Thursday, January 27, 2011
Comics Message Board
For folks who enjoy message boards (I'm kinda overdosed on them), there's a new one. Not much activity yet, but it is fairly new.
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Wednesday Already?
And yet, the one comic I've been eager to read will be in later this week: Detective 873. Argh. Now that Dick Grayson is the Gotham City Batman, the Bat books (most of them) have become must-reads.
Ah well.
Otherwise, it was a slow week.
Aside from the nice cover on Green Arrow 8, nothing much happened. Oh sure, some friends of Ollie showed up: Mr. Terrific, Jason Blood and the now separate from him Etrigan, Doctor Mid-Nite... even Lois Lane appeared in the opening sequence. And at the end, Phantom Stranger appears. And yet, nothing happened, other than the usual misunderstandings, confusion over the forest that's growing(!), and we see a hint of some trauma behind Galahad's psychosis or whatever his problem. And while I accepted the mystical elements to the forest, I'm not happy with the book losing its realistic edge. Because Ollie has been, for a very long time, rooted in a non-mystical, non-magic realm. Magic might happen around him, or he might be involved in a mystical adventure, but for it to be the core of the book, as it seems to be now, is somewhat unsettling. Which leads me to wonder why he can't dig up Lian's body and bring her to the forest... oops, probably too late for her. What about a Lazerous Pit? Dick tried that with Bruce, but it wasn't Bruce's body, so of course it didn't work? But maybe Lian?
See, my mind is wandering. Not good if a book wants to hold my attention. Can we get back to the intrigue at Queen Industries, please?
I can get my mystical fix with Zatanna. Issue 9 was fun. Along with the next chapter with the evil puppet who isn't really evil, maybe, we got a backup flashback to Zee's teens when she got braces! Jamal Igle (inked by Robin Riggs) makes his Zatanna debut and the art is nice, though it was hard to tell at times if Zee was a teen or older in some panels. On the second page, for ex, when she's leaving the dentist's office, she looks rather old. I think coloring her hair blacker would've helped, because at times, it looks like older woman gray. On the main story, Cliff Chiang's art was appropriately creepy for the puppet. Nice cover, too.
Ah well.
Otherwise, it was a slow week.
Aside from the nice cover on Green Arrow 8, nothing much happened. Oh sure, some friends of Ollie showed up: Mr. Terrific, Jason Blood and the now separate from him Etrigan, Doctor Mid-Nite... even Lois Lane appeared in the opening sequence. And at the end, Phantom Stranger appears. And yet, nothing happened, other than the usual misunderstandings, confusion over the forest that's growing(!), and we see a hint of some trauma behind Galahad's psychosis or whatever his problem. And while I accepted the mystical elements to the forest, I'm not happy with the book losing its realistic edge. Because Ollie has been, for a very long time, rooted in a non-mystical, non-magic realm. Magic might happen around him, or he might be involved in a mystical adventure, but for it to be the core of the book, as it seems to be now, is somewhat unsettling. Which leads me to wonder why he can't dig up Lian's body and bring her to the forest... oops, probably too late for her. What about a Lazerous Pit? Dick tried that with Bruce, but it wasn't Bruce's body, so of course it didn't work? But maybe Lian?
See, my mind is wandering. Not good if a book wants to hold my attention. Can we get back to the intrigue at Queen Industries, please?
I can get my mystical fix with Zatanna. Issue 9 was fun. Along with the next chapter with the evil puppet who isn't really evil, maybe, we got a backup flashback to Zee's teens when she got braces! Jamal Igle (inked by Robin Riggs) makes his Zatanna debut and the art is nice, though it was hard to tell at times if Zee was a teen or older in some panels. On the second page, for ex, when she's leaving the dentist's office, she looks rather old. I think coloring her hair blacker would've helped, because at times, it looks like older woman gray. On the main story, Cliff Chiang's art was appropriately creepy for the puppet. Nice cover, too.
