Comic Review: Black Panther #1

    Black Panther has been one of those Marvel characters (and there are many) that I’ve wanted to like more than I actually do like when I read the comics. Silver Surfer, Dr. Strange, Captain America; they’re all cool character concepts, but not often actually written well. And even when they do have good writers behind them, they’re often weighted down by too much Marvel baggage. But Black Panther taps into things I really like. Namely hidden civilizations and technological utopias. There’s a bit of The Phantom, a bit of Tarzan, a bit of all those lost cities stories. But it’s also refreshing for the king of the secret African city to be African and not some lost blonde European.

    Issue 1 of the new Black Panther series has some of the problems that these Marvel (and DC) first issues always have. It’s set in the larger universe of ‘event comics’ and what have you. It’s a re-launch of an older title. So, there’s already a ton of history; a lot of stories in progress. Here we have T’challa recently taking back his throne. His sister, recently queen and wearer of the Black Panther name, apparently dead. The nation of Wakanda is in disarray. And things seem pretty bad. There are terrorists attacking, a disaster to recover from, and possible rot from within. So, there’s a lot of dramatic tension in the first issue. But I can’t help feel thrown into the fire, without nearly enough info see a way out. There’s a brief intro in the beginning of the comic, but I think I should have sat down and read Wikipedia for a few hours to find out what’s going on in the Marvel universe right now, so I could put it all into context.

And, being a ‘floppy,’ monthly issue, it’s darned short. There are a lot of reasons I wasn’t really into comics until the collected trades and graphic novels became ubiquitous, but the unsatisfactory fraction of a story you get in a monthly issue was up there. There’s only 22 pages of story here. It doesn’t even feel like a chapter of a book, or an episode of a TV show. Plus, being from Marvel (DC is as guilty), it’s also unconscionably expensive. Marvel has the resources and the print-run size to be able to charge less, but they charge more. You see it in their trade paperbacks, too. A book that would be $9.99 to $14.99 from a smaller company is $19.99 to $29.99 from Marvel. This is $4.99. Five bucks for 22 pages and some ads. I was finished reading the whole thing in what, maybe 10 minutes? Maybe.

So, issue #1 introduced a bunch of things which seem like they might be interesting. And for contemporary, mainstream, superhero comic art, it looks pretty good. Ta-Nehisi Coates writes comic book dialog competently (something that doesn’t always happen when a traditional prose writer tries to transition). But overall, I was left unsatisfied. Perhaps reading a full story arc would change that. Perhaps I’m just not interested in reading about a Wakanda and T’challa plagued with self-doubt and sadness. Time will tell.

-Matthew J. Constantine

Comic Review: Red Lance Issue 3

Issue 3 of Gary Bloom’s Red Lance comic series continues to put stresses on the team, as one member recovers in the hospital, another tries to suss out a recruit, and all the while Vycia continues to mentally manipulate the scientist turned costumed villain, Cataclysm.

I think I’ve figured out what it is that I don’t care for in the art from issue 2 and 3. It’s the prevalent use of digital effects, from the coloring to the manipulated photo backgrounds. As I said in my previous review, I don’t think there’s anything wrong with it. It’s just not my thing.

I’m curious to see where some of the various plotlines are headed. I’m especially interested in finding out what Vycia’s deal is. Why is she doing what she’s doing? What’s she planning?

Red Lance feels like a Silver Age comic series, run through a 90s filter, without picking up too much of that decade’s more unfortunate aspects. It’s also nice to see a diverse cast of characters, without tokenism. Check it out. And support independent voices in comics ( http://redlancecomic.com/index.html ).

-Matthew J. Constantine

Comic Review: Red Lance Issue 2

A few weeks ago, I reviewed the first issue of Red Lance, and independant comic written by Gary Bloom. The first issue introduced several characters and the beginnings of some ongoing conflict. The second issue clarifies the conflict, somewhat, by introducing another antagonist MedryTech, and hinting at some larger goings on.

The first thing you’ll notice about the second issue is that there’s been a change in artist. While the coloring is more vibrant and the panel work pretty good (good panel design/flow can be a challenge even in big publisher comics), I’m not as into the art in the second (and third) issue. I can’t even put my finger on why. There’s nothing ‘wrong’ with it; it’s simply not my thing. Hey, millions of people like the art of manga, and I don’t. So, take that for what it’s worth.

