Movie Knights: Batman and Robin Starts Again

After a brief stand-in mini arc by Paul Cornell, the reins have been handed over on Batman and Robin, the batbook that Grant built, to great success. Batman and Robin #20 really feels like the start of something beautiful. There were many reasons to be excited for this run, helmed by Peter Tomasi, previously an excellent Nightwing scribe, and his partner in comics, Patrick Gleason, and this issue totally lives up to those expectations. The writer slips back into the character with ease and Dick Grayson hits a perfect balance between levity and gravitas. Gleason does his part, his lumpy distinct style upholding the nightmare cartoon feeling that Frank Quitely layed down for the book and that the other artists kept up.

The meat of the storyline seems to be about inverting the Angelic, Transcendent and the light into things Earthly, Human and off. That seems to be the right tone for the book, built on the idea of taking the wacky hallucinogenic but child-friendly aesthetic of the silver age Batman and turning it the wicked and seedy. As Dick Grayson and Damian Wayne ride Man-bat around the city surrounded by a hoard of glowing white light bats, there’s a palpable sense of the mirror house, of hysteria, as someone seems to be taking the Dark Knight’s vampire turned hero myth and turning it on its glowing evil head.

But even aside from the success of that story, which is just beginning, the issue wins you over with an early sequence that feels pitch perfect, as all of the Bat-boys sit together to watch the movie that inspired Bruce. In this simple three page sequence, Tomasi justifies the title of this book as well as the current status quo as all the Batmen and Robins sit together in a scene that feels neither false nor cliche. In fact, it feels right. There’s a strange sense after you’ve been reading Superhero comics for a while, something about the crossroads of your addicted cravings and your weariness of repeating storylines, that you aren’t enjoying yourself as much as living in a recurring dream, one that at any moment can slip between horror and joy depending on the competency of the author and artists. The wonderful thing about this new terrain is that it feels as if the world has actually shifted forward: Bruce is inspired by something other than his original mission, as are all of his sons down to Damian. In having them all watch Zorro together, Tomasi points us directly at this: the family is now a unit nobly urged on by their own positive myth, not one empowered by the traumas of their leader’s youth. On a side note, it makes me a bit sad that Tim Drake’s father was killed off, as the Robin with his own father spurred by his own dedication and nobility rather than tragedy would seem to fit in really well with the current state of things.

A Memoir Worth Remembering

2011 seems slated to be a year of great creator owned comics as more big name talent turns their attention toward putting out their own work. Last month Ben McCool and Nikki Cook’s Memoir hit stands from Image comics and while this first issue delivers a standard amount of exposition and character introduction it also makes it quite clear Memoir is a book reader’s won’t soon forget.

Lowesville is a small mid-western town, quiet, quaint and the perfect setting for a mystery so unsettling no one seems to remember it.  When the entire town awakes one day to find they’ve lost all recollection of who and where they are it is up to an intrepid outsider to get to the bottom of things. Things go from strange to stranger as more of the townsfolk are introduced and it becomes quite clear that there is more to Lowesville than it would appear.

The book itself is a bold throw back to the golden age of horror science fiction that stands on par with the very best of old televison programs like the twilight zone and the outer limits. Cook’s black and white renderings even give the story a more noir like feel providing readers with a gritty departure from a lot of her previous work. Combined with a masterfully woven tale of suspense from McCool Memoir is certainly pull-list worthy.

Memoir is the kind of series readers will definitely want to keep an eye on with enough twists and turns to satisfy thrill seekers while also keeping fans hungrey more.  Don’t forget to check out McCool’s other image series Choker available for digital download right now.

A Vision of the Future: Greg Pak’s Vision Machine Concludes!

Teaming up with Space Goat productions and rising star R.B. Silva of Jimmy Olsen fame. Greg Pak delivers a story as original as his now classic Planet Hulk outing for Marvel, only this time readers don’t have to leave earth to enjoy a story out of this world. Accompanied by R.B. Silva’s amazing pencils and rounded out by the talented team fromm Space Goat, Vision Machine provides a unique take on the digital trends of today’s world and what those tends may lead to fifty years from now. Chilling and thought provoking, Pak’s Vision Machine has the making of an instants classic for the new year, and the best part is, it’s absolutely FREE!

Still not convinced? Check out what the fine folks over at Guerrilla Geek have to say, as well as commentary from Pak on AOL’s Comics Alliance.

Get caught up on issues #1 and #2 then check out the newly released conclusion right here on comiXology.

Manga madness week 2: Right to left woes and Osamu Tezuka

Well a week’s gone by and Manga has indeed been read.  After my initial impressions of the books mentioned last week I’ve managed to proceed further down the path of Manga Enlightenment. Overall the books were enjoyable to read and for the most part pretty much on par with what I expected from books about vampires and pop divas. I will be one hundred percent honest having to read from right-left proved to be a little more trying than I would have thought at first, however reading Hetalia on the app helped a little with that problem and the thoroughly thought provoking series was made all the more reader friendly.

