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Captain Marvel #16 – Deconnick/Van Meter/Oliffe

September 26, 2013 by

3316870-16I’m not entirely sure where to start with Captain Marvel #16, and there’s two major contributors to the apathy I feel over it. The first is the art, and the second is Infinity.

Overall, this issue is completely forgettable. While the dialogue is good, I’m finding myself left almost entirely cold by Infinity as an event. I’m bored with the repetitive nature of the narrative, and I’m sad that Deconnick’s wonderful title has been sucked into it.

This month, Deconnick has Jen Van Meter on board as a co-writer, and it shows. While previously, Captain Marvel has proven to be a fresh, clever, and easy to follow title, #16 feels far more ‘Hickmannish’ (a term I’ve coined to describe anything that gets sucked into Jonathan Hickman’s endless, talking in circles, deliberately obtuse style on his current Avengers and New Avengers runs). While Hickman is the main writer for the event, I fail to see why his narrative style must creep into a title that has otherwise featured a completely different tone.

That’s not to say I didn’t enjoy certain parts of the story – although they were mostly the dialogue sections – but I sincerely hope my favourite title isn’t drawn into any major events any time soon. There is some good exposition about Carol’s Binary powers, that is a simple introduction for newer readers, but not overly repetitive for those who have been reading Carol’s story for a while. Deconnick and Van Meter cram in a lot of characters, as is usual for a CM book, but this time around it doesn’t feel as seamless as usual. I felt like there were a lot of Avengers here, whereas normally that isn’t the case.

Back to the first major problem I have with this issue – the art. There really is no way to put it other than it’s really unpleasant.

Bodies are bizarrely proportioned, there’s little to no expression or movement, and some of the facial expressions are downright bizarre. The colouring is too bright and garish, the page layouts are uninspired, and at times quite irritating.

This book does little to advance the Infinity storyline (or what there is of one – I’m still waiting for Hickman to get to the point), and really only serves as an introduction to Carol’s Binary powers.

The bottom line? Don’t skip it, because CM is a wonderful title that needs to continue, but don’t judge this series on a decidedly mediocre issue.

Filed Under: Marvel, Review Tagged With: , , ,

The New 52 and DC Editorial Culture

September 8, 2013 by

The_DC_New_52_Timeline_of_Departures__Firings__and_Bridge-Burnings_—_Gutters_and_PanelsIf you’re a DC Comics fan, you’ll know that the past couple of years for the company have been big ones, with the New 52 launch and evolution the most notable event.

Over at Gutters and Panels, they have a great chronology of the comings and goings at DC and it makes for fascinating reading. Go have a look for yourself here.

[via NonCanonical]

Filed Under: DC, Opinion

Why Ben Affleck is Good for Batman (and Superman)

September 6, 2013 by

silver-linings

Silver Linings Superhero is a regular column from Sean Robinson, which tries to show the more positive aspects of current comic events, and remind you that things aren’t all that bad. If you would like to suggest something for a future column, drop us a line!

I think I am one of the few who actually quite enjoyed Man of Steel. No, it was not a good Superman film, and yes, the film certainly had its problems with script and directing, but I thought it was a stylistic and exciting science-fiction film. So when Batman/Superman (or whatever they decide to call it) was announced, I got interested. Maybe the gang over at Warner Brothers and DC could turn the ship from brooding, post Dark Knight Superman, by contrasting him with the only one who could conceivably be actually darker, Batman himself.

Then Ben Affleck was announced, and I became more excited than I thought I could be. No, he’s not John Hamm or Karl Urban, two of the more inspired choices for the role.

He’s something better:

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Let me begin by dealing with the elephant in the room. Affleck’s last superhero film, 2003’s Daredevil, was not good. In fact, it was bad. But that’s just it – it was ten years ago. The films being thrown around for the argument against the man are all from around the same point in time when Affleck was a gossip magazine hot-topic – and he has most definitely moved past that to become a decent actor and one hell of a director. It’d be the same if we judged Joss Whedon on his writing in Alien: Resurrection – it’s just not fair.