In the Spirit
Will Eisner's The Spirit
Part of DC's First Wave series. While not as awesome as Darwyn Cooke's 12 issues of sheer Spirit delight, this is much better than what Cooke's successors did with the short-lived book in its most recent incarnation. Where Cooke maintained a perfect balance of mood, madness, humor, and seriousness, Mark Schultz and then David Hine, along with more realistic art from Moritat, presents a more serious Spirit, although not as dark as the Doc Savage title in the series. The cast so far is pared down, with Dolan and his daughter Ellen, plus a young woman (Ebony White) and a group of kids who feed The Spirit information. The authors have played nicely off the rumor that The Spirit died once and can't be killed again. So far, I'm really enjoying this. I hope the quality is maintained this time around, because even the best talents don't always seem to know how to write for this character. When he's played too much for laughs, he becomes a caricature instead of a character (fun or not). So far, this new take on him is hitting the right tone, and the January white background cover is nifty.s
Part of DC's First Wave series. While not as awesome as Darwyn Cooke's 12 issues of sheer Spirit delight, this is much better than what Cooke's successors did with the short-lived book in its most recent incarnation. Where Cooke maintained a perfect balance of mood, madness, humor, and seriousness, Mark Schultz and then David Hine, along with more realistic art from Moritat, presents a more serious Spirit, although not as dark as the Doc Savage title in the series. The cast so far is pared down, with Dolan and his daughter Ellen, plus a young woman (Ebony White) and a group of kids who feed The Spirit information. The authors have played nicely off the rumor that The Spirit died once and can't be killed again. So far, I'm really enjoying this. I hope the quality is maintained this time around, because even the best talents don't always seem to know how to write for this character. When he's played too much for laughs, he becomes a caricature instead of a character (fun or not). So far, this new take on him is hitting the right tone, and the January white background cover is nifty.s
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
What Do I Read Next
Next up is the new Spirit, part of the First Wave books. After that, I thought I would leave it up to you, which will let you determine the order of my next batch of reviews (not counting current comics). The voting will determine the order I read the following comics: Wildcats, Unwritten, Jack of Fables, and Madame Xanadu. I'm seriously behind in all four. There's a clicky poll in the sidebar, so please click for your favorite. One vote per person, so I hope more than a few people participate. Thanks.
Doc Savage
Doc Savage is part of the First Wave universe at DC and his is a testosterone-filled realm. Which doesn't bother me as such and Doc's female cousin Pat, a newswoman, does show up for a bit. Doc is Mister-Can-Do-Anything. He's a doctor, an inventor, a warrior, a perfect physical specimen, a... well, you get the point. But he does sometimes make mistakes, so he isn't perfect. Whew! He is human, after all.
His team are an interesting lot, but much as I like the art, it isn't always easy to tell some of the team members apart. The stories have been over the top, but entertaining enough to keep me reading, for now. I thought the diversity in the First Wave mini made for a better book, though. The tone in First Wave was very noir, and it's noirish here, too, but more adventure, too. The second storyline is focused around a war theme and a fallen comrade who isn't dead, after all.
But the book is worth it for the backup feature, Justice, Inc. I had doubted I'd like that, but it's turned out to be superior, in my opinion, than the lead feature. Justice, Inc. focuses on The Avenger/Richard Benson, a wealthy man who lives in squalor and runs Justice, Inc. They take cases of desperation and Benson has one hard and fast rule. No killing unless absolutely necessary. Yet these people are no angels, and it's the moral ambiguity that makes this a compelling read. I'm not the biggest fan of noir, but I do enjoy it when done right, and while this might not follow all the tenets of noir (I'm no expert), it does entertain and pose questions while exploring the underbelly of a city and the inner psyche of the damaged and the desperate members of society. Plus, I like Scott Hampton's art, which suits this feature as much as it did the creepy Simon Dark a year or so ago.
Next up: the new Spirit.
His team are an interesting lot, but much as I like the art, it isn't always easy to tell some of the team members apart. The stories have been over the top, but entertaining enough to keep me reading, for now. I thought the diversity in the First Wave mini made for a better book, though. The tone in First Wave was very noir, and it's noirish here, too, but more adventure, too. The second storyline is focused around a war theme and a fallen comrade who isn't dead, after all.
But the book is worth it for the backup feature, Justice, Inc. I had doubted I'd like that, but it's turned out to be superior, in my opinion, than the lead feature. Justice, Inc. focuses on The Avenger/Richard Benson, a wealthy man who lives in squalor and runs Justice, Inc. They take cases of desperation and Benson has one hard and fast rule. No killing unless absolutely necessary. Yet these people are no angels, and it's the moral ambiguity that makes this a compelling read. I'm not the biggest fan of noir, but I do enjoy it when done right, and while this might not follow all the tenets of noir (I'm no expert), it does entertain and pose questions while exploring the underbelly of a city and the inner psyche of the damaged and the desperate members of society. Plus, I like Scott Hampton's art, which suits this feature as much as it did the creepy Simon Dark a year or so ago.
Next up: the new Spirit.
Monday, January 24, 2011
Manhunter in JSA
I haven't been reading JSA/Justice Society of America for a while, not since they split the team into two books. But I do read the solicits and the news items and this sure caught my eye. Now, I love Kate Spencer/Manhunter, but even she's not enough to get me to read the book now. And I haven't read anything the goings on with the JSA so far to change my mind. But what caught my attention was the butt shot.
Sure, she's wearing out costume, but c'mon, look at her. She's squatting and there's nothing wrong with the pose, per se, but I'd rather see some sexy (while being anatomically correct) pose, even some of Power Girl's cleavage, than this ugly image.
In the rest of the preview pages/panels, she looks fine. But her huge ass that seems to be straining to break free of her costume... I dunno. Maybe it's just me, but I think I'll be haunted by that image for a while.
