I made a vow years ago that I would not read another Batman (or Batman-adjacent) comic. I had my reasons. For the most part, I've been pretty good. A I made a vow years ago that I would not read another Batman (or Batman-adjacent) comic. I had my reasons. For the most part, I've been pretty good. A few slips, here and there: Sam Hamm's fun 2022 series Batman '89, Tom Taylor's DCeased, James Tynion IV's DC vs. Vampires. I read a Harley Quinn comic once. I think I read a forgettable Joker one-off somewhere in there.
Other than those falls off the wagon, I've been leading a fairly devout Batman-free life.
Then, Scott Snyder had to go and write Absolute Batman: The Zoo.
Now, I read somewhere that the whole "Absolute" bullshit has something to do with one of those universe-ending Crisis events that DC loves to do every 6 months and that I want nothing to do with, ever. Something about Darkseid and his never-ending desire to fuck up the DC universe. I'm a Marvel guy, so to understand what's going on, just basically think of Snyder's Batman as a Batman variant.
Somewhere in the DC multiverse is a Bruce Wayne who didn't have rich parents, a silver-spoon upbringing, massive wealth and opportunities galore. In at least one of these variant universes, Wayne comes from a simple middle-income family, whose father was a school teacher and mother was a social worker. In at least one of these universes, this Wayne had to work double-time to get to where he is.
Yeah, there's a tragic back-story, but in this universe Wayne still has a mom. In a weird twist of fate, too, Wayne has familiar childhood friends who, in other universes, would have grown up to be villains like the Penguin, the Riddler, Two-Face, and Catwoman. In this one, though, they are just his pals who each has unique talents to help him in his vigilante quest.
In this universe, Gotham is still a shithole, overrun with violent gangs and criminals. The city's law enforcement is outmanned and outgunned. A new crime syndicate called the Party Animals is committing unspeakable atrocities, and Mayor Jim Gordon is being blamed since it is happening under his watch. A British MI6 agent is tasked with investigating the Party Animals and this new masked vigilante known as Batman. The agent's name? Alfred Pennyworth.
A very interesting and riveting take on the Batman mythos, one that is a bit more relatable to us lowly plebian peons.
The millenial end-of-the-world soap opera continues in "The Nice House By The Sea", James Tynion IV's follow-up to his series "The Nice House on the LThe millenial end-of-the-world soap opera continues in "The Nice House By The Sea", James Tynion IV's follow-up to his series "The Nice House on the Lake".
It turns out the survivors of the apocalypse at the lake house aren't the only survivors. The alien overlords who spared them have several other "cells" of humans scattered throughout the world, and it's survival of the fittest to see which cell saves humanity.
It's angsty, emo, and downright annoying at times, but it's intriguing as fuck and I can't stop reading anything by Tynion......more
I continue to read Justice League Dark despite the fact that it's inconsistent in quality. The last several volumes have improved somewhat under the wI continue to read Justice League Dark despite the fact that it's inconsistent in quality. The last several volumes have improved somewhat under the writing of James Tynion IV and Ram V. "The Great Wickedness", written by Ram V, is okay but not great. Compared to past volumes, however, that's stellar praise.
The plot in this one is a bit confusing. Merlin, the great wizard, has returned, except now he is a bad guy. He's after something in the city of Atlantis, which turns out to be an ancient dude buried for millenia. Wonder Woman shows up. And some guy named Mister E (get it?). I'll be honest: I didn't know what the hell was going on for most of this volume.
I just kind of breezed through this without much excitement or interest. I got the feeling that everyone involved was phoning it in, too....more
Batman is dead! Superman, Wonder Woman, and Green Lantern are vampires! The world is overrun! Surviving humans are gathered up and put into human "farBatman is dead! Superman, Wonder Woman, and Green Lantern are vampires! The world is overrun! Surviving humans are gathered up and put into human "farms" to be food for the vampire hordes! Who will save us??!!
James Tynion IV has, miraculously, scored another hit. More, please!...more
Awesome. "War of the Undead Gods" is the satisfying conclusion to Tom Taylor's surprisingly decent graphic novel series DCeased, which pits the DC supAwesome. "War of the Undead Gods" is the satisfying conclusion to Tom Taylor's surprisingly decent graphic novel series DCeased, which pits the DC superheroes against a universal zombie apocalypse.
