Category Archives: DC Comics

December 8, 2011 · 5:26 am

BATMAN #3 Review of the New 52

Comics events will come and go and Batman will always be cool. But there’s never been anything quite like a re-launch of 52 titles as DC Comics has done. The landmark titles are getting the closest scrutiny, of course. “Action Comics,” the cornerstone to the DC Comics universe is hitting it out of the ballpark while it can be said that the new “Superman” is putting in an impressive showing. Where does Batman fit into the mix? He’s too cool to care so I’m asking for him.

The short answer: Among all the Bat titles out right now, “Batman” is the one to follow. Pretty easy this time around. If you’re into keeping up with the heart and soul of Batman, then just read “Batman.” That’s the title currently hitting the mark.

But, hey, if you have the extra time and money, of course, check out the other Bat titles. As for “Detective Comics,” I’m not getting into it since it’s basically just violence and not enough story. The truth is, if you want the hot Superman story right now, it’s “Action Comics” and, if you want the hot Batman story right now, then it’s “Batman.”

Currently up to Issue Three, Scott Snyder’s run on “Batman” keeps moving along, maybe even to the level of hitting it out of the ballpark.

The challenge with any superhero story of this caliber, be it Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, is saying something distinctive, even something daringly new. Do you settle on doing a cool CSI type story, which “Batman” lends itself to quite easily, or do you find a way to break new ground?

Here’s the thing, there  is absolutely nothing wrong with NOT breaking new ground and focusing on a solid story. But then, some guys can’t leave well enough alone.

Owls. It’s all about the owls—but so much more too. For one thing, Snyder has developed a new pal for Bruce Wayne, an honest politician, mayoral candidate, Lincoln March. It’s nice to give Bruce a new pal, at least for awhile. Snyder has also managed to do more than make Gotham “another character” in the story. Much in the way he’s provided full-bodied storytelling in “American Vampire” and his own recent run on “Detective Comics,” he loves to delve into details of the Batman saga. It’s quite an accomplishment when the words prove to be as evocative as the art. Snyder gives us an array of fanciful things to contemplate, most notably Wayne Tower which was built by a Wayne forefather as a shining beacon to commerce and to newcomers to Gotham.

And then we’ve got those owls, The Court of Owls. It turns out they’ve been around for a long, long time and have been hiding in the nooks and crannies of Gotham, in nasty spots like the hidden 13th floor of buildings. The tightly packed tension should continue to mount nicely before it all becomes a big ole owl bloodbath.

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November 28, 2011 · 2:37 am

ACTION COMICS #3 Review of the New 52

It took a long time for Superman to become the Superman we’ve come to know today. And it took a long time for “Action Comics” to do the same. With the mega-relaunch of 52 DC Comics titles, it is “Action Comics” that is one of the must-see titles. Lucky for all of us, we can try to keep up with all the titles as best we can but, if I could only pick one title to follow, I would choose “Action Comics.” One of the special things about “Action Comics” is that, back in 1938, in the span of a dozen pages, a crudely formed “Superman” first set foot on the comics page and ushered in the world of superheroes. Ever since, the talented folks at DC Comics have been refining the character to perfection. This is the very first time that “Action Comics” had experienced a roll back to Issue Number One. In 2011, Superman sets foot on the comics page with an already formidable presence and, with Grant Morrison as writer and Rags Morales as artist, he is under the best of care.