Other than a few places where the dialog is a touch clunky, this is a solid superhero comic. The characters are diverse, and I get the feeling the author has story arcs and motivations in mind for most if not all of them. I’m curious about the two reporters occasionally cut to. Are they going to murder each other on live TV at some point?

Check out Red Lance ( http://redlancecomic.com/index.html ). It’s always good to read new voices. And I always recommend trying out work from outside of Marvel and DC, where you’re not likely to get any fresh ideas or new takes on anything.

Matthew J. Constantine

Comic Review: Red Lance issue 1

You know I’m all about the can-do spirit; the ‘little guy (or gal)’ putting their heart on their sleeve and doing it. I love it in film, for sure. But I also love it in comics. That’s one of the reasons I’ve enjoyed many visits to SPX (the Small Press Expo) and why Artists’ Alley is always my favorite place to check out at comic conventions.

I just got a chance to check out the first issue of Red Lance, which is about as independent as they come. Created by Gary Bloom and crowd-funded into reality on KickStarter, this captures the feel of Silver Age marvel comics. While superheroes aren’t my bag, generally, I’m always interested in seeing someone try to do a unique take. And without the weight of decades of history weighing down plot and character options, unique takes can flourish in the indie scene.

While this is a first issue, so it’s mostly about establishing character and tone, there are several ideas that make me curious. I especially liked Vycia’s manipulation of minds, which made me think there might be a reason that crowds in old Marvel comics seemed to turn on a dime. What if someone were driving them to increased passions and illogical behavior?

Just because a comic doesn’t have Batman or Wolverine in it, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t give it a try. If superheroes are your thing, check out Red Lance. The art is professional (better than a lot of stuff making the cut at the Big Two) and the dialog (often the weakest part of indie comics...and no few major titles) is fairly natural.

Go on over to the KickStarter and make the magic happen.

Matthew J. Constantine

Comic Review: Velvet Volume 1

    If you need a one sentence synopsis to sell your book, you could do worse than “Imagine that Miss Moneypenny used to be a superspy, and when Bond gets killed, she gets blamed, and has to clear her name no matter how many bodies she leaves in her wake.”  Velvet is one seriously cool character, and as the first volume of the series progresses, you learn more and more about her time as a spy, and the bad opp that put her behind a desk.  Set deep in the heart of the Cold War, with exotic locations and plenty of action, this is a compelling comic, and one of the best things on the market at this time.

    Ed Brubaker and Steve Epting, who brought the Cold War to life in Captain America’s Winter Soldier arc, are unchained from Marvel’s generations of canon, able to create new characters to explore spy action where consequences are real.  If a character dies, there is no editing staff insisting that he or she be resurrected six months later.  Nobody is safe in this kind of story, and that’s the best.  Brubaker’s writing is intense and crisp, with plenty of sudden, shocking twists, yet doesn’t feel rushed or confused.  Epting’s art is typically stylish, with solid, but not flashy panel work.  There’s a Film Noir style, which is enhanced by Elizabeth Breitweiser’s awesome color work.

    If, like me, you’re just not all that into the caped crusaders and spandex clad heroes, comics like Velvet are an excellent option.  Being a fan of Cold War spy thrillers doesn’t hurt.  Brubaker has quickly become one of my very favorite writers working in the medium, and I can’t wait to find out what he has in store for Velvet in the coming months.  I can’t imagine things will turn out well, but I’m guessing she’ll get plenty of bloody vengeance before it’s over.  It reminds me of why I am digging Image Comics, these days.  While Marvel and DC continue to flounder around with reboots and re-launches, Image is dropping some of the best comics I’ve read one after another.  Sure, they’re putting out stuff I don’t care for, you can’t please everyone, every time.  If you’re willing to read comics, but not interested in super heroes, take a look at Image’s catalog.

Velvet: Before the Living End
Author: Ed Brubaker
Artist: Steve Epting, etc.
Publisher: Image Comics
ISBN: 978-1-60706-9645

-Matthew J. Constantine

The House of Mystery #204

I love this 1972 Bernie Wrightson cover.  Man, that guy.

