Who?
C'mon. Everybody knows that mild-mannered reporter Clark Kent is secretly Superman, the Man of Steel, rocketed to Earth from the doomed planet Krypton and raised by Kansas farm couple Jonathan and Martha Kent, and that he can leap tall buildings in a single bound, is more powerful than a locomotive and faster than a speeding bullet!
Created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster for Action Comics #1 in 1938, Superman was the first ever superhero, birthing an entire genre and character archetype in his mould, and setting the standard for decades to follow. Standing for the principles of Truth, Justice and the American Way, he remains the most well known superhero in the world, and has spawned countless media adaptations and talking points.
Okay, so where do I start?
Showing posts with label DC Comics. Show all posts
Showing posts with label DC Comics. Show all posts
Wednesday, 18 May 2011
Friday, 13 May 2011
Batman and Robin Must Die! (Review)
Writer: Grant MorrisonArtists: Frazer Irving, David Finch, Cameron Stewart, et al
Publisher: DC Comics
Collects: Batman & Robin #13-16; Batman: The Return #1When Bruce Wayne "died" at the hands of Darkseid in 2009's Final Crisis, rather than die with him, the Bat-franchise exploded into so many ongoing series that I honestly lost count. But there was one that stood above all the others: Batman & Robin, starring former Boy Wonder Dick Grayson as Batman, and recently revealed offspring Damian Wayne as Robin. Fun, colourful and action-packed, fans and critics alike loved this series a lot more than anybody could have expected.
But now Bruce is back, and I couldn't shake the feeling that the kids would have to pack up their toys now that Daddy was home as I unknowingly dove into the ominously titled Batman and Robin Must Die!
And that is the greatest thing about Grant Morrison's time writing Batman: It feels like anything could happen and nothing is set in stone. It's like a rollercoaster in the dark, and I don't know when it's going to stop.
Wednesday, 11 May 2011
Secret Six: The Reptile Brain (Review)
Writers: Gail Simone and Paul Cornell
Artists: J. Calafiore and Pete Woods
Publisher: DC Comics
Collects: Secret Six #25-29; Action Comics #896
Which is why I was a teeny-tiny bit disappointed with The Reptile Brain.
With the team split in two, we get some fun new additions from the bottom of DC's collective rogues gallery. Every one of them gets the Gail Simone treatment; elevating them from "villain-of-the-weeks" into blank canvasses ripe for masterpiece. She makes King Shark disturbingly hilarious, and you just know something bad is gonna happen to Dwarfstar from his attitude.
Monday, 9 May 2011
Brightest Day Volume Two (Review)
Writers: Geoff Johns and Peter J. TomasiArtists: Ivan Reis, Patrick Gleason, Adrian Syaf, Scott Clark and Joe Prado
Publisher: DC ComicsCollects: Brightest Day #8-16
Previously on Brightest Day... Twelve dead characters (heroes and villains) were resurrected at the end of DC's last Event story, Blackest Night by an enigmatic white light. Now trying to put their lives back together, they discover that they may have been brought back for a purpose...
I felt that the first volume of this series was slow moving, and relied too much on dangling mysteries to string the reader along, rather than provide anything substantial in the present. Now that I have read Volume Two, I think I have a better idea of the overall story structure. We are now in the second act of this epic saga.
Monday, 18 April 2011
Justice League: Generation Lost, Volume One (Review)
Writer: Judd WinickArtists: Keith Giffen (breakdowns), Aaron Lopresti, Joe Bennett, Fernando Dagnino
Publisher: DC Comics
Collects: Justice League: Generation Lost #1-12Or, How to Write a Good Justice League Story could have been added on to the title of this nostalgic-yet-modern resurrection of Keith Giffen, J.M. DeMatteis and Kevin Maguire's light-hearted Justice League International run, which lasted from 1987 to 1994 and remains critically acclaimed to this day.
Freshly returned from the dead at the end of Blackest Night, former 80s business guy turned mind-controlling supervillain Maxwell Lord is up to his old tricks. Using his advanced psychic powers, he makes the whole world forget about him and his past evil deeds, giving himself a fresh start. The only ones who remember him are some of his "ex-clients" from the JLI: Booster Gold, Captain Atom, Fire and Ice. With everyone on the planet thinking they're insane, they must find out what Max is up to and stop him before it's too late.
