Girls Gone Geek

Cover art by Rodolfo Migliari

Green Lantern: Emerald Warriors #1
Writer: Peter Tomasi
Pencils: Fernando Pasarin
Inks: Cam Smith
Colors: Randy Mayor
Letters: Steve Wands
August 11, 2010
DC Comics

As of right now, I am pulling all three Green Lantern books. I really enjoyed the fantastic nature of the Sinestro Corps War, and then it built up to Blackest Night. So, I kept on keeping on. While there was some phenomenal art during Blackest Night, the best stories did not come from the GL titles.

I’ve recently been contemplating dropping Green Lantern. Reis’ art is to die for, but Johns’ writing is not. Now that they’ve shown the teasers about the Indigo Tribe, I may wait another arc. I love the Indigo Tribe. Green Lantern Corps is still enjoyable. But, after the Cyborg Supes story is done, GLC is headed for the chopping block. My thinking in all this is that I would be content to just get Green Lantern: Emerald Warriors. Guy Gardner is a whole lotta lantern. Peter Tomasi has, on many an occasion, impressed the hell out of me with his writing.

After reading the first issue, I’m getting a strong cross-over vibe. That makes V. a grumpy girl. I wanted a contained experience, I don’t want to have to rely on the other titles. Sure, sure, the GL books have crossed over for like years. I’m not surprised or anything. I’m just rolling my eyes.

As for the issue itself, it is as decent as a #1 can be. We already knew that Guy, Ganthet, and Atrocitus have entered into an unholy pact for what I can only assume is the greater good. Tomasi dances all around that notion, but we still don’t know what they’re up to. Guy is recording a “while I’m still sane” video. I bet that’ll be dedicated to his bestie, Kyle, after he’s gone all ragetastic. Ganthet is digging around the depths of Oa looking for clues. And, Atrocitus professes his hate of all things Green Lantern. There are no big reveals, no particularly intriguing moments, but lots of Guy talking cash shit. He’s almost talking too much. I truly hope that Tomasi takes this opportunity to expand upon Guy’s character. The kitschy one-liners are fun, but he could be so much more than that.

Fernando Pasarin is a good fit for this book. His style meshes with the action-oriented, heavily detailed sequences that are fundamental to the space cop vibe. Some panels are better than others, but his splash pages are excellent. I bet he’ll only get better from month to month. There is one thing though that perplexed me: Atrocitus drawn with a hot, little, man tush in his tights. I understand that beefcake is a staple in the spandex books, but that made me feel all weird on the inside. So please Fernando, no more Atrocitus ass shots.

“Poozer Hunting” is the awesome title to the second issue. That gives me hope, in Kilowog kind of way. Emerald Warriors will get the standard three issue opportunity. If by the 22nd page of that third issue, I still have on my meh face; it is over between us.

To be fair, the problem might not be this book at all. Zatanna left me luke warm too. It is highly probable that everything was blasted into darkness by the EPICNESS of Birds of Prey #4. I fucked around and read that first. The other books never really had a chance.

Vampire Huntress #1
Writer: L.A. Banks with Jess Ruffner
Artist: Brett Booth
Colors: Stephen Downer
Letters: Bill Tortolini

I really want to love Vampire Huntress, the comic book based on L.A. Banks’ popular series about paranormal battle. For one thing, the main character is a black woman, gorgeous spoken word artist (yeah, I know) Damali Richards, who also happens to be a vampire slayer. As The Neteru, a person born every 1,000 years to take on demonic forces, Damali fights the good fight with a band of equally attractive, racially diverse heroes.

Take away the impossibly long torsos, perfect hair and supernatural happenings, and Vampire Huntress is that rare comic that reflects the multi-hued world I live in. That’s definitely something to cheer, and artist Brett Booth’s cover image — Damali strikes a don’t-cross-me-pose, complete with wings and a sword — piqued my curiosity.

The good: The women in this comic book are not to be trifled with. Washboard abs aside, several of them are pregnant (including Damali, who is carrying husband Carlos’ twins), but they refuse to be sidelined when trouble arises. After getting word that a resistance group has been slaughtered, Damali rejects Carlos’ advice to sit out the action, and she and her fellow mothers-to-be bristle at the notion that they need a medic on call: “Nobody in here is disabled,” Damali shoots back.

Booth’s interior art reminds me a little of ‘90s Jim Lee, and that’s certainly not a bad thing. Damali is gorgeously drawn with flowing Nubian locs and the kind of lean, fierce look you’d expect a vampire slayer to have. The female characters’ faces are too similar, but I like Booth’s bent for exaggeration — epic afros and clothes that appear to be painted onto the characters’ bodies. Those highly stylized touches work well here.

Damali comes across as a fully realized character who fights and loves fiercely. There’s a tender opening scene between her and Carlos, and I was struck by how infrequently I’ve seen that kind of romantic interaction between two nonwhite characters in comics.

The meh: Vampire Huntress is meant to be accessible to newbies who haven’t read any of Banks’ novels, but even with a the-story-so-far introduction, I found the entry a little bumpy. The story is likely to resonate much more with readers who have followed Banks’ work and want to see these characters in a different medium. Coming in cold, I just didn’t feel a strong attachment to the players.

The bad: Dialogue can make or break a comic, and nothing hampered my enjoyment of  Vampire Huntress more than the corny lines. Look, I’m not going to pretend I’ve never called my husband “boo,” but the script was working way too hard to remind me that these young vampire hunters have mad flavor, yo. All the fist-pounding and pronouncements of “Feel me?” and “True that” suggest the consultation of  “A Guide to Urban Youth-Speak: 2001 edition.”* (On the other hand, I would pay good money to see a panel of Batman telling Wonder Woman, “I got this, boo.”)

Final verdict: Since this is a first issue with some good bits, I’m willing to give  Vampire Huntress comic a little time to find its legs. As much as I hate spoken-word poetry, I think Damali is an interesting character who represents something comics could use more of. I’m also considering checking out one of L.A. Banks’ novels, since vampires (and their enemies) are all the rage these days.

*I totally made that up.

Batman: Under the Red Hood
Rating: PG-13
Director: Brandon Vietti
Writer: Judd Winick
Starring: Bruce Greenwood, Jensen Ackles, John DiMaggio, Neil Patrick Harris, Jason Isaacs

If you’ve been a geek for any length of time, you’ve likely encountered your Scott and Jean — a comic book topic that makes you so angry that you can’t discuss it without going completely off. I’m not talking casual disdain, but full, frightening-the-children rage. As someone who was deeply affected by Batman: A Death in the Family when it was originally published, I’d long considered Jason Todd’s return from the grave to be my Scott and Jean. Especially since said return has often amounted to little more than violent douchery. (Big spoilers ahead.)

While I eventually reached a sort of Zen acceptance about Jason’s resurrection, I had no intention of watching, let alone enjoying, the animated film adaptation of Judd Winick’s Batman: Under the Red Hood. My husband ordered it On Demand, and after a long day, I simply didn’t have the will to get off the couch. The bottom line: Jason’s presence remains problematic in a bigger sense, but it works surprisingly well in a self-contained story. And despite the inherent cheapness of bringing characters back from the dead, Under the Red Hood has some truly gripping moments that evoke the raw sadness of A Death in the Family.

Nothing annoys Bruce Wayne like a fellow vigilante, particularly one who has no problem capping criminals. So when a nouveau Red Hood shows up in Gotham City and starts blowing shit up, Bruce and Dick Grayson (still Nightwing in this context) go after him. Even if you’re not familiar with the Judd Winick-penned comics the movie is based on, it doesn’t take much to figure out Mr. Hood’s identity. After all, the story is punctuated with flashbacks of Bruce and Jason’s time together as Batman and Robin, including the latter’s sickening death at the Joker’s hand. That scene alone is worthy of a PG-13 rating, so make no mistake: Under the Red Hood is not appropriate for small or sensitive children.

Speaking of the Joker, John DiMaggio’s voice work as the cackling menace to society is excellent. His delivery is alternately ha-ha funny and ha-ha-now-he’s-freaking-me-out creepy. Bruce Greenwood is a solid Batman, and you can never go wrong with Neil Patrick Harris, who gives voice to Nightwing. Jensen Ackles is fine, if not memorable, as Jason Todd. The animation is well executed, and it’s more fluid than some of the earlier DC direct-to-DVD offerings.

Under the Red Hood is sure to rekindle the conversation about Batman’s no-killing code, particularly where the Joker is concerned. As the Red Hood himself puts it, we’re not talking about Penguin or Harvey Dent (Two-Face), but a serial, gleeful murderer who beat an adolescent to death and put Barbara Gordon in a wheelchair. Seriously; go back and look at those panels of the Joker clubbing Jason with a crowbar and tell me that guy doesn’t deserve far worse than a presidential suite at Arkham. (Gee, maybe THIS is my Scott and Jean.) I get Bruce’s concern about tumbling into the abyss, but somehow, I think he’d be OK. And this being DC, it’d only be a matter of time before the Joker came back to life!

