, is coy and avoids giving a straight answer about her abilities. But she seems amused by the idea. During this exchange, the two travelers are beset by brigands, and Shakira is kidnapped. Morgan is only able to help his friend with some assistance from a none-too-friendly allosaurus.

The pair next meet another group of strangers in issue 105. The mantra throughout Skartaris is to “expect the unexpected,” so Morgan and Shakira suspect the worst from the strangers, who later turn out to be not quite so bad. Each of these issues also include briefs snippets of Machiste and Mariah, two more of Morgan’s allies, returning to the kingdom of Kiro, where Machiste is king. Unbeknownst to the pair, however, in their absence, a coup has been launched in Kiro, and the conspirators attempt to prevent Mariah and Machiste from returning.

Warlord 106 introduces a new character, Daimon, a thief with the ability to change back and forth from a small cat to human. In his cat form, Daimon looks identical to Shakira, and the two obviously know each other. Daimon steals a black diamond, and at first, Morgan suspects Shakira of the cat-crime. When he learns the truth, Daimon is wounded, and Shakira convinces Morgan to help Daimon escape.

With Daimon now having joined Morgan’s quest, the trio arrive at a village where they are offered food and shelter for the night. Grudgingly accepting the invitation, Morgan awakes the next morning to find Shakira missing. He and Daimon must rescue Shakira, the intended bride of Yaug, before they can journey onward.

Each of these five issues, while not perfect, are closer in tone to the earlier Warlord tales. I will allow that it took Michael Fleisher a few issues to get his bearings in Skartaris and acclimate himself to the lost world. Once he was able to do that, he was churning out some pretty decent comics. Unlike the previous two issues or the 1986 annual, these books all get my recommendation.

Make Mine Marvel ... Once In A While

Most of the people I know in and around this part of Oklahoma and Arkansas seem to have grown up with Marvel Comics and much prefer that stable of heroes out of the Big Two comics publishers. A lot of that affinity seems to stem from the time those folks got interested in comics and a number of Marvel characters on television when they were young. I suppose my preferences come from much the same sources, but took the opposite turn.

Somehow, I managed to miss the first, somewhat crude by today’s standards, launch of Marvel superhero cartoons in the late 1960s and early 1970s. But I did watch the Batman and Wonder Woman and Superman live-action shows when they were on in first-run or syndication. And I never missed the Superfriends among my Saturday-morning TV viewing. Sure, there was also the live-action Incredible Hulk and Spider-Man shows and Spider-man and His Amazing Friends later on. I’m not ignorant of the Marvel characters, but DC’s group was always the ones I knew and loved just a bit more.

That preference is reflected in my collection, especially during the mid-1980s when I discovered my first-ever Comics Specialty Shop. I had a number of single issues of DC Comics from the grocery store as a small child, things like Superman Family or Batman Family, maybe some World’s Finest and Justice League of America. Even an occasional issue of Spider-man, some based on his appearances on The Electric Company, that PBS series for kids too old for Sesame Street. Sadly, many of those silver-age comics are no longer in my possession because smaller children don’t always take care of things like their parents might wish they would. At this time, besides TV, my only other contact with the world of superheroes were some copies of Superman, Action and Adventure (staring the Legion of Super-Heroes) comics while awaiting my turn at the barber shop. Once in a while, they’d also have some Turok, Son of Stone, too. But it was rare that I owned or read any two issues in consecutive order of any title.

The yearning for that to change came about in the early 1980s when I discovered The New Teen Titans annual #2, a story I’ve related here before and won’t bore you with again. But the desire was not matched immediately with access. That wouldn’t come until a few years later when a friend of mine at school introduced me to that all-important comic shop. I was just in time to snatch up every new issue of DC’s Crisis on Infinite Earths. Of course, I also followed the Teen Titans titles at the time. I tried some other books which I no longer own like DC Challenge and a Rip Hunter, Time Master re-vamp. From Marvel, I tried some Spider-man and Captain America issues, but my favorite title from them was Squadron Supreme, an alternate version of DC’s Justice League. And forget other titles like Jon Sable or Warlord from the time; I knew nothing about them and didn’t try that much new back then. My passion for those titles is somewhat more recent (Thank God for back-issue sales, right?).

Anyway, this lengthy introduction is not meant to bash Marvel, but rather to explain why there aren’t that many Marvel titles in these retro-reviews posts. That just wasn’t my preference then, and while I really like some of their characters, Marvel is still second in my own personal rankings. So, there really aren’t going to be many Marvel titles this far back in my collection. In an effort to make some small amends for that, here are a few Marvel comics I DO have.

The Amazing Spider-Man: The Death of Jean DeWolff tpb (Marvel Comics, 1990) — This collection written by Peter David and illustrated by Rich Buckler was originally published as Peter Parker, the Spectacular Spider-man #107-110 from 1985-86. I’ve never seen or read any of the other stories featuring Jean DeWolff, but this story makes me think of her as an early precursor to Maggie Sawyer over at DC (there I go again, relating it all to DC). DeWolff is a police captain appearing in a number of previous issues of Spider titles apparently. She was created by Peter David according to the forward in this collection, and though she hadn’t been around long, she was gaining fans. This story, obviously, kills her off. Apparently, that caused some furor at the time because of DeWolff’s popularity. Further angering her shocked fans, she doesn’t die at the end of the story in heroic battle or sacrificing herself to save another like so many characters in comics. She dies off-panel at the very beginning of the story. And it takes not just Spidey, but also Daredevil, to help unearth the true identity of her killer, at first only known as the enigmatic Sin-Eater. The story is a compelling one even if you’re not familiar with DeWolff, and features some nods to classic Spider-man history.