Friday, 1 April 2011
Superman: The Black Ring, Volume One (Review)
Writer: Paul CornellArtist: Pete Woods, et al
Publisher: DC ComicsCollects: Action Comics #890-895
There was a time when it was a treat to see characters from different series together. When seeing Green Lantern fight the Joker, or Batman fight Sinestro would have thrilled and delighted in idea alone. But such things are taken for granted now. The bad guys team up every year, and nobody sticks to the confines of their own territory for long. We seek other thrills now.
It seemed like such simple wonders were behind us, and naught but shadows of a "less sophisticated" time.
And then a terribly entertaining Englishman called Paul Cornell swam the channel between Marvel and DC, and between past and present, to bring us The Black Ring.
Wednesday, 23 March 2011
Joker (Classic Review)
Originally released in 2008.
Writer: Brian Azzarello
A couple of years back, Azzarello and Bermejo brought us the Lex Luthor: Man of Steel mini-series, telling the infamous villain's side of the story and turning him into a deep and relatable character. In 2008, the year of The Dark Knight, they tried something similar with this OGN, simply titled Joker, safely set in its own little continuity bubble.
It is difficult to judge a story that focuses on the character of the Joker. In another OGN, Arkham Asylum, Grant Morrison wrote future Batman writers something of a "get out of jail free" card when it comes to the Clown Prince of Crime. According to Morrison, the Joker was constantly reinventing himself -- goofy trickster one minute, nihilistic murderer the next, and so on -- which sort of leaves room for multiple interpretations of him.
Perhaps to evade some of the responsibility of writing such a sociopath, Azzarello chose to tell the story from the point of view of an original character. Jonny Frost appears at first to be the usual ever-loyal henchman, eager to attach himself to the Joker for personal gain, but underneath he is in fact the usual philosopher-criminal who thinks he's got it all worked out. As with anyone who spends enough time with the Joker, he soon finds out how wrong he is.
Writer: Brian AzzarelloArtist: Lee Bermejo
Publisher: DC Comics
Collects: Original graphic novelA couple of years back, Azzarello and Bermejo brought us the Lex Luthor: Man of Steel mini-series, telling the infamous villain's side of the story and turning him into a deep and relatable character. In 2008, the year of The Dark Knight, they tried something similar with this OGN, simply titled Joker, safely set in its own little continuity bubble.
It is difficult to judge a story that focuses on the character of the Joker. In another OGN, Arkham Asylum, Grant Morrison wrote future Batman writers something of a "get out of jail free" card when it comes to the Clown Prince of Crime. According to Morrison, the Joker was constantly reinventing himself -- goofy trickster one minute, nihilistic murderer the next, and so on -- which sort of leaves room for multiple interpretations of him.
Perhaps to evade some of the responsibility of writing such a sociopath, Azzarello chose to tell the story from the point of view of an original character. Jonny Frost appears at first to be the usual ever-loyal henchman, eager to attach himself to the Joker for personal gain, but underneath he is in fact the usual philosopher-criminal who thinks he's got it all worked out. As with anyone who spends enough time with the Joker, he soon finds out how wrong he is.
Wednesday, 9 March 2011
Where Do I Start With... The Flash
Who?
One of DC's oldest characters, the Flash was first created back in 1940 by Gardner Fox and Harry Lampert. Jay Garrick was a college student who inhaled hard water vapours (we all experiment a little in college, man) and developed the ability to move at superhuman speeds as a result.
An excellent example of a legacy superhero, Garrick was replaced as Scarlet Speedster in 1956 by forensic scientist Barry Allen in the pages of Showcase #4. Usually considered the "main" Flash, Barry was replaced by his nephew and sidekick Wally in 1986, who also went on to have a very successful run. Barry's grandson Bart briefly assumed the mantle in 2006 as well, but in 2008 Barry returned to the role for good.
Always at the forefront of DC events and milestones, the Flash is a much-loved character, regardless of who is filling the well-worn boots, and is known for fun, light-hearted stories with plenty of action and drama too.
Okay, so where do I start?
One of DC's oldest characters, the Flash was first created back in 1940 by Gardner Fox and Harry Lampert. Jay Garrick was a college student who inhaled hard water vapours (we all experiment a little in college, man) and developed the ability to move at superhuman speeds as a result.