Now, I did use the word “decent” when I described Ben Affleck as an actor, because its an apt description of where he stands right now. To echo Matt Damon in regard to the role, it’s not some kind of Oscar-worthy performance – it’s Batman. Affleck has enough range that he can portray the billionaire-playboy Bruce Wayne, and also the dark and broken Batman, and he has done a similar role in Hollywoodland as Superman actor George Reeves. In that film he dances between depression and acting the complete opposite to an audience. Sounds like someone else we know, doesn’t it?

Returning to his directorial abilities, back around this time last year rumors circulated that Affleck was offered the Justice League film to direct – but he would only accept it if he could star in a main role. Fast forward a year, and we now we have Affleck cast as Batman, and no one set for the Justice League director’s chair. Could this mean that he has changed his mind? Is an Affleck directed Justice League around the corner? I sure hope so.

In regards to the Man of Steel universe, and this new darker and edgier version of Superman, we get an older Batman who “bears the scars of a seasoned crime fighter”. We are already aware of Batman and his back-story – his last outing only finished last year – so the audiences don’t really need a retread of the story of Bruce Wayne. Does this mean that we see a Batman who has already mostly worked through the problems surrounding his parents’ deaths, and could in fact bring the levity back to what we want to see from Superman? If anyone could pull off a slightly lighter, and older Batman than we are used to, then it would be Affleck.

This could change up the relationship between the two – Batman is there to remind Superman about his humanity – Superman could be molded by Batman to the man he always wanted to be, but never could. It would be a fresh take on the mythos, without pulling too much away from what we already know, and it could act as damage control from the problems people had with Man of Steel’s script, returning us to the Superman we know and love.

I am not saying that Batman/Superman won’t have problems. David S. Goyer is back writing the script, and while he is a great writer,  he never quite grasped the character of Superman in Man of Steel. Snyder is also a point of worry for some people, with his eclectic directing style a polarizing aspect. But in regard to Affleck – give the man a chance. He may just surprise you.

Want to tell Sean he’s right or wrong? Flick him a tweet, or leave a comment! He loves talking about the things he likes.

Filed Under: DC, Movies, Opinion Tagged With: , ,

Justice League #23 Review – Geoff Johns and Ivan Reis

September 3, 2013 by

JLALet me begin by saying that as an event, Trinity War has ultimately failed. Stories should have a definitive beginning, middle, and end. A universe-wide event like this one,  especially with the way it has been marketed, should be a stand-alone story.

However, Trinity War as part of a much larger story, lacks any semblance of an ending,  as it leads directly into Forever Evil #1, failing the basic idea of a story to begin with. What is left is a fun set up to something both exciting and interesting, but ultimately doesn’t deliver on what an event should be.

So, don’t expect a conclusion coming from Justice League #23. While it answers the question of what Pandora’s Box is – and what the overall goal of pitting the heroes against each other was – it leaves the issue with many large cliffhangers. They include the fate of an injured hero, and Shazam’s apparent transformation last issue, feeling like it belongs in the middle of an event rather than an epic finale it was poised to be. It appears that Trinity War, and Forever Evil were always intended to work together as one series, so why not market them as such? Instead it feels the series was more interested in what was to come, rather than the story it was meant to tell.

Speaking of marketing, hyping up the series as a story behind the Trinity of Sin, and how the heroes rally behind them, also proved to be the event’s downfall. With Phantom Stranger left behind much earlier in the story arc, the Question and Pandora also feel underused, getting little panel time between them. They both merely act as a guide, which could have easily been left to other characters like Madame Xanadu anyway. It seems less interested in the characters whose books feature “Trinity of Sin” in the title, than it does the actual war between the forced “trinity” of three Justice Leagues.

That said, what does happen in this issue is mighty fun. More hero on hero action is always a plus in my book, and this issue delivers by the bucket load. Ivan Reis is drawing at the top of his game, with his panels packed to the brim with brilliant fight scenes, and gorgeous detail. There does feel like there is a few too many splash pages, filling up a lot of space, but thanks to the 28 page issue – and of course the artwork – it doesn’t feel too cheap.