-Matt

Dork Art: Batman & Robin like a Rolling Stone

Oh.  My.  God.  I love this so much.  Artist Marco D'Alfonso has done it again, the man is just a monster when it comes to satirizing The Dark Knight.  Batman & Robin is an easy film to hate on.  It's terrible.  But then I met my buddy Robert, and he showed me the light when it comes to liking this fabulously neon beauty.  Batman, you see, can withstand a myriad of interpretations.  Not everything has to be Frank Miller.  In fact, thank god that's not the case.  Give us Adam West!  Give us The Brave & The Bold!  Give us Christian Bale!  Give us Batfleck!  Don't worry!  If it's not to your liking, The Dark Knight will morph again soon enough.  If you're reading this, I'm pretty sure you already have your favorite Batman.  So why don't you give Joel Schumacher's weird ass flick another try?  You might roll your eyes, but I'm betting you'll get a good laugh and some serious enjoyment.

--Brad

First Look at New Wonder Woman

I know everybody has already seen the picture.  But I thought it would be wrong not to mention it, especially as Wonder Woman is about the only thing coming out of this new push by DC to try to catch up to Marvel's film universe that moderately interests me.  So, here's Gal Gadot as the great Amazon, the too often forgotten third in DC's Trinity, Wonder Woman.

Personally, I like the costume.  It's Greek enough and not too silly looking.  And Gadot fills it out better than I'd expected, though my idea of Wonder Woman is considerably more buff.  Still...  Now, let's see if she gets more than a walk on part (not to mention a solo film).  I'm not holding my breath.

-Matt

Another Fistful of Marvel Wannabes! (Matt’s Picks)

    So, it’s been another year and Marvel/Disney keeps amping things up.  The second Captain America just came out.  Guardians of the Galaxy appears to be a real thing that is happening.  I’ve seen the trailer.  I don’t think it’s a hoax.  They keep saying Ant-Man is really happening.  And now I’m hearing a lot of rumor around Dr. Strange (come on, Mads Mikkelsen!) and a Black Widow spin-off.  Madness.  There’s also talk of a post WWII series about Agent Carter, which I think could be great (along with several NetFlix series that are supposed to build up to The Defenders…crazy).  A year on, and I wanted to return to my hopes for Marvel films of the future.  Especially with talk of their cinematic universe being mapped out to 2028 or some such.  Here are some more of the Marvel characters I want to see them get serious about.  If they can do Guardians of the Galaxy, they can do anything.  And yes, I would absolutely pay money to see a Squirrel Girl movie.

5.  Misty Knight & Colleen Wing, The Daughters of the Dragon:  This pair of martial arts wielding detectives could be a great deal of fun to watch.  My inclination would be to set this in the 1970s, but realistically I’m sure it would have to play more contemporary.  Perhaps this could link in to the proposed NetFlix series centered around the Defenders.  It seems more ‘ground level,’ less over the top super-power action.

4.  Nova:  It looks like the Nova Corps is going to be showing up in Guardians of the Galaxy, which I’m cool with.  They’re basically like the Green Lantern Corps, except that DC/WB managed to screw that up royally like they do with everything other than Batman.  So, here’s hoping Guardians gets a cosmic spin-off.  This is the side of the Marvel Universe I most want to see explored.  Let’s see Asgardians and Kree fighting, Nova Corps keeping the peace, and a Herald of Galactus (how about Nova?).  See also; The Space Knights.

3.  MODOK:  Not just because he was born in my home town, I think MODOK needs a movie.  This is in part because I like A.I.M., and think they should show up in the films, and because the Marvel movies need a couple big, long term villains.  Hydra might be settling in to be one, but they need more recurring villains, and MODOK could be a really good fit.

2.  Captain Marvel (either Monica Rambeau or Carol Danvers):  A running theme in discussion of comic book movies is DC’s inability to pull its head out of its own butt.  And one of the primary sources of this anatomical difficulty is their handling of women generally, and Wonder Woman specifically.  There have been several people to take the title of Captain Marvel, but Rambeau and Danvers seem the most likely choices.  I personally lean toward Rambeau.  Captain Marvel could be the Wonder Woman movie DC can't figure out how to make.