In this final volume: A cure has been found, and the heroes are busy inoculating the infected, but far out in distant galaxies, Darkseid's anti-life equation virus is spreading, including to Darkseid himself. It turns out that Darkseid has been duped by an even more-powerful, more-malevolent supernatural entity called Erebos. Every superhero on every planet in every galaxy is called to battle in the ultimate showdown.
Super-fun, with entertaining and weird cameos (Lobo and Mr. Mxtlplk, e.g.), "War of the Undead Gods" is a perfect anti-boredom equation....more
During the height of the Cold War, a chunk of kryptonite landed in the Soviet Union. The Russkis didn't know what to do with it until...
1978. MetropolDuring the height of the Cold War, a chunk of kryptonite landed in the Soviet Union. The Russkis didn't know what to do with it until...
1978. Metropolis. Superman has made his presence known to the world. He's defending truth, justice, and the American way. You know, everything the Russkis hate. So, the Russkis create a kryptonite-powered supervillain named Metallo. His aim? Destroy Superman and the capitalist superpower for Mother Russia!
Robert Venditti's Superman '78 comic book series is great, and I'm not normally a Superman fan. I am, however, a huge fan of the Richard Donner film starring the late Christopher Reeve (the one and only Superman, imo), and this series is basically novelizations of the sequels that were never made. I hope they continue this series......more
I remember loving, as a kid, a comic book called “Dial ‘H’ For Hero”. It was about these two kids who, whenever their town needed a superhero, they diI remember loving, as a kid, a comic book called “Dial ‘H’ For Hero”. It was about these two kids who, whenever their town needed a superhero, they dialed an old rotary phone that would magically turn them into a superhero. They’d be weird superheroes, too, with powers that were kind of ridiculous, like shooting ketchup and mustard from their fingers, or being able to turn into smoke or inflating into a giant beach ball and bouncing everywhere. And they’d never be the same superhero twice. I guess that was the charm and appeal of the comic book.
Well, apparently, in 2012, DC Comics brought the title back with the writing talents of China Mieville, an award-winning British science fiction/fantasy author. Potential goldmine, right?
Here’s my problem: best-selling novelists who try their hands at writing for comic books don’t always do well in the transition. Jodi Picoult, Jonathon Lethem, Brad Meltzer, and even Stephen King have all written comic books, to varying degrees of success. Generally, I have found that novel-writing is a very different animal than comic book writing. Sometimes, what makes a great novel doesn’t always make a great comic book, and vice versa.
That said, Mieville’s “Dial H” is, at the very least, intriguing. It’s also darkly humorous, especially with the weird array of superheroes. My favorites: Boy Chimney, a Jack Skellington look-alike with a long top hat that belches smoke; Captain Lachrymose, a sad superhero whose superpower is to incapacitate villains by bringing to mind their most tragic and heart-breaking memories; and Cock-a-Hoop, a giant hula hoop with the head and wings of a chicken. There’s a helluva lot more, too.
I won’t bore you with a plot synopsis, because, Really? There’s a superhero named Cock-a-Hoop that is literally a hula hoop with the head and wings of a chicken. Do you even care about the story?
As weird as this is, I will probably read the second volume....more
The world’s gone to Hell in a hand basket, and the only think that can save it is Swamp Thing. Like, Duh…
Jeff Lemire’s “Swamp Thing: Green Hell” is a The world’s gone to Hell in a hand basket, and the only think that can save it is Swamp Thing. Like, Duh…
Jeff Lemire’s “Swamp Thing: Green Hell” is a pretty depressing look at a very believable future for the human race: devastation from massive natural disasters brought on by global warming, global drought and starvation, a majority of the population wiped out by warfare.
The Parliaments have all pretty much given up on humanity because humanity gave up on them decades ago. What’s left of the Parliaments have decided to just eradicate the small pockets of humanity left on Earth.
A grizzled, ancient John Constantine (who still wears a trench coat and tie and manages to always have a pack of cigarettes) summons Swampy from his protective secret garden where he and his wife, Abby, and their daughter, Tefe, live sequestered from the rest of the world. Swampy’s pissed, but he’s more surprised at the shape the world is in.
Swampy’s like “What the—-?” And Constantine’s like “Right?” And then all literal Hell breaks loose.
Fun cameos from Deadman, Animal Woman (Animal Man’s daughter, all growed up), and the Legions of Hell led by Lucifer himself, who struck a deal with Constantine.