My non-geek spouse, who completely dug this movie, had the advantage of being able to view it without the continuity baggage. We both agreed that the final scene is real heart-tugger, but it also reminded me of what an awkward position Jason Todd now occupies within the DC Universe. Considering all he’s been through — including the readers’ decision to off him in the first place — I can’t help but think he deserves more than a gold Crazy Medal.

Love and Capes: Do You Want to Know a Secret? Vol. 1
Writer/Artist: Thomas F. Zahler

Superheroes aren’t having much fun these days. While there’s some great work being done in the capes-and-cowls genre, it’s often so relentlessly grim that fans seeking lighthearted reading might as well head straight to the kids’ section of the comics shop (and I often do).

You should be reading this.

Thank goodness for Thomas F. Zahler’s Love and Capes, a funny, smartly written — and, yes, lighthearted — series about the intersection of heroics and romance. Bookstore owner Abby learns that her mild-mannered accountant boyfriend, Mark, is also a superhero known to Deco City as The Crusader. After he reveals his true identity, Abby experiences the perks (15-minute flights to Maui) and perils (picnics interrupted by crises) of dating a member of the cape community.

It’s appropriate that Love and Capes is billed as a “heroically super situation comedy,” because the quick banter and likable cast give it the feel of an especially good TV show. Zahler makes good use of the familiar: The Crusader is clearly a Superman analog, and his best friend, Paul, aka Darkblade, stands in for a certain serious billionaire who fights crime at night. Most of the derring-do takes place off of the page, so even when we see these two at work, they’re rarely talking shop. In one of the book’s many funny panels, Darkblade — while dangling a bad guy over a rooftop — tells Mark that his ill-timed request for relationship advice is “seriously killing my creature-of-the night vibe.”

Amazonia: Trouble in high heels.

Like all newly smitten, cute couples, Mark and Abby are just this side of annoying. (In this first volume, Mark’s only noticeable flaw is that he’s a tad jealous of Arachnerd, a web-slinger who is at the center of a blockbuster film franchise.) Zahler spices things up considerably by introducing Amazonia, an Angelina Jolie/Wonder Woman hybrid who happens to be The Crusader’s ex-girlfriend. How intimidating is she? In one of the book’s many funny panels, Abby’s sister, Charlotte puts it this way: “Amazonia? Whoa. I’d do her.”

Speaking of Charlotte, her tart asides and single-gal perspective bring a lot of wit to Love & Capes. She’s an utterly charming second banana — a Rhoda Morgenstern to Abby’s Mary Tyler Moore (Cue readers born after 1980 saying, “Who?” in unison).

This book has such genuine, across-the-board appeal, and I was bummed to hear two LCS owners — both fans of the series — say they couldn’t interest enough readers to justify stocking the single issues. People, where is the love? The next time I hear a fellow comic lover complaining about the Big Two offerings on his or her pull list, I’m going to ask (in a slightly judgmental tone) why that person isn’t reading Love and Capes, among other things.

Do yourself a favor and check out the first two trade volumes, or head over to the Love and Capes website for a taste of the series. It’s mighty good.

Superman #701
Writer: J. Michael Straczynski
Artists: Eddy Barrows, Rod Reis (colors) and J.P. Mayer (ink)
Cover: John Cassaday and David Baron
Letters: John J. Hill

There’s nothing new about the similarities between Superman and a certain carpenter from Nazareth, but in some stories, the parallels are neon-sign obvious. Shortly after watching Superman Returns — in which Kal-El even rises from his hospital deathbed after a few days (three?) — my brother asked, “Are we sure this isn’t a movie about Jesus?”

Writer J. Michael Straczynski is an atheist, but he has spoken of Superman in biblical (or, depending on your point of view, mythological) terms. In JMS’ highly anticipated Superman debut, the Man of Steel comes across the way I’ve often imagined Jesus might: captivating, earnest, the tiniest bit smug. He doesn’t carry much in the way of cash or material possessions, and he walks a lot. Wherever he goes, people pepper him with questions, try his patience and practically dare him to use his powers. Sound familiar?

Literally down to Earth, Superman is on a sort of fact-finding stroll through America, telling one journalist, “I’m not flying because I’m walking.” (As a former newspaper reporter, I thought the pack of hero-chasing journalists seemed gratuitously dim, especially considering Clark Kent’s line of work. But maybe they were TMZ types.)

The best moments in this issue are the smallest, like when Superman checks the funds in his cape pocket before ordering a cheese steak sandwich, or when star-struck residents react as if a caped Zac Efron were in their presence. It’s not every day that you see a metahuman celebrity in Philly, and I was charmed by Eddy Barrows’ scenes of grinning, gobsmacked citizens.

Unfortunately, the effort to make Superman “relevant” is all too obvious at times, and the book begins to strain under the weight of its own message. There’s a deeply goofy segment involving some drug dealers who appear to have stepped right out of New Jack City, and Supes has one too many Preachy McPreachypants moments. By the end, I found myself wishing Original Batman were around to bust the guy’s chops. However, despite these stumbles and my lack of any deep investment in Superman (the character or the comic), JMS has laid out an interesting premise — one that makes me want to stick around for at least one more stop on Kal-El’s tour.

For E. Peterman and me, Girls Gone Geek is a labor of love. We love comics. We love writing. We love writing about comics. It’s how we roll. So when Newsarama(!) invited us to join the Best Shots Review team, we may have shattered a few windows with our squeals of joy. If your dog experienced hearing loss last Monday, well, our bad. We are thrilled beyond words, which is saying a lot. We don’t excite easily.

Girls Gone Geek will remain very much alive and well, and now you’ll be able to find our fangirl commentary in more than one place. E. and I jumped in headfirst, and our first articles will be posted for your viewing pleasure TODAY! To read our inaugural reviews of Wonder Woman #600, Green Lantern #55, Madame Xanadu #24, JSA #40 and much more, go here. You can also find us, and the rest of the Newsarama Best Shots team here.

Cover art by Dustin Nguyen

Batman Beyond #1
Writer: Adam Beechen
Pencils: Ryan Benjamin
Inks: John Stanisci
Colors: David Baron
June 30, 2010
DC Comics

I was stoked when DC announced the six-part mini for Batman Beyond. The cartoon is second only to Avatar: The Last Airbender in my book. I watched the animated series religiously, and I even had a giant Batman Beyond poster hanging over my bed.

The concept of a young man taking over the cowl under the tutelage of Bruce “Silver Fox” Wayne is genius, and it’s executed quite well in this first issue. Bruce is, of course, so obsessive that no amount of old age will keep him from protecting Gotham. He’d have to cease to exist (notice I didn’t say “die”), and even then, he’d probably still have some contingency AI Batman to run shit. For now, we’ve got Terry McGinnis.

Terry is a likable kid who has a great sense of humor. When he takes off that mask, he’s got a little Tim Drake action going on (winks at E.) His character is true to form with quippy comebacks and a young man’s attitude laced with tinge of snark reserved for Bruce. BW seems to be keeping the task bar skyscraper-high, but he doesn’t quite trust Terry … completely.

Bruce: “I don’t like relying on anyone.”
Terry: “Yeah? Including me?”
Bruce: “You’ve done well enough. So far.”
Terry: “Alert the vid-crews and data-streamers! Bruce Wayne just gave me a mili-kudo!”

Mili-kudo. Teehee.

Given BW’s control-freak tendencies (and staying true to the ’toon), he’s got a com-link to Terry … Oracle style. The banter that ensues between them highlights the well-paced action of this issue perfectly. Longtime DC readers get a few nuggets of villains past, and an aged Amanda Waller. Yup, The Wall. Epic win, folks.

Mega-kudos for Ryan Benjamin’s art. It is simple and clean as an ode to the cartoon, but the artist’s lines display depth and emotion. The actions scenes work well and are made to pop with the futuristic background detail. I don’t think colorist David Baron used more than three or four shades in any given panel, but it complemented the pencils and the overall tone of the book.

It’s a story balanced with progression of plot, and there’s just enough exposition of continuity that anyone could pick it up and enjoy. Since DC is so desperate to attract new readers, they should be marketing the hell out of this book. Batman Beyond could be just the reader bait the company needs.

Juicy story. Good art. Buy it.

Maybe I had low expectations, but I was surprised by just how good my comics were this week. Everything I pulled was a page-turner with top-notch art.