An excellent example of a legacy superhero, Garrick was replaced as Scarlet Speedster in 1956 by forensic scientist Barry Allen in the pages of Showcase #4. Usually considered the "main" Flash, Barry was replaced by his nephew and sidekick Wally in 1986, who also went on to have a very successful run. Barry's grandson Bart briefly assumed the mantle in 2006 as well, but in 2008 Barry returned to the role for good.
Always at the forefront of DC events and milestones, the Flash is a much-loved character, regardless of who is filling the well-worn boots, and is known for fun, light-hearted stories with plenty of action and drama too.
Okay, so where do I start?
Monday, 7 March 2011
Batman: Joker's Asylum, Volume One (Classic Review)
Originally released in 2008.
Writers: Various (see below)
Collects: Joker's Asylum: Joker; Penguin; Poison Ivy; Scarecrow; Two-Face
When this mini-series from DC first came out in 2008, I feared that it would get lost under the mountain of Bat-hype that was happening at the time. The Dark Knight was approaching cinemas faster than ticket sales could keep up with, and in comics Grant Morrison was taking Bruce Wayne on an interesting journey in Batman R.I.P.
And then there was Joker's Asylum. Five one-shots focusing on different members of Batman's infamous rogues gallery, each narrated by the Joker. These intriguing character pieces not only gave us an in-depth examination of each villain wrapped around a short story, but also spoke to that old chestnut we all secretly love: That the bad guys are always more interesting than the good guys.
Writers: Various (see below)Artists: Various (see below)
Publisher: DC ComicsCollects: Joker's Asylum: Joker; Penguin; Poison Ivy; Scarecrow; Two-Face
When this mini-series from DC first came out in 2008, I feared that it would get lost under the mountain of Bat-hype that was happening at the time. The Dark Knight was approaching cinemas faster than ticket sales could keep up with, and in comics Grant Morrison was taking Bruce Wayne on an interesting journey in Batman R.I.P.
And then there was Joker's Asylum. Five one-shots focusing on different members of Batman's infamous rogues gallery, each narrated by the Joker. These intriguing character pieces not only gave us an in-depth examination of each villain wrapped around a short story, but also spoke to that old chestnut we all secretly love: That the bad guys are always more interesting than the good guys.
Friday, 4 March 2011
Catwoman: Selina's Big Score (Classic Review)
Originally released in 2002.
Writer: Darwyn Cooke
But Selina's Big Score is one of those stories that superhero fans are somewhat afraid of. It feels almost free of the confines of the DC Universe, and could honestly be about a totally original group of characters and still be just as good. However, most comics readers won't pick anything up unless it has a big name they recognise on the front.
Writer: Darwyn CookeArtist: Darwyn Cooke
Publisher: DC Comics
Collects: Original graphic novel
As I was reading this gripping heist story, it occurred to me that it wasn't really about Catwoman.
No, sorry. Let me clarify that. Darwyn Cooke has an excellent handle on the character of Selina Kyle. She's a woman with a troubled past, looking towards a brighter future. She takes what she wants when she wants it and is not too proud to be proud without losing a shred of her grace or allure. This is a spot-on portrayal of Catwoman.
But Selina's Big Score is one of those stories that superhero fans are somewhat afraid of. It feels almost free of the confines of the DC Universe, and could honestly be about a totally original group of characters and still be just as good. However, most comics readers won't pick anything up unless it has a big name they recognise on the front.
Wednesday, 23 February 2011
My Top Ten Justice League Episodes by Dwayne McDuffie
Writer, editor and founder of Milestone Media Dwayne McDuffie sadly passed away last Monday.
McDuffie had done a great deal of work for both Marvel and DC as well as writing several animated television programmes, including Justice League and Justice League Unlimited. He was a very talented writer in all fields, and an all-round great person too, but it will be those two shows that I best remember him for.
Bright, fun, action-packed, and filled with captivating human drama, the Justice League animated shows are the best adaptation of comics I have ever seen, and a lot of their greatest episodes were penned by Mr. McDuffie.
In tribute, I thought I'd share some of my favourite episodes by Dwayne McDuffie. Indulge me, won't you?