Of the books I got to read last week an immediate stand out came in the form on Osamu Tezuka’s Buddha Vol. 1. which I will admit I was not expecting. I picked this book up without knowing a thing about it or the man who created it, needless to say I’m happy I did. For those like me who may not be familiar with the late Osamu Tezuka he is regarded by many as one of the masters of modern manga, and after reading Buddha I can see why. I devoured the first volume and even managed to squeeze in two more books over the week, making it the only Manga series I’ve managed to keep up with after the first collection.  I wasn’t expecting something so epic in scale when I first picked up the book given it’s older publication date, yet right away I could not help but be swept away by the vastness of Tezuka’s adaption. Of course it may have helped that the English translation of Buddha was printed to be read from left to right.

Thus I’ve decided to explore more of Tezuka’s work during week two, only this time I promise not to cheat.  I’ll get the right to left reading thing down if it’s last thing I do.

The Next Phase: A Batman Among Batmen

Somebody alert Superman! Some nefarious mastermind is multiplying our superheroes. His devilish aims may not be clear, but clearly they’re devilish!

Well, actually, let’s slow down a minute. Over the last few years Hero systems like the Green Lantern (okay his was a bit of a restructuring), the Justice Society, and the Flash have seemingly exploded. There are multiples of many of the characters themselves and then side/derivative characters have also popped up in a manner almost fungal. To be fair, this is an equal opportunity phenomenon, Wolverine started his systematic crawl towards omnipresence by joining every team in the Marvel Universe, and then started having children. Ultimately, the question is not whether this is a healthy trend or not, it seems to be a natural part of the wax and wane that Superhero comics go through when it comes to this specific issue, but whether it’s justified and effective in the case of a specific character, in this case the Batman.

It is. This week three different comics blitzed the stores representing the new Bat-us quo. Batman: The Return sets up the whole new premise and closes the Batman’s previous macro-adventure. Bruce Wayne has seen the big picture and realized he needs to empower his symbol to have a greater global and local impulse. He’s aggressively pursuing a (still mysterious) multi-front plan to better the world. Batman Inc. has him traveling the world in order to recruit and train heroes to form his army.  Batman 704 turns the focus to Gotham where Dick Grayson acts as the Batman’s first ensign once again. I enjoyed them all to different extents, but overall I think the project makes sense. The structure Morrison’s created allows for many Bat-units to exist within a Bat-army and it’s at least somewhat clear and sensible what role each character can play. There needs to be a structure like this in order for the multiple character thing not to feel derivative, and here it doesn’t. It seems complex and rewarding.

Amazing Spider-Man #648

Brand New Day, One More Day, One Moment In Time. The past few years have been giving poor Peter Parker a temporal smack down. Whatever your feelings about Spidey’s recent history, Amazing Spider-Man has experienced substantial changes that are reshaping Spider-Man for new generations of readers.

The last few issues of Amazing have been rough steps in tidying up Spider-Man continuity for the Dan Slott and Humberto Ramos led Big Time. We’ve seen classic bad guys enter the fray once again and we’ve been handed down clumsy crib notes from on high to remind of us the sundry dramas haunting Peter and co. Lucky for us, ASM #648 is a huge success. Slott manages to tease out timeless character while constructing the roots of an arc that is scrupulously up to date. He addresses work, romance and all things spandex in a single issue that—while not free of its pacing faults— brings coherence to a multifaceted hero. Slott also manages to elegantly refer to the Marvel universe at large, exploding the scope of what has sometimes been an insular book. Ramos’s art works wonderfully for the aims of the story. He brings a kinetic, cartoon energy that balances Slott’s grounded plotting.

In the wake of some major changes, this is a book for skeptics and true-believers alike.

Manga Madness Week 1: First Impressions

Alright before we begin we need to get one thing straight. I have never read a Manga before in my life, yes I have read a comic book in fact it could really be said that I have read an unhealthy amount of american comic books over the past few years of my life. However as far as the far Japanese cousin to the medium I love so dearly goes I don’t know my Shonen Jump from my TOKYOPOP. That being said in honor of the now seizable amount of Manga now available on comiXology I have decided it is high time to see what all this craziness is about, thus my decent into the world of manga readership begins, I’ve selected the books and will be keeping track of my progress. Here are my first impressions.

Book 1: Blood Sucker Legend of Zipangu: A Vampire story by Aki Shimizu and Saki Okuse it boasts a Parental Advisory warning on it’s front cover and must in fact be read from right to left luckily there proper instructions for just how this Manga should be enjoyed. Needless to say I’m excited.

Book 2: Princess Ai: A fantastical coming of age romance story about “A diva torn from Chaos” and “A savior doomed to Love”. this one seems interesting. Sporting a talent team consisting of Misaho Kujiradou, D.J. Milky  and…Courtney Love!? I can honestly say I’m a little scared of this one.

Book 3: Hetalia Axis Powers Vol. 1: So this is the first book of it’s kind currently available on comiXology  and naturally it makes the list. A comedy about the Axis powers of World War II personified by a dashing trio young soldiers. Again this is a right to left styled manga, which comiXology’s Guided View reader will make a little easier to read for stubborn western sensibilities.