Grant Morrison has spoken about the mind-boggling honor it is to write for DC Comics superheroes. He acknowledges them as gods: “Superman is Zeus, Batman is Hades, Aquaman is Neptune!” He is fully aware of the magnitude of these characters and how they will take on characteristics of the era they are part of. There’s been a World War II Superman, a Cold War Superman, a Family Man Superman. Well, it seems like it’s been awhile since Superman has fully engaged with the times. Morrison has had to go back to the roots of Superman and find what’s authentic about him as well as make as relevant as he should be. He’s probably had to juggle some corporate decisions too: Make Superman Younger. Make Him Edgier. I’m not sure where the Harry Potter eyeglasses came from. You’ll see those same specs in the “Superman” title. Was it a corporate decision or did it originate with Morrison? It may very well have been Morrison’s idea. The point is that Morrison is well up to the task and much more. Does he make him edgier? Yes, and that plays into going back to his roots. Superman started out being brash and out of control. We have come full circle: We are in the thick of a youth dominated/gadget obsessed era that embraces being brash and out of control.

We all want to make a difference on our blogs, our uploading of video, our social networking and our constant chatter on smartphones. Superman is right in line. He is overtly idealistic. He is righteous. He is young and fresh and looking to make things right anywhere he can. With great power comes great responsibility? Superman show us how overwhelmed he is with both. In “Action Comics #1,” from 1938, Superman flies through the sky with a terrified lobbyist. In 2011’s “Action Comics #1,” Superman again takes on the power elite. This time it’s the industrialist, Glen Glenmorgan, and  Superman gives him a ride he will never forget. While Superman most likely does not, or ever will, use Twitter, Clark Kent is fully plugged in. He is constantly checking in with his new pal, Jimmy Olsen. The idealism of saving the world takes on greater meaning when, with Facebook and Twitter, you potentially can be heard around the world. This technology seems to work well for Kent but seems to work against Superman. No sooner has he put Glen Glenmorgan in his place and made him confess to his crimes, than Glenmorgan sets out to destroy Superman. And how do we destroy people these days? Through lies, deception and taking it to the media! Not much different from the past but with an added kick no doubt. Glenmorgan, CEO of Galaxy Broadcast Systems, knows a thing or two about manipulation. By Issue Three, “World Against Superman,” Glenmorgan has announced undisputed proof that Superman is an “alien creature from another world.” He’s not an emissary, he’s a creature.

Lex Luthor knows a thing or two about manipulation too, along with torture and a whole slew of other crimes. Thanks to Glenmorgan, Superman was tricked into saving passengers from a speeding train and was subsequently pinned by the train long enough to be captured by the military. Lex Luthor makes a point of calling the prisoner an “It” instead of the humanizing “He” or “Him.” Only when tensions go through the roof, does Luthor lose his cool and demand the next form of torture: “Shock him!”

Morrison’s writing and Morales’s artistry cast a more complex light on Superman, give him an added dimension. It’s truly fascinating to see. Morrison brings in as much nuance and subtlety as you can to the classic cat and mouse story: Superman versus Lex Luthor, or some other bad guy. It’s interesting to see what set things in motion: Superman exposes Glen Glenmorgan, one of the most influential and corrupt industrialists in the world. Glenmorgan sets about “turning the tables” on Superman. Again, this is a fairly common thing to have Superman turn into the “bad guy” so it all depends on the writing. Morrison provides us with quite a sinister figure with Glenmorgan. We can feel his anger, his vanity and his need for vengeance. Then set that in contrast with the naive Superman who does not yet fully appreciate how twisted some people can be. Superman only wants to see justice done. Glenmorgan only cares about Glenmorgan. He has no qualms about telling outright lies. For him, deception is a way of life. It’s not enough for  Glenmorgan to put Superman in his place. He needs to “turn the tables” and turn Superman into the “bad guy.” It is a very sophisticated and twisted psychology that throws Superman through a loop.

As Inspector Blake tries to make clear to Clark Kent, while the inspector and his officers conduct yet another search of his apartment: “Mr.Glenmorgan–He’ll destroy you if you continue to harass him, in The Star or on your blog, am I clear? What you call corruption, grownups call realpolitik…look it up.” Clark’s response: “You need to be the cop you wanted to be when you were a kid.” Poor Clark Kent and poor Superman! Still in his dungarees, and looking a bit like Li’l Abner, Superman sure has his work cut out for him and we’ve got another Superman story for the ages.