10) Clash
One of the many strengths of this show was its highlighting of various DC characters in their own episodes, and in this one it was Captain Marvel. Initially portrayed as something of a simpleton who is just happy to be anywhere, he eventually stands up to the League, calling them out on some of their bad decisions.
This episode also featured not only a sensational fight between Superman and Captain Marvel (mirroring a scene in the comic book Kingdom Come) but a particularly vile Lex Luthor too, as he lures the innocent Marvel to his side.
9) The Brave and the Bold
The friendship between the Flash and Green Lantern is one of the cornerstones of DC's more lighthearted side, regardless of who might be filling those roles. This episode shows a more begrudging respect between Flash and John Stewart, who is somewhat more stoic than Hal Jordan or Kyle Rayner. But it still works.
We are also introduced to supervillain Gorilla Grodd, voiced by the awesomely named Powers Boothe. He is superbly megalomaniacal and ridiculous all at the same time, in a plot that's just ape.
8) Wake the Dead
A sequel of sorts to Marvel homage episode "The Terror Beyond", Solomon Grundy is resurrected into an even more violent and powerful zombie and must be stopped by Dr. Fate, Amazo, Aquaman and Hawkgirl.
Not only is this show's rendition of Amazo amazing, but they actually made me manage to care about Hawkgirl too, and this episode is the best case for that. They also redeemed Aquaman's unjust public persona as a useless fish whisperer.
7) Starcrossed
More of that Hawkgirl stuff, this time in an earlier episode where her race invade Earth for a good cause. This was the first time (but not the last) we saw all Hell break loose for the League, as they become hunted on the streets, and torn apart from within.
It is also full of excellent character moments, including the sharing of secret identities, Batman and Wonder Woman's little moment together, and the final fate of Hawkgirl. A damn good example of this show's strengths, and the point at which it reallt took off.
6) Dead Reckoning
Maybe it's just cause I like Deadman, maybe it's the hilarious plot (once again masterminded by Grodd), maybe it's the tragedy of Batman using a gun, but I always think of this episode quite quickly when I think of JLU.
Their version of Black Manta (here called Devil Ray) is wonderfully amoral, and Luthor's "at last" usurping of Grodd was a long time coming too. A good villain episode all round.
5) Question Authority
One of the most popular supporting characters in this show was the conspirciy theorist, The Question, voiced by the splendid Mr. Jeffrey Combs, and this episode is his tour de force. Uncovering an evil plot that ties to Lex Luthor, the Question attempts to bring him down alone, knowing the League cannot be culpable. But things don't quite go down that way.
Fellow Charlton Comics character Captain Atom also gets his chance to shine here, going toe-to-toe with Superman, who, even after winning the fight, still tends to the Captain because "He's Justice League."
4) The Great Brain Robbery
One of the funniest episodes of the whole show, where the Flash and Lex Luthor switched bodies. It was a slight joke at the fact that Michael Rosenbaum, who voiced the Flash, also played Luthor on the TV show Smallville, but it really took off from there into its own thing.
Lex's attempts to escape the Watchtower provide some classy action, and seeing him outsmarted by Mr. Terrific is satisfying (super-speed is useless in zero gravity), but it's all down to the Flash-as-Luthor scenes. How he bluffs his way through villain meetings and conversations is priceless.
3) Divided We Fall
The culmination of an entire season-worth of build-up, the storyline about the League's name getting dragged through the mud sees its end in a showdown with an amped-up Lex Luthor. After a stunning, all-action episode featuring just about every character at their disposal, it was great to see the original seven strutting their stuff and beating the bad guy.
And the moment with the Flash at the end? Gets me every time. And Green Arrow's speech is second only to Superman's in...
2) Destroyer
Darkseid brings Apokalips to Earth in a big, honkin' battle that sees heroes teaming with villains against the God of Evil in the last ever episode of the show. Batman has some awesome moments, Lex Luthor has some awesome moments, but who would have thought we'd ever see Superman deliver the baddest of bad-ass speeches as he schools Darkseid up and down Metropolis?
Some say that the show could have gone on longer, but considering the perfect final scene (and line), I can't think of a grander finish.
1) The Once and Future Thing, Parts 1 & 2
When I saw that McDuffie had written this episode, I just knew it was going to be number one on this list, and it is indeed my favourite. A time-travel adventure as Batman, Wonder Woman and Green Lantern chase bad guy Chronos across the old west and into the future, meeting some classic DC characters along the way, and crossing over with Batman Beyond too.