Lots and lots of blood and guts and carnage in this. Definitely not for the squeamish....more
Starting in issue #58 of the DC comic book series Wonder Woman in 2020, G. Willow Wilson (of Ms. Marvel fame) took over as head writer for the series,Starting in issue #58 of the DC comic book series Wonder Woman in 2020, G. Willow Wilson (of Ms. Marvel fame) took over as head writer for the series, and it’s the best stuff I’ve read in the series since Brian Azzarello’s run.
Volume 2, “Love is a Battlefield”, finds Diana teaming up with—-of all people—-Giganta to battle what appears to be Titans that have appeared on Earth after the fall of Olympus. Maggie and her new friends (a satyr, a minotaur, and a pegasus) are wandering the forests when she discovers a sword at the bottom of a lake. A suburban town has been taken over by Aphrodite’s child, Atlantiades (who prefers the “they/them” pronoun), where every inhabitant succumbs to their greatest desire, at the sacrifice of their responsibilities (like work, marriage, childcare, etc.). Also, a gateway to some hellish dimension is found in a closet, where hordes of fish-people are waiting to cross over into our world, but they have to get through Diana, Maggie, and Atlantiades first, and they have a hankerin’ for sushi.
Wilson’s writing is fun, humorous, and exciting. She adds a breath of fresh air to a series that was getting a little stale....more
G. Willow Wilson, who had tremendous success with her teen superhero Ms. Marvel for Marvel Comics, brings her talents as writer to DC, for her 2019 ruG. Willow Wilson, who had tremendous success with her teen superhero Ms. Marvel for Marvel Comics, brings her talents as writer to DC, for her 2019 run of Wonder Woman.
In Volume 1, “The Just War”: Ares, the God of War, escapes from his prison under Themyscira; Diana finds out that Steve Trevor is in trouble (again); traveling to the war-torn country of Durovnia, Diana finds Ares, who claims to have turned over a new leaf, which is actually just the same old leaf; they fight a lot, but then Ares saves a baby and has a come-to-Jesus moment (sorry to mix religious iconography); Aphrodite shows up, and she ends up wearing a lot of Steve’s clothes, which is awkward; Greek mythical beasts like minotaurs and Pegasi find themselves as refugees in Washington, D.C., which I’m sure really pisses off Ted Cruz; Veronica Cale is keeping Diana’s supervillain Nemesis as prisoner in her basement… or is she?
This is a superb run of well-written stories with plenty of action and humor to please everyone. Also, great artwork by Cary Nord, Xermanico, Jesus Merino, and Emanuela Lupacchino....more
My only other exposure to Adam Strange was in an old Swamp Thing comic book, and that issue was writte“You should never meet your heroes.” —Allan Carr
My only other exposure to Adam Strange was in an old Swamp Thing comic book, and that issue was written by Alan Moore. Apparently, Moore’s Strange was a slightly weirder, darker version of the science fiction hero created in the 1950s.
Strange was an Earthling who somehow stepped into the path of an interstellar “Zeta-beam” which instantly transported him to the planet Rann, where he became a hero to the Rannians.
Tom King’s “Strange Adventures” is a graphic novel that examines the notion of heroism and asks the question: How far are you willing to go to be a hero?
“Strange Adventures” begins with Strange and his wife, Alanna, living on Earth. The death of their daughter, Aleena, is still fresh after the war on Rann against an alien race called the Pykkt. Strange has just published his memoirs to great acclaim and is enjoying celebrityhood when a man, on live television, accuses him of lying and committing war crimes against the Pykkt. Not long after, the man is found murdered. Strange is, of course, the prime suspect.
Strange asks his friend, Batman, to take on the investigation. Batman calls in Mr. Terrific, who may have a unique perspective that could be helpful to the investigation. He receives a very cold response from Alanna and Strange, making him wonder if the couple really are hiding something.
Thus begins a 12-issue mystery that delves deep into the Adam Strange mythos. It is definitely not a typical superhero comic book series. Scenes alternate between past and present, gradually uncovering a truth about the Stranges that will have major repercussions for their future.