1.  Beta Ray Bill:  A monster of science, designed to save a civilization, Beta Ray Bill and Thor butt heads, only to become brothers in arms.  Beta Ray even models his costume on the Asgardian, and at one point proved himself worthy of wielding Thor’s Hammer.

    There are, of course, countless other characters I’d love to see, story arcs that could be adapted.  How about a variation of Marvels?  Film right issues would mean several of that time spanning story’s events would have to be altered, but it could make for a powerful film if done right.  What do they have planned?  I don’t know.  But the future of Marvel movies is bright.  Very bright.

Don't get a waif to play She-Hulk.

--Matt

Another Open Letter to the Makers of the New Star Wars Films

Once again, to the Powers That Be at Disney,

    About a year ago, I wrote a letter to you folks, and I never heard back.  Since you’re a large corporation, I’m just a guy who writes for a blog you almost certainly have never heard of, and I posted it here as opposed to sending it directly to you, your silence is understandable.  However, more stirrings about the new films, and some general thinking about the state of science fiction and Dork culture has prompted me to try again.  No, I won’t be going on at length about how you should return Star Wars to its roots of pulp science fiction and movie serial fun (though that is a good idea).  This time, I want to address female trouble.

    An article I read a while back got me to thinking about Princess Leia and her place in the original trilogy.  Obviously, she was cute, she was a princess, and she needed to be rescued.  Oh, wait.  She was cute and she was a princess.  But her rescue was secondary (almost accidental), and frankly, once they opened her cell door, she was the one who got everyone out of danger.  In fact, if you look at the series, and look at what she does, she’s kind of the most badass person in the whole thing, and the major driving force behind the toppling of the Empire.  Luke was just a brash kid with some magic tricks.  Han, a bumbling con-man.  Leia was the brains and balls behind the fight.  She’s actually the hero of the trilogy.  Yes, Luke goes through the classic ‘Hero’s Journey.’  But Leia was already there, several steps ahead.  She stood face to face with Vader and Tarkin and didn’t blink.  She was tortured and didn’t break.  She was a leader of the Rebellion.  She sacrificed everything for the cause, and put her life on the line countless times.  Heck, when her rescue of Han didn’t go off quite right and she ended up in that teeny-tiny brass-bikini, she took a chain, strangled a galactic crime boss and then hopped on a blaster turret and started lighting up the place.  Nobody came and got her.  She did that.  She killed Jabba the Hutt with a chain!  And then blew a bunch of stuff up!  Han's stumbling around blind and Luke is doing back flips, while Leia is making it rain (by rain I mean parts of ships and goons).

If I were in her shoes, it'd be brown trousers time.

    So, what I’m getting at is this: in your search for a new star, a hero for a new generation of Star Wars fans, don’t be stupid.  Don’t be DC Comics.  Don’t ignore half the population.  I’m not saying cast a woman to play the central character.  Heck, I’m not saying you should only have one central character.  But I am saying, don’t not cast a woman as the lead (double negative is intentional).  There are many wonderful young actresses out there today, and there are many, many young women who I’m sure would love to see them performing heroics on screen.  And you know what?  There are a lot of young men who would love that, too.  The idea that boys don’t want to see girl heroes is stupid.  Straight up stupid.  Even going back to my childhood, I looked up to Wilma on Buck Rogers, to Wonder Woman, to Marion Ravenwood in Raiders of the Lost Ark, and later to Chris (Elisabeth Shoe) in Adventures in Babysitting.  But I didn’t look up to Princess Leia, because (though on reflection, she’s a darned powerful character) when I saw Star Wars as a child, she was little more than set-dressing, a pretty object to achieve.  And that’s not what we should be giving our kids.  I’m not advocating the now cliché Joss Whedon-style ‘Waif Who Turns Out to be a Super-Ninja’ characters.  (Frankly, if Milla Jovovich isn’t playing that part, I’m probably not buying it).  But compelling and heroic characters for our excellent actresses to play shouldn’t be too much to ask.