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May 13, 2011 · 7:35 pm

No Wonder Woman on NBC

I have no beef with Kathy Bates. I’d go even as far as to say that her current show on NBC, “HARRY”S LAW,” is for all intents and purposes a fine little show, reminiscent of “CANNON” and “BARNABY JONES.” But to favor this show over the possibility of bringing back “WONDER WOMAN”? Apparently, NBC would rather drop the idea of David E. Kelley’s reboot of “Wonder Woman” and instead invest in more episodes of “Harry’s Law.”

Why not take Kathy Bates and cast her in a role in the new Wondy show? She might be able to play Wondy’s mom or maybe a character much like, if not identical, to the one she’s playing now on this Harry show. She could be a female version of Commisioner Gordon. I know, wrong superhero reference, but you know what I’m saying.

Adrianne Palicki might be counting her lucky stars. It does seem like she was miscast. And, most likely, this Wondy effort was missing something very important, like a real purpose to exist. Ah well, maybe it’s good that NBC is being as cautious as it is. Or maybe they don’t really care and figure “Harry” is money in the bank.

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February 17, 2011 · 4:16 am

Adrianne Palicki is Wonder Woman

I was just commenting the other day about Eric Palicki’s writing for comics, particularly his new work, “Barefoot.” And now we get the big news from “The Hollywood Reporter” that his sister has been chosen to star in the new Wonder Woman TV show on NBC. There are no two ways about it, Adrianne Palicki is a hottie. She also happens to have developed an impressive career on TV which includes superhero street cred: Adrianne played Supergirl on “Smallville” and had a role on the CW’s short-lived “Aquaman.” But is this just shortsighted typecasting? Some might agree. Then again, this is supposed to be a different Wonder Woman, based out of LA, so let’s roll with it.

Here is some info from the press release:

The series pilot is a reinvention of the iconic DC Comics title in which Wonder Woman – a.k.a. Diana Prince – is a vigilante crime fighter in Los Angeles but also a successful corporate executive and a modern woman trying to balance all of the elements of her extraordinary life. Kelley and Bill D’Elia (“Boston Legal,” “The Practice”) are the executive producers. The pilot was written by Kelley and will be directed by Jeffrey Reiner(NBC’s “The Event”).  “Wonder Woman” is from David E. Kelley Productions and Warner Bros. Television.

So, what does this mean to you, or to me? Well, I’m just a guy. I scratch when I itch. I will lay about with a beer and watch a game now and then. I don’t keep up with all the shows on TV unless it’s something that really calls out to me, otherwise I may be tone deaf to something that apparently is popular. For instance, Adrianne Palicki is currently the star of “Friday Night Lights.” I have no idea what that is. She plays the role of Tyra Collete. Maybe I’ll look it up.

What I initally found interesting was all the newfound interest in Wonder Woman. This is one of those shows that I’m interested to follow as the publicity ramps up. I am not a wild fan of too many actors. You’d have to go back to Jack Lemmon for someone I really liked and cared about. Or, for someone more recent, Drew Barrymore, but on a different level. And on an even more different level, Russell Brand comes to mind. What do Jack Lemmon, Drew Barrymore and Russell Brand have in common? They all come across as real human beings. Smart, talented and human. That’s a great combination.  

Anyway, back to Wonder Woman, based on what fans seem to want, it really looked like the best choice would have been Bridget Regan. She was on ABC’s “Legend of the Seeker.” Again, that does not register with me but, from what I can tell, it looks good. And, from what I see, Adrianne Palicki should do quite well as Wonder Woman. This could very well be her Lynda Carter moment. She may become a truly household name, although audiences are definitely not what they were in Carter’s day. Everything is now scattered and random. Audiences can be more fickle. Corporations can be less patient. Although  there are always exceptions. Did anyone predict that “Big Bang Theory” would become a hit? No, of course not. Some shows take time and are worth sticking with. And some shows get dropped for no good reason other than low ratings. 