Sure, she's wearing out costume, but c'mon, look at her. She's squatting and there's nothing wrong with the pose, per se, but I'd rather see some sexy (while being anatomically correct) pose, even some of Power Girl's cleavage, than this ugly image.
In the rest of the preview pages/panels, she looks fine. But her huge ass that seems to be straining to break free of her costume... I dunno. Maybe it's just me, but I think I'll be haunted by that image for a while.
From Brightest Day to Supergirl
I finally got last week's comics, so I took a break from catching up to read some of them.
Brightest Day 18
Aside from picky little things, like Boston Brand looking far younger than he should (or has it been retconned that he was young when he was killed), I'm really enjoying this. Carol has developed into a hero in her own right and an independent woman who doesn't need Green Lantern or Hal Jordan to be relevant. The cover with the Hawks is lovely and much as I enjoyed Kendra and wish she hadn't died, this is the Hawkgirl I grew up with and love, so seeing the curse broken was wonderful, but as things go in the DCU, it looks like things were better for them under that damned curse. And am I the only one worried about Boston's grandfather being left on his own somewhere while Boston disappears under the control of the White Lantern Ring? Lovely art, too.
Batman: Streets of Gotham 19
The Joker on the white background cover works well here. Hush is particularly annoying, and as this is a Bruce/Batman story, not one with Dick, my interest waned a bit. But still, a solid chapter.
Batman 706
What a great cover! Dick looks awesome. It never fails to get to me how big and muscular and powerful he looks by himself as Batman, but still, next to Bruce as Batman, not so much. Tony Daniel's double duty on story and art didn't detract from either, and I love Damian needing to come to Dick's aid. It's not as if Bruce never needed help from Dick/Robin, but I hope Dick needing help to get out of nasty fixes doesn't become a trend. He's earned the right to be Batman of Gotham City and I don't want that to look like a mistake.
Supergirl 60
Given the poor start to this book and how vapid Kara was, it's nice to see it reach its 60th issue and in fine form. The storytelling isn't as tight as under Gates, but it didn't suck, so that's a plus. But it's hard enough to follow two alternating plot threads, but three was a bit much. Chang's art is also nice, though not nearly as good as Igle's. But it's easy on the eyes, and the coloring really helped. The overtones of The Social Network were fun and chilling at the same time. So, while I'm not thrilled to have a new team on the book, I still have reason to read it.
Brightest Day 18
Aside from picky little things, like Boston Brand looking far younger than he should (or has it been retconned that he was young when he was killed), I'm really enjoying this. Carol has developed into a hero in her own right and an independent woman who doesn't need Green Lantern or Hal Jordan to be relevant. The cover with the Hawks is lovely and much as I enjoyed Kendra and wish she hadn't died, this is the Hawkgirl I grew up with and love, so seeing the curse broken was wonderful, but as things go in the DCU, it looks like things were better for them under that damned curse. And am I the only one worried about Boston's grandfather being left on his own somewhere while Boston disappears under the control of the White Lantern Ring? Lovely art, too.
Batman: Streets of Gotham 19
The Joker on the white background cover works well here. Hush is particularly annoying, and as this is a Bruce/Batman story, not one with Dick, my interest waned a bit. But still, a solid chapter.
Batman 706
What a great cover! Dick looks awesome. It never fails to get to me how big and muscular and powerful he looks by himself as Batman, but still, next to Bruce as Batman, not so much. Tony Daniel's double duty on story and art didn't detract from either, and I love Damian needing to come to Dick's aid. It's not as if Bruce never needed help from Dick/Robin, but I hope Dick needing help to get out of nasty fixes doesn't become a trend. He's earned the right to be Batman of Gotham City and I don't want that to look like a mistake.
Supergirl 60
Given the poor start to this book and how vapid Kara was, it's nice to see it reach its 60th issue and in fine form. The storytelling isn't as tight as under Gates, but it didn't suck, so that's a plus. But it's hard enough to follow two alternating plot threads, but three was a bit much. Chang's art is also nice, though not nearly as good as Igle's. But it's easy on the eyes, and the coloring really helped. The overtones of The Social Network were fun and chilling at the same time. So, while I'm not thrilled to have a new team on the book, I still have reason to read it.
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Legacies, Freedom Fighters, and First Wave
I really can't explain how I got this far behind. No, wait. I can. Facebook games! Specifically, Frontierville and now Cityville. Plus being too tired after work to read. Plus having a gazillion other things to do and falling behind on them, too.
So, yesterday, I got caught up with three more books.
Legacies is not quite what I'd expected. I like the storyline of the narrator. I hadn't realized that would be the framing device and I like how Len Wein is weaving the man's love of costumed crimefighters with both his own life and the world around him. Nicely done. The art has been good and in some instances, superb. The choice of art style for each issue really fits the time frame.