Green Lantern Corps #49
Writer: Tony Bedard
Pencils: Ardian Syaf
Inks: Vicente Cifuentes
Colors: Randy Mayor w/ Gabe Eltaeb

My love of the Green Lantern books began with the Sinestro Corps War, a great story arc that got me invested in the characters. I was ever so curious to see where the War of Light would lead, and, well, here we are at Brightest Day (aka the Über Meh). I dropped BD from my pull list, and with the writer Peter Tomasi’s departure, I was going to drop GLC, too. This issue has officially changed my mind. Kudos to Ardian Syaf, who is really getting better with his pencils. His powerful facial details impressed me (although thumbs down on Natu’s Wolverine-inspired hairdo). The story was fast-paced with a tinge of suspense. You knew that the Alpha Lanterns were up to some craziness after last issue, but Boodika resorting to maniplulation and trickery … that was unexpected. Now I’m dying to know how they came under the control of Cyborg Superman. I guess it’s a robot thing.

The Return of Bruce Wayne #3
Writer: Grant Morrison
Pencils: Yanick Paquette
Inks: Michel Lacombe
Colors: Nathan Fairbairn

I’ve come to really enjoy Grant Morrison’s writing. Perhaps it’s my background in philosophy, but I like meta-stories and annotations. I don’t mind working for it with Grant’s stories, because the payoff is often worth it (wildly convoluted, but interesting). After issue #2, I thought I might have to “work for it” yet again. But in comes #3, blazing with clarity and lovely little continuity nuggets tying GM’s obscure references together. I have an idea of where this story is going, and while that could very well change in an instant, I am excited. Grant is a reference junkie; it’s how he rolls. Being that I am one of the two people who LIKED Final Crisis, that makes the references in RoBW even better. Yanick Paquette’s art was a pleasure, especially the background details and his pouty-lipped rendering of Wondy.

Zatanna #2
Writer: Paul Dini
Pencils: Stephane Roux
Inks: Karl Story, Stephane Roux
Colors: John Kalisz

I saved the best for last. I LOVED this issue. Dini’s Zatanna is so damn likeable. As ridiculous as this may sound — she is a magician and all — I could relate to her! After a huge performance, going head-to-head with a mega-sorcerer, and teleporting in to help the JLA, Z. was pooped. The scene of her plopping face-first into bed was perfect! PERFECT! It humanized her, and I found it to be endearing. The most impressive (and powerful) thing about Zatanna though, is her ability to think fast. You’d have to have a quick mind to rattle off words backwards under pressure. It’s harder than you think folks; I’ve tried it. Another highlight of this story is Brother Night. He is creepy¹⁰, horror-movie scary. But the shining stars of issue #2 are the flawlessly executed, beautifully drawn splash pages of Zatanna’s dreams/nightmares. If you aren’t reading this comic, what the hell are you waiting for?

The million dollar question: Who is White Canary!? Well, we still don’t know. It’s okay though, this issue was excellent.

Jumping right back into the action from issue #1, Black Canary and Huntress face off with White Canary who is serving the Birds some serious whoop ass. Black Canary manages to get a few licks in. Maybe a few licks too many as she responds emotionally to what seems to be some major hater vibes coming off of this new enemy.

Hell hath no fury like a Canary scorned.

Back up comes not a second too soon in the form of Hawk, Dove and Zinda. White Canary immediately launches Hawk into a brick wall, and makes him bleed. Apparently that’s kind of a big deal. Meanwhile, Oracle is watching as Black Canary is being framed as a murderer on live TV, and not a minute later, major law enforcement shows up to the scene in the alley to arrest Dinah. Being arrested was so not on the agenda.

THIS is Gail's Black Canary

Things go from bad to worse. Upon realizing that they’ve been thoroughly set up, Dinah points the finger at White Canary. Her response: “One of you will die every hour for the next six hours. You choose. Or I will.” Cut to Oracle getting a com from an inconsolable Creote. They were attacked by a woman because of their affiliation with the Birds, and now Savant is dead. Creote is devastated, and kills himself while Oracle is listening.

It's never good when Russian bodyguards start snotting themselves.

Back in the alley, the whole crew happens upon a TV set up for their viewing pleasure. The Action 8 news is on with “breaking coverage” of Black Canary’s messy breakup with Ollie, a wildly distorted version of her almost adoption of Sin, and her identity. Dinah is brought to her knees while White Canary watches from a rooftop above.

Even after all THAT, the high impact moment of the issue is at the end. Oracle realizes that she’s become complacent over the past five years, letting the machines do her work. Whoever this enemy is, s/he is using the grid against the Birds. Oracle dries her tears and reminds herself that SHE IS THE GRID, it exists because she allows it to, and she enacts what can only be the ultimate cyber command “Data Womb Code, Omniscient.” I’m pretty sure that means “IT’S ON!”

The art was fantastic, Ed Benes and Adriana Melo are beyond belief talented. Both artists have a lushness to their pencils – expressive eyes and pillowy lips. Still, their respective styles have some distinct differences. It is quite obvious where Ed’s pencils end and Adriana’s start. REEEMIIIX! Melo makes up for the abrupt shift in art with her up-close face panels and the beautiful splash page of Oracle.

Major props to Gail for immediately addressing some continuity issues that were created after she left the book, like the huge, gaping hot-mess that was the Sin story arc. And I’ve always loved Creote and Savant, but the characters fell to the wayside without Gail’s pen. It’s sad that they met their end, but it’s a memorable scene that tied that loose end right on up. It reminds me that Gail loves these characters as much, if not more, than the fans do. I am certain she will keep on serving up excellence in the form of Birds of Prey for as long as they let her. At least we hope so.

Birds of Prey #2
Writer: Gail Simone
Pencillers: Ed Benes & Adriana Melo
Inkers: Ed Benes & Mariah Benes
Colors: Nei Ruffino
DC
Released: June 16, 2010

Cover art by Dan LuVisi

Secret Six #22

Writer: Gail Simone
Artist: J. Calafiore
DC
Released: June 9, 2010

The comics that I deem “good” are the ones that really tug my emotions or shock the shit out of me. The final installment of the Secret Six “Cats in the Cradle” story arc was a full on jaw-dropper, kids. If you haven’t been reading, you need to grab the trade. I went back to issue #19 and read straight through. This story is intense, fast-paced and clever, and it will make you say, “Oh. My. God.” J. Calafiore’s art style works well for the characters, and his backgrounds add great dimension to the story. Jason Wright’s dark colors are a constant reminder that this ain’t the damn Justice League. Not that you’ll need to be reminded.

The issue takes us right back to Alice being possessed by the demon Estrogan on some ultra PMS rampage, picking a fight with Scandal … over Ragdoll. It’s kinda ridiculous. OK, it’s really ridiculous. Black Alice’s inception in Birds of Prey was so interesting and ripe with potential, but it just has not come to fruition. Or maybe, five years later, I just have a much lower tolerance for bratty teenagers. That’s certainly why Wonder Girl grinds my nerves. Whatever the case, her catfight with Scandal is mildly amusing, only because of Deadshot’s ambivalent spectator commentary.

While Gail is the queen of witty banter, and there is plenty in this scene; I just wanted more from Alice. She eventually gains control of her magic and immediately begins snotting herself. I rolled my eyes at Alice’s “emotional” revelation that she probably gave her father cancer by magic, but was pleased with her moment of maturity when she enlightened the “adults” on Catman’s state of mind.

Speaking of Catman’s state of mind, “Holy what the fucking shit!?!” as someone so eloquently put it on Twitter. I’m usually all for the major spoilage, but not this time, homies. You gotta see that mess for yo’ self. Cheshire’s homicidal, maniacal tendencies have caused one hell of a butterfly effect. Gail took it there.

Now, the question is: Where on Earth will she go next? I hope Alice has gone to master her “skills” or grow up or something, but she seems to be exiting scene. Cheshire is 38-hot to say the least, so will Jade finally get some screen time at Gail’s hand? Catman has blazed past the point of no return. The Usual Suspects – Scandal, Doll, and Deadshot are left to pick up the up the body parts. How is THAT confrontation gonna go? Let’s not forget; last time we saw Bane & Jeanette, they were merc’n with the likes of Dwarfstar, Giganta, Lady Vic, and King Shark. It’s a big bowl of “Holy what the fucking shit!?!” soup.

Whatever tumult is in store for the Six, it is apparently time to get off the teat, son.