King cleverly dissects American hero-worship and exposes the man behind the myths, something that most Americans are rather loathe to do when it comes to our real heroes....more
Not sure what the hell is going on in Simon Spurrier’s The Dreaming Volume Two: “Empty Shells”, but I’ll be honest: I just like it for the pretty pictNot sure what the hell is going on in Simon Spurrier’s The Dreaming Volume Two: “Empty Shells”, but I’ll be honest: I just like it for the pretty pictures anyway. Bilquis Evely and Abigail Larson provide some of the best, dreamy comic book artwork I’ve seen in a while. The artwork reminds me enough of the original Sandman artwork to make me momentarily forget that this is not written by Neil Gaiman. There’s a helluva lot of characters rambling on about… stuff. Some of it’s interesting, some of it is incomprehensible. There’s a lady with a heart-shaped cigarette lighter who has a daughter who dated the Lord of Dreams but gave him a tattoo which made him vulnerable and weak and it looks like Desire had something to do with it and, meanwhile, in the Dreaming, the bug-eyed giant moth-child that now rules the Dreaming is trying to figure out what certain things mean, like dreams, and the House of Mystery is on fire but nobody cares because everybody’s stuck in an endless story-within-a-story until Nora comes along and saves the day. Anyway, that’s my take-away…...more
I was a bit leary about this one. Only because John Constantine—-the real Constantine, not the lackluster attempt by DC to shape him into some kind ofI was a bit leary about this one. Only because John Constantine—-the real Constantine, not the lackluster attempt by DC to shape him into some kind of DC version of “Dr. Strange”—-is a bloody wanker, a tosser, and a blighter. He’s certainly no superhero. He’s a blue-collar Joe schmo from the mean streets of London who fancies himself a sorcerer-for-hire. He doesn’t give a shit about saving the world, unless, of course, there’s something in it for him. He is, not to put too fine a point on it, an asshole.
The real Constantine would likely cringe at a teeny-bopper reboot, which is what Kami Garcia’s YA graphic novel “Constantine: Distorted Illusions” is. Garcia has basically turned Constantine into a lovable young punk (but PG-punk, not R-rated punk) version of Sabrina the Teenage Witch. He’s a bad-boy with a heart of gold.
Fuckin’ yuck!
I was leary going into it, leary reading it, and I’m still fucking leary about it.
Maybe it’s Isaac Goodhart’s artwork, which brings to mind the god-awful 80s cartoon series “Jem” for some reason. A horrified part of me keeps thinking that DC is planning to sell a line of Hasbro “Constantine” dolls, and that’s more frightening than any demonic force that Constantine could conjure up.
Maybe it’s the fact that the story’s set in New York City, which is fine if Constantine were American, but he’s British, so he should be in London.
Maybe it’s because his whole “bad-boy” persona isn’t all that “bad-boy” at all. So, he disobeys his parents. Whoopity-doo! He steals a book from a sorceress’s library. Shock and horror! He accidentally unleashes a demon which possesses his best friend. Oh wait—- that actually does sound like something the real Constantine would do.
This isn’t for me. Besides being nowhere near the target demographic (teens between the ages of 13 and 19, female, and gay), I’m just feeling like a cantankerous old coot who misses the old days when John Constantine smoked and drank to excess, constantly made horrible decisions and didn’t learn a damned thing from it, and only really did anything worthwhile (like save the world) when there was a piece of ass involved or if he’s the soddin’ arsehole who fucked up the world in the first place…...more
The second, and final, issue of Joe Hill/Gabriel Rodriguez's "Locke & Key" cross-over event with Neil Gaiman's "The Sandman" is awesome. Mary Locke, dThe second, and final, issue of Joe Hill/Gabriel Rodriguez's "Locke & Key" cross-over event with Neil Gaiman's "The Sandman" is awesome. Mary Locke, donning the Dream Lord's magical regalia and cleverly making a copy of Lucifer's Key to Hell, goes to Hell in search of her twin brother, killed in Europe during the War. With the help of Fiddler's Green and Etrigan the Demon, Mary wages war against Lucifer's army. Her secret weapon? The enemy's serious underestimation of her... ...more
Wonder Woman Volume 9, “The Enemy of Both Sides” is a bit of a “kitchen sink” collection, if you know what I mean. Steve Orlando writes the four-issueWonder Woman Volume 9, “The Enemy of Both Sides” is a bit of a “kitchen sink” collection, if you know what I mean. Steve Orlando writes the four-issue title run, involving a Mexican super heroine named The Aztek, teaming up with Diana and Artemis to battle ancient gods from another dimension. Again. (Didn’t we read something like this in the last volume?)
Anyway, the rest is a bunch of stand-alone short stories written and drawn by multiple writers and artists. Some of them are good, some are great. (My faves: a World War II-era story by Renae De Liz, and a humorous rip on IKEA stores by Hope Larson, writer, and Ramon Bachs, artist)
Despite some ups and downs within the past couple volumes, this series continues to be one that I enjoy consistently, and it’s not just because I have a crush on Diana (although that’s part of it)…...more
While I wasn’t particularly in love with the ‘60s “Batman” TV show starring Adam West, I certainly didn’t hate it, and it was, more often than not, goWhile I wasn’t particularly in love with the ‘60s “Batman” TV show starring Adam West, I certainly didn’t hate it, and it was, more often than not, good for a few laughs. I’m not sure, but it may have been my first real introduction to the character as a kid. The Dark Knight it so wasn’t.
