Thor, Volume One (Classic Review)

Originally released in 2008.

Writer: J. Michael Straczynski

Artist: Olivier Coipel

Publisher: Marvel Comics

Collects: Thor #1-6

The first page of this collection tells you everything you need to know about the rest of it: Gorgeous artwork and lofty dialogue.

After Ragnarok, the battle to end all battles, Asgard and its residents have been wiped out. From the void of nothingness, Thor is resurrected by his former alter ego Dr. Don Blake, who is also restored to reality. And so Thor sets about rebuilding that which was lost; reconstructing Asgard in a field in Oklahoma, and seeking out his people in the bodies of mortals.

I fell in love with this story the first time I read it. Coipel's art is simply divine, with powerful designs, striking layouts, and realistic body language and facial expressions. I can recognise each unique character and feel as though I know them intimately. He works in conjunction with Straczynski to create a rich atmosphere whatever the tone, whether dark and grim or light and humorous. The famous Laura Martin on colours doesn't hurt either.

Joker (Classic Review)

Originally released in 2008.

Writer: Brian Azzarello

Artist: Lee Bermejo

Publisher: DC Comics

Collects: Original graphic novel

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.

Batman: Joker's Asylum, Volume One (Classic Review)

Originally released in 2008.

Writers: Various (see below)

Artists: Various (see below)

Publisher: DC Comics
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.

Catwoman: Selina's Big Score (Classic Review)

Originally released in 2002.

Writer: Darwyn Cooke

Artist: 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.

Fallen Son: The Death of Captain America (Classic Review)

Originally released in 2009.

Writer: Jeph Loeb

Artists: Leinil Yu, Ed McGuinness, John Romita Jr., David Finch and John Cassaday

Publisher: Marvel Comics
Collects: Fallen Son: Wolverine; New Avengers; Captain America; Spider-Man; Iron Man

"Where were you when Captain America died?" is the motivating question behind Fallen Son, as it shows the reactions of various Marvel characters in the aftermath of Cap's assassination, even if it does stray from that original concept.

It is quite appropriate for Jeph Loeb to pen this story. Not only is he personally familiar with loss, but his writing always carries a certain weight to it. And the absolute plethora of talented artists here is truly top-form; whether its David Finch's grittiness or Ed McGuinness' solid action or John Cassaday's elegant simplicity, and all of them benefit from Loeb's instant synergy with his artists.

I can think of no tribute more fitting for Cap -- a man who was perceived completely different by everyone who knew him -- than to see his friends and allies all share their image of the Sentinel of Liberty and what he meant to them, and see that maybe he was all these things and more.

Marvel vs. DC (Classic Review)

Originally released in 1996.

Writers: Ron Marz, Peter David

Artists: 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.

The Starman Omnibus, Volume One (Classic Review)

Originally released in 2008.

Writer: James Robinson

Artist: Tony Harris (et al)
Publisher: DC Comics
Collects: Starman #0-16

What kind of music does Batman like to listen to? What's Wonder Woman's favourite food? What hobbies does Superman have?

I bet, even with over seventy years of stories, nobody can answer any of those questions. Yet, in just 17 issues, I feel like Jack Knight (Starman) is a lifelong friend.

Nineties superhero comics are often dismissed too quickly. People assume it was all clones and armour without any depth or gravitas, and a lot of it was. But occasionally you find a bright shining star in an otherwise dark sky, and like some ancient explorer, you are lured towards it.

While reading James Robinson's Starman series, I could not help comparing him to Grant Morrison. Both UK writers are huge just now, but both started out with obscure titles (such as Morrison's runs on Animal Man and Doom Patrol) which they could have done poorly and DC would not have suffered. Instead, they proved their worth, excelling in their small corners of the DC Universe, and standing out amongst the noisy and hyperactive 90's mainstream.

The Walking Dead: Days Gone Bye (Classic Review)

Originally released in 2004.