The Return of Bruce Wayne #2 (of 6)
Writer: Grant Morrison
Artist: Frazier Irving
Covers: Andy Kubert and Frazier Irving

Is there any reason DC can’t reboot the Dark Knight as a swashbuckling time-traveler with a case of amnesia? In this second installment of Grant Morrison’s series, Bruce Wayne is edgier, sexier and more mysterious in a 17th Century Puritan getup than in his modern-day cowl. The caveman-themed first issue was fine, but all of Morrison’s Weird Epic flourishes are finally in full effect here. Casting Bruce as a detective in witch trials-era Gotham City is a brilliant move, and from the very first panel, Frazier Irving’s gorgeous art gives the whole thing an appropriately cinematic feel. (Spoilers ahead.)

Known to the pre-colonial Gotham dwellers as Brother Mordecai, Bruce rankles the local witch-hunters by using logic to solve crimes instead of superstition. After a widow blames her husband’s demise on the devil, Bruce quickly concludes that the woman dispatched her spouse with a iron soup ladle. He also later blasts the locals for labeling the woman a witch, and using that as an excuse for water torture. It’s a powerful sequence, one that ends with Bruce going off on his chief critic, Brother Malleus: “I save my fire for foes who’ve earned it. Not widow-women who were most likely beaten by their good Christian husbands until they could bear no more.”

This does not go over well. It doesn’t help that Bruce is involved with Annie, a ferret-loving free spirit who is suspected of practicing witchcraft. Meanwhile, Superman, Booster Gold (feat. Skeets), Green Lantern and Rip Hunter are trying to follow Bruce’s trail through time. I’m not going to pretend that I understand anything that happens in this part of the comic, which involves an encounter with a 64th-Century “biorganic archivist” with a heck of a secret identity. He’s all “anti-entropy aegis” this and “cosmic loom” that. Whatever. I love the way Irving illustrates the four heroes, particularly his vaguely emo take on Superman. Thumbs way up, gentlemen.

Justice League: The Rise of Arsenal #3
Writer: J.T. Krul
Pencils: Geraldo Borges, Kevin Sharpe and Sergio Arino
Inks: Mario Alquiza and John Dell
Cover: Greg Horn

So much for the "rise" of Arsenal!

How do you know a book is bad? When your LCS owner — the dude who makes a living selling people comics — says, “After you read this, go ahead and send me an e-mail and tell me you’re canceling it.”

Three issues in, The Rise of Arsenal has gone from being bad in a somewhat amusing way to bad in an “I’m pissed that I spent $3.99 on this shit” way. It has taken a potentially poignant story — hero loses a child, a limb and his purpose — and turned it into a series of mind-numbing cliches. First, we see Red Arrow and Cheshire working through their anger over their daughter’s death by body-slamming each other. Despite being armed with only a stapler(!) and an extension cord, Roy manages to best his former squeeze, who is only a freaking trained assassin. No sooner than you can say, “Surely, this won’t lead to grief sex,” they’re up against a wall. Yes, for real. Only Roy can’t perform because he’s, you know, grieving.

Our hero ends up in rehab after a reunion with heroin, but I defy you to care after the onslaught of nonsense and unappealing art. Greg Horn’s cover sure is nice, but that’s all I’ve got.

Roy, I think we’re done here.

Variant cover art by Cliff Chiang

The best friendships are the ones where, even after long stretches of little communication, everyone picks up right where they left off. There are no awkward pauses or, worse, internal monologues about how it’s just not the same.

For fans of Gail Simone’s Birds of Prey run, reading issue #1 of the revived series is like that great reunion with an old friend. Simone stepped away from the book three years ago, and it was canceled in 2009. However, she and original collaborator Ed Benes have wasted no time in returning the Birds to classic, crime-busting form — and we missed them terribly. (Spoilers await.)

The four-part “Endgame” story opens in Iceland, where Black Canary has arrived to rescue a diplomat’s 5-year-old daughter from a terrorist/kidnapper. The beauty of this sequence is that it firmly re-establishes Dinah Lance as one of the world’s most skilled combatants, obliterating the sad-sack wife nonsense other writers saddled her with. Let’s just say there’s a lot of blood on the snow in Reykjavik, and it’s not Dinah’s. Or the 5-year-old’s.

"Where my girls at?"

Shortly, Oracle begins reassembling the team to deal with an anonymous mofo who has a frightening amount of information about the Birds and all their friends/associates. Zinda is dispatched to recruit Hawk and Dove, one of whom has some serious anger management issues. (I wouldn’t have held it against Hawk if he’d tossed that silly, bank-robbing cheerleader off the roof, but that’s just me.) The addition of these newbies to a well-established group is potentially rich with drama, and I’m looking forward to seeing how everyone adjusts, or doesn’t.

This is the REAL DC Trinity

Simone’s affection for these characters comes through on every page, especially in the funny, familiar banter that flies between Canary, Zinda, Huntress and Oracle. The Birds also look fabulous, thanks to Benes’ gourmet cheesecake illustrations and colorist Nei Ruffino’s glowing, moody palette, which really suits poured-on leather under moonlight. Those panels of Huntress cracking skulls while talking to Oracle via cell phone could launch 1,000 gym memberships alone.

As if that weren’t enough, the Big Villain Reveal on the final page is a total surprise, and still a bit of a mystery. I figured it would be Lady Shiva, or even a tween Sin, but the ending suggests that our heroines are in for even bigger trouble. It is totally on — and I couldn’t be happier.

Maybe I was feeling a tad sensitive last week, but there were several comic book moments that left me all verklempt. It was also one of those rare weeks when my pull list produced nothing but hits, with two (Batman and Robin and Secret Six) in a dead heat for first place. There will be spoilers.

Batman and Robin #12: Damian Wayne has haters for days, but the more Grant Morrison delves into his character and unfortunate lineage, the more he grows on me. As the book opens, Damian’s mother, Talia al-Ghul, has literally turned him into a puppet whose movements are being remotely controlled by Deathstroke to kill Dick Grayson. But Talia has (again) underestimated Dick’s Batman-certified skills, as well as her son’s ability to resist manipulation. Once Dick and Alfred shut down the puppet show, Damian decides to confront his mother, who offers an ultimatum: Come back home, or consider yourself my enemy. No one will ever accuse the littlest Wayne of being cuddly, but when Damian asks her, “Can’t you just love me for who I am? Not what you want me to be?” we’re reminded that he is, after all, just a 10-year-old boy. As expected, Talia’s response is not the stuff of greeting cards — and it is thoroughly on. A moving story, plus the no-they-didn’t ending revealing creepy Oberon Sexton’s identity, adds up to one awesome issue. Dick wins the Best Line Award for his response to Damian’s concern that Talia will have him killed: “She can try.”

Secret Six #21: Am I the only one who hears Young Joc’s “It’s Going Down” while reading Secret Six? Because every time I think Gail Simone’s scripts can’t get any more gangster, she finds a bigger machine gun. This book almost never fails to deliver a satisfying blend of poignancy, spit-out-your-Coke-Zero humor and medieval conflict. Tom’s (Catman) early memories, dominated by his repugnant father, are gut-wrenching, thanks to J. Caliafore’s all-too-vivid illustrations. Back in the present day, the anti-hero is on a mission to punish the crew that kidnapped (and possibly killed) his infant son, and his former teammates are following the trail of corpses. The Sixers have seen just about everything, so you know it’s bad when they’re taken aback. After observing the sliced-and-diced remains of one of Catman’s victims, the usually unflappable Deadshot says, “All right. I don’t know what normal people think. This is &^%$ed up, right?” Yeah, but it’s a tea party compared to what Tom has in store for the sadist, metahuman thug, Loki. It involves back trouble, and very big cats.

Red Robin #12: I’d say any comic that shows Ra’s al-Ghul stammering in disbelief is worth $2.99, but in this issue, Tim Drake cracks Mr. al-Ghul’s face — at least metaphorically — with flair. With a little help from his super friends, my favorite Robin thwarts an elaborate plot to kill Bruce Wayne’s associates and bilk Wayne Enterprises. Ra’s throws Tim’s battered body through a skyscraper window, but Dick Grayson (in Batman mode) grabs him right on time. Call me a sap, but I really dug the moment when Dick asks Tim how he knew he’d be there to save him. “You’re my brother, Dick. You’ll always be there for me.” Sniffle! The Best Line Award goes to Damian Wayne, who goes off on his grandpa via walkie-talkie for sending rank amateurs to take him down: “Really, Grandfather? Ninja? I’m insulted.” Writer Chris Yost is moving on after this issue, but he’s ended his Red Robin run on a high note.

Brightest Day #1: Now this is more like it. Following the #0 issue that left about as much of an impression as zero suggests, Brightest Day #1 (or at least part of it) finally feels like an epic adventure with some surprises up its sleeve. I certainly appreciated the moment when Aquaman and Mera put a hurting on some child kidnappers at sea, and a pedophile’s death-by-undead-shark was a particularly awesome touch. However, the subplots are breaking down neatly into care/don’t care categories: Filed under “care” are the Aqua posse (including) scary Black Manta, Martian Manhunter, Hawkman and Hawkgirl. In my “don’t care” category are Firestorm (sorry, Shag), Boston Brand and Hal Jordan/Carol Ferris/Sinestro. I’m just a tiny bit burned out on these three lanterns in general. Nothing personal, guys.

