Thanks to DC Rebirth, I'm reading more comics than I have in years. Which means it takes more time to read 'em most weeks. At least they're good. Good comics is a good thing. I'll start off with the Marvels, take a detour with Dynamite, then tackle the DCs.
Steve Rogers Captain America 3
I honestly don't know where this is going. Steve doesn't seem to fully be going along with Red Skull's agenda, at least with the whole killing thing. Jack Flag is still alive though critically injured, and Red Skull wants him dead. And I don't know what's up with Dr. Selvig. What I'm most liking about this series is the false memory flashbacks Steve is having, which do a good job showing how good people can get sucked in by an evil organization that poses as something good and empowering. It resonates in today's political climate.
Ms. Marvel 9
Unlike Captain Marvel -- which I'm not even bothering to review because it was a lot of talk, with Carol trying to justify her actions and succeeding -- this Civil War tie-in does an excellent job dealing with consequences of those actions. How ethical is it to lock someone up for a crime they're predicted to commit in the future? And when not everyone is in agreement about that, who is responsible when things go awry? Kamala wants to follow the instructions of her mentor, Captain Marvel, but doing so is proving more difficult than she bargained for. Plus, we get more flashbacks to Kamala's family history. I'm not sure how that will ultimately tie in with the present mess, but I trust G. Willow Wilson to deliver the goods here.
Mockingbird 5
The first arc ends in an odd fashion. The first 5 issues form some sort of puzzle box that had me scratching my head a bit, but the storyline was fun. I can't complain when Howard the Duck guest stars.
Miss Fury 4
Things get supernatural with the appearance of demons summoned by the parents of Marla's friend. Not as awesome as the previous run that dealt with time travel and parallel time, but entertaining, none the less.
Harley Quinn 30
This ends the pre-Rebirth run, though the same team will continue with the new/same book. Harley juggles a lot of things, including saving a tree from being destroyed for urban development. Best are the gorgeous cover by Conner and Sinclair and the dream/nightmare Harley has in a movie theater showing "The Kill Yourself Crew" to remind us that "Suicide Squad" is opening soon. The art by Charretier is lovely.
Wonder Woman 3
Diana tries to get Cheetah to help her find Themyscira, but first has to help Barbara Ann deal emotionally with the Cheetah curse. It's a very moving chapter in this opening arc. Plus, Steve and his team head into the nest of vipers they're trying to capture. Rucka is doing a great job with this book.
Flash 3
Barry and his speeded-up friend August deal with speeded-up folks who are using their newfound speed to commit crimes, which brings them to the STAR Labs Speed Force Training Center to help people deal with what's happened to them. But of course, things don't always go according to plan. Pretty darned fun.
Nightwing 1
There's a real throwback feel to Javier Fernandez' art, especially for the backstory scenes leading into the main story as we once more delve into Dick's life in the circus. After stopping off at the Batcave and then having a quick chat with Batgirl, Dick heads out to work for the Court of Owls so he can take them down from inside. But they don't think he's dedicated sufficiently to their cause, so they assign him a mentor -- Raptor -- who, to my annoyance, gets the drop on Dick and manages to get the upper hand in a skirmish. Is Dick holding back? Or was he that distracted/careless? It's not like him to be taken down so easily. I'm not sure I'm happy with this storyline, so soon after his undercover work in Spyral, but I'm trying to reserve judgment for now.
Titans 1
This made me very happy. All the Titans were in character! Lilith tries to probe Wally's memories, looking for clues about who stole time from them and everyone else, but only finds a lot of thoughts about Linda Park. Donna and Roy go hunting for clues and have a really nice talk, which includes Roy confiding in her that he'd been a drug addict and dealer. So, not just an alcoholic as he'd been in the New 52. Drug use gets back to what he'd done in his pre-New 52 history. Being an alcoholic is tough enough, but the drug abuse was something that was a part of his background for a long time, edgier, rougher, especially acknowledging that he sold the stuff to help support his habit. And telling Donna about it made for a really nice scene. Meanwhile, Linda is curious about the Flash who showed up as a ghostly form and knew her name, so she starts to investigate. And, in probing Wally's mind, Lilith accidentally woke a dormant mind elsewhere, and well, next issue should be very interesting.
Friday, July 29, 2016
Thursday, July 28, 2016
Some Links I Like
I still have a few comics from this week to read, so I'll hold off a bit on the reviews. Meanwhile, here are some cool comics links, some of which were from SDCC.