The Thing 33-36 (Marvel Comics, 1986) — These are the last four issues of Thing’s solo series, and in all honesty, I was a little disappointed in them, mostly because there is no final resolution. Obviously, Ben continues to be a character in the Marvel Universe. I didn’t expect them to kill him off, or even necessarily reunite him with the Fantastic Four, but this tale just leaves the reader hanging unless you want to go buy other books.

When last we checked in with Ben Grimm, he was wrestling in the newly formed Unlimited Class Wrestling Federation, and was only beginning to wonder where all of the extremely powerful brawlers in the UCWF had been coming from. Before this, all of the other wrestlers shown have been male. Issue #33 shows readers that there is, in fact, a female division, and the champion female UCWF wrestler wants to challenge her male counterpart, Thing. Along the way, we learn that Sharon, the woman Ben is currently interested in, is interested in joining the female UCWF and we again hear the mysterious name, the Power Broker, the individual responsible for powering up many of the competitors. Ben is concerned about Sharon’s plans and tries to stop her. Further complicating things is the fact that Sharon does not share Ben’s feelings.

Ben vows to finally check out this Power Broker person, but is side-tracked in Issue #34 by the appearance of the Sphinx, a villain from Marvel Two-In-One, and the re-appearance of the Puppet Master. Ben manages to make peace with the latter and defeats the former, but along the way, the dizzy spells he has been suffering from grow worse. These spells were first introduced a few issues before.

Issue #35 has Sharon going to the Power Broker, now revealed to be Dr. Malus, a villain I’m not familiar with. He augments volunteers for a price, but then manipulates them into doing his bidding. Unless of course, the aumentation process fails. Those poor, mutated souls are locked away in a dungeon. Sharon is successfully augmented, despite a change of heart on her part, and becomes the all-new Ms. Marvel, or at least a version of the character that I don’t remember seeing anywhere else, so I’m assuming hers was short-lived. She also meets a new friend, Army Lt. Michael Lynch, whose rank changes a couple times in the story, and the two instantly have chemistry. That added to the fact that Sharon has already gone to the Power Broker angers Ben, who storms the Power Broker’s lair only to find it abandoned. First, all of the other augmented wrestlers are against Ben and Sharon. But then, they all join forces to hunt Malus down. That is, until Ben starts to change.

The final issue has Sharon take Ben to the hospital, but of course, normal physicians have no clue what to do for the Thing. Ben continues to mutate painfully, a condition reported on in the news and attracting the attention of She-Hulk, Ben’s replacement in the FF. Shulkie travels to California to see what is up only to clash with the new Ms. Marvel, who thinks Ben wouldn’t want to see She-Hulk. Ben, who doesn’t want to see anybody, breaks out of the hospital and disappears. The end. A teaser on the last page says to check out West Coast Avengers #10 for more. Don’t have that book. If anybody knows for sure what happens after this to Thing, feel free to let me know. Most of the illustrations of Ben in this issue are vague, but a few seem to show some points, so I’m thinking maybe this is how he adopts the pointed rocky appearance he had for a while, but it seems like that happened in the 90s. A hint on the letters page also says he will soon be joining a team but doesn’t reveal what team. I wonder if this is when he does, ultimately, rejoin the FF, but again, I don’t know for sure. Little help?

And A Blind Man Shall Lead ...

Let’s talk some Daredevil for a bit today. I’ve seen some Daredevil comics from the previous Bendis/Maleev run, and I’m familiar with the overall story line: Daredevil has been outed as Matt Murdock by a tabloid, and the feds are pursuing possible charges against him for that; at the same time, DD has defeated Kingpin and set himself up as the replacement. But I haven’t followed every issue of the title until Ed Brubaker took over the writing chores. I liked what Brubaker had done with Gotham Central at DC and, more recently, Captain America at Marvel.

So, I’ve read the individual issues of The Devil in Cell Block D starting with #82 to now. These issues were very good, as we’ve discussed in some previous posts. And they served to make me curious about what came immediately before. So I recently purchased, and just read (all in one afternoon), the previous three Daredevil trades to catch up a bit. In all honesty, only one of these trades, the most recent one, really serves as a prequel to how Matt Murdock ended up in jail. The other two trades could almost occur at any time in DD’s past, but they were damn good stories.

Daredevil tpb 11: Golden Age (Marvel Comics) — This is a historical tale about the Kingpin of Crime who came to power before Wilson Fisk. The small-time hood rose to the big-time after killing a costumed hero, then was later brought down by a novice Daredevil. The current part of the story is this hood, Alexander Bont, as he is finally released from prison and goes about exacting his revenge on the man who put him away. It’s a very nice story with a lot of parallels between past and present events.

Daredevil tpb 12: Decalogue (Marvel Comics) — This collection is a very dark, demonic little tale that takes place entirely during an evening support group meeting where residents of Hell’s Kitchen have gathered to talk and share their common Daredevil experiences in light of recent events. What becomes clear as different people share their tales is that all these various people are linked to a common event which has put the red-garbed vigilante on the trail of one of them.