I honestly cannot think of a more enjoyable episode of this show, or a greater testement to Dwayne McDuffie's talents. He will be sorely missed, but in the meantime, I'm gonna go watch this episode. Excuse me.
And the adventure continues...
McDuffie had done a great deal of work for both Marvel and DC as well as writing several animated television programmes, including Justice League and Justice League Unlimited. He was a very talented writer in all fields, and an all-round great person too, but it will be those two shows that I best remember him for.
Bright, fun, action-packed, and filled with captivating human drama, the Justice League animated shows are the best adaptation of comics I have ever seen, and a lot of their greatest episodes were penned by Mr. McDuffie.
In tribute, I thought I'd share some of my favourite episodes by Dwayne McDuffie. Indulge me, won't you?
10) Clash
One of the many strengths of this show was its highlighting of various DC characters in their own episodes, and in this one it was Captain Marvel. Initially portrayed as something of a simpleton who is just happy to be anywhere, he eventually stands up to the League, calling them out on some of their bad decisions.
This episode also featured not only a sensational fight between Superman and Captain Marvel (mirroring a scene in the comic book Kingdom Come) but a particularly vile Lex Luthor too, as he lures the innocent Marvel to his side.
9) The Brave and the Bold
The friendship between the Flash and Green Lantern is one of the cornerstones of DC's more lighthearted side, regardless of who might be filling those roles. This episode shows a more begrudging respect between Flash and John Stewart, who is somewhat more stoic than Hal Jordan or Kyle Rayner. But it still works.
We are also introduced to supervillain Gorilla Grodd, voiced by the awesomely named Powers Boothe. He is superbly megalomaniacal and ridiculous all at the same time, in a plot that's just ape.
8) Wake the Dead
A sequel of sorts to Marvel homage episode "The Terror Beyond", Solomon Grundy is resurrected into an even more violent and powerful zombie and must be stopped by Dr. Fate, Amazo, Aquaman and Hawkgirl.
Not only is this show's rendition of Amazo amazing, but they actually made me manage to care about Hawkgirl too, and this episode is the best case for that. They also redeemed Aquaman's unjust public persona as a useless fish whisperer.
7) Starcrossed
More of that Hawkgirl stuff, this time in an earlier episode where her race invade Earth for a good cause. This was the first time (but not the last) we saw all Hell break loose for the League, as they become hunted on the streets, and torn apart from within.
It is also full of excellent character moments, including the sharing of secret identities, Batman and Wonder Woman's little moment together, and the final fate of Hawkgirl. A damn good example of this show's strengths, and the point at which it reallt took off.
6) Dead Reckoning
Maybe it's just cause I like Deadman, maybe it's the hilarious plot (once again masterminded by Grodd), maybe it's the tragedy of Batman using a gun, but I always think of this episode quite quickly when I think of JLU.
Their version of Black Manta (here called Devil Ray) is wonderfully amoral, and Luthor's "at last" usurping of Grodd was a long time coming too. A good villain episode all round.
5) Question Authority
One of the most popular supporting characters in this show was the conspirciy theorist, The Question, voiced by the splendid Mr. Jeffrey Combs, and this episode is his tour de force. Uncovering an evil plot that ties to Lex Luthor, the Question attempts to bring him down alone, knowing the League cannot be culpable. But things don't quite go down that way.
Fellow Charlton Comics character Captain Atom also gets his chance to shine here, going toe-to-toe with Superman, who, even after winning the fight, still tends to the Captain because "He's Justice League."
4) The Great Brain Robbery
One of the funniest episodes of the whole show, where the Flash and Lex Luthor switched bodies. It was a slight joke at the fact that Michael Rosenbaum, who voiced the Flash, also played Luthor on the TV show Smallville, but it really took off from there into its own thing.
Lex's attempts to escape the Watchtower provide some classy action, and seeing him outsmarted by Mr. Terrific is satisfying (super-speed is useless in zero gravity), but it's all down to the Flash-as-Luthor scenes. How he bluffs his way through villain meetings and conversations is priceless.