Outside of the action, Johns manages to fill it up with a few surprises too. The reveal of the traitor, which initially felt a bit hammy, eventually makes sense in context of the big reveal of the new villains at the end of the issue, which opens with a surprisingly funny panel. It’s good that the heroes battling each other wasn’t played out Civil War style, and instead plays with reader expectations.

As a quick aside, It’s also nice to see that Constantine is getting more space to shine in the greater scheme of things, with a particularly amusing reason why he isn’t affected by Pandora’s box tying nicely into his character. I’m liking his inclusion into these team-ups and how he reacts to working with others. Maybe the scoundrel has a heart of gold after all?

While this event does fail in the execution, what it has set up has made me more excited than anything else that DC has done since the launch of the New 52. The new villains look incredible, and the Forever Evil series sounds like its going to shake things up in a big way. It’s just a shame that DC bungled the marketing of a story that would have been better suited as a prelude, rather than a main event.

 

Filed Under: DC, Review Tagged With: , ,

Grant Morrison on The Killing Joke – “Batman kills The Joker”.

August 21, 2013 by

Yes. You read that title correctly. Grant Morrison – who has just wrapped up his many-year run on Batman with Batman Inc. – claimed over on Kevin Smith’s podcast Fat Man on Batman that during the final pages of Alan Moore and Brian Bollard’s The Killing Joke, Batman kills the Joker. You can hear his thoughts in the video below:

And for reference here is the image of the final panel:

joker

Now I have seen this pop up and debated for days since Morrison first dropped this bombshell, but if this is as Morrison claims, it paints the entire comic in a completely new light – as Kevin Smith puts it “the last Batman story ever told”. It elevates, what I think is, one of the greatest Batman stories to something more. This is the Joker’s last joke – and victory.

Chances are that Alan Moore being who he is, we will never get an official word on this, but it still is brilliant when people are still discovering new things in material that is so many years old.

What do you guys think? Does Batman really kill the Joker? Or is this just people reading too much into the fiction? Let me know below!

Thanks toBleeding Cool for the story.

Filed Under: DC

Film and Comic Comparisons – An Exercise in Futility and Frustration

August 15, 2013 by

I-Have-An-Issue-Banner‘I Have An Issue’ is a regular opinion column from Kimberley Griffiths, with no fear or favour shown. If you’d like to suggest something for a future column, drop us a line. Also, check out Kimberley’s blog!

Let’s make one thing abundantly clear if it wasn’t already. I am a huge fan of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It’s not exactly a secret – I blather on about the movies all the time, I started MediAvengers, and I participate an awful lot in the fan community on Tumblr. I love the idea of a new, fresh outlook on these incredible stories that have been a part of so many people’s lives. I also – rather stupidly to be honest – follow the MCU fan page on Facebook.

While the page is useful for catching up on things I miss on my Tumblr dash, sometimes it’s really hard to subscribe to the old never read the comments adage. Many are reasonably well thought out and articulate, but there’s also a large quantity of replies like Screw Black Widow n Hawkeye, YO! Black Widow wants the D from Captain A! lol, and How survive that stab from the back by lokie [sic]. Sadly, it’s often difficult to look away from the complete and utter tripe you see posted by the various idiots, misogynists, bigots, and generally misguided individuals.

Comments like the above are easy to pass over without the desire to respond, though. It’s not until you come across thoughts like the below that your brain slowly begins to leak out of your ears…

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Here’s the thing.

It’s called the Marvel Multiverse for a reason. We have two main universe continuities in Marvel comics, and don’t have any trouble distinguishing these from one another, so why do so many insist on directly comparing story arcs and plot points when it comes to the MCU? Why do fans get up on their high horses and complain about differences between 616 and the MCU when they aren’t even remotely in the same universe?