What did you like last week?

You got served!

I got caught up on a bunch of comics this week. Here’s the lowdown:

Brave and the Bold #33 (Yeah, I know this came out last week, but whatever.): DC’s Brave and the Bold hasn’t been on my pull list since the “Book of Destiny” arc closed out a few years ago, but I approached issue #33 with cautious optimism. Jesus Saiz’s cover image of Zatanna, Wonder Woman and original Batgirl Barbara Gordon walking over the bodies of felled bad guys was irresistible. And since current B&B writer J. Michael Straczynski begins writing Wonder Woman in July, I wanted to get a sense of his vision for my favorite comic book character of all time. No pressure.

This comic not only exceeded my expectations, but also reassured me that Diana is in good hands. (Spoilers ahead) Straczynski’s Wonder Woman is a certified badass. Early on, she takes down a terrorist by snatching him out of his bomb-rigged clothes, pinning his nude body under her heel and daring old boy to try something. When Zatanna compliments her crime-busting flair, Diana’s response is sassy and genuinely funny.

Zatanna, who’s been plagued lately by unsettling visions, decides a girls-only night out with Diana and Barbara is in order. It’s a blast to see these three out on the town, complete with killer nightclub attire (I swear Diana is wearing a Gucci heel.) Artist Cliff Chiang’s pencil work is lovely, and a panel of the trio doing a karaoke performance of “Single Ladies (Put a Ring On It)” put a big smile on my face.

It isn’t immediately apparent where Straczynski’s story is going, which is why the ending packs such an emotional wallop. I may have shed a tear, but you can’t prove anything.

Justice Society of America #38: Am I the only one who thinks the last two issues of JSA have been more powerful than any event comic this past year? Bill Willingham is not playing with this “Fatherland” storyline, which takes place in a future, Nazi-ruled America. Sapped of their powers and imprisoned, heroes like Mr. Terrific, Batman, Superman and Blue Beetle are relying on good, old-fashioned teamwork — and spilling a lot of their own blood — to take down the Fourth Reich. Kid Karnevil is now “The Fuhrer,” and he’s as much of a sociopathic asshole as that title suggests. What I love about this story how it defines heroism as something beyond winning and breaking villains’ faces — though I dearly wish someone would go all Sopranos on Kid Karnevil. Willingham and artist Jesus Merino are bringing their A-game to this book, and I’m glad my pal Chocotaco put me on notice.

Green Lantern Corps #47: I can’t decide what I liked most about Peter Tomasi’s Blackest Night epilogue. Arisia clocking a Guardian Laila Ali-style? Guy Gardner’s trademark sarcasm? Penciller Pat Gleason’s panel of Mogo releasing thousands of emerald rings into the universe to find new bearers? There are plenty of solidly nifty moments in this issue, though I still hate Kyle’s mask.

Wonder Woman #43: Writer Gail Simone is closing out her run on this title with a bang. Part 2 of  “Wrath of the Silver Serpent” reveals the backstory of Wonder Woman’s mass-murdering aunt, and it’s pretty jacked up. Meanwhile, I officially have a crush on Nicola Scott’s version of Diana, who has an elegant athleticism and truly gorgeous hair. I still don’t care about Steve or Etta as supporting characters, but I am looking forward to the showdown between Diana and her first cousin, Theana, who appears to be a sort of Bizarro Wonder Woman. Um, she’s scary.

Ultimate Spider-Man #9: Peter’s current girlfriend, Gwen, and his two exes, Mary Jane and Kitty, gang up on him to give him a haircut, and Johnny Storm falls hard for the mysterious Spider-Woman. As usual, this book crackles like a good TV episode, and there’s a heck of a cliffhanger as Kitty stares down anti-mutant feds who’ve barged into her classroom. I’m gonna put my money on Kitty.

Justice League: The Rise of Arsenal #2: I’ve enjoyed some of writer J.T. Krul’s previous work, but everything about this series so far feels clichéd and silly, despite the fact that Roy Harper is facing overwhelming tragedy: the death of his daughter, Lian, the loss of his arm and the very real possibility of drug relapse. The best thing about this issue is the opening sequence (illustrated by Mike Mayhew and Andy Troy), which is right out of every parent’s nightmares. Unfortunately, the rest amounts to awkwardly drawn panels of Roy being angry, throwing things and generally going off on everybody. (Is there any particular reason heroes always come to funerals in full costume? Anyone ever hear of a private ceremony?) I get that Roy is grieving and in physical agony, but I’m not sure I want to keep paying $2.99 to see him knock over furniture and brandish an oozing arm stump. Plus, isn’t it just cruel to keep putting Cheshire’s kids in danger and/or killing them off? Have a heart, DC.

What did you like this week?

Cover art by Rob Guillory

Chew Volume 1: Taster’s Choice
Story: John Layman
Art: Rob Guillory
Image Comics

With all the recent shenanigans at DC, I was mad and stuff. So I’m all, “I’m gonna read more indie books!” Chew was on my list of alternative books, and one of the guys in the GP (my Geek Posse) happened to pick up the first trade up at lunch — just as I was heading to lunch. SCORE!

Tony Chu is a cibopath, someone who receives psychic impressions from what they eat. He can see the apple being sprayed with pesticides or the cow hanging in the slaughterhouse. The only thing that doesn’t give him a vision is the beet (Click here for the significance of beets in other fiction). After an abrupt departure from the Philly PD following a botched chicken investigation and cannibalistic moment, Tony now works for the FDA. An alleged bird-flu pandemic has caused a ban on chicken, so the FDA pretty much runs shit in America. Since I’m an organic foodie with a penchant for conspiracy theories, that plot detail equals awesome.

Tony is a by-the-book kind of guy who’s chock-full of integrity, or stubbornness, depending on how you look at it. His first day on the job, he gets the hard-ass of the century for a boss and a huge caseload. Case No. 1 begins with (You might want to stop eating) a partially decomposed finger for lunch. Add several mob guys, Tony’s poultry-loving brother, a supernaturally talented reporter chick, and you got some Hollywood-style federal agent investigation work. The story becomes quite X-Files when Tony and his partner, fellow cibopath Mason Savoy, land in middle-of-nowhere Russia. The two wind up in a shoot-out at an observatory that houses an uber-telescope with its eye on a particular planet. What’s the Russian word for Vampire? “Upyr.” Huh? Exactly.

The Bad
Good thing I wasn’t all that hungry, because Chew prompted me to skip the meal portion of my lunch hour. This book was pretty gross. I am not a big fan of gore or otherwise gratuitous bodily fluids. I’m not going to play naive; I knew the premise of the book, and it screamed high yuck factor. FYI, Chew gives a vivid glimpse of serial-killer chicken soup, a splash page of spewing green vomit and a dead dog for dinner. All in a day’s work for Tony Chu.

The Awesomesauce
In another life, I think the artist and writer on this book were of the same soul. The art could not be more perfect for the story. Even the gross shit was well drawn.

So, I’m dying to know what happens next in the series. That means I liked it. No spandex, and some definite damn-that’s-nasty moments — but something big is brewing. I think it’s gonna be good. Give it a whirl.

Cover art by Dan LuVisi

Secret Six #20 played out like a well-acted revenge thriller. Catman reminded me of Liam Neeson in Taken. Those baddies effed with the wrong guy! Still, I wish Cheshire had come along to help with the revenge portion of the show. Maybe Gail will bring her around later. Let’s hope.

On the whole, this issue was fast-paced and full of that shock factor these characters are known for, and it set the stage for a hell of a story arc. Thanks again, Gail, for reminding me why I buy monthly issues instead of waiting for the trade.

Secret Six is one of the best books on comic store shelves right now, so I’m puzzling over the 2010 Eisner Award nominations. Based on conversations with my geek posse and articles about the nominees, it seems that most of the nods were totally deserved. However, I have a bone to pick with the judges in a specific category — Best Writer. The five MEN nominated were Ed Brubaker, Geoff Johns, James Robinson, Mark Waid and Bill Willingham. My thoughts:

I haven’t read anything by Brubaker or Waid, so I can’t give an opinion. I’ve heard from several fanboys that Brubaker’s Captain America and Waid’s Irredeemable are excellent. OK. Fine.

Willingham rocks. I LOVE Fables, and I’ve lost hours of sleep because I couldn’t put the trades down. His work is consistent and intriguing, so this nomination makes perfect sense to me.