3) Divided We Fall
The culmination of an entire season-worth of build-up, the storyline about the League's name getting dragged through the mud sees its end in a showdown with an amped-up Lex Luthor. After a stunning, all-action episode featuring just about every character at their disposal, it was great to see the original seven strutting their stuff and beating the bad guy.
And the moment with the Flash at the end? Gets me every time. And Green Arrow's speech is second only to Superman's in...
2) Destroyer
Darkseid brings Apokalips to Earth in a big, honkin' battle that sees heroes teaming with villains against the God of Evil in the last ever episode of the show. Batman has some awesome moments, Lex Luthor has some awesome moments, but who would have thought we'd ever see Superman deliver the baddest of bad-ass speeches as he schools Darkseid up and down Metropolis?
Some say that the show could have gone on longer, but considering the perfect final scene (and line), I can't think of a grander finish.
1) The Once and Future Thing, Parts 1 & 2
When I saw that McDuffie had written this episode, I just knew it was going to be number one on this list, and it is indeed my favourite. A time-travel adventure as Batman, Wonder Woman and Green Lantern chase bad guy Chronos across the old west and into the future, meeting some classic DC characters along the way, and crossing over with Batman Beyond too.
I honestly cannot think of a more enjoyable episode of this show, or a greater testement to Dwayne McDuffie's talents. He will be sorely missed, but in the meantime, I'm gonna go watch this episode. Excuse me.
And the adventure continues...
Friday, 11 February 2011
The Flash: The Dastardly Death of the Rogues (Review)
Writer: Geoff JohnsArtists: Francis Manapul (main story) and Scott Kolins
Publisher: DC Comics
Collects: The Flash #1-7; The Flash: Secret Files and Origins 2010
I said in my last review, for The Return of Bruce Wayne, that Batman is the poster boy for the "grim and gritty" superhero archetype. If that's true, then the Flash is undoubtedly the best representative for the opposite, which, despite many protests, is just as plentiful in comics.
The Dastardly Death of the Rogues is an excellent example of just how much fun both the Flash and his series can be, without sacrificing gravitas. I usually dislike using the term "Silver Age-y" to describe stories like this (because they should not be seen as something long past) but this is like a Silver Age story for the modern day. An outlandish time-travel murder mystery wrapped around some not-too-heavy drama and lovable character moments.
Wednesday, 9 February 2011
Batman: The Return of Bruce Wayne (Review)
Writer: Grant MorrisonArtists: Chris Sprouse, Frazer Irving, Yanick Paquette, Georges Jeanty, Ryan Sook, Pere Perez, Lee Garbett
Publisher: DC Comics
Collects: Batman: The Return of Bruce Wayne #1-6
As we found ourselves growing to like the former Boy Wonder more and more with each new adventure, Bruce's return became less and less anticipated. Yet it still loomed on the comic book horizon, and we felt a strange sense of dread and shame as it approached.
But we cannot put off the inevitable any more. This is comics, after all, where nothing lasts forever and nothing ever ends. And so, The Return of Bruce Wayne, as its title suggests, has our eponymous and amnesiac hero trapped in the past, jumping ever closer to the present and to his former position, all the while trying to solve a millennia-old mystery and recover his memories in the process.
Friday, 28 January 2011
The Question: Pipeline (Review)
Writer: Greg RuckaArtist: Cully Hammer
Publisher: DC Comics
Collects: Detective Comics #854-865 (back-up material)Ever since Renee Montoya took over the role of the Question from Vic Sage there's been a general feeling of uneasiness. Was she right for the job? This uneasiness was part of her character, as she constantly questioned her own identity and future, so it played quite nicely.
Renee's involvement in her first two major stories, The Five Books of Blood and Final Crisis: Revelations, continued this theme. Renee was starting to accept herself as the Question, but these mystical tales hardly seemed fitting to such a character.
With Pipeline, any and all uneasiness in both Renee and the reader is eliminated. Like Vic (or Charlie to his friends) before her, Renee has shed her former destructive self and embraced a more productive and positive lifestyle. It is rare that one takes pleasure in seeing a character mature like this, especially in mainstream comics where one is dreading the return to status quo.
WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD!
Wednesday, 26 January 2011
Where Do I Start With... Catwoman
Who?
A Batman villain almost as old as the Joker, Selina Kyle first caught the Dark Knight's eye as Catwoman in 1940 (initially known as simply "The Cat"), and was created by Bill Finger and Bob Kane.