The main thing I wasn't prepared for is that this isn't really the true history because it's told through the view of a human cop, from boyhood through adulthood, who isn't/wasn't privy to all the nuances and events. This is history based on the post-Crisis DCU, so while Crisis happened, it didn't happen the way it did originally and it didn't collapse the multiverse, which didn't exist in the new consciousness. Therefore, the JSA/Golden Age characters are now not from another Earth, but from the past of the one Earth. Apparently, that means there was no Supergirl so we don't get her death and how it affected Superman. That for me was the most glaring absence, but it didn't ruin my enjoyment of what I've read so far.
Freedom Fighters is somehow more complex and intricately plotted than the preceding limited series from Palmiotti and Gray, and as scary conspiracy-wise. There's a lot going on here and we've been left in a real cliffhanger.
I'd really been looking forward to reading the First Wave books, thanks to the great introduction in Batman/Doc Savage. Of all the DCU characters, Batman is perhaps best suited for this new realm, especially a younger, less experienced Batman who uses guns and is still finding his way to really being a hero. Background comes out gradually in the stories, and I'm enjoying the process of discovery along with the adventure. The First Wave opening arc is a long one, featuring The Bat Man, Doc Savage, The Spirit, and a bunch of supporting characters who may or may not be all that trustworthy. And how can I not be excited by a book with a version of Rima the Jungle Girl!
I'm now eagerly awaiting the concluding chapter to this complex, densely plotted story. The art has been amazing. Rags Morales is at the top of his game here, and while I prefer the art on the issues he did by himself, Rick Bryant's inking on the others is just fine.
So, yesterday, I got caught up with three more books.
Legacies is not quite what I'd expected. I like the storyline of the narrator. I hadn't realized that would be the framing device and I like how Len Wein is weaving the man's love of costumed crimefighters with both his own life and the world around him. Nicely done. The art has been good and in some instances, superb. The choice of art style for each issue really fits the time frame.
The main thing I wasn't prepared for is that this isn't really the true history because it's told through the view of a human cop, from boyhood through adulthood, who isn't/wasn't privy to all the nuances and events. This is history based on the post-Crisis DCU, so while Crisis happened, it didn't happen the way it did originally and it didn't collapse the multiverse, which didn't exist in the new consciousness. Therefore, the JSA/Golden Age characters are now not from another Earth, but from the past of the one Earth. Apparently, that means there was no Supergirl so we don't get her death and how it affected Superman. That for me was the most glaring absence, but it didn't ruin my enjoyment of what I've read so far.
Freedom Fighters is somehow more complex and intricately plotted than the preceding limited series from Palmiotti and Gray, and as scary conspiracy-wise. There's a lot going on here and we've been left in a real cliffhanger.
I'd really been looking forward to reading the First Wave books, thanks to the great introduction in Batman/Doc Savage. Of all the DCU characters, Batman is perhaps best suited for this new realm, especially a younger, less experienced Batman who uses guns and is still finding his way to really being a hero. Background comes out gradually in the stories, and I'm enjoying the process of discovery along with the adventure. The First Wave opening arc is a long one, featuring The Bat Man, Doc Savage, The Spirit, and a bunch of supporting characters who may or may not be all that trustworthy. And how can I not be excited by a book with a version of Rima the Jungle Girl!
I'm now eagerly awaiting the concluding chapter to this complex, densely plotted story. The art has been amazing. Rags Morales is at the top of his game here, and while I prefer the art on the issues he did by himself, Rick Bryant's inking on the others is just fine.
Saturday, January 22, 2011
Getting a Boost in Catching Up
I'm now caught up with Booster Gold. I loved how Jurgens ended his run and the whole tone of this book, until issue 32 when Giffen and DeMatteis took over. Before anyone jumps on me for not liking what they've been doing with the book, keep in mind that I hadn't been reading comics except Titans from 1985 (when Supergirl was killed) until 1991, when I finally dropped Titans, and then read no comics until 1995, when I slowly started again, first with non-DC titles, plus Nightwing, the Arsenal one-shots and mini. So, I never read Justice League International and Booster was a new character to me when I read the story with Max Lord killing Ted Kord. I had to rely on what was in that story and the following ones as to who/what Booster is and I came to really love him as a character, but for me, he was never the buffoon he was in JLI, because Ted's death had a profound effect on him, clearly, and that was the character I fell in love with. And while I don't mind the occasional flashback story -- and really, in a time-traveling book like this, of course, there will be flashbacks to the more carefree JLI days -- I don't like the whole tone that Giffen and DeMatteis have brought to the book.
It was funny at first, but after a page or two, the jokes got old and tedious. I got tired of the bickering between Michael and Michelle. Sure, siblings bicker, but really, do we need panel after panel after panel of it? Territory covered by Jurgens in their relationships and in Michael's relationship with Rip and with what he had to do to protect the timestream were rehashed albeit in new context. Annoying context. Then there was the kid. A cute kid, but is she really needed in this book? She's an anomaly and doesn't really add anything. (Except remind me how much I miss Lian, but I digress....)