Johns? Meh. Insert Greg Rucka instead. Sure, Johns is a solid writer, but I’ve never loved his work. The Flash: Rebirth was a snore. Blackest Night was a good time, but I’d liken it to Avatar getting the award for best movie at the Golden Globes over Inglourious Basterds. Johns is just so … mainstream.

(Deep Sigh) At the risk of beating a dead horse, I have to say it: James fucking Robinson got an Eisner Award nomination for the steaming load that was Justice League: Cry For Justice! What. The. Hell?! I’ll spare you the bullet points of why it sucked (click here and here and here AND here if you must know). The bottom line is that Robinson doesn’t deserve it, at least, not for this comic.

There are other writers who are more worthy of a nomination —writers like, I dunno, Gail Simone for Secret Six. Duh. Her writing in this book has been unwaveringly good, and every issue makes me laugh out loud. Secret Six is pure, debauched entertainment, and I love it.

Robinson is up against some heavy hitters, so surely he can’t win. But Ms. Simone’s absence from the ballot is both a mystery and a damned shame.

The interwebs are abuzz with reviews praising the colorful conclusion of Blackest Night #8. The art in this book is what really swept me away. That damn fold-out splash page is off-the-charts awesome. Ivan Reis, YOU are a rock star! Heartfelt moments, foreshadowing, resolutions and resurrections abound!

J’onn J’onzz: Yippee-mothafuckin’-ki-yay! His death in Final Crisis was so wicked that his return from the dead  seems only fair. My excitement is compounded by my newfound admiration for the character and his Martian method of affection. I am certain the DCU will be a much better place with him in it. He also has the best line of the whole book:

Max Lord: UGH! I hate that guy. Really, really hate that guy. Of course, he chose to come back, and I suspect he is going to be a huge pain in the ass. The silver lining is that I no longer have to tolerate the wholly incorrect portrayal of Diana as a remorseful warrior. She can now be free of her editor-induced guilt for killing him. And finally, Bruce can get off his judgmental high horse and get with that. Go, Batwondy, Go!

Deadman: Why isn’t he supposed to be here? Do you know? I haven’t a clue.

Osiris: This means I’m going to get more Black Adam. Hot damn! They better do it right. The Black Marvels have the potential to be cool characters as long as DC doesn’t make them one-dimensional baddies. Sprinkle a little anti-hero on my beefcake-y Adam and let Isis stay all evil so he can be the one to rein her in. That would be ironic … and interesting. Do it.

Firestorm: This makes Shag happy, and does absolutely nothing for me.

Aquaman: Okay. Yeah. Whatever. We all knew Geoff Johns was going to do this. Yet, I’m still left with questions about the vague, Arthur-centric conversation between Diana and Mera in Blackest Night Wonder Woman #3. I really thought there would be some kind of explanation. Did I miss something?

Hawk: Applause for our homie Chocotaco, who figured this out early on.  Now we can fill in the blacked-out figures on the Birds of Prey #1 cover. How cute! They have bird names.

Reverse-Flash: Ummmm … yeah. I got nothing.

Captain Boomerang: Still nothing.

Jade: She immediately jumps on a stunned Kyle, and kisses him while Soranik watches from the sideline. How much does this suck for Soranik!? I mean the whole scene on Oa when Kyle dies, and Soranik revives his heart with the help of the Star Sapphire; that CAN’T be for naught.  Soranik Natu is my second-favorite Lantern, and Kyle better choose her. That aside, her moment of heartbreak was made tolerable by Kilowog’s sympathetic expression.

Hawkman & Hawkgirl: From their gruesome, violent death to an intensely romantic reunion — what a well-deserved and satisfying resolution. And holy friggin’ cow, she brought Carter to tears. Carter Hall cried, you guys! The reunion kiss was one for the history books, literally. I loved Reis’ detail of Shiera grabbing his hair. This was by far the most monumental of the resurrections. One question though: What about the power source for the Star Sapphires?

Black Hand: The remorseless, serial-killing, psychopath is now enslaved by the Indigo Tribe of compassion. Irony. Justice. Word.

Did anybody else notice how huge the Indigo Tribe was? I’m so gonna miss the Atom in his tribal outfit. It was festive. Speaking of outfits, Wonder Woman’s white lantern getup was pretty hot, and a step up from that Star Sapphire nonsense.

I feel obliged to give our boy Sinestro a few sentences since he was foiled yet again. Old boy was forced to take a back seat and one-upped by Hal, as usual. I had hoped he would have a sort of “come to Jesus” moment with the white light and all. Instead, he was sent back to his character corner, where he’ll have to make do as an arrogant prick. I guess he kinda deserves it.

Thanks, DC, for entertaining me this go ’round. Final Crisis was so dense, and the end was so depressing. Blackest Night provided some much-needed cheesecake, but it was rich, tasty cheesecake. And once again, I gotta give it up to Reis for the art: In the last two panels, Hal and Barry are channeling Adonis.  I would like to order one Hal & Barry sammich to go, please.

Alright. I’m done.

Justice Society of America had been so dull for so long that not even writer Bill Willingham’s arrival a while back could persuade me to keep on my pull list a month longer. So faster than you could say, “Screw you, JSA All-Stars!” I ended that marriage of obligation and began confronting people who were still trying to make it work: “Just end it, man. Magog is never going to change.”

Of course, that’s precisely when the flagship book got really good.

I checked out issue #36 based on a friend’s recommendation, and it was such fine work that I didn’t even have my usual “Nazis again?” reaction to the villains. Issue #37 drops today, so here’s my admittedly late assessment of its predecessor (Spoilers ahead):

The story opens 20 years in the future, and it’s a downer. For starters, Mr. Terrific is in prison, where he’s explaining the particulars of Alan Scott’s demise to an eerily detached secretary with a Vidal Sassoon haircut. Aged, weary and thin, Mr. Terrific has been stripped of his powers and fully expects to be executed after his story is recorded.

The action switches to the present, and we begin to see just when — and how everything — ran off the rails. From inside his holding cell at JSA headquarters, evil-ass Kid Karnevil talks major smack about his escape plans, gleefully race-baits Mr. Terrific (“the JSA’s token Negro”) and announces OG Green Lantern’s death while it’s happening. Killing Scott turns out to be a surprisingly simple task, but it’s still a shocking development. Once the Nazis of the Fourth Reich show up, it is officially on.

Willingham’s script steals the show, but I thoroughly enjoyed Jesus Merino’s clean, elegant pencil work. While the story is plenty dark, Merino’s sunny, domestic scenes of Liberty Belle and Hourman stand out, and there’s an especially lovely image of LB in full stride as she (literally) runs to work. This is the first time I’ve taken note of Merino’s illustration, but I hope his JSA partnership with Willingham is a long-term gig.

I also hope that issue #37 includes a lavish splash page of Kid Karnevil receiving the old-school beatdown he so richly deserves.

Cover art by Greg Horn

Justice League: The Rise of Arsenal #1
Writers: J.T. Krul
Pencils: Geraldo Borges
Colors: Hi-Fi
DC Comics
March 24, 2010

Spoilers ahead!

In spite of the Un-awesomeness of JL: Cry For Justice, I still wanted to read JL: Rise of Arsenal. I don’t know much about Roy Harper, but I’m all for reading stories about unfamiliar characters. It can be more interesting with an unbiased brain.

Issue one opens with a playback of the events that took place on the JLA satellite in the last issue of Cry For Justice. We see Roy having his last conversation with his daughter, an adorable and realistic debate about ice cream vs. cookies for dessert. This sweet moment is followed abruptly by an intense, bloody face-off with Prometheus. From the heart-tugging conversation with his soon-to-be-dead child to the splash page of Roy’s graphic dismemberment, JT Krul set one hell of a stage.

Jump to Roy waking up in the hospital, surrounded by his concerned friends and teammates. He’s still in serious physical pain, but that is quickly overshadowed by the realization that Lian died during Star City’s destruction. Krul manages to convey the shock, awe and pure devastation of what it’s like for someone to lose not just a limb, but their own child. Where James Robinson dropped the ball with contrived writing and unearned moments in Cry For Justice, Krul delivers an authentic punch in the gut. I got a little teary-eyed when Roy went to the morgue to see Lian’s body. What else would a grieving parent do but imagine their dead child’s final moments? Geraldo Borges’ image of Roy hugging Lian’s lifeless body is one of the most powerful that I’ve seen. Understandably, Roy starts to go a little crazy, but not before kicking an ass or two with one arm. I had no idea he was such a skilled hand-to-hand combatant. The nod to Roy’s past as a drug addict — and the temptation to start using again — added depth to the issue.