Daredevil tpb 13: The Murdock Papers (Marvel Comics) — This last collection depicts the actual capture and arrest of Matt Murdock as the incarcerated Wilson Fisk tries to make a deal with federal authorities for his own release in exchange for handing Daredevil over to them. The tale brings in various DD alums such as Black Widow, Elektra, Luke Cage, Iron Fist and Bullseye, among others.

Daredevil 89 (Marvel Comics) — And then this is the current issue. At the end of the Cell Block D arc, Matt escaped from prison with the help of Frank Castle, the Punisher. Matt is now on the run from authorities and trying to track down the killers of his friend, Foggy Nelson, who DD doesn’t know isn’t really dead. This issue takes him to Monaco.

Uncle Sam and the Freedom Fighters 3 (DC Comics) — The new Black Condor debuts as do a whole new team of characters with political jargon names. Father Time is still after Sam and the Freedom Fighters who left S.H.A.D.E. to assist Sam — the new versions of Doll Man, Human Bomb, Phantom Lady and Ray. And Firebrand, although he wasn’t part of S.H.A.D.E. First up is Chief Justice, Spin Doctor, Propaganda and First Strike. When they don’t fare so well, Father Time himself shows up. I want to like this series and these characters, but I find myself not caring that much about them.

The Trials of Shazam! 2 (DC Comics) — This book is going downhill fast for me, and I don’t think it will survive for all 12 issues. I’m not sure I really understand Billy’s new role or why it took over a year for this new manifestation of his powers to show itself — after all, in story, this is a One Year Later tale and Billy’s been in charge at the Rock of Eternity for that entire year. About the only thing I do understand is that he can no longer be Captain Marvel like he was, and that Freddy Freeman now must prove himself worthy of assuming that mantle.

Action Comics 843 (DC Comics) — Another great story; another placement headache. Story lines with lots of characters interacting usually are. This concludes the story line where an intergalactic “auctioneer” snags a whole bunch of Earth’s heroes. Superman, Nightwing, the new Aquaman, Firestorm, Skyrocket, Bluejay, the Veteran and Livewire lead the charge to free the others and stop the acquisitions. Very nice work.

Civil War: Front Line 6 (Marvel Comics) — This title continues to thrill and bore me. The Embedded and Accused story lines are incredible. The Sleeper Cell story added late in the series is OK, but not up to the standards of the other two. And the final installment in each issue just strikes me as pretentious. I get the symbolisms. Don’t beat me over the head with it so much.

Batman 657 (DC Comics) — This is the third installment of Batman and Son. Bruce brings Damian home to Gotham where the boy proceeds to use his assassin’s training on his rivals for his father’s affections. By the end of the issue, Damian has done something off-panel with Alfred and left Tim injured and bleeding in the cave while adopting parts of Jason’s enshrined costume and pronouncing himself the new Robin. Could he be any more his mother’s son?

Secret Six 4 (DC Comics) — This issue proves once again that this comic is a good one, but not nearly as good as its predecessor, Villains United. I can’t quite put my finger on what, but something is missing.

Supergirl and the Legion of Super-Heroes 22 (DC Comics) — What to say about this title? I’ve tried Legion titles before, stay with them awhile, then lose interest. The concept of this latest incarnation sounded quite good. Then they added Supergirl and it seemed to flounder a bit. Then it got good again. This issue wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t great.

Captain America 22 (Marvel Comics) — With this issue, Cap’s own title catches up with the events in Civil War. Cap is in hiding, and S.H.I.E.L.D. has decided to use Agent 13, Sharon Carter, Cap’s liaison and girlfriend, to trap him. And Sharon is torn: she truly believes Cap is wrong and that superhero registration, as the current law of the land, should be upheld, yet she doesn’t want to betray her lover. And hey, one of the villains, according to the last page, is Dr. Faustus; I don’t follow that many Marvel Comics on a regular basis, but I don’t think he’s been seen in quite a while. Good stuff.

JSA Classified 17 (DC Comics) — This first part of two focuses on Hourman, the original and his son, as they are forced to work side-by-side with Bane. This story posits that the basis of Bane’s former drug-of-choice, Venom, is originally based on Rex Tyler’s formula for Miraclo, the source of Hourman’s power. I’m not certain, but I think that idea has been used before, but this isn’t a bad tale, so far.

Jack of Fables 3 (DC Vertigo) — This book is just as funny as the original Fables, but decidedly wickedly so.

Justice League of America 3 (DC Comics) — OK, this book is starting to worry me. I want to like it. I really do. But the story is starting to seem severely disjointed. The triumvirate of Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman are shown still voting on the roster for the latest incarnation of the League, but they’re rehashing the same candidates as before. They vote on Nightwing in this issue after Batman and Wonder Woman shared a humorous exchange about Dick in the last issue. The first issue made it seem like the team had been formed and the voting was mere flashback, but this issue makes it seem like the current mission of Arsenal, Black Canary and Green Lantern know nothing about a new League. And the pacing seems to indicate that 12 issues is going to be waaaaay too long for this arc.

Stan Lee Meets Spider-Man 1 (Marvel Comics) — I was a little disappointed in this comic. It was a tad humorous, and I’m not sure exactly what I was expecting, but this was just not quite as good as I’d hoped. I’ve also ordered the Thing comic in this series. Maybe I’ll like it better.