- Brie Larson was cast as Marvel's Carol Danvers/Capt. Marvel and I'm thrilled. She was on my short list.
- There will be more Firefly/Serenity comics, thanks to Dark Horse. The previous ones were wonderful.
- Comics and the Blind is fascinating. I worked for 19 years as a librarian for people who physically can't read standard print, so this is a subject that really matters to me.
- More Jessica Jones comics from Marvel!
Tuesday, July 26, 2016
Dark Night
I don't just read single issue comics and collections. Sometimes, I read graphic novels, too. Here's the one I read today.
Dark Night: A True Batman Story by Paul Dini
Dini is best known for working on "Batman: The Animated Series" and "Tiny Toon Adventures" for Warner Bros. for writing comics, and most notably, co-creating Harley Quinn with Bruce Timm. In the early-'90s, he was living his dream, writing the characters he'd loved as a kid, especially Batman, and financially secure enough to buy the toys and collectibles he desired. But his life was hollow, until the night he got mugged, surviving a vicious beating. In this graphic novel, wonderfully illustrated by Eduardo Risso, Dini recounts that event and what happened after, but also puts it in context of his childhood when he felt invisible except for when he could retreat into his imagination.
Dini's way to deal with the trauma of the attack was to retreat. He knew he had to make changes in his life -- the lack of anyone waiting for him when he staggered home made that clear -- but his feelings of helplessness, anxiety, and powerlessness stand in his way. It's up to the Bat villains and Batman, himself, who are there with him, to give him the push he needs. Risso's art varies, swinging from cartoonish to realism to suit the scene as Dini explores the dark places in his soul and ultimately, hopefulness for the future. A lot is packed into the 120 plus pages; it's not often we get to see inside the mind of a creative person, let alone one who suffered what Dini has. I highly recommend this.
Dark Night: A True Batman Story by Paul Dini
Dini is best known for working on "Batman: The Animated Series" and "Tiny Toon Adventures" for Warner Bros. for writing comics, and most notably, co-creating Harley Quinn with Bruce Timm. In the early-'90s, he was living his dream, writing the characters he'd loved as a kid, especially Batman, and financially secure enough to buy the toys and collectibles he desired. But his life was hollow, until the night he got mugged, surviving a vicious beating. In this graphic novel, wonderfully illustrated by Eduardo Risso, Dini recounts that event and what happened after, but also puts it in context of his childhood when he felt invisible except for when he could retreat into his imagination.
Dini's way to deal with the trauma of the attack was to retreat. He knew he had to make changes in his life -- the lack of anyone waiting for him when he staggered home made that clear -- but his feelings of helplessness, anxiety, and powerlessness stand in his way. It's up to the Bat villains and Batman, himself, who are there with him, to give him the push he needs. Risso's art varies, swinging from cartoonish to realism to suit the scene as Dini explores the dark places in his soul and ultimately, hopefulness for the future. A lot is packed into the 120 plus pages; it's not often we get to see inside the mind of a creative person, let alone one who suffered what Dini has. I highly recommend this.
Saturday, July 23, 2016
The Weekly Stack
A lot this week, so let's dive in!
Astro City 37
The Broken Man is back narrating, this time two tales from Astro City's past that focus on music. Not my favorite type of Astro City story, but a nice overview of race relations history that is all too relevant now.
Superman 2
Somewhat confusing for me as I haven't read any New 52 Superman stories, but the gist is that something called the Eradicator wants to purify Jon's mixed genome to be all Kryptonian. This can't end well.
Adventures of Supergirl 6
This digital-first series based on the show turned out to be quite entertaining. Kara and her family and friends find a way to defeat Facet in a satisfying manner. I don't know if more stories are planned, but I wouldn't mind seeing this continue.
Batgirl and the Birds of Prey Rebirth 1
This ended up being half recap of Babs' life, and while there's a fair bit of deviation from the pre-New 52, I can live with it, though the lack of a bigger BoP team than just Babs and Dinah does bug me. At any rate, Babs is back as Batgirl thanks to experimental surgery and she coaxes Dinah into helping her find the hacker claiming to be Oracle, a role that belonged to Babs. Then Huntress shows up, seeking the same guy Babs and Dinah are after in hopes he can provide a clue. Not bad, and it shows promise.
Green Arrow 3
The hits keep coming. We learn a bit more about why Shado and Emiko are going after Ollie. Ollie discovers his company has been seriously co-opted by evil, while Dinah works her own investigation into Ollie's death. The art is nice and I'm really enjoying this.