Book 4: Buddha Vol 1: The Wild Card of the bunch, a book recommended to me in the past by more than one person and one I’m hoping will add a little diversity to the current list. Written by Manga Godfather Osamu Tezuka this 2004 Eisner Award winner looks promising, how will it compare with the others? only time will tell.

So there you have it. Four books in five days, will they be enough to sway this die-hard mainstream american comic book reader to the Manga side of life? Or is there perhaps a more worthwhile title missing from the list above. I am open to suggestions feel free to add them in the comments section. Next week I’ll be back full reviews and a new list of manga titles!

Now if you’ll excuse me I’ve got some reading to do.

Recommended Digital Comics: Marvel 1602

The Marvel Universe has seen it’s far share of alternate histories over the years. From the distopain age of Apocalypse and the forbidding Earth X to the ultra futuristic world of the year 2099 and even the adventures of an old man named Logan and a few of the Avengers offspring. Yet rarely have readers of American comics ever been treated to a glimpse of an alternate past, with one notable exception, Marvel 1602.

Now available for download from the Marvel Comics app - Neil Gaiman’s and Andy Kubert’s uncompromising vision of Merry Old England is  a true masterwork of art and story that both long time fans and causal readers can enjoy. Of course being gorgeously released on the high resolution of an iPhone or iPad only makes 1602 more of a delight and a worthwhile download.

With something amiss in the last days of Queen Elizabeth’s reign who else can she turn to but her most trusted servants Sir Nicholas Fury and the royal physician Doctor Stephen Strange? Yet as these two men quest to unravel a dark conspiracy, wide spread terror sweeps across mainland Europe at the hands of the corrupt witchbreed inquisitors and the evil tyrant Count Otto Von Doom. Familiar yet fantastic there are enough twists and turns in this eight issue miniseries to keep historians of both the Marvel Universe and our own engaged and entertained. Just how many Marvel Hero’s get a make over in merry old england? download today and find out!

It Came Out On Wednesday 154: Flash Rebirth

[Before you race to the stands, why not recap last week with our podcast.]

Superman: Earth One – What is it worth?

DC Comics recently released the first in a new series of graphic novel format Superhero books set outside of continuity, Superman: Earth One. Ostensibly, the goal is to reinvigorate headlining characters, so far Superman and Batman books have been announced, by modernizing them and giving them space to breath outside of the often limiting confines of mainstream comic history. These books will be guided by marquee creative teams. In the case of Superman that means Joseph Michael Straczynski and Shane Davis. The question that I’m interested in engaging with isn’t the question of quality of the book, it was competent but not incredible. I’m more interested in the success of the project. Do we need an Earth One line? Is it going to add anything to the overall landscape of comicdom or is it an exercise in excess?

1. What has it got to add?

The graphic novel format is more new reader friendly. Many non-comic readers are reluctant to engage with a medium that isn’t finite. They don’t have interest in following story lines continually and would rather be able to pick up whole stories just as they would pick up a novel or watch a movie. These books can perhaps function as an entree into superhero fiction for this audience. In this regard, Superman: Earth One succeeds. It covers all of Superman’s origin story and introduces his supporting cast while completing the story of Superman’s first triumph against a major threat.

Elseworlds and other media representations have a symbiotic relationship with mainstream continuity. The continuity gives birth to them, they’re like parallel time lines (literally in this case), and their successes then influence the continuity in the return. For example, the Smallville T.V. show character Chloe Sullivan was recently introduced into mainstream continuity as Jimmy Olsen’s ex-girlfriend. I think in this regard the Superman: Earth One book will be most successful. The book’s take on Superman is at times great and at other times a bit too angsty for my taste. Where the book shines is in its take on supporting characters. Lois Lane is allowed to be confident instead of starry-eyed and Jimmy Olsen is possessed of the kind of lunatic bravery that has the power inspire a hero to take up his cause. The notion that humanity inspires Superman through these remarkable humans and through the notion of journalistic integrity and truth is the greatest success of this book.

2. Should you read it?

I’m of two minds on this. On the one hand, it’s an entertaining Superman tale, one that would make perhaps a great movie. On the other hand, it’s not particularly exceptional. I’d say it’s still worth reading since it’s the start of a new series that could improve greatly now that it’s moved past the confines of the origin tale and because the take on supporting characters is so great.

3. Is Earth One worth it?

I’d say definitely. In the same way that the Ultimate universe once reinvigorated the Marvel universe, the Earth One universe might reinvigorate the DC universe. Also, I hope the graphic novel format will take off. It seems as though a transition is coming for comics over all though it’s a bit hard to chart what form the industry will take. Superheroes have gained much more visibility in the last ten years through the myriad movies that were produced, but we haven’t seen that translate into a growth of the industry. Perhaps Superhero graphic novels can help in making that happen.

Other Books by J. Michael Straczynski