There’s always been resistance to the interpretation of these characters, events, and plot lines. I’m not just talking about the current crop of Marvel Studios produced films, but I am going to focus this post on the debate I see raging on various MCU specific forums, websites, and pages. While the lines are certainly being blurred between these universes – an observation I’ve expressed discomfort with in the past – the fact still remains that the comics are the comics, and the movies are the movies.

The distinction we as fans should perhaps be more aware of, is  that what we’ve seen in print is merely a starting off point for what will eventually be presented on screen. The argument that X won’t happen in the films because of Y is old, invalid, and continuing to use it makes a fan appear to lack a fundamental understanding of the Marvel Multiverse.

Apart from the obvious reality that creating shot for panel recreations of comics is unrealistic and possibly unfilmable in most cases, do we really want these stories interpreted in such a way that offers nothing new?

You know what, that’s a stupid question, because yes, that is what some fans want. The same unenlightened readers whose comments are mentioned above. These fans are the ones who get on their high horses and say I’ve been reading the comics since I was a kid and [insert vitriol here], immediately attempting to invalidate anyone else’s argument because they’re the genuine fan. A real fan. A fan who’s been reading the comics since before they could actually read and my opinion is better than yours goddamnit!

But no, the Real Fan’s, opinion isn’t better than anyone else’s. As people who are asserting their knowledge, isn’t it rather ironic that they fail to understand the concept of different planes of existence? An idea that Marvel has reinforced in its readers over decades of printing these stories they claim to know so much better than everyone else.

What all this boils down to, is that the Marvel Cinematic Universe is not Earth-616 (primary continuity). Nor is it 1610 (Ultimates). The Marvel Cinematic Universe is its own little corner of the Marvel Multiverse – unofficial designation 199999 – and this is an important distinction to be aware of when conversing on pages and sites where the focus is the MCU.

Let’s take a look at comics for a moment. Considering the length of time Marvel has been spinning these tales, you can’t ignore the racism, homophobia, misogyny, generalisations and stereotyping that have been displayed on the pages. This is just the reality of the world we live in, and a part of humanity’s history. These are issues society has learned and still is learning from. It’s important for Marvel to adapt and change to remain contemporary.

Perhaps we need to not think of the movies as an interpretation of the comics, but as a version of events that is relevant to our modern society – the real world. A world where an environment of fear is just as powerful as a physical threat, where characters don’t need prosthetics, as we’re cool with them looking like human beings, not a Rob Liefeld drawing, and social awareness and conscience is at an all time high. Movies are made for the general public, not for a small selection of cranky, territorial fans.

Fans of the films don’t have to be fans of the comics, and vice versa. Just because a person has never read a comic book, doesn’t mean they have less of a right to enjoy and discuss the material that has been presented on screen. I’ve been witness to many interactions where a comics fan has suggested that someone who exclusively enjoys the films has less right to an opinion, but this is like saying you can’t be a real fan of cheese unless you like Stilton as well as cheddar.

Fraction knows what's what.

Fraction knows what’s what.

Marvel is doing a great job of bringing more people into the fan community. The films have been the catalyst for many new people to pick up comics, often for the first time ever. We should be celebrating the newer members of the community, not deriding them. Welcome these people with open arms, shove books at them and tell them to read all the things go forth and experience joy and wonderfulness and oh god this storyline is just the best you need to read it first before anything else oh em gee.

On a more personal note, I really don’t feel the desire to see word for word remakes of material I’ve already read. Nothing is more exciting to me than going along to a movie unspoiled, and thrilled at the idea that what I think is going to happen might not. That I’ll get to see something completely new, or a really clever mash-up of Ultimates and the primary continuity. Hey, we might even see an entirely new character that turns out to be so awesome, that the fans start a campaign that causes Marvel to resurrect him and give him his own TV show called Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

Criticising films for not adhering to comics canon is an inherently pointless exercise, that wastes the time of everyone involved.  Criticising the films for their own problems, is not. Viewers may disagree with the handling of certain changes because they turn something that was well handled in the comics, into something problematic in the films. They may feel that the interpretation of the basic concept creates needless plotholes, badly handled characters, or marginalise areas that were important to focus on. Comparing in this way is perfectly valid, and it would be silly to say otherwise. but saying The movie sucked because in the comics Y happened, not X is redundant.