Whatever the case, Adrianne Palicki will become better known because of the fact she’s now Wonder Woman and then, after that, her career may go downhill unless she’s really good on this show, so good that she actually transcends it. Now, that’s a tall order. We’ll wait and see.

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February 14, 2011 · 5:56 pm

Watch All Star Superman

“All Star Superman” is one of the very best stories in comics created by two masters in comics, Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely. The animated feature is a worthy tribute to this landmark in comics. “All Star Superman” releases February 22, available on DVD, Blu-Ray, On Demand and for Download. Read my review at GeekWeek.

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February 14, 2011 · 12:04 am

Wonder Woman struts her stuff with MAC cosmetics

In comics news, what is on my radar right now is the new Wonder Woman collection of MAC cosmetics. Designed by Alex Chalk, this collection will make you feel like you’ve just gained superpowers. In the US, you can go down to your local Macy’s and sample the wares.

Really, as far as anything about comics at the moment, I find this most interesting. I happen to have been at Macy’s during the launch this weekend and this collection was indeed a hit among all age groups. There were director chairs lined up for free makeovers and you had tweens on up to more mature and adventurous ladies. Does it say something about the allure of Wonder Woman? Yes, I believe it does. Of course, the presentation was impeccable with a pop culture panache that would have made Andy Warhol proud. But the fact remains that Wonder Woman, the idea of Wonder Woman, is amazingly powerful. The character, as broad and iconic as she is, lends herself to vast interpretation. She is speaking to women, and men, on so many levels that it should have the heads of DC Comics talent spinning and striving for even more engaging content for Wondy. Would it be possible to create something similar for men, maybe a cologne, covering a wide age range, that would bring in Superman or Batman? Probably not. Now, that’s pretty darn powerful.

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November 17, 2010 · 7:51 pm

A Milestone Comic: Review: Batman Inc. #1

Comics come and go so quickly it makes a regular observer’s head spin. So, when something this special comes along, it is a pleasure to share with all readers, those familiar with what I’m talking about and those without a clue. “Batman Inc” is a significant comic. So significant that it can truly be called a gateway comic for new readers.

Anyone who is into comics has been talking about this title since it was announced at this year’s Comic-Con in San Diego. Legendary designer Chip Kidd highly recommends it. Fans of the writer Grant Morrison, fans of comics in general, know this is where to be right now in comics.What is so amazing about this book is more than can be said in one review. Essentially, it is flawless. The artwork and the writing do a dance in your mind that will entrance you. It truly takes you away from your everyday routine and transports you to a happy place, a full comics experience.

Grant Morrison is known for his dark and multi-layered writing which brings in all manner of pop culture, history, myth and symbolism. That approach to writing has served Batman well as Morrison has navigated through a story, which has spanned a number of titles, that repositions Batman and Bruce Wayne after a long and tortured time when DC Comics had Bruce killed and it had looked like he’d stay dead. To bring Bruce back would need to be done with utmost care and so, presumably the best writing talent in the business, Mr. Morrison, has led the way to make this a truly special time in comics. For this current title, “Batman Inc,” we find Bruce in full command and running the show, the Batman part of his life, with the same vigor he runs his business empire.

Yanick Paquette (pencils) and Michel LaCombe (inks) provide spot on artwork, both beautiful, energetic and relevant. Not a missed note anywhere to be found. The colors too, by Nathan Fairbairn, are exquisite. We begin with Batman and Catwoman working together in Tokyo on the search for Mr. Unknown, who is supposed to figure prominently in Batman’s plans. But, oh wait a minute, actually, just before that, Mr. Unknown is killed by one very scary villain, Lord Death Man! And, yes, no matter how geeky that may sound, it is done with great elegance. This Lord Death Man looks like somebody from a Day of the Dead festival done up in a skeleton costume. But he looks fierce instead of festive and he means to kill without mercy just like the Grim Reaper himself. He comes upon Mr. Unknown and instantly takes away his hands. Mr. Unknown is in shock. He askes where his hands went. Lord Death Man says, “They are in hell! Awaiting the rest of you!”