Writer: Robert Kirkman

Artist: Tony Moore

Publisher: Image Comics

Collects: The Walking Dead #1-6

Re-reading The Walking Dead from the start is no small task, and not to be made without much deliberation.

You relate so well to the characters that you genuinely feel part of their experience; part of their lives. To retrace their steps, rather than rely on faded memories, seems almost like cheating in a way. It is something that these poor people can never do.

As has been said many times about this on-going series, it defies convention. One of the most successful comic book series currently coming out, yet it is from an indie publisher, it isn't about superheroes, it's entirely in black and white, it's dialogue-heavy, released sporadically -- it should not be as popular as it is. The reasons for its miraculous success will be debated for all time and never set in stone.

With the excellent TV show's first season in the bag, I was inspired to re-embark on this incredible journey -- and I mean that both literally and metaphorically -- all the way back at the beginning, with our reluctant hero Rick Grimes.

The Ultimates: Super-Human (Classic Review)

Originally released in 2002.

Writer: Mark Millar

Artist: Bryan Hitch

Publisher: Marvel Comics

Collects: The Ultimates #1-6

Ultimate Marvel was based on the simple premise of upgrading classic characters for a modern readership, cut clean from the mire of mainstream continuity. The Ultimates were going to be the frontline team of this new universe -- the all-new Avengers for today's world. Not that, in my opinion, there's anything wrong with the classics, but that's another story.

And just in case you didn't comprehend the ramifications of that concept, the first volume of this series, Super-Human, drives it home with a non-stop "This is a big deal" theme. Straight away, the first issue is almost entirely devoted to introducing the new Captain America with a grizzly war-time sequence that evokes the spirit of the old Kirby/Simon tales, and that praise should not be taken lightly. This hard-punching, wisecracking, yet still heavy-hearted opening sets the tone for the rest of the story.

The A-Team: War Stories (Classic Review)

Originally released earlier this year.

Writers: Chuck Dixon and Erik Burnham

Artists: Hugo Petrus, Casey Maloney, Alberto Muriel and Guiu Vilanova

Publisher: IDW Publishing

Collects: The A-Team: War Stories -- Hannibal, B.A., Face, Murdock

Welcome to the only review of A-Team related material that does not begin with a pastiche of the opening intro.

This trade collects four one-shots released as tie-ins for the Joe Carnahan movie, highlighting each member of the A-Team in action-adventure character spotlights from before they all met.

I read this before the film came out, I re-read this after I saw the film, and I re-read it again recently after the DVD release. What did I think each time?

Blackest Night (Classic Review)

Originally released earlier this year. I wrote this review for a different site when the trade came out and thought I'd repost it here.

Writer: Geoff Johns

Artist: Ivan Reis

Publisher: DC Comics

Collects: Blackest Night #0-8; Blackest Night Director's Cut #1

DC's big Event story for this year comes out of Geoff Johns' run on Green Lantern. The dead are rising in the form of the Black Lanterns, and they are out to terrorise the living.

Like Larfleeze with his Power Battery, I could not put this book down. First of all, its visuals grab your attention and refuse to let go. I've never really been one for Ivan Reis' art – I don't hate it, it just never clicked with me – but Blackest Night completely won me over. Every single one of the eighty zillion characters that appears in this is stunning, with Reis capturing their beauty and/or power each time, whether they be in the back- or foreground.

WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD!

The Lone Ranger: Now and Forever (Classic Review)

Originally released in 2007.

Writer: Brett Matthews

Artist: Sergio Cariello (with art direction by John Cassaday)

Publisher: Dynamite Entertainment

Collects: The Lone Ranger #1-6

Let's get one thing straight right away: The Lone Ranger is a superhero.

He wears a mask, he has a "sidekick", he rights wrongs. He's a superhero. He's in a significantly different category from most superheroes in comic books, but he is no less of an American cultural icon.

As such, it is no wonder that Dynamite eventually got around to giving this classic character a modern upgrade. Someone would have eventually. As a fan of Westerns, I decided to give it a try.