Thunderbolts 3
I am not enjoying this. Seriously, the only reason I'm reading this is for Bucky. The Thunderbolts battle the Inhumans who think the Thunderbolts destroyed a batch of Inhuman pods, but they weren't Inhuman pods, just some nasty alien pods, but who cares about details when a full-out battle can be fought. This book is a bit of a mess.
Black Widow 5
Wowzers, this is a good book. I loved the previous version, but this is just as good, with an intriguing mystery. Just what is Natasha's darkest secret that she'd steal files from SHIELD and the Red Room for the Lion to protect that secret? Not that it matters after things go sideways. I can't wait to see what happens next.
Lazarus 23
The war between families rages on, Johanna is fully in charge, with her father's blessing, Forever continues to heal while Eight, her younger clone that she doesn't know about continues to train, and things continue to get more complicated. And what is Sonja Bittner, the Bittner family Lazarus, up to? I don't know what the endgame is here, but I'm sure Rucka has one. This does feel like a science fiction novel in graphic form. I half want it to have an actual ending and half want it to never end.
Velvet 15
The first Velvet Templeton story comes to a satisfying close, and more anchored in real life politics than I'd expected. This female James Bond deserves her own movie. Or TV series. I hope we don't have to wait too long for the next story.
Astro City 37
The Broken Man is back narrating, this time two tales from Astro City's past that focus on music. Not my favorite type of Astro City story, but a nice overview of race relations history that is all too relevant now.
Superman 2
Somewhat confusing for me as I haven't read any New 52 Superman stories, but the gist is that something called the Eradicator wants to purify Jon's mixed genome to be all Kryptonian. This can't end well.
Adventures of Supergirl 6
This digital-first series based on the show turned out to be quite entertaining. Kara and her family and friends find a way to defeat Facet in a satisfying manner. I don't know if more stories are planned, but I wouldn't mind seeing this continue.
Batgirl and the Birds of Prey Rebirth 1
This ended up being half recap of Babs' life, and while there's a fair bit of deviation from the pre-New 52, I can live with it, though the lack of a bigger BoP team than just Babs and Dinah does bug me. At any rate, Babs is back as Batgirl thanks to experimental surgery and she coaxes Dinah into helping her find the hacker claiming to be Oracle, a role that belonged to Babs. Then Huntress shows up, seeking the same guy Babs and Dinah are after in hopes he can provide a clue. Not bad, and it shows promise.
Green Arrow 3
The hits keep coming. We learn a bit more about why Shado and Emiko are going after Ollie. Ollie discovers his company has been seriously co-opted by evil, while Dinah works her own investigation into Ollie's death. The art is nice and I'm really enjoying this.
Thunderbolts 3
I am not enjoying this. Seriously, the only reason I'm reading this is for Bucky. The Thunderbolts battle the Inhumans who think the Thunderbolts destroyed a batch of Inhuman pods, but they weren't Inhuman pods, just some nasty alien pods, but who cares about details when a full-out battle can be fought. This book is a bit of a mess.
Black Widow 5
Wowzers, this is a good book. I loved the previous version, but this is just as good, with an intriguing mystery. Just what is Natasha's darkest secret that she'd steal files from SHIELD and the Red Room for the Lion to protect that secret? Not that it matters after things go sideways. I can't wait to see what happens next.
Lazarus 23
The war between families rages on, Johanna is fully in charge, with her father's blessing, Forever continues to heal while Eight, her younger clone that she doesn't know about continues to train, and things continue to get more complicated. And what is Sonja Bittner, the Bittner family Lazarus, up to? I don't know what the endgame is here, but I'm sure Rucka has one. This does feel like a science fiction novel in graphic form. I half want it to have an actual ending and half want it to never end.
Velvet 15
The first Velvet Templeton story comes to a satisfying close, and more anchored in real life politics than I'd expected. This female James Bond deserves her own movie. Or TV series. I hope we don't have to wait too long for the next story.
Saturday, July 16, 2016
Weekly Reviews Part 2
To finish out this week's excellent comics reading...
DC Bombshells 15
This isn't my favorite comic by any means -- it's too crowded, for one, and I don't like all the subplots, for another -- but it does have its moments. The cover with Mera and Arthur is a delight, very romance-novel-ish. Mera spends time with Arthur's people, but of course, trouble catches up with her. Meanwhile, Selina helps the cause, Kate runs into Renee, we get Raven's backstory, and Harley is Harley in any universe. So, things are chugging along fairly nicely.