Then we have the very extreme end of the spectrum. The fans who take every adaptation’s changes to comics canon as a personal affront. Flying spittle in the face of their years of loyal fan servitude. A rude kick in the balls to someone who thinks their status as a Real Fan gives them some sort of ownership over these characters. Fans who have the gall to presume they speak for everyone. Fans who write comments like this:

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I don’t know about you, but these fans certainly don’t speak for me.

These people have no more of a right to these characters than the next person. These characters belong to Marvel, who may do with them what they choose. Self proclaimed Real Fans can bitch and moan and groan until they’re blue in the face, but that’s not going to change the fact that their self-entitled, idiotic remarks are serving to contribute precisely nothing even remotely worthwhile to the discussion.

So what conclusion is there to draw from this? Is this simply just a post where I go on a rant because my views are different to others, or is there a serious underlying issue that I’m getting at?

There is a very real issue that’s the crux of this whole subject: inclusiveness, tolerance, and the importance of stamping out elitism. While a majority of the comments you see that fail to recognise the significance of the difference between Marvel universes are reasonably trivial, the fact remains that many use discussions on the MCU as a place to demonstrate their supposed encyclopaedic knowledge of the comics. If anyone wants to talk about these, and – the vastly varying and continually retconned, I might say – comics canon then might I suggest they go discuss it somewhere relevant.

Fans who wade in to a discussion about the MCU with a purist, elitist attitude are doing nothing but drive new fans away, frustrating people who recognise the difference between universes, and making themselves look like rude, judgemental imbeciles, who just happen to know how to use the Marvel Wiki. Let new fans discover the multiverse in their own way, and let old fans experience a new version of their favourite characters and story arcs.

Being a fan is about enjoying something, criticising it for its flaws, lauding it for its successes, not comparing it to something it’s not trying to be.

 

Filed Under: Marvel, Movies, Opinion

Review: Avengers Assemble #17 and Captain Marvel #14

August 15, 2013 by

avengers-assemble-17And so we reach the conclusion of The Enemy Within, the Avengers Assemble and Captain Marvel crossover event that’s really put Carol Danvers through the ringer.

Avengers Assemble #17, the penultimate issue of this event, is a beautiful looking book. The art, colours, and page design are all truly stunning, but in particular Buffagni’s art is exceptional here. The faces are all expressive, poses are filled with movement and action, and body types are more realistically represented than in many comics, which for me, is something I really look for in a book.

As usual, Kelly Sue handles the large cast of characters excellently, without it ever feeling like the focus has been taken off Carol. Along with Spider-Woman, Wolverine, The Hulk, Black Widow, Cap, Wasp, Hawkeye, and Abigail Brand, DeConnick somehow manages to squeeze Sersi in there as well. I honestly don’t know how she does it, the issue never feels cluttered or rushed, and I’m in complete awe of Kelly Sue’s writing abilities.

The biggest strength in this book however, is the emotional response it generates in the reader. You really get a sense of hopelessness, so that while you know the Avengers will prevail, things aren’t going to turn out well for Carol.  There’s always been a certain amount of dramatic irony in this storyline, but it comes to a head at the end, where anyone who’s been reading closely, or actually taken notice of the title of the event, finally gets that ‘AHA! I knew it!’ moment.  Right after the big plot twist reveal, we’re confronted with an entire page of Carol lying prone and bleeding on the ground, eyes blank and unseeing, and it’s then you realise there might not be a happy ending here.

Despite her rather dire circumstances, she gets up. The determination and strength shown in this issue is actually quite inspiring. That sense of hopelessness is still there, but there’s an underlying feeling of dogged persistence, that’s cemented by Carol’s final words in the in the book – “I will make it if I have to crawl.”