And since this also tying in with the JLI/Max Lord returns story going on elsewhere in the DCU, a storyline I don't care about and one reason I got annoyed with the Power Girl book and dropped it (along with being annoyed with how she was being written), I have no interest in it taking over Booster's book. Sure, I get why he'd want to prove Max Lord is evil and to get people to remember what happened, but it seems to be an excuse for Giffen and DeMatteis to write more adventures for Booster and Ted.
But all was not lost. I still had Time Masters Vanishing Point to read! By Jurgens! Here is the Booster I've come to love, one Green Lantern holds in contempt and Superman has his doubts about, yet Booster is there, doing his part. And there are the wonderful introductions, narrated by Rip, showing Rip's youth and how his father trained him about time, which reveals how the father he trained re: preserving the integrity of the timestream is now training Rip to be the man who will train him... If I try to think about all this too much, I give myself a headache.
I spent the fall watching Doctor Who from the 9th Doctor on and Torchwood, so time is something I've been thinking about a lot, especially when it comes to Captain Jack Harkness, a man from the far future who traveled throughout time until getting stuck in the late-1800s (I think it was) and having to live forward through the 1900s to the present. Which is something like what Rip and Booster are doing. Booster came from the future, the 25th C, and is now living forward from when he appeared in our time. At some point, he'll marry Rip's mother and Rip will be born. Will the current Rip vanish? Will he end up facing himself? Will he prudently leave and move to a later time? How long before Michael realizes his son looks like Rip? How long before he realizes he is Rip, because I'm sure the adult Rip won't tell him (unless something happens that forces Rip to reveal this to Booster prematurely)?
If Rip hadn't come from the future and taken Michael in to teach him about the timestream, then Rip wouldn't become the man he now is. I love stuff like this! This relationship is the core of the Booster Gold book for me and it's gotten lost in the current stories. But here, it's part of Time Masters Vanishing Point, even with the focus on finding Bruce Wayne, because really, this isn't about Bruce at its core. We had the Return of Bruce Wayne for that. This just dovetails splendidly with that, an instance of DC getting a complex cross-book storyline right. And for them to bring in Claw and Starfire, two little known characters I'd read with much devotion is the coolest part of this series. I always liked that costume of Starfire's. Seeing her and Claw together, the opposites of science and magic/barbarism meeting, was fun.
I've been a fan of Rip Hunter for decades, back to the early-'60s. Time travel is too cool not to love, but character development wasn't all that big back then. Of course, he isn't the same character he was back then. Most of the characters I grew up with changed dramatically over the years, and Crisis and its aftermath, altered many timelines, deleted characters, and so on. Even so, Rip is still a favorite of mine. To have him now revealed to be the son of Michael Carter is one of the coolest retcons or developments to come out of DC. When retconning or character history enhancement is done right, it not only works, but it adds to the context in stories and spills over to enhance other characters, too, in this case, Booster.
To write this, I decided to read up on Rip's history, to discover the stuff I'd missed in the years I wasn't reading (and in books I didn't read when I started reading comics again), and it's even more complicated than I'd realized, including a second version of Rip after Crisis while the first still existed, for a while. All of which makes what Jurgens has done with him in Booster Gold and Time Masters Vanishing Point more remarkable, because it gives a clear sense of who Rip is, what his goals are, and why he does what he does. I can't wait to read the final chapter of Vanishing Point.
I'll keep reading (skimming, mostly) Booster Gold for now, but I really hope Booster's book gets more serious. If only Giffen and DeMatteis could tone down the funny and the bickering and do some stories with depth and importance. And I'd like some more realistic art. It's been a bit uneven, and rather cluttered.
~~~o0o~~~
I finally got around to reading the Supergirl Annual 2, featuring the Legion of Super-Heroes, in their iconic costumes! It was a sweet story, and Kara and Brainiac 5 were fun. So were the Jimmy Olsen 'bots.
It was funny at first, but after a page or two, the jokes got old and tedious. I got tired of the bickering between Michael and Michelle. Sure, siblings bicker, but really, do we need panel after panel after panel of it? Territory covered by Jurgens in their relationships and in Michael's relationship with Rip and with what he had to do to protect the timestream were rehashed albeit in new context. Annoying context. Then there was the kid. A cute kid, but is she really needed in this book? She's an anomaly and doesn't really add anything. (Except remind me how much I miss Lian, but I digress....)
And since this also tying in with the JLI/Max Lord returns story going on elsewhere in the DCU, a storyline I don't care about and one reason I got annoyed with the Power Girl book and dropped it (along with being annoyed with how she was being written), I have no interest in it taking over Booster's book. Sure, I get why he'd want to prove Max Lord is evil and to get people to remember what happened, but it seems to be an excuse for Giffen and DeMatteis to write more adventures for Booster and Ted.