    Might I recommend looking into Lupita Nyong’o, Saoirse Ronan (I've heard rumor she has read for a part), or Olivia Thirlby, among so many.  All fine, up and comers.  All capable of doing more than looking pretty.  And why limit yourself to one?  How about two or three or (gasp!) four compelling female characters.  The Clone Wars animated series featured several women as heroes and villains.  No reason not to do that in the movies, right?  Write good parts, cast well, and we can all be happy.  You’ve got a lot of brand loyalty.  You’ve got a massive fan base, and no small number of those fans are women.  You have the ability to push Star Wars into a better place, to make it more than it has been before.  Please don’t make this into another exercise in pandering to your idea of the interests of 13 year old boys.  You have to know that’s not the only audience you’re working with.  Right?  Look at the success you’ve had with the Marvel movies.  Learn from that.  Be better.  Make me love you again.  I want to.  I really do.  So help me out.  Be better.

Thanks for your time.
-Matthew Constantine, Star Wars fan since the late 70s

Adam West's Batman Surfs Onto DVD!

Well this is POP! BAM! WOW!  Today on their blog, DC Comics announced via Conan O'Brien's twitter feed that the 1960s Batman TV show starring Adam West & Burt Ward is finally coming to DVD.  It's about frickin' time, right?  It's been a long, tedious conversation involving various rights issues and I honestly thought the day would never come.  Last year saw some headway as licensing deals between Warner Brothers and 20th Century Fox were struck in order to produce Hot Wheels, Action Figures, Barbies, and statuettes.  If they could play nice over toys, I guess the inevitable home video release was not too far behind.  But the question remains, will anyone buy a copy after decades of comic convention bootlegging?  I sure hope so.

Not too long ago, when Frank Miller's Dark Knight & Tim Burton's Caped Crusader were the tough new reality of costume crime fighting, it was cool to hate on the pop art of Adam West.  But times are a changing, the world of nerdom is stretching, and thanks to folks like Kevin Smith & Grant Morrison, Adam West can be cool again.  Like most kids my age, I adored the show in my youth but grew apart when my cynical teens kicked in.  It took my friend Robert to reintroduce me to the joys of the Dynamic Duo.  He snagged one of those bootlegs a few years back and we paired a couple Julie Newmar episodes with Joel Schumacher's Batman & Robin for a Movie Night.  His intense love for the Dayglo Cowl opened my eyes; the great thing about Batman is that he can support every kind of genre.  We all love Miller's neck cracking badass and Bruce Timm's noir avenger, but we're not too cool to enjoy the silly of King Tut or the weird of Book Worm.  West's Batman explored the insanity of comics.  The lark of it.  And it's an essential part of the characters history.

No word yet on an actual release date, but let's hope it's sooner rather than later.  And let's also hope there is some massive, ridiculous box set in the shape of a William Shakespeare bust to sit on my mantel.  Wanna get nuts?  Let's get nuts.  Hope The Wife isn't watching too closely because I'm going to spend every last dime on "Holy Memorabilia, Batman!"  Until then, let's enjoy some brief Bat-Clips.

--Brad

Comic Review: All Star Superman

Volume 1

“The last thing I wanted on your birthday was a reptile invasion from the Earth’s core.”

    Superman has been exposed to something and it’s fatal.  With a knowledge of his very real and close at hand mortality, he sets about to prepare the world for his absence.  Where I expected a slightly more somber tone, this premise gives author Grant Morrison license to plumb the depths of DC’s bizarre gallery of obscure characters, similar to the animated series Batman: Brave and the Bold.  It doesn’t apologize for the crazy things in the history of the Superman comic, it grabs hold and sings loud as can be.  A super-scientist in a rainbow coat, a vial that grants superpowers for a day, Samson and Atlas, Bizarro Supermen, Doomsday Jimmy, a baboon in a Superman suit, the Superman Squad.  Wow.

    It somehow manages to run with all the zany and strange, and downright silly stuff, yet lend it all a great deal of emotional weight, tapping into the ‘aw, gee, shucks,’ ‘America!’ vibe that reminds us of who we wish we could be, what world we might make.  Some of those utopian dreams of yesteryear.  Under the protection of Superman, you can imagine a world of flying cars and floating cities, of super-science and peace.  And then, in the midst of all the crazy, still tells the heartfelt tale of one of Superman’s great losses.