Captain-Marvel_14Moving on to Captain Marvel #14, featuring Scott Hepburn and Gerardo Sandoval as artists. Hepburn’s pencils are more consistent here than in #13, and it makes for a much more enjoyable issue than his previous one. The difference between the two artists isn’t as obvious as I though it may have been, but I certainly still have issues with Sandoval’s way of drawing body shapes – his version of Abigail Brand is particularly displeasing.

Like AA #17, Captain Marvel #14 is action packed. There’s plenty of great action sequences, but also a more human element with Carol’s friends hiding in the basement as Yon-Rogg attempts to crush New York with New Kree-Lar, and some personal interaction between Yon-Rogg and Carol in the central part of the issue.

Carol is broken. She’s weak, damaged, and at the mercy of her enemy, yet this issue has one of the best lines I’ve ever seen in a comic. As Carol stands over Yon-Rogg after summoning one last energy blast to knock him to the ground, we see her anger, strength, and a certain amount of resignation (and kudos to Hepburn for this panel, it’s excellent). What’s the line? Well you’ll have to read the book to find out!

The final issue in this event isn’t anything less than brilliant in it’s hearbreak. DeConnick has crafted an incredible conclusion to an immensely satisfying mini-event, and I can’t wait to see which direction she takes Carol’s character in future Captain Marvel issues.

Well done, Kelly Sue. The tears were worth it.

 

Filed Under: Marvel, Review Tagged With: ,

Review: FF #10 – Matt Fraction & Mike Allred

August 8, 2013 by

FF10I’m not entirely sure what I think about this issue. On the one hand it dares to go places most creative teams don’t – breaking down the barriers between the creator and the creation, by placing Fraction, Allred and editor Tom Brevoot into their own comic; for the most part making it an enjoyable and silly tale. On the other hand, this story can feel a little too much like one big inside joke, and does require a working knowledge of each of these characters to fully appreciate. To be fair, a lesser day in the issues of FF is still nothing to sneeze at, and the team manage to create a book that still stands out, if for sometimes the wrong reasons.

The issue is split between two stories, one with the more outcast members of the FF engaged in twenty questions with a madman as one of their own is forced to kill the old man who may-or-may-not be Johnny Storm, and another as the rest of the members take a microscopic field trip with the Marvel creative team. The aforementioned game is great and still manages to live up to the standard seen in previous issues, but the field trip does seem to feel a bit out of place. Full of inside jokes and references to the team’s social media presence, like Tom Breevot’s Formspring, this issue isn’t really aimed at anyone who hasn’t got anything more than a cursory knowledge of these people.

Thankfully, the accompanying FF members remain fun, with Scott Lang’s dialogue reminiscent of an actual parent – remaining empathetic and dismissive, especially regarding the children’s love of the tiger. It speaks volumes of the character – a man who has lost his child and is beginning to let these few take her place, and Fraction really hits the nail on the head here.

The other half of the issue is great, letting the other characters shine. Tong in particular is a character that continues to grow, following her change earlier in the series, and is becoming a larger and more fun part of the team. Alex is still battling between saving his parents, and betraying the FF.

What else can I say about the Allreds that hasn’t been said already? They are great, plain and simple, and this issue continues to be a large selling point. I really cannot speak any more highly about those two, and I love coming back to them each week.

Despite a very risky choice taking place in the issue, it still manages to be a great read. I’m glad that this team is making choices like this, and while FF #10 doesn’t hit all the right notes, it still manages to sing strongly. 

Filed Under: Marvel Tagged With: ,

Review: Justice League Dark #22 – Jeff Lemire & Mikel Janin

August 1, 2013 by

Justice-league-darkAnother day, another large crossover. Actually, that’s a bit unfair, because DC’s latest event Trinity War, is shaping up to be something pretty darn cool. A three-way war between the three big superhero teams: Justice League, Justice League of America and Justice League Dark, with characters switching allegiances? Sign me up. The third part of this event, following from Justice League #22, then Justice League of America #6, focuses predominantly on the third team, and while it doesn’t seem clear what the overall point of pitching these teams against each other is right now, its a darn fun time.

