Adventure Comics #493
Dick Giordano – Story
Jim Aparo – Art

Are comics coming full circle?

I usually post reviews of last week’s comics every Monday, but after reading at all of last week’s books, I was unmotivated to review them. I remember when comic’s “Big Events” were limited series that existed within continuity, yet left it pretty much untouched. Today, comics are reverting back to story telling ways that pushed me away in the 1990’s. So I am using the space I normally reserve for reviewing comics to explain my concern with the current state of comic books.

In the 1990’s I stopped reading comics because of the large crossovers and huge stories featured in the the X-Men, which was the only comic I was collecting at that time. After Spider-Man’s Clone Saga, I decided to only read the X-Men. I was loving all of the x-books up to and through the Age of Apocalypse. After that huge event, which at the time felt fresh and new, every writer wanted to make every X-Book after it feel as epic as the Age of Apocalypse did.

Drastic changes were made to the x-teams and popular characters were revamped in attempt to recreate them with “epic, life changing” stories. The first example that pops into my mind is Wolverine. When the already popular character, who seemed to be featured in at least 10 books a month, was redefined as a feral beast after his admantium was removed, I quit Marvel Comics and comic books all together.

A couple years later I started to go through my old comics again rereading all of the Detective Comics and random Superman books in my collection. This rereading led me back into collecting comics, more specifically DC Comics. I quickly fell in love with the DCU because it was fun, simple, respected continuity, and, most importantly, the stories had a distinct beginning and end that anyone could jump on board with. But now, the DCU is becoming what the Marvel U was in the 1990’s.

I am really getting tired of all of the universe and character shattering events in the DCU. Now that it has passed, Final Crisis has the same feeling that House of M had and the whole Superman leaving Earth had a similar feeling as Wolverine turning feral. I didn’t like Marvel’s Civil War, Secret Invasion, and Siege because of the “universe changing events,” but I did LOVE Batman R.I.P. because of it was self contained. I gave DC Comics a free pass for killing off Ted Kord and all of the negativity and violence in Infinite Crisis because they created great new characters like Ryan Choi, the All New Atom. Sadly, Professor Choi was recently killed to move the plot of another mediocre story forward. Comics should be entertaining, meaning fun, and comic companies need to remember that big events can be fun while not “universe changing events.” Remember, Secret Wars took place off planet and once it was over had very little impact on the big picture of the Marvel Universe. It seems like the self contained stories like Batman R.I.P. are becoming the exception in the DCU, while huge “universe changing” plot-lines are becoming the norm.

I’m looking forward to a Brighter Day that does NOT include death as the main plot progression where big events are self contained and heroes are featured in tales that showcase their battle over evil. I’m looking forward to a HEROIC AGE, and I hope that DC quickly moves on to the next “age” of comics.

Last Week In Comics:
A fresh take on 5-day old comics.

Brightest Day #2

After the Blackest Night many of the previously dead heroes returned for what I hoped to be a happy tale titled “Brightest Day,” I was wrong. LWIC (Last Week In Comics):

• During the first scene Firestorm bursts into flames and is ripped in half vertically…
• A housewife who is somehow connected to the Marian Manhunter gruesomely kills her husband and children before ripping her own skin off…
• Aquaman continues to control dead sea creatures…
• And the not so Deadman visits the Anti-Monitor a.k.a. “The Universe Destroyer” in the Antimatter Universe…

It seems as if every hero that was resurrected, still has a “death” attached to them. Whether it’s an arch enemy or loved one, each hero is still haunted by death, or something that creates more death. I’m tired of characters dying in the DCU, it seems like they think there is no other way to stir up emotion than killing lots of folks. I was hoping for a different kind of Brightest Day.

Superman: War of the Supermen #3

This one issue was more action packed and contained more story than all of the Superman comics last year. Unfortunately to fully understand what happened in this issue, the slow stories from Action Comics, Superman, and World of New Krypton needed to be read. LWIC:

• Many Kryptonians float lifeless in space after Lex Luthor used a false Kryptonian god* to turn the Sun red. (*from Action Comics)
• Jimmy Olson and his crew of heroes* invade the main base of the Human Defense Corps and rescue Natasha Irons (*from Superman and Adventure Comics)
• Flamebird sacrafices herself to destroy the false god and returns the Sun’s yellow color.
• Zod, not really needing the extra motivation, and his army just about destroy every major city on Earth, except Metropolis where Superman awaits Zod’s arrival.

The action in this issue really kicked up a notch helping me forget the pain the last year of Superman comics caused me. So, now I hope the fast paced mindless action continues since this seems to be the only way this story has been enjoyable.

The Heroic Age Begins:

Avengers #1

After the situation of the current Marvel Universe is explained, the newest incarnation of the Avengers assemble to deal with a situation that threatens them and the future. LWIC:

This comic is good! Yeah, it’s a Marvel Comic. Granted there wasn’t much action but there was an awesome set up for an honest to goodness Good vs Evil story. A story where the fate of the world is at stake, but the ramifications are not universe shattering. I am hoping that the Heroic Age features stories about saving the world instead of epics that redefine universes.

No?
Me neither, but it happened in The Brave and the Bold #126.