But all was not lost. I still had Time Masters Vanishing Point to read! By Jurgens! Here is the Booster I've come to love, one Green Lantern holds in contempt and Superman has his doubts about, yet Booster is there, doing his part. And there are the wonderful introductions, narrated by Rip, showing Rip's youth and how his father trained him about time, which reveals how the father he trained re: preserving the integrity of the timestream is now training Rip to be the man who will train him... If I try to think about all this too much, I give myself a headache.
I spent the fall watching Doctor Who from the 9th Doctor on and Torchwood, so time is something I've been thinking about a lot, especially when it comes to Captain Jack Harkness, a man from the far future who traveled throughout time until getting stuck in the late-1800s (I think it was) and having to live forward through the 1900s to the present. Which is something like what Rip and Booster are doing. Booster came from the future, the 25th C, and is now living forward from when he appeared in our time. At some point, he'll marry Rip's mother and Rip will be born. Will the current Rip vanish? Will he end up facing himself? Will he prudently leave and move to a later time? How long before Michael realizes his son looks like Rip? How long before he realizes he is Rip, because I'm sure the adult Rip won't tell him (unless something happens that forces Rip to reveal this to Booster prematurely)?
If Rip hadn't come from the future and taken Michael in to teach him about the timestream, then Rip wouldn't become the man he now is. I love stuff like this! This relationship is the core of the Booster Gold book for me and it's gotten lost in the current stories. But here, it's part of Time Masters Vanishing Point, even with the focus on finding Bruce Wayne, because really, this isn't about Bruce at its core. We had the Return of Bruce Wayne for that. This just dovetails splendidly with that, an instance of DC getting a complex cross-book storyline right. And for them to bring in Claw and Starfire, two little known characters I'd read with much devotion is the coolest part of this series. I always liked that costume of Starfire's. Seeing her and Claw together, the opposites of science and magic/barbarism meeting, was fun.
I've been a fan of Rip Hunter for decades, back to the early-'60s. Time travel is too cool not to love, but character development wasn't all that big back then. Of course, he isn't the same character he was back then. Most of the characters I grew up with changed dramatically over the years, and Crisis and its aftermath, altered many timelines, deleted characters, and so on. Even so, Rip is still a favorite of mine. To have him now revealed to be the son of Michael Carter is one of the coolest retcons or developments to come out of DC. When retconning or character history enhancement is done right, it not only works, but it adds to the context in stories and spills over to enhance other characters, too, in this case, Booster.
To write this, I decided to read up on Rip's history, to discover the stuff I'd missed in the years I wasn't reading (and in books I didn't read when I started reading comics again), and it's even more complicated than I'd realized, including a second version of Rip after Crisis while the first still existed, for a while. All of which makes what Jurgens has done with him in Booster Gold and Time Masters Vanishing Point more remarkable, because it gives a clear sense of who Rip is, what his goals are, and why he does what he does. I can't wait to read the final chapter of Vanishing Point.
I'll keep reading (skimming, mostly) Booster Gold for now, but I really hope Booster's book gets more serious. If only Giffen and DeMatteis could tone down the funny and the bickering and do some stories with depth and importance. And I'd like some more realistic art. It's been a bit uneven, and rather cluttered.
~~~o0o~~~
I finally got around to reading the Supergirl Annual 2, featuring the Legion of Super-Heroes, in their iconic costumes! It was a sweet story, and Kara and Brainiac 5 were fun. So were the Jimmy Olsen 'bots.
Friday, January 21, 2011
Batwoman and Zatanna
Batwoman 0 is a nice overview to bring in new readers, and the cover is awesome. But much as Batman's narration as he observes Kate works as an introduction to the character and as much as it's in character for him to observe and judge (see the Batman Returns One-Shots!), I wish they'd just told this as a Batman-free story. Yes, she's got the Bat on her chest and in her name, so of course, Bruce would want to check up on her, but it takes the focus off Kate a lot and this should be her book and the focus should be on her for a while. Bruce would've been more welcome by me coming in later in the series.
Zatanna comes across as somewhere between pure fun (a la the first 12 issues of Power Girl) and the more serious books (Green Arrow, Green Lantern, Batman, Batman and Robin, etc.) The tone so far is probably closest, of those I read, to Gotham City Sirens. I enjoyed her cousin Zach's appearance, and the magic is playful with some edginess, and so far, nothing Earth-threatening. In fact, it's been on a mostly personal level. As for the art, I normally don't like so many artist changes so early in the book, but when the artists are as good as this group, I don't mind so much. Roux's issues were nice, if Zee sometimes looked a bit young. Hardin's pencils were fine if average. Saiz did a nice job with Zee, and Cliff Chiang's issue (8) is my favorite, so far. I am looking forward to Jamal Igle's work on the book, starting with issue 11. This isn't a must-read book for me, but it's a fun one to spend time with. With my disappointment in and dropping of Power Girl, it's nice to have another female character step in to entertain me.