This issue picks up right where JLA#6 left off. Superman, still reeling from his actions in the first part of the event, remains in captivity. Each character is finding themselves unsure of who to trust, and when Wonder Woman seeks the help from the begrudgingly named Justice League Dark, they find themselves part of a war they didn’t entirely want, as they seek (or prevent the others from finding) Pandora, and ultimately Pandora’s Box.

Why this is something important, I’m not entirely sure. It seems that each of the characters are running around trying to figure out what is the problem with the box, leaving it frustratingly unclear why we should care that the heroes don’t have it. There is some vague “it’ll spell the end of the world” spiels, but it never culminates into anything. While this isn’t necessarily the fault of this issue’s writer Jeff Lemire (the other issues were penned by Geoff Johns), it does leave it a bit open.

But you know what? Currently I’m okay with that. Superhero-on-superhero-on-superhero action is what we want, and while this issue seems like it’s trying to set something bigger up, even having one of the characters saying himself they are moving around like pieces on a chessboard. There is one cool face-off between Wonder Woman and Batman’s teams – it doesn’t end up being much, but they keep teasing a big showdown, and I really can’t wait.

Mikel Janin is arguably the best artist of the bunch in this arc. While Ivan Reis and Doug Mahnke are awesome in their own right, Janin’s clean pencils, and his lack of clutter suit the issue well. Amazingly, no panel feels too packed, despite having what appears to be the entire current roster of New52 heroes throughout the issue. Janin is an artist I love to see, and is one of the main reasons I return to this series month after month.

As a quick aside, since I haven’t had a chance to do so, I’d love to commend DC in their approach to their universe lately. It seems they are doing a massive push in the magic side of the universe, and it has produced some of the most interesting titles out there. I’m really happy that a title like Justice League Dark exists, and is such a large part of the greater DC universe.

All in all, Justice League Dark #22 does appear to be mostly filler, putting everyone in place for the next three issues, but the mere hint of something greater is tantalising. I just hope that whatever Pandora’s Box turns out to be, as well as the lead up to the Forever Evil event later in the year, makes this all worth it.

Filed Under: DC, Review Tagged With: , ,

Webcomic Wednesday – Batman ’66

July 24, 2013 by

Holy atomic pile Batman! It’s Webcomic Wednesday, the day I trawl through the digital space to show the readers something new and exciting. This week I’m checking out DC’s latest digital effort Batman ’66, courtesy of writer Jeff Parker, and the various artists he conjures up each issue.

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Batman ’66 is a continuation of the 1960s live action Adam West Batman television series, complete with its camp, silly attitude. It  follows the antics of Batman and his trusty sidekick Robin as they deal with the everyday threats to Gotham City. This series takes almost all of its cues from the television show, right down to the character designs. But you don’t have to be familiar with the original series to have a good time.

Parker’s stories are all suitably silly and fun. The first issue finds the Riddler crashing the Lady Gotham Awards ceremony to steal the award for himself. Why? Because he’s a bad guy. And how does Batman recognise that something is wrong? Because he notices that the plane is flying below FAA guidelines. It’s the silly dialogue, lack of any proper motivations and the POW! BIFF! BANG! that makes this series a certified hit.

It also helps that the series is taking a cue from other successful digital comics like Moth City and the Marvel Infinite titles and utilises the format to help create the motion comic. This allows the full effect of the onomatopoeic sounds to work within the confines of the comic.

If you needed any more reasons to read this series, but you don’t, each issue features covers by the great Allred team who are working away over at FF as well. Check it out here. A dollar a pop for something that is both visually impressive and a huge laugh is well worth your time and money.

Got a Webcomic you want me check out? Holy priceless collection of Etruscan snoods! Let me know over on my twitter @Pipes815, or send me a message via our contact form.

Filed Under: DC, Webcomics
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