Kudos to Krul for bringing this story back to life, making me care and turning an unbelievably shitastic story arc into “pretty damn good.” With Cheshire on the horizon for issue #2, good is going to get better.

P.S. Thanks for not making Black Canary suck at life in this issue.

Mo powers, mo problems

Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?
Writer: Alan Moore
Pencils: Curt Swan
Inkers: George Perez and Kurt Schaffenberger
DC Comics

Though I accept that Alan Moore is an exceptional and groundbreaking writer, I’ve often found his work difficult to love. However, when Moore’s “Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?” stories were reissued in trade form, I went directly to the comics shop and bought the book. This volume is delightful, and it’s a great read whether you’re a hardcore comics lover or a casual reader with only basic knowledge of Superman.

Written in the 1980s as the final chapter for the Silver Age Superman, “Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?” is touching, haunting and playful in all the right places — and in a way, it highlights the problem with the lack of an expiration date on iconic comic book characters. No one stays dead (or missing) in comic books anymore, and it is harder to care when you know that a the story of a character’s life has no real end. As wonderful as Neil Gaiman’s “Whatever Happened to the Caped Crusader?” story was — and it was plenty wonderful — it was undermined a little by the knowledge that Bruce Wayne wasn’t really gone for good. Dude is already on his way back.

Of course, this makes perfect sense from a business standpoint, and new readers keep discovering (and rediscovering) these titles. My point is that the level of poignancy that Moore achieved here is rare because the medium doesn’t often allow for it. A character like Superman is so much more compelling when he is ultimately defeated by something, whether it’s mortality or a changing world. Superman was rebooted in 1986 with “The Man of Steel” arc, but Moore’s story represents the end of a long and storied era. You should read it.

Twilight: The Graphic Novel
Volume 1
Stephenie Meyer
Art & Adaptation by Young Kim
Yen Press

This is a big week for the Twilight franchise with the release of The Twilight Saga: New Moon DVD and Twilight: The Graphic Novel. I pre-ordered both, and I’ve been hitting up the UPS site regularly to track my packages. I was beyond thrilled on Wednesday when I saw that the graphic novel had been delivered. After a minor battle with my daughter over who was going to read it first, my wait was … almost over. I acquiesced once I realized I was being a bit of a brat. (HEY! Don’t judge me. Twilight is a hell of a drug.) Besides, her bedtime is way before mine. I knew I’d get to be alone with my precious soon enough. Volume 1 offers up the first half of the Twilight story. Here’s the good, the meh, and the ugly.

The Ugly
Worst speech bubbles ever! What the hell? They’re awkwardly placed on the page, and they’re so obnoxious-looking that they often overshadow the artwork. And isn’t the art the whole point of a graphic novel? This should have been called Twilight: The Graphic Novel with STUPID, UGLY, SPEECH BUBBLES. They even have these weird squiggly lines denoting who is speaking, but because of the bizarre placement, that didn’t help me make sense of things. All I got were ugly squiggly lines over the art I had paid to enjoy. Considering how much money this franchise has made, couldn’t the publisher have sprung for a letterer? Oh, how I have taken for the lettering for granted in my comic books. I had no idea how crucial it is to an illustrated medium’s authenticity and visual atmosphere. All hail the letterer! And fuck Yen Press for typing it up in Times New Roman and Monotype Corsiva. Cheap Basterds.

Edward, Bella, and dumb, ugly speech bubbles in biology class

The Meh
Though I read comics and graphic novels constantly, I’m not that familiar with Manga or the nuances of Manga style. So the entire time I’m reading the book, I’m thinking, “What the hell is that damn teardrop thing Bella’s always got on her face?” I now know that is used to show anxiety, embarrassment or insecurity. Let’s just say it was a permanent fixture.

Much of the background detail, with the exception of “The Meadow” (thank friggin’ goodness), is done in a photorealistic style. I’m not sure if this was just another example of Yen Press’ stinginess, or if the artist isn’t great at backgrounds. Twilight fans can be obsessive, so I can imagine someone — maybe author Stephanie Meyer herself, saying, “Let’s put a real image of Forks High School, and do some cel-shading. Those crazy Twihards will love that.” Whatever the reason, these panels left me lukewarm. Part of my huge excitement about this graphic novel stemmed from the potential for some beautiful, distinctive interpretations of scenes from the original book — not a damn gray-scale, shaded photo of a silver Volvo on a Washington highway. Perhaps I should learn to draw.

The Good (Spoilers ahead!)
No matter how many times I watch the Twilight movie, it just doesn’t give me the ultimate high of the book it’s based on. Where the movie fails, the graphic novel delivers. The graphic novel doesn’t have to pander to Hollywood and time limits. This adaptation maintains the integrity of the story, and I got ALL of my favorite quotes. I also got so see many scenes I had only imagined before: Bella contemplatively staring in the bathroom mirror, blood-typing in biology, cooking dinner for Charlie and dreaming about Edward. I got to see the lemonade bottle-top, Bella’s decisive meditation in the forest, the new-age hippie lady in the bookstore and the conversation in Edward’s Volvo on the way back from Port Angeles. It was a joy to see those scenes.

I also thought the characters were drawn very well. Kim did an excellent job of staying true to Meyer’s descriptions. There are some beautiful splash pages, and the Manga technique of speed lines works perfectly when Edward demonstrates his vampire prowess. The best part, by far, is the meadow scenery. Since Forks is this gloomy place with little to no sun, the entire book is gray-scaled. But once Bella and Edward climb the mountain and step into the meadow, the sun shines gloriously — in color. In fact, these are the only panels that are done in color, and it works. Of course, there’s a full color splash page of Edward as he steps into the sun and sparkles. It is quite perfect.

Verdict
I’d expected better quality overall, given the vast amounts of cash this series is raking in. The apparent corner-cutting gave me a twinge of disappointment. That aside, the book manages to convey all of the important aspects of the story, but not as intensely as the original book. My opinion is that the graphic novel is a better choice for young girls who are dying to read Twilight. Did I enjoy it? Yeah — but that was kind of inevitable.

Cover art by Frank Quitely

I read a bunch of comics this week. Here’s how they stack up, from best to worst:

1. Batman and Robin #10
During its short run, this title has ranged from brilliant to odd to plain inscrutable — in other words, classic Grant Morrison. Fortunately, things are back on the upswing with Andy Clarke’s wonderful art and a storyline pitting Damian Wayne (Robin) against Dick Grayson (Batman). Actually, it’s not Damian who’s gunning for Dick so much as his mama, Talia al-Ghul, who wants her son back at her side. Damian may be an arrogant little shit, but there are signs that he’s grown to respect Dick and even enjoy their partnership. As they search Wayne family portraits for signs that Bruce is alive, Damian seems genuinely glum about the end of his crime-fighting relationship with Dick: “If my father returns, we can’t be Batman and Robin anymore, can we?” Things get even more interesting with the appearance of the mysterious Oberon Sexton, and I’ll be very interested to see how these plot threads tie in with Morrison’s The Return of Bruce Wayne saga.

2. Secret Six #19
Black Alice develops a big, honking crush on Ragdoll. If that doesn’t move you, turn in your longboxes immediately.

3. Ultimate Spider-Man #8
This has long been one of my favorite comics, and the recent focus on Peter Parker’s crowded home life — new girlfriend Gwen Stacey, Johnny Storm, Bobby Drake and ex-girlfriend Kitty Pryde — plays to Brian Michael Bendis’ strengths as a writer. This issue is full of the usual crackling dialogue, but I just wasn’t that into Peter’s neighbor, Rick Jones, who spends roughly half of the book complaining about his new found superpowers as Nova. Being chosen by an alien to help save mankind is heavy stuff for a 16-year-old, but Jones’ extensive, why-me tantrum made me want to smack him. Come to think of it, Johnny Storm wanted to do the same thing. But even on the rare occasion when Ultimate Spidey doesn’t fire on all cylinders, it’s still a good read.

4. Red Robin #10
I love me some Tim Drake, but I didn’t really connect with this book until the last couple of issues. However, #7-9 were downright delightful, illustrating Tim’s considerable ass-whipping/detective skills while introducing a perfect potential girlfriend: button-cute Tam Fox, daughter of Wayne confidante Lucius Fox. Since I’m already way too invested in the Tim/Tam flirtation, Stephanie Brown’s appearance was a serious buzzkill. On the other hand, it was fun to see Stephanie’s Batgirl beat the snot out of a particularly annoying member of the League of Assassins. And I’m still giggling over Alfred’s withering reply to reporter Vicki Vale, who shows up at Wayne Manor looking for Tim: “Master Timothy is far too young for you.” Hee!