Zatanna comes across as somewhere between pure fun (a la the first 12 issues of Power Girl) and the more serious books (Green Arrow, Green Lantern, Batman, Batman and Robin, etc.) The tone so far is probably closest, of those I read, to Gotham City Sirens. I enjoyed her cousin Zach's appearance, and the magic is playful with some edginess, and so far, nothing Earth-threatening. In fact, it's been on a mostly personal level. As for the art, I normally don't like so many artist changes so early in the book, but when the artists are as good as this group, I don't mind so much. Roux's issues were nice, if Zee sometimes looked a bit young. Hardin's pencils were fine if average. Saiz did a nice job with Zee, and Cliff Chiang's issue (8) is my favorite, so far. I am looking forward to Jamal Igle's work on the book, starting with issue 11. This isn't a must-read book for me, but it's a fun one to spend time with. With my disappointment in and dropping of Power Girl, it's nice to have another female character step in to entertain me.
Thursday, January 20, 2011
More Catching Up
Hurt my shoulder, so I've been reading comics instead of playing Facebook games! Am all caught up on Green Lantern which is fitting in nicely with Brightest Day. I'm really loving Carol Ferris as a Star Sapphire. She has a real identity now and she's not a villain. Now if only they'd fix that costume. And Larfleeze is such fun. And Sinestro has become a wonderfully complex character. Good stuff here.
Caught up on the Bat books, too. Wow. I'm in awe of the details Grant Morrison worked into the books over time and how he set things up. Both Batman and Detective have been great and I especially enjoyed catching up with Batman and Robin. I loved The Return of Bruce Wayne and the way everything tied together with the other books. I was less impressed with the Return One-Shots, especially since I thought they were each standalones and got the ones with the characters I like only and didn't get the others. I could try to find those, I guess, but the overall story didn't thrill me. I was mostly interested in seeing everyone react to Bruce's return, and I got enough of that in what I did read. The scenes in Batman and Robin were my favorites. Dick's injured, Damian is ... well, Damian, and Bruce shows up. Great stuff there.
The only One-Shot I really enjoyed was the one with Batgirl. Bruce was right. Steph did need to prove something, to him, to herself, and it was a nice recap of their history together and taking things to the next level. She's now accepted by him as a member of the Bat team, which is awesome. She was never a character I cared about one way or the other, since I didn't really read her when she was Spoiler. I only started reading the Bat books again (other than Catwoman and Birds of Prey and Nightwing) when Dick took over as Bats. But I did read the crime war story and thought Steph got a raw deal. If Bruce had trusted her, she would never have done what she did and started the war. That's when I started to get interested in her and she was killed, so I was glad when she was brought back and became Batgirl. She's become a strong character and a fun one. She deserves this chance.
I liked the first story in Batman Incorporated, but will reserve judgment before deciding if it belongs on my pull list. I like Bruce, but he doesn't interest me as much as Dick. I guess it depends on the Bat folk Bruce recruits, what their stories and personalities are, that will decide it for me.
Now to figure out what to read next. The stacks are still rather tall.
Caught up on the Bat books, too. Wow. I'm in awe of the details Grant Morrison worked into the books over time and how he set things up. Both Batman and Detective have been great and I especially enjoyed catching up with Batman and Robin. I loved The Return of Bruce Wayne and the way everything tied together with the other books. I was less impressed with the Return One-Shots, especially since I thought they were each standalones and got the ones with the characters I like only and didn't get the others. I could try to find those, I guess, but the overall story didn't thrill me. I was mostly interested in seeing everyone react to Bruce's return, and I got enough of that in what I did read. The scenes in Batman and Robin were my favorites. Dick's injured, Damian is ... well, Damian, and Bruce shows up. Great stuff there.
The only One-Shot I really enjoyed was the one with Batgirl. Bruce was right. Steph did need to prove something, to him, to herself, and it was a nice recap of their history together and taking things to the next level. She's now accepted by him as a member of the Bat team, which is awesome. She was never a character I cared about one way or the other, since I didn't really read her when she was Spoiler. I only started reading the Bat books again (other than Catwoman and Birds of Prey and Nightwing) when Dick took over as Bats. But I did read the crime war story and thought Steph got a raw deal. If Bruce had trusted her, she would never have done what she did and started the war. That's when I started to get interested in her and she was killed, so I was glad when she was brought back and became Batgirl. She's become a strong character and a fun one. She deserves this chance.
I liked the first story in Batman Incorporated, but will reserve judgment before deciding if it belongs on my pull list. I like Bruce, but he doesn't interest me as much as Dick. I guess it depends on the Bat folk Bruce recruits, what their stories and personalities are, that will decide it for me.
Now to figure out what to read next. The stacks are still rather tall.
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Whittling Down the Stacks
I'm working my way slowly through the enormous build-up of comics here and can't decide if it's worth blogging about anything more than a month old. Some of them have been sitting her for a year or longer.
I caught up with Gotham City Sirens and am glad Zatanna did right by Selina and figured out Talia's scheme. And I really liked Jeremy Haun's art on #18.