Next post, we’re back to the past as this was the last of my current comics from my last shipment and the next hasn’t yet arrived. Until then, happy collecting, kiddie cops.

Give It A Try (Reprise)

I’ve already given my thoughts on trying new things — and not all that long ago — so I won’t rehash the entire thing again. Suffice to say, I think it’s good to try new stuff from time to time. You find some duds along the way, but the gems you uncover make the hobby worth it.

My latest “trial” yielded some quality moments in a rather odd-looking trade paperback, the collection of an initial four-issue series which is very soon to be followed up with another limited series. Based on this trade, the new series is going on my “pull list.”

The Perhapanauts: First Blood tpb (Dark Horse Comics) — Writer Todd Dezago and artists Craig Rousseau and Rico Renzi brought about this somewhat disjointed tale about a group of paranormal investigators working for the Bureau of Extra-Dimensional Liabilities and Management (BEDLAM). The organization tracks down unexplained phenomena, figures out why they/it/whatever is/are here and sends them/it/whatever back. There are two teams, red and blue, but our focus is primarily the five-member blue team which consists of a psychic, a mystery guy, a ghost, a mentally-enhanced sasquatch and a comic-relief Chupacabra. The characters are immediately likable, and they seem to be an accomplished, if slightly less than perfect, team. The story combines humor, drama, mystery and suspense in just the right measures to keep the reader entertained and wanting more.

The story begins with blue team taking on a chimera, then an aswang, along the way providing glimpses of the members of red team and the history of BEDLAM. As I said, the story is a tad disjointed at times, at least in the trade. Maybe the individual issues were presented somewhat differently. And the story presented in the trade really doesn’t end. But it is good enough — and fun enough — a story to make me anxious for the next limited series and willing to seek out more of this team.

Outsiders 40 (DC Comics) — Not a bad issue, but I’m still puzzling over why and how the team went “underground,” and especially how the Nightwing in this book fits in with his actions in his own title. Winick needs to delve into that territory soon as, from what I hear, this title is beginning to lose its readers. Most of the team was captured last issue by Mallah and the Brain. In this issue, Katana and a “piece” of Metamorpho help free them by setting loose a bad clone of Superman — bad as in poorly done, not evil, but then calling him good or evil is ascribing too much brain power to this behemoth. In the end, the Outsiders learn that Mallah and Brain are in cahoots with Dr. Sivanna.

Boneyard 22 (NBM) — The latest story line for this black & white Richard Moore comic involves a gathering of all the various nether-creatures on earth. Representing the graveyard, Abbey and Michael arrive in the hopes of staying on the good side of their host, the Illuminary. First they find Nessie and Ralph in attendance after Abbey specifically told them to stay home. Next they spy a couple more less-than-welcome guests, one of whom manages to spike the normally reserved Abbey’s drink causing her to act quite drunken and embarrassingly. Things do not look good. Oh, and back home at the cemetery, Glump has unleashed yet another death machine now out of his control — but what else is new. This is just a fun comic. If you aren’t reading it, you should be.

Justice League Unlimited 25 (DC Comics) — Another fine issue, this time focusing on Blue Devil.

52 Weeks 19-21 (DC Comics) — The first issue here raises the ideas of a new Booster Gold and Supernova being Superboy. And Lobo’s found religion?!? Then we see Steel acting the part of the hero once again in the next issue; that’s a welcome relief from his whining in previous appearances. That scene also leads to the beginnings of Steel uncovering Luthor’s agenda behind the Everyman Project. Supernova is seen rummaging through the Batcave, and the space stars are on the run again. The third issue here reveals more of Luthor’s hidden control over, as well as the death of, one of the Everyman heroes. The issue focuses mostly on those Everyman heroes, now called the new Infinity Inc. and a run-in with the current Titans roster, just before most of them quit. This title is just good stuff.

Martian Manhunter 2 (DC Comics) — J’Onn raids the secret government base from which the dead Martian escaped only to find several more captives being held and tortured. Many of the base’s personnel escape while J’Onn helps at least four refugees to freedom. I go back and forth on this series, but I am curious, so I’ll hang around a bit longer.

Captain America 21 (Marvel Comics) — This is the conclusion to the Twenty-First Century Blitz story line, and, in a way, a bit of a resolution to the entire series, so far. Cap and Bucky are reunited, albeit briefly; the stage is set for Bucky to “come in from the cold;” the Red Skull is “back;” and the other villain of the last few arcs, Lukin, has been cleared of suspicions. Ed Brubaker has been weaving some fantastic stories in this title, and Steve Epting’s art is gorgeous.

Aquaman: Sword of Atlantis 44 (DC Comics) — Our band of heroes moves in to rescue the captive Atlanteans and learns that the ultimate villain behind their enslavement is Ocean Master. I don’t dislike the new Aquaman, although I have several burning questions about his origin and ties to the original, but I still long to have the “real” Aquaman back. This issue’s confrontation between Ocean Master and young Arthur seems to have set the stage for old Arthur to regain his memory and lose the Dweller in the Depths moniker. I hope that’s the case.

Fables 53 (DC Vertigo) — Sons of Empire part 2 shows us the Adversary’s war council and reveals the plans the Snow Queen ultimately has for the mundy world — our world. They are truly chilling. This is another great title everyone should be reading.

