These days, when you think of Batman’s rogue gallery, names such as Ra’s al Ghul, Bane, and The Joker come to mind. Catwoman flip-flops back and forth from good to bad, but there is a cornucopia of evildoers that have been lost in the shuffle over the last ten years. One who comes to mind is The Penguin, and the creative minds of Gregg Hurwitz and Szymon Kudranski have put the spotlight back on this criminal genius.
Continue reading “Penguin: Pain and Prejudice Review”
Batman & Robin #0 | Writer: Peter J. Tomasi | Art: Patrick Gleason & Mick Gray | Colors: John Kalisz |Publisher: DC Comics | Price: $2.99
The book may be titled “Batman & Robin,” but this series has always been about the pint-sized assassin Damian. Over the last twelve months, we’ve seen Bruce Wayne’s son struggle with his morality. He was bred to be a masterful killer from the day he was born and has a hard time fighting the urge to kill.
Continue reading “Batman & Robin #0 Review: One Cute Book”
Before Watchmen: Rorschach #1 | Writers: Brian Azzrello & Len Wein
Art: Lee Bermejo & John Higgins | Colors: Barbara Ciardo & John Higgins
Publisher: DC Comics | Price: $3.99
Rorschach is one messed-up individual.
But you didn’t need me to tell you that. He is the anti-hero or anti-heroes and can justify anything while trying to do what he believes is right. This is hard to do in a world where very little right takes place.
This was the Before Watchmen title I was looking forward to the most and I was right to be so excited.
Rorschach’s narration drives the story at its core because it is different than most comic narratives. It is written in the form of a journal entry and he is careful and blunt with his thoughts when putting pen to paper.
Often, you will find certain words in a sentence crossed out and replaced with a most poignant verbiage.
The other books featuring Watchmen characters have a unique mix of good a bad things going on in their life. There is nothing good at all about Rorschach’s life.
Lee Bermejo has an eerie ability to make darkness and despair look beautiful and is the icing on the cake of this gritty title.
Grade: B+
Batman #12 | Writer: Scott Snyder & James Tynion IV | Art: Becky Cloonan
Colors: FCO Placencia |Publisher: DC Comics | Price: $3.99
Scott Snyder has written eleven remarkable issues and the 12th installment is no exception. Becky Cloonan takes artistic duties with this issue and her touch on this particular story was the perfect fit.
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I officially owe George Perez an apology. The Superman comic book has been garbage since the new 52 began for many reasons besides being too wordy, cheesy, and getting in its own way while trying to tell a story. I was shocked at how bad these books were and was relieved when it was announced last November that Perez would be replaced this past March. The book is a smidge better now, but not as good as it should be, and the book has already been assigned to its third creative team starting in August.
Continue reading “My Apology to Superman Writer George Perez”
Red Lanterns #6 | Writer: Peter Milligan | Art: Ed Benes, Diego Bernard & Rebecca Buchmann | Colors: Nathan Eyring | Publisher: DC Comics | Price: $2.99
British professor Jack Moore has dealt with a lifetime of torment and ridicule. He buried his anger, thinking he could keep his feelings in line. Things change for Mr. Moore as the instrument of rage selects him and begins a harrowing transformation of the mind, body, and perhaps, soul. Moore tries his best to fight it as a tidal wave of awful memories floods his mind.
Reminders of the past begin to chip away at his consciousness until Jack realizes he can no longer control himself as he’s encountered the one thing that can make him the monster he hid from everyone: A Red Lantern ring.
Meanwhile, Atrocitus and Bleez fight each other for leadership of the Red Lanterns as many of the Lanterns watch on, rooting for one over the other.
The crux of the story is Moore’s emotional struggle as the power ring plays the devil’s role on the shoulder, telling him to embrace the hate.
There was nothing special or bad about the artwork as it did a great job orchestrating Milligan’s script. It is detrimental to our mental health to keep things bottled inside because eventually, you will snap.
The red ring was drawn to Moore like a moth to a flame, and the end result produces the first human Red Lantern.
Grade: A-
Batman #5 | Writer: Scott Snyder | Art: Greg Capullo & Jonathan Glapion | Colors: FCO | Publisher: DC Comics | Price: $2.99
One of the great things about being a comic book fan is when you find the perfect book that completely captivates your attention from beginning to end.
Comic book nirvana has arrived as Scott Snyder puts Batman through the wringer in a story with the Dark Knight battling his own sanity. Bats has been trapped in a dark labyrinth by the Court of Owls for eight days without food, water, or rest. He hasn’t bathed or shaved, his costume is torn up, and the white left eyepiece is missing from his mask.
The missing eyepiece is excellent because it allows us to see Batman’s true emotions as he faces unspeakable peril. Over the years, I always wondered if a punch or a kick hurt more than he let on or how horrified he was, if at all, when he examined a crime scene.
At one point, the lights inside the labyrinth are turned on, and a stylish Owl-shaped water fountain is revealed. Knowing it’s drugged, Batman drinks the water without hesitation. The mind games begin to take shape as secrets are revealed, and the horror is unleashed.
As you read the book, you come to a page layout where you have to turn the book left-side up to make sense of it all. When you turn from that layout, the next page is upside down, which looks like a mistake.
You naturally turn it right-side up to examine the page, thinking you are correctly holding the book again. As you continue to read, it takes you a minute to realize that you’re reading the previous pages repeatedly, thus experiencing and sharing Batman’s mental madness.
The ingenuity of it all was simple and brilliant. The artwork is almost in sync with the story, more than any other comic book I have read in quite some time. Even this early in the year, Snyder’s number 5 has all the makings to be the single best issue of the year.
Grade: A+
Animal Man #1| Writer: Jeff Lemire | Artist: Travel Foreman & Dan Green | Colorist: Lovern Kindzierski | Letters: Jared K. Fletcher | Publisher: DC Comics | Price: $2.99 | Release Date: September 7, 2011
I finally read Animal Man #1. I often find Vertigo titles hard to read, so I held off on it. The book has generated a lot of hype, and many are calling it the best of The New DC 52.
The book starts with Buddy’s newspaper interview with “The Believer.” The piece highlights his life as a superhero, stuntman, and family man. It’s a text-heavy page, so it might be a turnoff. It’s not a critical read, but it might give you more appreciation or understanding of the character.
We then see Buddy at home preparing dinner with his wife, Ellen. His daughter, Maxine, wants a puppy, but Buddy says no because being so close to one animal for a long time might interfere with his powers.
He hates that he has to disappoint her, but he would rather err on the side of caution. Ellen wants to know if he will get paid for a movie project he is involved in. Cliff, his son, runs downstairs to tell Buddy about a man with a gun holding people hostage inside a hospital, and Buddy decides it’s time for Animal Man to swing back into action.
I would not want to see Travel Forman’s artwork in a Superman comic book, but it is perfect for this type of story. Jeff Lemire’s script is very well written, and he knows how to convey a character’s depth to the reader.
Bottom line, it’s good but just not my cup of tea. I need a little more action and adventure in my comics. I recommend Animal Man to anyone who is a fan of good writing and is looking for something different.
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