Volume 2

“They will race, and stumble, and fall and crawl…and curse…and finally…They will join you in the sun, Kal-El.”

    Probably the key thing that makes this book more impressive and interesting is that Superman is given his death sentence early on.  He’s going to die.  Then the book goes on to explore what Superman is, what he represents, and how he effects the world.  There has been some talk, in comics and in movies, that super-villains wouldn’t exist without superheroes.  That Batman is the cause of the Joker, Superman the cause of Lex Luthor.  That reeks of blaming the victim, or blaming the helping hand.  It’s something that happens all too often in the real world, so why not in comics.  Anyone who tries to educate, elucidate, or uplift humankind is automatically feared and hated.  I’m reminded of the people building the space gun in Things to Come, battling the ravening hoards of backward looking, fear-consumed folk who were overwhelmed by progress.  Superman represents that progress.  The Nietzschian uber-man, not something to be feared, but something to aspire to.  Luthor, to a degree, represents our natural inclination to fear change, to fear the future, to look to the past with those blasted rose-colored glasses.  He has all the amazing potential of a Reed Richards, but his fear of something better than Man consumes him.  Instead of using his colossal intellect to raise humanity up, he tries to drag Superman down.  You see this every day in the real world, as people, smart and caring people, do everything in their power to tear down science and medicine, and cast us back into the dark ages of magic and superstition, afraid as they are, of a better world.

    The second volume seems to be about the ways the Superman archetype can go wrong, and how it can go right.  There’s the Bizarro-world Supermen, including the one thinking man stranded among fools, longing for intellectual contact while writing poetry.  There are the Kryptonian astronauts who lack Superman’s purity of heart and optimism toward Humanity.  And there’s Lex, jacked on Super-sauce, who lacks Superman’s vision.  Ultimately, the book seems to say that a hero, a bold outsider, a larger than life person raises up those around him or her.  Superman makes people better by being a living example of what we can be.  He does the right thing.  He stands up.  He lends a hand.  And like my favorite hero of myth, Odysseus, he believes in the possibility of Man.  That when Mankind casts of the shackles of the past, of religion, of slavery, it could be great.  We can all be Supermen, Superwomen.  He holds out his hand to us, but it is up to us to reach for it.

    I can’t end this without talking about Frank Quitely’s amazing art.  It has a punch that is quite impressive.  Somehow it feels both very retro, and very modern.  It taps into that European comic look I often talk about, like the stuff you see in 80s issues of Heavy Metal.  The clean panel work, crazy images, and intense color (from Jamie Grant) make it a feast for the eyes.  And they lend the book as a whole a classier aspect.

“Gods achieve their power by encouraging us to believe in them.  Superman achieves his power by believing in us.” -from the introduction

All Star Superman Volume 1
Author: Grant Morrison
Artist: Frank Quitely
Publisher: DC Comics
ISBN: 978-1-4012-0914-8

All Star Superman Volume 2
Author: Grant Morrison
Artist: Frank Quitely
Publisher: DC Comics
ISBN: 978-1-4012-1837-9

-Matt

Dork Art: The Almost Supermen

Artist Jeremy Wheeler recently wrote an article for Esquire Magazine entitled, "The Men Who Were Almost Superman."  It's a fun little blog post detailing the near misses with actors Dustin Hoffman, Robert Redford, Sylvester Stallone, Harrison Ford, Nicolas Cage, Christian Bale, and Joe Manganiello.   Because I'm a sickie, the only alternate version of Superman I would have ever wanted to see would have been Cage's long-haired, giant-spider bashing version.  Kevin Smith has made that failed script the stuff of legend, and I can only imagine how horrifyingly twee Tim Burton would have saturated the much beloved Man of Steel.  I do think that Christian Bale could have pulled off Supes...maybe not Clark Kent, but his Man of Steel seems the most plausible out of the bunch.  Thanks to Crome Yellow for the heads up.