Lumberjanes Gotham Academy 2 (of 6)
While the gang tries to come up with a plan to rescue Olive and Jen regain consciousness in a weird house with objects from the '80s! A fun, utterly charming story.
DC Bombshells 15
This isn't my favorite comic by any means -- it's too crowded, for one, and I don't like all the subplots, for another -- but it does have its moments. The cover with Mera and Arthur is a delight, very romance-novel-ish. Mera spends time with Arthur's people, but of course, trouble catches up with her. Meanwhile, Selina helps the cause, Kate runs into Renee, we get Raven's backstory, and Harley is Harley in any universe. So, things are chugging along fairly nicely.
Lumberjanes Gotham Academy 2 (of 6)
While the gang tries to come up with a plan to rescue Olive and Jen regain consciousness in a weird house with objects from the '80s! A fun, utterly charming story.
Thursday, July 14, 2016
Weekly Reviews Part One
I've still got 2 comics to read, but figured I'd just go ahead with reviews for what I've read because the comics are awesome.
But first, apparently, Frank Cho was doing variant covers for Wonder Woman. I hadn't seen them, and after issue 6, there won't be any to see, because he quit. He was having problems with Greg Rucka, the current Wonder Woman writer, and it seems Cho got fed up with what he sees as Rucka's attempt to censor his art. Seeing the three variant covers in the article, I'm glad I didn't see them in my LCS. The first two aren't bad, except that Diana's upper half seems a bit small and out of proportion with her lower half, especially those beefy legs. But the third cover... that pose... I'll never be able to unsee it. It's a perfect candidate for a Hawkeye Initiative makeover. So, I'm on Team Rucka all the way. Sorry, Frank Cho, but not everyone other than Rucka loves your covers.
Which brings me to...
Wonder Woman 2
This is the first chapter in the Year One storyline that's alternating with the present-day story and which, I assume, will fill in background re: Diana and Steve's relationship in the present. These Year One chapters are being illustrated by the amazing Nicola Scott and her cover is very nice. The issue alternates between Diana's pov on Themyscira and Steve's pov as he prepares for the mission that will bring him crashing into Diana's world. So, another retelling, but an important one given how many times Diana's origin has been mucked with. Although, we don't have Diana's birth here. What we do get is how the Amazons live and interact with implied romantic relationships because, well, it's not like there are many options. It is a lovely, peaceful existence, but Diana keeps looking outward, beyond Paradise, and the end of the chapter is when everything changes. I'm glad this book is being published bimonthly; it means each story can keep the usual monthly comic book pacing. I'm so happy to get back a Wonder Woman comic I can enjoy reading.
Flash 2
The Speed Force is now in Barry's detective friend, Iris is in danger while pursuing leads on the science thieves, and Barry warms to the idea of having a new partner to teach. This is pure fun.
Nightwing Rebirth 1
Dick is back in Gotham, but apparently, not for long. He has work to do to take down the Parliament of Owls. I'm not caught up with Grayson because I'm reading it in trades, but this issue ties up loose ends from that, seemingly, and there's a lovely page with Helena Bertinelli in her old Huntress outfit that sets up her joining the upcoming Batgirl and the Birds of Prey. Dick is at his best, and his scenes with Damian are delightful. Just having Dick back in the black and blue costume makes me happy. I never liked the black and red one.
Descender 13
Tim-21 might be in deadly danger, but this issue takes a step back and gives us Telsa's backstory. A good issue, but I want to get back to the action.
But first, apparently, Frank Cho was doing variant covers for Wonder Woman. I hadn't seen them, and after issue 6, there won't be any to see, because he quit. He was having problems with Greg Rucka, the current Wonder Woman writer, and it seems Cho got fed up with what he sees as Rucka's attempt to censor his art. Seeing the three variant covers in the article, I'm glad I didn't see them in my LCS. The first two aren't bad, except that Diana's upper half seems a bit small and out of proportion with her lower half, especially those beefy legs. But the third cover... that pose... I'll never be able to unsee it. It's a perfect candidate for a Hawkeye Initiative makeover. So, I'm on Team Rucka all the way. Sorry, Frank Cho, but not everyone other than Rucka loves your covers.
Which brings me to...