Green Arrow 66 (DC Comics) — This issue begins to fill in the missing year and the new training Oliver and his companions went through. I’m interested in seeing this story, but from every indication, Winick isn’t going to answer all the questions I really have. His One Year Later story line has made it clear that Oliver, Conner and Mia went away to retrain and better themselves in much the way that Batman, Nightwing and Robin did. Winick’s story so far makes it obvious that part of that early time also involved Green Arrow healing from the life-threatening wounds he received just before OYL began. It doesn’t explain his healthy appearance in the final issues of Infinite Crisis unless the destruction of Star City came later, and also doesn’t address his appearance alongside other heroes at the attempted resurrection of Superboy in the pages of 52. He seemed pretty healthy then, too. What gives?

Superman 656 (DC Comics) — I like the methodology of Superman in this issue by Kurt Busiek. He has seen so many threats, it is unfortunately natural that he would begin to see a monstrous appearance as the only important indicators of a rampaging beast. Solution: stop it first and ask questions later. Then, once the Man of Steel learns that his adversary can reason and think, he immediately tries to reason. That makes sense to me. Superman is not without compassion, but he’s seen so many threats, he jumped the gun. Unfortunately, the damage has been done, and there is no reasoning with his sparring partner by the time Superman realizes that might have worked. In fact, the only thing I don’t like about this story line is the inclusion of Arion. I admit, I don’t know much about the character and have never followed his adventures before. But man, he’s a sanctimonious jackass in this tale.

Birds of Prey 98 (DC Comics) — OK, I admit it. I thought the new Batgirl was gonna be Barbara, just like Black Canary did. OK, obviously that was wrong, but she obviously does know Canary and Huntress, but I don’t know her. We’ve seen her face now, but who is she? Should we know at this point? I’m still confused. But at least I’m regaining my interest in this title again.

Checkmate 6 (DC Comics) — The Suicide Squad is back. The Society is obviously not happy about it. What I don’t understand is, are they back at Waller’s behest, in spite of Waller, some combination of both I haven’t worked out yet? But, whatever the motivations and who knows what, I am betting I’m supposed to be confused at this point, because that seems to be the style for this book.

Civil War 4 (Marvel Comics) — OK, as everyone probably already knows, Thor is NOT really back, but Reed and Tony cloned him. And the clone messed up in battle, killing Goliath. Some of Cap’s rebels are seeing this as a reason to get out before they are killed. Some of Iron Man’s troops are questioning how far they are willing to support him. Again, I like this series, and I don’t see how the Marvel Universe can be the same afterwards unless they Wanda (I doubt I coined a new term here; somebody’s used that before, right?) this whole thing away at the end. Too many heroes are acting unheroic right now.

Donald Duck and Friends 344 (Gemstone) — Curiously, the “and Friends” is gone from the title on the cover this issue, but it still appears in the Reader Services box, so I guess they aren’t changing the name. This issue features a new version of the Carl Barks classic Pawns of the Loup Garou.” Donald and a werewolf. How can you go wrong?

And I think we’ll call it an entry for today.

Return With Us Now To Those Thrilling Days Of Yesteryear ...

Those words are most likely familiar to fans of the Lone Ranger radio program, as well as to those of a more recent animated incarnation of “the masked rider of the plains.” And they seemed a fitting header for today’s post which leads off with a discussion of the most recent beginning for John Reid and his “faithful Indian companion, Tonto,” the newly-launched Dynamite Entertainment comic book.

Dynamite seems to be making a name for itself with the comebacks of a number of licensed properties from Red Sonja, Xena, Battlestar Galactica, Army of Darkness and others. Now, the Lone Ranger joins those ranks.

The Lone Ranger 1 (Dynamite Entertainment) — Overall, I’d have to say that this first issue, by Brett Matthews, Sergio Carriello and Dean White, is a solid start to what I hope will be a lengthy and spectacular run. I’ve always liked the Lone Ranger and Tonto, and while this isn’t a letter-perfect depiction of the character’s beginnings, it is a solid interpretation that is well worth a look.

Let me stress that I don’t profess to be an expert on the character or his history, but I have been a fan of the Lone Ranger for many years. I’ve heard recordings of some of the original radio broadcasts, I’ve seen most of the television incarnations, and many of the film adaptations. While the character’s brother, Dan Reid, has almost always been a part of the original story, I don’t remember any other incarnation making use of the boys’ father, also a fellow ranger here. But then, other characters have come and gone from time to time, including a nephew, Dan, on the radio shows and in some comic book versions. While new to the mythos, the boys’ father is a fine addition in this incarnation as he is used to show where young John Reid learns some of the early lessons that will later shape the ethics of the Lone Ranger.

Bryant’s Gap, the canyon where the six Texas Rangers are ambushed and left for dead, is not named in this tale, but again, that is nothing new, and an omission is not necessarily a mistake. Collins, the man who leads the rangers into the ambush, is also changed somewhat in this issue, but not in a way that changes the outcome. In most other versions of the tale, Collins was a tracker or a witness to crimes and escapes who leads, offers or is hired to lead the rangers to outlaws. Here, he is a thief himself being tracked by the rangers. But the essential part of the tale, that he leads the lawmen into a trap, remains intact.

And lastly, I have heard or read a very few re-tellings of this origin tale wherein the gang of outlaws, specifically their leader, remains unnamed, but in most all renditions, the outlaw gang is named for and led by Butch Cavendish. In this tale, the man seems to be named Julius Bartholomew, aka Black Bart. I’m not sure why this change, or if maybe their is precedent for the name, but for me, both these names are merely aliases for Cavendish.