I'm caught up with Green Arrow, too, and damn it, but I'm still interested. It's nothing I couldn't live without reading, but it's keeping me wanting to read it, so that's a plus these days. The dovetailing with Brightest Day is mostly well done.
As for Brightest Day, I'm caught up now with the regular book and Flash, and am now on Green Lantern. I'm not thrilled with some of the stories (Martian Manhunter and the Hawks' segments aren't as entertaining as I'd like), but others are actually rather good. I really like how the new Aqualad was introduced and his origin, one of the better bits of retconning, along with Mera's background. This is how retconning should be done, where it isn't really a retcon but an enhancement. It doesn't change what's happened to this point, but it adds new backstory that brings new meaning to what we know. Really nice job on this. Mera has a sister! And they don't get along. Reminds me a bit of Koriandr and her sister.
I also like the bits with Boston Brand/Deadman adjusting to being human again, and I think he and Dove are cute together. Nothing lasting is likely to come from it, but it's rather sweet.
So, as I work my way through the mass of unread comics, I'll try to hold reviewing to general statements as above, or reviews of the more recent titles/issues only. Unless folks want me to discuss books published a year ago. ;)
I caught up with Gotham City Sirens and am glad Zatanna did right by Selina and figured out Talia's scheme. And I really liked Jeremy Haun's art on #18.
I'm caught up with Green Arrow, too, and damn it, but I'm still interested. It's nothing I couldn't live without reading, but it's keeping me wanting to read it, so that's a plus these days. The dovetailing with Brightest Day is mostly well done.
As for Brightest Day, I'm caught up now with the regular book and Flash, and am now on Green Lantern. I'm not thrilled with some of the stories (Martian Manhunter and the Hawks' segments aren't as entertaining as I'd like), but others are actually rather good. I really like how the new Aqualad was introduced and his origin, one of the better bits of retconning, along with Mera's background. This is how retconning should be done, where it isn't really a retcon but an enhancement. It doesn't change what's happened to this point, but it adds new backstory that brings new meaning to what we know. Really nice job on this. Mera has a sister! And they don't get along. Reminds me a bit of Koriandr and her sister.
I also like the bits with Boston Brand/Deadman adjusting to being human again, and I think he and Dove are cute together. Nothing lasting is likely to come from it, but it's rather sweet.
So, as I work my way through the mass of unread comics, I'll try to hold reviewing to general statements as above, or reviews of the more recent titles/issues only. Unless folks want me to discuss books published a year ago. ;)
Friday, January 14, 2011
Women of DC in 2 and 3 D
I like the January cover scheme with the logo design, but it's a bit annoying to have to read the fairly small header font to get the titles, especially for books that feature the same characters or that have a "guest" character on the cover.
That said, the cover for Birds of Prey 8 is very nice, with Dinah front and center. The interior art by Guillem March is quite nice, so until we get the new regular artist here, I have to say the fill-ins have included some great stuff. Penguin is looking rather bizarre and well, Penguin-like! The Calculator vs Oracle storyline is a good one, and I like that Gail is using what happened between the two in Batgirl. Nice continuity there! I'm still way behind on my comics reading, especially the Bat books, so I'm a bit out of it when it comes to Batman and had to read a bit to know we were seeing Bruce, not Dick. I wonder if I'll ever catch up. Maybe when I retire! ;)
Batgirl 17 has my favorite of the January DC covers so far. Steph just looks great and her pose works nicely with her Bat logo. The story was lightweight, but worth it for the Steph/Damian interactions. I loved when she realized he doesn't know how to play. Cool stuff.
As for the 3D DC woman, here's a photo of something else I picked up this week. Along with the Black Lantern Wonder Woman, Mera was the only other Blackest Night figure I wanted. Doesn't she look fantastic? They did an awesome job on her, I think.
That said, the cover for Birds of Prey 8 is very nice, with Dinah front and center. The interior art by Guillem March is quite nice, so until we get the new regular artist here, I have to say the fill-ins have included some great stuff. Penguin is looking rather bizarre and well, Penguin-like! The Calculator vs Oracle storyline is a good one, and I like that Gail is using what happened between the two in Batgirl. Nice continuity there! I'm still way behind on my comics reading, especially the Bat books, so I'm a bit out of it when it comes to Batman and had to read a bit to know we were seeing Bruce, not Dick. I wonder if I'll ever catch up. Maybe when I retire! ;)
Batgirl 17 has my favorite of the January DC covers so far. Steph just looks great and her pose works nicely with her Bat logo. The story was lightweight, but worth it for the Steph/Damian interactions. I loved when she realized he doesn't know how to play. Cool stuff.
As for the 3D DC woman, here's a photo of something else I picked up this week. Along with the Black Lantern Wonder Woman, Mera was the only other Blackest Night figure I wanted. Doesn't she look fantastic? They did an awesome job on her, I think.
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| Blackest Night Mera |
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