Tuesday, August 23, 2011
For Lovers of the Silver and Bronze Age
Kickstarter.com is a site that seems to be a way for folks who have a project needing funding or other help to get what they need. A friend of mine, Scott Rosema has a project listed there: Silver & Bronze Age Mania. Scott's no wannabe. He's a pro artist who's worked for Marvel and DC and a lot of others. And, he's a big sweetheart of a guy. So if this sounds like something you'd like to see, why not help out. :)
Saturday, August 20, 2011
End of Run Reviews
I feel like I'm writing obits rather than reviews and I keep putting off the task, as if that would make these wonderful titles live longer. But alas, September is nearly upon us, bringing the DCnU with it, and I must say goodbye to these cherished friends. Oh sure, I'll reread them, but it won't be the same as that first read when it's fresh and I'm wondering what will happen. Still, I'll savor them in rereading, and maybe someday, the PTB at DC will realize the error of their ways and restore sanity to the company and return my beloved DCU.
Among the friends I'm saying farewell to...
Supergirl 67
What an awkward number to end on. A lovely cover, nice enough art inside, a sense of fun to the story brings this book to a bittersweet close. Not as special as the Gates/Igle run, which should be considered classic, this last story ended better than I'd thought and left Kara/Linda in a good place emotionally.
Batman 713
Oh, my. Not what I'd expected. This was a love letter to the fans by Nicieza and a team of artists, rather than a traditional story. A fable in one issue. Sweet.
Birds of Prey 15
The art was as schizo as last issue. I don't mind splitting art chores, but the art has to be good throughout and in this story, half still is fairly ugly. As for the story, it was decent enough, but hardly the big finish I wanted.
Booster Gold 47
The only Flashpoint book I've been reading. So I guess Booster fixed time, but not quite and the DCnU is the result? What a waste of the last issues of one of my favorite books.
Batman and Robin 26
From the wacky cover I was expecting something a lot better than what I got. Another book going out with a whimper instead of a bang. I suppose if the book was continuing as is, this might be the start of something that could build into something cool down the road, but alas, it's not to be.
Among the friends I'm saying farewell to...
Supergirl 67
What an awkward number to end on. A lovely cover, nice enough art inside, a sense of fun to the story brings this book to a bittersweet close. Not as special as the Gates/Igle run, which should be considered classic, this last story ended better than I'd thought and left Kara/Linda in a good place emotionally.
Batman 713
Oh, my. Not what I'd expected. This was a love letter to the fans by Nicieza and a team of artists, rather than a traditional story. A fable in one issue. Sweet.
Birds of Prey 15
The art was as schizo as last issue. I don't mind splitting art chores, but the art has to be good throughout and in this story, half still is fairly ugly. As for the story, it was decent enough, but hardly the big finish I wanted.
Booster Gold 47
The only Flashpoint book I've been reading. So I guess Booster fixed time, but not quite and the DCnU is the result? What a waste of the last issues of one of my favorite books.
Batman and Robin 26
From the wacky cover I was expecting something a lot better than what I got. Another book going out with a whimper instead of a bang. I suppose if the book was continuing as is, this might be the start of something that could build into something cool down the road, but alas, it's not to be.
Sunday, August 07, 2011
Upon Review as the DCU nears the End
I've been feeling downright melancholy reading DC comics this summer. I do have a nice backlog to sustain me come September, but as I read the last issues of my favorites, I keep thinking of all I'll be missing.
Case in point. Secret Six. Secret Six 36 was a fitting and brilliant end to a marvelous and marvelously warped series focusing on the fringe characters of the DCU. From the perfect cover,with Bane dismantling the log and Ragdoll peeling back the cover, to the last panel, where Bane, having helped destroy the team he came to believe was holding him back, is poised to wreck havoc on the world, specifically his enemy, Batman. This was a violent comic about violent characters who were more criminal than not, yet they also had heart and passion and were all too human, except for Killer Shark who was really, all too shark. I am going to miss these characters hugely, especially Catman and Scandal Savage. They've been loads of fun to read.
Meanwhile, at least Green Arrow is going on on a better note than this year started. Finished with the Brightest Day crossover that had grown tedious, in GA 14, Ollie is working an actual case with intrigue and danger and explosions. This isn't the comic it could've been, but it's not an embarrassment either.