Otherwise, as far as I can tell, this first issue is a solid re-telling of the tale of six Texas Rangers led into an ambush, all slaughtered except for one man, a man with an East Coast education as well as his Texas sense of justice, who manages to survive the attack through the timely intervention of a lone Indian who nurses him back to health. It’s a good story, well worth a look.

Another header considered for today’s post was “Everything Old Is New Again” as we have a number of first issue relaunches besides the Lone Ranger. So, moving along ...

Mystery In Space 1 (DC Comics) — I’ve never really followed the adventures of Captain Comet, the main star of this series. I remember seeing his cameos in the original Crisis, and he played a role in Infinite Crisis, as well, so I was curious. Still am after reading this first issue, which is what I assume Jim Starlin, Shane Davis, Matt Banning and Al Milgrom — the creators — had in mind. In the first of this eight-issue series, we see Captain Comet die and be reborn, along the way, rebooting another character, the Weird, from a previous DC event. I’m intrigued enough to stick with this series to see what is going on.

The Trials of Shazam! 1 (DC Comics) — This is another relaunch following Infinite Crisis and the Spectre’s destruction of all magic. Apparently magic still exists in the DC Universe, something we’re also learning about in the pages of 52, but the rules have changed. One such change is that Billy Batson is now the resident at the Rock of Eternity and the wizard, Shazam, is dead. I’m curious enough, and this issue was good enough to bring me back for more, but I don’t know much at all yet.

Agents of Atlas 2 (Marvel Comics) — Still liking the combination of superheroics and spy elements in this story bringing back a number of old Atlas characters by Jeff Parker, Leonard Kirk and Kris Justice. If the quality on this book keeps up, I’d like to see this as an ongoing.

Action Comics 842 (DC Comics) — Continuing the tale of intergalactic traders discovering several bit of merchandise on earth, attempting to acquire them, coming across superheroes for their trouble, and deciding to take possession of said heroes, too. Not a bad Superman tale by Kurt Busiek, Fabian Nicieza and Pete Woods, and the addition of several other heroes only adds to the appeal.

52 Week Eighteen (DC Comics) — I mentioned this series in the Shazam blurb. In this issue, the Croatoans (who the hell are they?!?) gather, as they do every so often, apparently, and discover that one of their number has been liquified after finding the helmet of Dr. Fate. Elongated Man, one of the Croatoans, believes the helmet is speaking to him, but the others don’t hear it. Is he still not quite right in the head, or is this more magic rebooted? And if the helmet IS talking to him about the reordering of magic, is this when and why Aquaman was changed? (That sure looks like him on page 16 sprouting tentacles.) Oh, and Montoya and the Question decide to join forces with Black Adam?!?

Nightwing 124 (DC Comics) — This was an odd tale, but then this whole arc by Bruce Jones has been odd. I can’t quite make up my mind about it as there were things that I hated (so many transitions seemed disjointed and jarring) and things I liked (the inclusion of Jason Todd — the idea if not the execution). I may have to let these issues sit a while, then re-read them to decide. The best thing I can say about this issue now is, next issue starts the Marv Wolfman/Dan Jurgens run. Yay!

The All-New Atom 3 (DC Comics) — I am hemorrhaging interest in this book fast. Not sure quite why. I love Gail Simone’s work on other titles. Just not really caring about these people or this town at all.

OMAC 3 (DC Comics) — Not too sure about this title right now. It’s a limited series, so I may stick with it since I started, but I’m not sure I care anymore about this one.

Detective Comics 823 (DC Comics) — Paul Dini does it again. The animated series proved that he “gets” the character of Batman. And there are subtle similarities between his writing on this series and the show. But these books are exploring themes a little darker than even the show did. With Poison Ivy’s portrayal over the years, it is clear she cares little for or about people. This issue takes that to the next level, and goes to town with the resulting concept. Wow!

Give It A Try — What Can It Hurt?

One of the nice things about this hobby is the variety of subject matter out there, and I like to try new titles and genres from time to time. Sure, you end up spending a little money on something you might not like so much; just like paying to see a movie or play and then being disappointed in it for whatever reason. But every now and then, you find a gem that makes the small risk all worth it; something you would have missed if not for taking the chance. If you don’t already do this, I highly recommend it once in a while.

Several months ago, I heard about AK Comics, a small company producing superhero comics, but with Middle Eastern settings and characters. The concept of the familiar-style heroes done in and by another culture sounded interesting to me, so I read some more. Apparently the company is a couple years old and has already been publishing their line in the Middle East. They are just now bringing the comics to the U.S.

I decided to give them a try, just to see how different they were, how good, if I liked them. Unfortunately, by the time I’d heard of them, it was too late to order the first issue of their four titles. I figured, hey, the first issue would be nice, but I’m just trying them out, so I’ll take what I can get and worry about the first issues later, if I like what I read. So I ordered the fourth issues of Aya, Jalila, Rakan and Zein, all of which arrived with my most recent shipment of new comics.