Over the years, she eventually evolved into an on-again/off-again love interest and femme fatale type for the Batman, and is now something of an anti-villain, occasionally starring in her own spin-off series.
She remains one of the most famous Bat-villains and has appeared in various media adaptations, played by many different actresses, including: Julie Newmar, Lee Meriweather, Eartha Kitt, Michelle Pfeiffer, Adrienne Barbeau, Halle Berry, Gina Gershon, and (soon) Anne Hathaway.
Okay, so where do I start?
A Batman villain almost as old as the Joker, Selina Kyle first caught the Dark Knight's eye as Catwoman in 1940 (initially known as simply "The Cat"), and was created by Bill Finger and Bob Kane.
Over the years, she eventually evolved into an on-again/off-again love interest and femme fatale type for the Batman, and is now something of an anti-villain, occasionally starring in her own spin-off series.
She remains one of the most famous Bat-villains and has appeared in various media adaptations, played by many different actresses, including: Julie Newmar, Lee Meriweather, Eartha Kitt, Michelle Pfeiffer, Adrienne Barbeau, Halle Berry, Gina Gershon, and (soon) Anne Hathaway.
Okay, so where do I start?
A-Musing: My First Week as a Superhero
I can still remember first hearing the words, "DC Universe Online".
It seems like so long ago, and fresh on the heels of announcements such as Star Trek Online, Lord of the Rings Online and even Pirates of the Caribbean Online, so at first it seemed like just another jump onto an already over-capacity bandwagon.
And initially I was indifferent. No, scratch that. I was actually completely disinterested now that I recall. I was not one for MMORPGs, having briefly flirted with City of Heroes, another superhero game, and found it lacking.
In my (albeit limited) experience, online games are simply addictive, and possess no engaging qualities beyond the joy of character creation. It seemed like all the endless missions I send my character on were mind-numbingly repetitive, and even though his skills were improving, I was just pressing the same sequence of keys over and over again.
It seems like so long ago, and fresh on the heels of announcements such as Star Trek Online, Lord of the Rings Online and even Pirates of the Caribbean Online, so at first it seemed like just another jump onto an already over-capacity bandwagon.
And initially I was indifferent. No, scratch that. I was actually completely disinterested now that I recall. I was not one for MMORPGs, having briefly flirted with City of Heroes, another superhero game, and found it lacking.
In my (albeit limited) experience, online games are simply addictive, and possess no engaging qualities beyond the joy of character creation. It seemed like all the endless missions I send my character on were mind-numbingly repetitive, and even though his skills were improving, I was just pressing the same sequence of keys over and over again.
Monday, 17 January 2011
Villains United (Classic Review)
Originally released in 2005.
Writer: Gail Simone
Back during DC's Event story Infinite Crisis they released four tie-ins that added extra backstory or angles to the overall plot. Villains United explored the formation of Lex Luthor's "Secret Society" and their "scrappy underdog" counterparts (and adversaries), the Secret Six.
The anti-villain characters of Scandal, Deadshot, Catman, Ragdoll, Cheshire and Parademon would prove to be so popular a team dynamic that, with a few minor changes to the ever-fluctuating roster, they eventually got their own ongoing series out of it.
But Villains United is where it all started. With the Secret Society recruiting pretty much every supervillain in the DC Universe into its ranks, the Six were formed by the mysterious Mockingbird to uncover the Society's true purpose. Six villains who were either too insignificant or too proud to join the Society, but were swiftly transformed into some of the most intriguing characters in the DC pantheon.
WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD!
Writer: Gail SimoneArtists: Dale Eaglesham and Val Semeiks
Publisher: DC Comics
Collects: Villains United #1-6
Back during DC's Event story Infinite Crisis they released four tie-ins that added extra backstory or angles to the overall plot. Villains United explored the formation of Lex Luthor's "Secret Society" and their "scrappy underdog" counterparts (and adversaries), the Secret Six.
The anti-villain characters of Scandal, Deadshot, Catman, Ragdoll, Cheshire and Parademon would prove to be so popular a team dynamic that, with a few minor changes to the ever-fluctuating roster, they eventually got their own ongoing series out of it.