--Brad

Comic Reviews: The Phantom Stranger and S&B Vs A&P

The Phantom Stranger

    This whole New 52 business gave me a chance and excuse to try out a bunch of DC characters I hadn’t read (or in some cases heard of) before.  I’m not a fan of starting somewhere in the middle, though I understand all these long-running comics make that a necessity.  Anyway, I dig a lot of those old, pre-Crisis type titles from DC.  The ones that are closer to Tales from the Crypt than to The Fantastic Four.  Swamp Thing, for example, or The Specter.  So The Phantom Stranger made my reading list.  And, it’s… OK.

    It feels very 70s, from the art to the writing style.  And I like that.  I could imagine it being in black & white, in one of those oversized magazine comics, like Savage Sword of Conan.  It feels a bit like watching a horror anthology show, or reading those old Eerie or Creepy comics.  The book starts out pretty good, giving the Stanger’s origin, tying him to some of the other weird characters (Captain Marvel aka Shazam, for example), and seeing the creation of an incarnation of The Specter.  I liked all the hints about the other two members of his ‘Trinity of Sin.’  And the appearance of the ghost of the original Terrance Thirteen!!!  Heck, I even kind of liked when you see what the Stranger gets up to when he’s not being terribly mysterious.  But once John Constantine and the Justice League Dark show up, the whole thing falls apart.  There’s more about the Specter, some about Pandora, and hey, The Question pops by.  But I found myself tuning out, like it lost focus, or I did.  Either way, by the last few pages of the trade, I suddenly didn’t care what happened next.  Bummer.  And I know people love John Constantine.  But after reading Alan Moore’s creation of him in Saga of the Swamp Thing, and now seeing him pop up in other things, I kind of hate him.  By ‘kind of’ I mean ‘really, really.’

Superman & Batman Vs. Aliens & Predator

    Obviously, this is a wacky, silly crossover gimmick.  DC and Dark Horse putting together some of their most popular titles.  Not at all the only time this sort of thing has happened.  Dark Horse itself mixed Tarzan and the Predators.  Green Lantern went up against the Aliens.  Batman and the Predators seem to work well together.  Superman and the Aliens, I guess.  But throwing them all together,  especially in such a short piece, was just too much.

    The art is pretty, with a painterly aspect.  It reminded me a bit of that old Euro comic, Ranx I think it was called.  The one with that hideous muscled guy and his little girl companion.  But the writing is pretty bad.  OK, it’s straight up awful.  The idea of a lost tribe of Predators living in the underground of Peru might have made for a good Batman adventure.  But the banter between him and Superman is lame.  The stuff with TDI is just dumb.  Overall, not as much fun as the goofy concept led me to hope.

Trinity of Sin: The Phantom Stranger Volume 1: A Stranger Among Us
Author: Dan Didio
Artists: Brent Anderson, etc.
Publisher: DC Comics
ISBN: 978-1-4012-4088-2

Superman And Batman Versus Aliens and Predator
Author: Mark Schultz
Artist: Ariel Olivetti
Publishers: DC Comics & Dark Horse Books
ISBN: 978-1-4012-1328-2


-Matt

"If I Just Ran A Little Faster..." - Professor Zoom Makes A Mess of Things in New 52 Prequel, The Flashpoint Pardox!

This is a bit of a tough sell for me.  In an effort to set up The New 52 continuity, DC Comics & writer Geoff Johns concocted the Flashpoint miniseries in which Professor Zoom (the reverse Flash) ran back in time & switched a few key events.  The Flash counter attacked by trying to set things right and what we were left with was The New 52.  Oh comic books, how I love your silliness.  Now The Flashpoint nonsense is the key subject matter of the latest Justice League direct-to-dvd movie.  The trailer really doesn't excite me, but I love the voice cast.  Kevin Conroy as Batman, Nathan Fillion as Green Lantern, Ron Perlman as Deathstroke, Cary Elwes as Aquaman, C Thomas Howell as Reverse Flash, and Kevin McKidd as Flashpoint Batman.  And it's directed by Jay Oliver who helmed the utterly badass & brilliant Dark Knight Returns films.  So I'll check it out, but I don't think it's going to be a blind buy come July 30th.