My initial reactions are somewhat mixed, but I am interested enough to try some more. The art on all four titles is somewhat more cartoony than I would have expected from the covers. Most of the color interiors are along the lines of Justice League Unlimited or something similar. All of the characters are set slightly in a “post-apocalyptic future” that doesn’t look that much different from today to me so far. Rakan is set in the past. In these particular issues, Aya and Jalila, both female leads, were obviously part of ongoing stories, while Rakan and Zein, both males, were stand-alone stories, a little more satisfying in a trial issue. If I had to pick a favorite of the four right now, it would probably be Zein. A least favorite so far would by Aya. The one I most want to like would be Jalila. For a little more information, read on.

Aya, Princess of Darkness 4 (AK Comics) — This young woman, Rania, is a skilled fighter with a quick mind, but no actual powers — think Batgirl or a non-sonic Black Canary. She takes direction from a benefactor, Number Zero, who supplies her with information and targets, then works to bring them to justice. A new power has moved in and has been killing off rival gang bosses in an effort to take control of crime in Aya’s city. She tries to intervene and prevent the slayings of two crime bosses, but fails each time against the assassin, One Bullet. Still, she is deemed a threat, and the mastermind threatens to add three other costumed assassins to One Bullet in an effort to slay Aya in the next issue.

Jalila, Protector of the City of All Faiths 4 (AK Comics) — Ansam is a nuclear scientist who also possesses a radiation suit designed by her parents which helps her focus her powers into electrical radiation blasts of varying intensity. This issue begins after Jalila has been captured by an enemy. She revives and escapes by burning her guards, telling them, “ Don’t worry about those radiation burns on your necks — they’ll go away in about a year! In the meantime, stay out of trouble or the next burn marks will be permanent!” Much of the rest of the issue alternates between Jalila trying to determine what the bad guys are planning, and checking up on her two brothers, one of whom has unknowingly gotten mixed up with the villains.

Rakan, the Lone Warrior 4 (AK Comics) — For this character, think Conan in Egypt. The young child was part of a nomadic tribe slaughtered by barbarians. Little Rakan, the lone survivor, was taken in and raised by a sabertooth cat. Raised in this environment, next to his brother sabertooth, Arameh, the young man grew to adulthood. Upon leaving the sabertooths, he met a mystic leader in a hidden oasis. This man taught Rakan to fight, and in exchange, Rakan now wandres the desert searching for the man’s kidnapped daughter. In this issue, Rakan and Arameh come across the aftermath of a fierce battle. Rakan rescues a single female captive still alive, and at her urging, takes her to the nearest kingdom where she says she was sent on a peace mission. Once in the kingdom, however, Rakan finds things not as he expected.

Zein, the Last Pharaoh 4 (AK Comics) — Zein, like Aya and Jalila, typically takes place in the future. However, the character is supposed to be almost immortal, having been born in 14,000 B.C., and this tale takes place in 1889, during the British occupation of Zein’s homeland. At this time, Zein maintains a secret identity of Dr. Kabil, a trainee of the British Dr. Livingston. Livingston is a decent man, not prone to looking down upon the natives as many of his countrymen do, but in his efforts to help the natives, he unwittingly unleashes a powerful monstrosity which Zein must dispatch.

Cobb: Off the Leash 1-3 (IDW Publishing) — This tale, written by manly Beau Smith and illustrated by Eduardo Barreto, is a straight-forward action flick in comic form. Cobb is a former Secret Service agent with a penchant for getting into trouble. He opts to go work with his former friend and mentor as a private investigator just as a Russian mobster’s wife tries to run away and seeks help staying hidden from her husband. Of course, she seeks help from Cobb and his new partner. Of course, the bad guys follow her. Of course, mayhem ensues. This is the kind of testosterone action Smith specializes in, and he does it well.

Impossible Tales 1 ( After Hours Press) — I’m always on the lookout for some off-beat sci-fi, time-travel or alternate reality tale, and that’s what this two-parter seemed to promise. Too bad the execution on this comic didn’t quite live up to the promises made in the promos. The story isn’t that complicated, but the flow from panel to panel is not as smooth, sometimes, as it should be.

52 Week 17 (DC Comics) — We drop in on Luthor’s new team of “heroes” and witness Red Tornado’s latest rebirth briefly, but the bulk of this issue is devoted to the space-faring heroes in their efforts to return home. Instead, they run into Lobo. This issue was a little disappointing, but then, I don’t much care for Lobo, so .....

Teen Titans 38-39 (DC Comics) — These two books kick off Titans Around the World in which Robin, Wonder Girl, Cyborg, Ravager and Kid Devil track Raven, trying to find her and uncover a possible traitor. The idea is to introduce us to the various new characters who served as Titans during the missing year, as the current team retraces Raven’s steps in visiting several of these past members. The problem is, since we readers don’t know these new “old” characters, it’s a little hard to care what happens to them. We meet Miss Martian and Zatara, and I am curious if she’s green or white or what, but otherwise, meh. Then we get to the characters we HAVE seen before. Initially, it was good to see Red Star again, but he seems to not be doing so well since the deaths of Wildebeast and Pantha, which is understandable. And what is up with Risk? He’s an almost homeless thief? What the hell?!? I’m sticking around for more, but almost out of morbid curiosity than enjoyment.

Dang, am I being overly critical of my comics lately? Seems like more of my reviews are coming up minuses of late. Hmmm .....

Making Sense Of Division

Bear with me; I haven’t changed my focus to mathematics on you. The division I’m referring to is the split in the ranks of the various Marvel superheroes. For the most part, Civil War (at least through issue #3) hasn’t been bad, although I see no way that “the Marvel Powers That Be” can make anyone see Tony Stark as a hero again. But a minor quibble I’ve had is a disagreement with the side chosen by some of the various characters as depicted in the main series.