I came across this cover the other day while surfing the net and now I am going to have to check the local comic shop and/or ebay to find out what happens.

Legends of the DC Universe #272
Steve Englehart – Writer
Trevor Von Eeden & Joe Rubinstein  - Art

So what do you think Superman is busting through the doors for… cause “It takes a super-man, baby!”

The image is from Justice League of America #86 written by Mike Friedrich with art by Dick Dillon and Joe Giella which features one of the earliest “real” eco-friendly story I have read.

This issue begins with Aquaman freaking out after all of the plankton is sucked out of the ocean. Aquaman worried that if the bottom of the food chain, plankton specifically, is removed all creatures will be affected and eventually die off. Aquaman summons the JLA. Once the other heroes are there they calmly talk out the problem then split into groups with specific goals to solve the ecological disaster, something not present in the current “fight first – logic second” modern DCU.

Each group’s adventure leads the JLA to a planet full of beings who developed “magic” based on scientific technology. The alien’s abuse of this “magic” has polluted their planet and plankton has been affected the most. To save their planet the aliens brokered a deal with a corrupt business man from Earth to steal our plankton to save their planet.

Which leads us to the featured panel at the top of this post:

In Superman Batman #45, our two favorite heroes continue their quest to rid the planet of Kryptonite. While excavating a large chunk of k-rock from the ocean Aquaman shows up fights Superman and gives him a guilt trip on doing “as they will.”

In Gotham Underground #4 we see Matches Malone (a.k.a. Batman) do his best Macgyver impersonation. This mini series is a lot of fun and a great read that is only enhanced by BatGyver.
Gotham Underground #4 is the BEST COMIC OF LAST WEEK!

The Question apologizes for a kick to the head in Crime Bible #4. I think what Renee means is that she is sorry that the series waited until now to pay homage to Vic Sage’s supporting cast. If you haven’t been reading this one wait for the trade, you won’t be disappointed.

Quick Reviews

Amazing Spider-Man 584: Lets see…

• Spidey saves a bunch of children by looking like a terrorist.
• Spidey trades a sample of his blood for a child’s life.
• Spidey’s blood will be used as a chemical weapon that will only affect his blood relatives.
• Spidey’s new enemy is close to Aunt May.
• Spidey retrieves his web-shooter from the recently deceased Spider-Mugger just as the police arrive to catch him “robbing” the dead body.

Blue Beetle 23: Jamie and his adventures against the Reach continues with less jokes and one hell of a good plan. With a plan as technical and detailed as the one used to infiltrate the Reach’s ship, there is no way he is as screwed as it looks at the end of the issue.

Countdown 14: In issue 13 we saw Donna take out her alternate self. Donna masquerades as…. herself… to take over an army of Belthera’s bugs. Now that the there is an army to join Kyle, Donna, and Ray to battle both the Monitors and Monarch’s army… Jason Todd is the only one left out of the action. Like predicted (and then discussed here) Jason Todd suits up again as Robin, Red Robin.

JLA Classified 51: This issue is a flashback issue to a flashback issue. Since JLA Classified takes place in the past and this issue is a flashback issue related to the previous issue, wouldn’t it be a flashback to a flashback? Anyways… In this issue we learn half of the back-story of the “God” from issue 50. Other than some good character moments this issue was not even as exciting as me trying to explain the whole flashback to a flashback stuff.

Legion of Super Heroes 38: Jim Shooter’s return to the Legion feels comfortable. I like the character moments and the background story more than the action in this issue. I have faith in Shooter and what may seem slow now will pay off in the end.

Bahlactus gutting and filleting fools like fish!

Friday Night Fights: SUCKA PUNCH!! Round 8, SON!

Aquaman: Time and Tide #1
Peter David - Writer
Kirk Jarvinen - Pencils

Bonus: Aquaman’s resonse to the crowd
cheering his KO of the Trickster.

Is it me or did the writers of Super Friends cartoon and comic either:

          A. Hate Aquaman,
          B. Have no creativity when it came to writing about a sea king,
          or
          C. Are jealous and wish that they could talk to fish.
              *see related post: Proof that talking to fish is an awesome super-power

From Super Friends #30

The Super Friends escape the deadly robots by jumping into a nearby rocket ship.

The rocket ship is not as safe as the Super Friends assumed…

…they are soon captured by two intergalactic criminals.

This is proof that talking to fish is an awesome superpower when trapped in space on a wanted criminal’s ship.

Super Friends #24
Sergius O’Shaugnessy - Writer
Ramona Fradon - Pencils

• Monday: Watched the my hometown Cleveland Indians beat the Yankees, and had to fix my group’s most recent grad school paper to fix their plagurism… for a second time. Apparently some people still do not know how to write/cite a research paper…
• Tuesday: Got to work at 6:50 am and left at 8:15pm… We had a pancake breakfast fund-raiser before school and conferences after school.
• Wednesday: Sick as a dog, but finished the comic anyway.

Speaking of the webcomic: This week’s webcomic is in continuity. After training for Friday Night Fights, the Booger decides to fight crime.

The Booger decides to take the Missing Piece of Pac-Man as a sidekick, they attempt to create costumes for their future Super-Heroics.

Check out the webcomic here: http://www.spacebooger.com/index.php?comicID=23