DC, having ridden the nostalgia wave for all things ‘70s and ‘80s (“Superman ’78”, “Wonder Woman ’77”, “Batman ’89”) simply couldn’t stop there. In 2014, “Batman ’66” came out, resurrecting the cheesy Technicolor silliness of the classic series.
Writer Jeff Parker has captured the zaniness and the camp, which, honestly, gets pretty old by the midway mark, but the team of contributing artists must be commended for a contemporary interpretation of Golden Age-style comic book art. Seriously, if anything, this series is worth it just for the pretty and super-colorful drawings....more
Neil Gaiman’s The Sandman Book Two, in which: Dream’s sister, Death, reveals to him that he has a pretty horrible track record with women because he’sNeil Gaiman’s The Sandman Book Two, in which: Dream’s sister, Death, reveals to him that he has a pretty horrible track record with women because he’s kind of a dick, and, surprisingly, he agrees; out of a sense of guilt, Morpheus travels to Hell to save an ex-girlfriend that he had banished there several thousand years ago because she wouldn’t be his queen (total dick move); expecting to go to war with Hell, Morpheus finds that Lucifer has just up and quit, unleashing all the demons and the dead unto Earth and other realms and leaving Morpheus the keys to Hell; Gods and deities are flocking to the Dreaming to strike a deal with Morpheus in regards to taking possession of the keys; Barbie (a character from “The Doll’s House”) has lost her connection with her dream-world, which has serious repercussions in the Dreaming and the real world; the tragic story of Orpheus, son of Morpheus, is told, revealing that not only was Morpheus a shitty boyfriend but also a shitty dad…
It’s hard to believe that these stories are thirty years old, as they seem as fresh and exciting as they were when I first read them in high school. ...more
Vampires bent on world domination have secretly infiltrated the Justice League of America! Honestly, if that doesn't excite you to no end, I don't knoVampires bent on world domination have secretly infiltrated the Justice League of America! Honestly, if that doesn't excite you to no end, I don't know what will......more
Joe Hill & Gabriel Rodriguez's fantastic graphic novel series "Locke &Key" combines with (in my opinion) the best graphic novel series of all time, NeJoe Hill & Gabriel Rodriguez's fantastic graphic novel series "Locke &Key" combines with (in my opinion) the best graphic novel series of all time, Neil Gaiman's "The Sandman" in issue #1 "Hell and Gone".
It's 1927, and a young woman from America arrives (via magic key) at the door of a wealthy British sorcerer who supposedly has a god locked up in his basement. The god in question isn't really a god. It's Morpheus, Lord of Dreams. Stealing Morpheus's helm and amulet, the young women finds her way to the realm known as the Dreaming, which is in a slight upheaval since the Master disappeared. She encounters Cain and Abel, who direct her to the Library, which appears to be under new management, a suave but nightmarish fellow known as the Corinthian... ...more
My love for Wonder Woman began as a child of four, in 1975. I couldn’t technically read comic books yet, but I could watch TV. In 1975, TV introduced My love for Wonder Woman began as a child of four, in 1975. I couldn’t technically read comic books yet, but I could watch TV. In 1975, TV introduced me to a super heroine that—-even at such a tender and innocent age—-made parts of my body that I didn’t even have names for do strange and interesting things.
I was far too young to understand the biochemical processes of my body, but I knew that I was watching something extraordinary. I am, of course, talking about Lynda Carter and her wonderful boobs. She was my first introduction to Wonder Woman, and I have loved her ever since, in every iteration.
Writer Marc Andreyko and the team of brilliant artists for the graphic novel series Wonder Woman ‘77 can probably relate.
This comic book series is totally groovy. Each issue actually feels like an episode of the classic late-70s TV show, only better. (Because—-let’s be honest—-the writing on the show wasn’t that great, which is perhaps why it never got nominated for an Emmy and only lasted 3 seasons.)
In these colorful pages, Wonder Woman battles supervillains Silver Swan, Dr. Psycho, the Cheetah, Celsia, and Solomon Grundy. She also manages to get in some disco-dancing time with her man, Steve Trevor. I really hope that a second volume of this series is in the works. ...more