Now, at it’s best, a major crossover event like this one should have all of the basic story elements present in the main title, but give the reader some extra insights in the various tie-in issues. Let’s face it, that doesn’t always happen. Quite often, the various tie-ins add nothing to the overall story. Not so with the issues that are leading off today’s discussion, kiddie-cops.

The Amazing Spider-Man 534 (Marvel Comics) — Jennifer Walters loves the law. Sure she’s been shown as a rebel at times, but she’s an attorney, for crying out loud. Her support of the law of the land makes a certain sense. Ms. Marvel has a military background. She’s used to following orders and a chain of command. No surprise she’s on the side of the government. Not so Spidey. He’s the basic everyman. The down-on-his-luck, anti-establishment-because-the-man-keeps-him-down guy. Now the main Civil War title has given us some insights into how Iron Man is manipulating Spidey somewhat, but this issue paints that betrayal very clearly, as well as showing us some of the moral qualms Spidey is suffering going against heroes like Captain America. This was a good read and added to the overall story nicely.

Fantastic Four 538-539 (Marvel Comics) — These issues highlight the thoughts of yet another puzzler for me: the Thing. Ben has been seen on the periphery of some of the events in the main Civil War title, seemingly siding with Iron Man’s pro-registration forces. That seems out of character for him to me. Issue 538 shows some of the internal strife pulling at the various members of Marvel’s first family: Reed is very much pro-registration; Sue is very anti-registration; Johnny’s in a coma; and Ben is conflicted.

The events set up in issue 538 explode in #539 when the prisoner transfer and Captain America’s sneak attack clash. I bought these FF and Spidey issues based on a review I read by Tony Isabella, and I’m glad I did. Like the Spider-Man issue, these books give some insights, especially into Ben wrestling with what to do. Then the two groups of heroes clash on Yancy Street and the leader of the Yancy Street Gang is accidentally killed — collateral damage. Enter Benjamin J. Grimm — the ever-lovin’ blue-eyed Thing — flipping one of the prisoner transports between the combatants, forcing them to stop for a moment and look around at the carnage they — these so-called heroes — have caused. At this moment Ben becomes the simple voice of reason, showing that neither side is completely blameless, all share some responsibility for the damage and death they are causing by their “war.” I have never been more proud of a hero than when Ben moves forward, carrying the body of the dead young man, and says, “ I barely knew him. But he had parents, he had a life, he had a future ... and you took all of that away from him! Don’t you see what you’re doing? Don’t you see that you’re tearing apart everything that makes this place worth fighting for?”

And then he blows it.

Each side responds by saying they are trying to stop the fighting, the loss, the insanity, and they just need Ben on their side to win and set things right. Don’t get me wrong; I’m not sure what Ben should or can do at this point that would be the right thing. Picking a side and joining in will only start the senseless fighting up again. But simply turning away and leaving — not just from this street or this battle, but from the country, abandoning it to its fate — seems wrong, too.

So, I’m a little disappointed in Ben. But stepping back a bit, this comic made me think. It made me feel. This is why I read comics. They’re fun entertainment, and every once in a while, like with any other medium, the stories and pictures, the characters, speak to you and make you think.

Now, for a couple other, somewhat shorter reviews:

Flash 4 (DC Comics) — I’d already dropped this book from my advance orders based on the first couple issues. This was the last issue that I had pre-ordered before seeing issue number one. I’m not saying this is a bad comic, but it’s just not for me. I found Impulse to be annoying when he was first created. The character grew on me somewhat under the creative hands of Peter David and Todd Nauck in the pages of Young Justice. I even liked him as a slightly more serious new Kid Flash in the modern Teen Titans. But this suddenly adult Bart Allen just does nothing for me. There’s no emotional attachment for me to the character in these pages.

Fallen Angel 8 (IDW Publishing) — Another solid issue of this title. I purchased the original Sachs and Violens series based on George Perez’s art. Those two characters are a nice fit with the other denizens of Bete Noire. I just hope Violens isn’t really dead. Otherwise, Jubal is taking to his job as magistrate better than I expected, and new villain Siroco is intriquing. Hey, I just noticed the title character wasn’t even in this issue.

Uncle Sam and the Freedom Fighters 2 (DC Comics) — As much as I didn’t like Battle for Bludhaven (There were just too many new characters for most of them to be developed much, and the pre-existing characters were unrecognizable.), that’s how much better this series is. Uncle Sam is a great character, and while some of the other re-imagined Freedom Fighters are not very likable people, this title shows promise.

Nightwolf: The Price 1-2 (Devil’s Due Publishing) — Apparently I have missed some earlier books in this series as there has obviously been some history before these issues. And there are some moments where the story seems to jump a bit, forcing the reader to figure out a transition which should be more seemless. But overall, these issues were a good read. A young Man named Davey Doyle is turned into a werewolf and slays his parents and sister. In an effort to atone for this, he creates Nightwolf, an anti-heroic persona who targets evil-doers. This series starts out as Davey tries to direct his wolf form against a street pimp, but slays a cop instead, albiet a possibly crooked cop. I’m interested enough to seek out more of these issues.

And, I think that’s enough for today. As always, feel free to chime in with comments if you agree or disagree, and thanks for reading, kiddie-cops.