There are few covers in comics that quite equal the lunacy and terror of the Joker on Detective 880. The dovetailing of the Joker and James Gordon storylines has been masterful. Scott Snyder deserves all the kudos we can heap on him and Jock's art has been pitch perfect throughout. One more issue and it's over. I almost don't want to read it. I'm caught between wanting it now so I can read how this powerful story ends and holding it aside so I'll have it forever to look forward to. But yeah, I'll be reading it first thing.
Gotham City Sirens 25 is another winner. Next issue is Selina vs. Ivy. It should be classic. And yeah, Selina's zipper is pulled a bit low on the cover, the same complaint the new Catwoman comic's cover has garnered. I wish they wouldn't always show her cleavage, but it doesn't seem overly sexed up here as it does on the preview I saw of the other, DCnU one.
Supergirl 66 is a fairly good read, if not on the same level of genius that marked the Gates/Igle run. The art is nice, though, and the story harkens back to earlier era when Kara really did go to college somewhere back in my own youth. I'll miss Kara.
Batman 712 concludes the Two-Face story and truthfully, this book, while good, isn't finishing on the strong note Detective is. The thing I've most enjoyed about the Bat books with Dick as Batman has been that it's Dick under the cowl and the stories have really used that to advantage if not outright catering to it. This could've easily been rewritten for Bruce and Dick's muscular physique in his topless panels make him look almost like Bruce. Actually, he even looks more like Bruce in the costume than he has til this arc. Maybe it's me, but I could've taken or left this story. And the cover seemed a bit much, too, given that's supposed to be Dick. I dunno. The whole thing just didn't work for me.
Case in point. Secret Six. Secret Six 36 was a fitting and brilliant end to a marvelous and marvelously warped series focusing on the fringe characters of the DCU. From the perfect cover,with Bane dismantling the log and Ragdoll peeling back the cover, to the last panel, where Bane, having helped destroy the team he came to believe was holding him back, is poised to wreck havoc on the world, specifically his enemy, Batman. This was a violent comic about violent characters who were more criminal than not, yet they also had heart and passion and were all too human, except for Killer Shark who was really, all too shark. I am going to miss these characters hugely, especially Catman and Scandal Savage. They've been loads of fun to read.
Meanwhile, at least Green Arrow is going on on a better note than this year started. Finished with the Brightest Day crossover that had grown tedious, in GA 14, Ollie is working an actual case with intrigue and danger and explosions. This isn't the comic it could've been, but it's not an embarrassment either.
There are few covers in comics that quite equal the lunacy and terror of the Joker on Detective 880. The dovetailing of the Joker and James Gordon storylines has been masterful. Scott Snyder deserves all the kudos we can heap on him and Jock's art has been pitch perfect throughout. One more issue and it's over. I almost don't want to read it. I'm caught between wanting it now so I can read how this powerful story ends and holding it aside so I'll have it forever to look forward to. But yeah, I'll be reading it first thing.
Gotham City Sirens 25 is another winner. Next issue is Selina vs. Ivy. It should be classic. And yeah, Selina's zipper is pulled a bit low on the cover, the same complaint the new Catwoman comic's cover has garnered. I wish they wouldn't always show her cleavage, but it doesn't seem overly sexed up here as it does on the preview I saw of the other, DCnU one.
Supergirl 66 is a fairly good read, if not on the same level of genius that marked the Gates/Igle run. The art is nice, though, and the story harkens back to earlier era when Kara really did go to college somewhere back in my own youth. I'll miss Kara.
Batman 712 concludes the Two-Face story and truthfully, this book, while good, isn't finishing on the strong note Detective is. The thing I've most enjoyed about the Bat books with Dick as Batman has been that it's Dick under the cowl and the stories have really used that to advantage if not outright catering to it. This could've easily been rewritten for Bruce and Dick's muscular physique in his topless panels make him look almost like Bruce. Actually, he even looks more like Bruce in the costume than he has til this arc. Maybe it's me, but I could've taken or left this story. And the cover seemed a bit much, too, given that's supposed to be Dick. I dunno. The whole thing just didn't work for me.
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