Wonder Woman 2
This is the first chapter in the Year One storyline that's alternating with the present-day story and which, I assume, will fill in background re: Diana and Steve's relationship in the present. These Year One chapters are being illustrated by the amazing Nicola Scott and her cover is very nice. The issue alternates between Diana's pov on Themyscira and Steve's pov as he prepares for the mission that will bring him crashing into Diana's world. So, another retelling, but an important one given how many times Diana's origin has been mucked with. Although, we don't have Diana's birth here. What we do get is how the Amazons live and interact with implied romantic relationships because, well, it's not like there are many options. It is a lovely, peaceful existence, but Diana keeps looking outward, beyond Paradise, and the end of the chapter is when everything changes. I'm glad this book is being published bimonthly; it means each story can keep the usual monthly comic book pacing. I'm so happy to get back a Wonder Woman comic I can enjoy reading.
Flash 2
The Speed Force is now in Barry's detective friend, Iris is in danger while pursuing leads on the science thieves, and Barry warms to the idea of having a new partner to teach. This is pure fun.
Nightwing Rebirth 1
Dick is back in Gotham, but apparently, not for long. He has work to do to take down the Parliament of Owls. I'm not caught up with Grayson because I'm reading it in trades, but this issue ties up loose ends from that, seemingly, and there's a lovely page with Helena Bertinelli in her old Huntress outfit that sets up her joining the upcoming Batgirl and the Birds of Prey. Dick is at his best, and his scenes with Damian are delightful. Just having Dick back in the black and blue costume makes me happy. I never liked the black and red one.
Descender 13
Tim-21 might be in deadly danger, but this issue takes a step back and gives us Telsa's backstory. A good issue, but I want to get back to the action.
Monday, July 11, 2016
Jessica Jones
While I await this week's comics, this news that Jessica Jones is returning to Marvel comics in the fall has me very happy. With DC's Rebirth giving me new comics to enjoy, Image continuing to publish quality titles I love, and Marvel giving female characters some respect with their own books, reading comics has hit a high point for me.
Friday, July 08, 2016
Another Week of Reviews
I love being able to read DC comics again. Not as many as I once did, but more than during New 52.
Superman 2
Not much actually happens, but there's a fair amount of setup for an upcoming threat. Clark gets to spend quality time with Jon and impart some superheroing advice. Fun.
Green Arrow 2
This is so intriguing. In the old, old days, the time came when millionaire Oliver Queen lost his fortune. I believe that scenario happened again during the time I wasn't reading DC comics. Even the TV show has covered it. So here we are once again. Ollie's fortune and company is gone because Ollie has been presumed dead in a boating incident, all part of some plot that we're seeing only glimpses of so far. Somehow, Shado is involved. And Dinah is suspicious, which can't be a good thing for the conspirators. I'm eager to see where this is going.
Adventures of Supergirl 5
This comic based on the TV show continues to impress as the storyline deepens. In this issue, Kara confronts the construct with her mother's memories and learns more about the guard from Fort Rozz trying to... well, that is the mystery. Facet is hellbent on completing a mission with regards to Kara. This is another story where I'm eager to read more.
SuperZero 6
The last page says "End Chapter One," but I don't know if there are plans for more. If not, this story of a girl who desperately wants to be a superhero, so much so that she stows away on a rocket to the International Space Station, comes to a reasonably satisfying conclusion after she takes on the aliens that took over the ISS. I really hope we get more of this book.
Superman 2
Not much actually happens, but there's a fair amount of setup for an upcoming threat. Clark gets to spend quality time with Jon and impart some superheroing advice. Fun.
Green Arrow 2
This is so intriguing. In the old, old days, the time came when millionaire Oliver Queen lost his fortune. I believe that scenario happened again during the time I wasn't reading DC comics. Even the TV show has covered it. So here we are once again. Ollie's fortune and company is gone because Ollie has been presumed dead in a boating incident, all part of some plot that we're seeing only glimpses of so far. Somehow, Shado is involved. And Dinah is suspicious, which can't be a good thing for the conspirators. I'm eager to see where this is going.
Adventures of Supergirl 5
This comic based on the TV show continues to impress as the storyline deepens. In this issue, Kara confronts the construct with her mother's memories and learns more about the guard from Fort Rozz trying to... well, that is the mystery. Facet is hellbent on completing a mission with regards to Kara. This is another story where I'm eager to read more.
SuperZero 6
The last page says "End Chapter One," but I don't know if there are plans for more. If not, this story of a girl who desperately wants to be a superhero, so much so that she stows away on a rocket to the International Space Station, comes to a reasonably satisfying conclusion after she takes on the aliens that took over the ISS. I really hope we get more of this book.
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