5. Justice League Rise and Fall Special
Despite our well-documented loathing of the Black Canary/Green Arrow relationship, there’s no denying that Oliver Queen’s sketchy personal life is good plot fodder. But this one-shot, which takes place immediately after Green Arrow offs Prometheus in Cry for Justice, isn’t about action so much as brooding: Ollie brooding about his maimed son and dead granddaughter; Ollie brooding about hunting down The Electrocutioner; Dinah brooding about Ollie’s fragile state of mind; Justice League members brooding about Ollie’s slide toward the dark side. I’ve generally enjoyed J.T. Krul’s work, but this issue is pretty stagnant. And like V., I’m way over Black Canary following her angry husband around like a wounded groupie. However, there are a few noteworthy moments, like Ollie’s ice-cold rejection of Dick Grayson’s assistance in Star City (It’s my city, “Batman.” Ouch!)  and Barry Allen getting all Judgy McJudgypants when Green Arrow’s lethal act comes to light. But for $3.99, I’d have liked a little more than panels of glowering and fretting.

What did you like this week?

Cover art by J.G. Jones

First Wave #1
Script: Brian Azzarello
Art: Rags Morales
Colors: Nei Ruffino
DC Comics
March 3, 2010

As a fledgling fangirl, I mostly read what others loaned me. In time, I learned what I liked and didn’t. Much of what I enjoy is of the Spandex persuasion and has a strong female presence. Thus, First Wave is not a typical read for me.  Had it not been for Rags Morales’ involvement, I wouldn’t have picked up the book at all. I’m such a fan of Rags’ art that I figured the comic would be worth it even if the story turned out to be a bore. I also approached First Wave knowing nothing about Doc Savage, his entourage, or The Spirit. So here’s my “Tabula Rasa” take on issue #1.

The art is the shining star of this issue. I always enjoy a JG Jones cover. The smooth lines and the sort of chalky, muted tones are nice touches that complement Jones’ take on the characters. It reminds me of Chris Van Allsburg, whose work I enjoyed so much as a kid. Rags’ interior art is amazing. During a quite amusing conversation between The Spirit and crooked cop Dolan, there’s this up-close panel of Dolan’s smirky face that I just stared at: The smoke coming off the just-used match, the shadow cast from the brim of his hat and pipe, and the distinct look of the character. It said so much more than the dialogue could — and that’s just one panel!

If you think of the art for a character-driven book in terms of movie casting, Rags is the best casting director in the studio. He manages to define all of the characters so that you got a feel for who they might turn out to be in this story. He has a real gift for drawing eyes, giving them depth and an almost photo-realistic intensity. I generally liked Ruffino’s colors, but at times, some of Rags’ detail work seemed lost to the coloring. But since the palette and contrasts were aesthetically pleasing as a package, perhaps that’s a fair trade-off.

Since I am not familiar with the characters in First Wave, I had to read the issue a couple times to absorb what was going on. It’s mostly a lot of seed planting, but no real forward motion. We see Dr. Littlejohn somewhere in the South American jungle fleeing from a killer robot. Doc Savage comes home from solitude to his father’s gravesite, only to find some serious shenanigans surrounding his “death.” A Russian guy, who I guess is the big baddie, reads a news report about Doc’s goings-on and has some opinions about the scene taking place in the jungle. The Spirit provides kooky commentary while following a lead on some criminal activity, only to find a fight and a few things unexpected.

I’m curious to see where the story goes, and I’m excited about some of the characters. We get a brief glimpse at Rima the Jungle Girl in this first issue. Based on a preview from Rag’s character notebook that I saw a while back, I love Rima’s look, and I’m looking forward to seeing what Azzarello does with her. She doesn’t have a great deal of established continuity, but in the hands of an able writer, that can be a great thing. There is a Black Canary yet to be revealed, which I have high hopes for. The Spirit was wildly entertaining, as he’s a special kind of crazy. I’ve always had an affinity for eccentric characters. Plus, I’m really digging Doc Savage, who’s all smart and bronzy. Yum.

Verdict: The first issue doesn’t offer a great deal of exposition, and I imagine it’ll take another issue or two before we get any. You might get more out of it if you are familiar with Doc and Spirit. The story was certainly not a bore. Azzarello managed to pique my interest, but Rags Morales is what made First Wave worth my $3.99.

Rating: PG-13
Directors: Lauren Montgomery, Sam Liu
Writer: Dwayne McDuffie
Starring: William Baldwin, Mark Harmon, Chris Noth, Gina Torres and James Woods

There’s an interesting premise at the core of the new DC animated movie “Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths:” Every choice we make results in an alternate reality, creating endless variations of ourselves that range from virtually identical to unrecognizable. “Crisis” isn’t nearly as complex a film as that idea suggests, but fortunately, seeing Justice League members take on their evil doubles never gets old.

Thanks to a (mostly) strong vocal cast and some wicked action scenes, “Crisis on Two Earths” is a perfectly respectable addition to DC’s recent lineup of direct-to-DVD films. (Spoilers ahead!) Seeking to defeat the mafia-like Crime Syndicate, Earth-2’s benevolent Lex Luthor — voiced by Chris Noth, who will always be Mr. Big to us — travels across dimensions to get the Justice League’s help. As usual, everyone’s in except Batman, who is inexplicably voiced by Billy Baldwin. Was Alec not available?

Aided by their stable of “made men,” the Crime Syndicate rules with an iron fist that has cowed even the U.S. President of Earth-2: Deathstroke! OK, he’s “President Slade Wilson” here, but it’s a hoot to see him re-imagined as the ultimate public servant. Superman’s Earth-2 counterpart, Ultraman, is a meathead who appears to be fond of guyliner, and Power Ring (evil Green Lantern) comes across as a young Paulie Walnuts in Spandex. In a nice twist on our BatWondy fantasy, Superwoman is coupled with none other than Owlman, whose dick-ish lines are delivered with expert menace by James Woods. When Superwoman slinks into his lair, Owlman greets her by saying, “I thought I told you to call first.”

It turns out that Owlman is less interested in conquering Earth than destroying it and all its alternate versions. As the Justice League and Good Lex race to stop him, we’re treated to some nifty cameos (Firestorm, Black Canary and Aquaman) and several choice moments. Batslut that I am, I got a kick out of watching the Dark Knight respond to Superwoman’s advances by biting her — and probably not the way she hoped he would. Wonder Woman has some of the movie’s best fight scenes, and the explanation of how she wound up with that invisible airplane is pretty clever.

“Crisis” also makes a convincing case for Martian Manhunter as a heartthrob. V. now has a crush on Mr. J’onzz, whose mind-reading skills and bodyguard services lead to a brief romance with Earth-2’s Rose Wilson. Let’s just say that the Martian way of showing affection makes kissing look about as erotic as a high-five.

“Crisis on Two Earths” doesn’t have the epic feel of “Justice League: The New Frontier,” but it’s a solidly entertaining DVD that’s worth seeing, especially with the inclusion of the chillingly retro “Spectre” special feature. Grade: B

What are you lookin' at?

Power Girl #9
Writers: Justin Gray and Jimmy Palmiotti
Art and Cover: Amanda Conner
Colors: Paul Mounts
DC Comics
February 17, 2010

How flat-out fun is this comic? Let’s put it this way: If the sight of gat-toting elephants and rhinos robbing a bank doesn’t do it for you, it’s time to find another hobby. Better still, the mutant wildlife gone, uh, wild are drawn by Amanda Conner, who has quickly become one of my favorite illustrators. Conner’s style — expressive and fun without being cartoony — is a great match for the witty spirit that writers Justin Gray and Jimmy Palmiotti bring to Power Girl.

I didn’t immediately love this comic when it debuted last year, and frankly, PG has always been high on the Characters I Don’t Care About list. But with the last couple of issues, the writing/art team has hit its stride to make Power Girl a comic that’s as entertaining as it is gorgeous to look at. (Spoilers ahead!)

Barely recovered from a dinner date with Vartox that involved a “pregno-ray,” Power Girl takes on the lawless animal invaders by doing what she does best — beating the bejesus out of them. Then, major hater Satanna shows up wielding a sonic boom hammer, unflattering body armor from the “Transformers” collection and a grudge.

It’s a good thing Satanna’s got that hammer, because taunting a Kryptonian with lines like, “OK, bitch; come get some!” is otherwise inadvisable. But it’s also funny, and Power Girl is full of genuinely funny moments. One involves Power Girl ending up naked on her apartment steps, with her famous assets covered only by a strategically illustrated bunch of carrots. It’s just one of several panels that shows off Conner’s gift for facial expressions. PG has a sense of humor! Who knew?

As a superhero comics fan suffering from event fatigue, I’m glad I gave Power Girl another chance. It’s a breath of fresh air.