But Villains United is where it all started. With the Secret Society recruiting pretty much every supervillain in the DC Universe into its ranks, the Six were formed by the mysterious Mockingbird to uncover the Society's true purpose. Six villains who were either too insignificant or too proud to join the Society, but were swiftly transformed into some of the most intriguing characters in the DC pantheon.
WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD!
Friday, 14 January 2011
Doom Patrol: Brotherhood (Review)
Writer: Keith GiffenArtists: Matthew Clark, Ron Randall and Cliff Richards
Publisher: DC Comics
Collects: Doom Patrol #7-13Every superhero fan has that one character or team that they possess an inexplicable love for. Their books might not sell as well as others and they might not get talked about as often, but there's a small, almost cultish appeal that they have.
For me, it's the Doom Patrol. I know they're not household names and their stories are hardly genre-defining, but that, in a way, is what makes them great. They're like those kids at school who don't fit into any of the usual social groups, and are therefore in a group of their own.
But as much as I love the Patrol, I went into Keith Giffen's latest run (starting with We Who Are About to Die) with low expectations. The current and much discussed climate in the world of comics publishing is not friendly to a "middle of the road" type book for a start. On a more personal level, I honestly did not think that Giffen could possibly capture the classic spirit of Arnold Drake's original Silver Age stories, nor the pure imagination of Grant Morrison's 1989-1993 run.
WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD!
Wednesday, 12 January 2011
A-Musing: Parallel Universes, Grant Morrison, and Why Superman is Real
Stay with me here. This one is gonna get weird.
In these days of comic book multiverses, where Heaven forbid we should just read a story without worrying about where it "fits", things can get a little complicated. But I'm not going to debate the minutiae of Earths 0 through 616, at least not here anyway. I'm going to examine something a lot more boring: Terminology.
Again, stay with me. You have no idea where this is going, trust me.
In a lot of crazy sci-fi stories, the terms "parallel universe" and "alternate reality" are thrown around quite a lot and used interchangeably to describe these concepts. Being the obsessive nerd that I am, I stubbornly preferred the latter term, believing that "parallel universe" was an incorrect label; that it was somehow inaccurate.
Then I had a life-changing epiphany...
In these days of comic book multiverses, where Heaven forbid we should just read a story without worrying about where it "fits", things can get a little complicated. But I'm not going to debate the minutiae of Earths 0 through 616, at least not here anyway. I'm going to examine something a lot more boring: Terminology.
Again, stay with me. You have no idea where this is going, trust me.
In a lot of crazy sci-fi stories, the terms "parallel universe" and "alternate reality" are thrown around quite a lot and used interchangeably to describe these concepts. Being the obsessive nerd that I am, I stubbornly preferred the latter term, believing that "parallel universe" was an incorrect label; that it was somehow inaccurate.
Then I had a life-changing epiphany...
Monday, 10 January 2011
Marvel vs. DC (Classic Review)
Originally released in 1996.
Writers: Ron Marz, Peter DavidArtists: Dan Jurgens, Claudio Castellini, Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez
Publisher: DC Comics/Marvel Comics
Collects: DC vs. Marvel #1-4; Dr. Strangefate #1
Come with me on a journey back 15 years, to a time when Superman had a mullet, Spider-Man was a clone, and every other word had the letter X awkwardly forced into it.
It is a time where mainstream superhero stories have fallen somewhat by the wayside. The art was difficult to look at, the characters zero-dimensional, and the plots reduced to mindless stunts. Seeking to regain their former glory, DC Comics and Marvel Comics put their heads together and came up with a solution.
They were going to pull off the biggest, most mindless stunt possible by having their characters fight each other until only one remained! One reader, that is.
Writers: Ron Marz, Peter DavidPublisher: DC Comics/Marvel Comics
Collects: DC vs. Marvel #1-4; Dr. Strangefate #1
Come with me on a journey back 15 years, to a time when Superman had a mullet, Spider-Man was a clone, and every other word had the letter X awkwardly forced into it.
It is a time where mainstream superhero stories have fallen somewhat by the wayside. The art was difficult to look at, the characters zero-dimensional, and the plots reduced to mindless stunts. Seeking to regain their former glory, DC Comics and Marvel Comics put their heads together and came up with a solution.
They were going to pull off the biggest, most mindless stunt possible by having their characters fight each other until only one remained! One reader, that is.
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