This is just a little taste of the comic, with special consideration given to those of you out there who normally do not buy comics. I have to tell you, it will prove such an unexpected treat that I urge you to venture into your local comics shop and give it a try. You want to be in on the next big thing? This one will continue to reverberate for some time to come. It’s not exactly underground either. It’s DC Comics after all. But that’s the thing, so many of you just don’t know how good comics can be and this could be the first you hear of Grant Morrison, let alone “Batman Inc.” That said, do check it out.

And for those out there who already know the score. I love this line from Catwoman after she’s knocked out a bunch of Lord Death Man’s henchmen, all following a skeletal motif: “Bones don’t seem so scary when they’re broken in bits, do they?”

Batman, along with every comic book character around, keeps being revisited, tweaked, reborn, readjusted. This is a major shift. This is a new generation’s Batman.

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November 16, 2010 · 7:41 am

Batman Odyssey: Bats Gone Plum Loco

Not to grind up a legend of the caliber of Neal Adams, a man who has helped shape the Batman we’ve come to know over the years, but his current project is really out there and it leaves me wondering if the big man will save this one from being a total train wreck. Yes, sir, “Batman Odyssey” continues on its journey, astonishing readers who have yet to make head or tail of it. And the book is only on its fourth issue. The darn thing is supposed to go for twelve issues.

Maybe Adams was high when he wrote this, even if it’s just high on life, because it does have a hallucinatory quality to it, what with its flashbacks that lead nowhere and its abrupt changes and unusual verbosity. But this thing certainly has legs, and hands and feet and they seem to jump right out at you due to Mr. Adams’s amazing use of foreshortening. There is some beautifully trippy art to be found here. It reminds me of a trippy three-issue Spider-Man special from not too long ago.Three issues! Not four times that. Not a dozen, only THREE.

I flipped through the four current issues at my local comics shop, intrigued by all the offbeat Bat imagery, and taken by the fact it was both drawn and written by Neal Adams. This looked like just what the doctor ordered in more ways than one. I won’t call it one of those “it’s so bad it’s good” situations, although a case could be made for that. I think what’s happened here is that someone let a kid into the candy shop and forgot to check in on him. Adams has Batman packing heat, endlessly talking gibberish, gyrating from one impossible position to the next, in histrionic rants with Alfred and, all the time, we seem less and less clear on where the story is going. Adams is just having way too much fun. He is Neal Adams after all. Let the man have his fun. That doesn’t change the fact that this Batman is plum loco.

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September 30, 2010 · 5:35 am

Review: Batgirl #14

The cover to “Batgirl #14” is rather confusing. You’ve got quite a candy colored bizzare, yet dazzling, composition. Batgirl. Supergirl. A bunch of Béla Lugosi Draculas. I swear, I saw this glorious train wreck of a cover, flipped through some very nice art, and snatched it up. I picked it up over at Zanadu, in downtown Seattle, and then took it across the steet to a fancy pizza place called, Serious Pie. They take their time there so I ordered a Moretti and sat down to escape for a few minutes.

So, getting a closer look, I realized that, no, this wasn’t some totally awesome new series teaming up Batgirl and Supergirl. And, of course, this wasn’t what I thought the title was at first, although that would be pretty rad: “Terror in the Third Dimension.” This was the latest issue of Batgirl, plain and simple. I remember when it first came out last year and it didn’t grab me then. I dare say, this is the issue that will bring in a whole new set of readers. Speaking of team-ups, writer Bryan Q. Miller and artist Lee Garbett, appear to have found their groove. The books bops along nicely. And, speaking of bops, as in Birds of Prey, this book reminds me of what I wrote recently about that title: I love when the Birds just hang out and talk. That is what I find can be very entertaining. Batgirl and Supergirl get to do a lot of that. It is allowing for these slower moments that make the action scenes that much more relevant, not to mention powerful.

A writer gets a chance to write and you get a chance at a little magic. I’m sure this wasn’t planned ahead by some marketing team: Stephanie and Kara are on a walk. Kara askes about how things are in Gotham. Stephanie responds by saying she’s relieved for the break in her routine. Just before she met up with Kara, she says, “I had sixteen points on my rack and was down three to one.” There is an awkward silence. Kara finally says, “I have no idea what any of that means.” Of course, Kara would never guess that Stephanie was talking about playing Scrabble with her mom.

So, more moments like that are most welcome. I can’t say that I really needed to see Kara and Stephanie subsequently fight off 24 Draculas but, what the hell, it was fun and having characters that are more full-blooded is definitely good. Of course, none of the Draculas got to find out just how good.

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August 31, 2010 · 2:32 am

Interview: Brian Wood

Brian Wood is an amazing graphic novelist, known for his ability to tap into the psyche of his often youthful and rebellious characters. Some of his best known work is “Local,” “Demo,” “DMZ” and “Northlanders.”

After learning that Brian Wood gained inspiration for his current run of “DV8” from the great John Huston film, starring Micheal Caine and Sean Connery, I had to go check it out for myself. If you’re like me, you enjoy those added layers of understanding, so go enjoy the movie and check out this brief interview:

Henry Chamberlain: Throughout history, all the great powers have tried and failed to conquer Afghanistan. Whatever one’s politics, that is a pretty amazing fact, isn’t it? I ask this considering your inspiration for your DV8 run comes from “The Man Who Would Be King,” about two guys who try to “take over” Afghanistan. Is the war embedded in the background of DV8?
 
Brian Wood: Not so much war in the shooting-bombing sense, and I don’t think the word “Afghanistan” entered my mind once while writing DV8, but what always struck me about that film… and this goes back to when I was rather young, since I first saw it when I was twelve, was the disparity in cultural development and sophistication, and how ruthlessly Daniel exploits that.  And how carelessly they both enter into the whole enterprise.  
 

I think the twelve year-old me was pretty impressed by it, I must admit.

Anyway, that film’s stuck in the background of my mind ever since.  I’d probably put it on my Top 10 list, if I had one.  I think DV8 was born from that, with equal parts  Demo and Northlanders, two of my other books.
 
HC: You’ve really created quite a mashup of the original DV8 and the John Huston film. It’s like you’ve taken some deep issues and brought them down to an accessible level among youth. Is that what you had in mind?
 
BW: Maybe.  Maybe subconsciously.  I think I’m being a little ruthless and careless myself with the natives in that story, and I have to watch myself since I don’t want to spoil anything.  My main goal with this book is to reintroduce and further develop bits of the DV8 characters, and do a little bit of Demo, provide a little bit of superhero social commentary that I could never get away with in that other book.  The setting of DV8, and the natives relationship to them is utterly crucial to that.  But in all honestly I am not really making it my mission to tell their story in the same way or with the same complexity as I am the DV8 kids.
 
HC: Can you give us your own review of “The Man Who Would Be King”? Or any suggestions on other great films that you’ve found inspiring?
Anything else in film that might make its way into your comics?
 
BW: There is another film, one that is certainly in my Top Five, that could be interesting to people who know my work… and that’s “Local Hero”, an eighties film set in Scotland.  I’ve used that for inspiration in so many ways and at some many different times (and will again in the near future) that I’ve taken to re-purchasing new copies each time.  Seems like the least I could do.  It’s a terrific film and hugely overlooked.
 

As far as “The Man Who Would Be King”, it’s hard to review that properly, to do it justice.  I can say that its a must-see if anyone is even halfway interested in current events i.e. the war, or the politics of war in general.

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