Holy blast from the past Batman! One of DC’s newest takes on The Dark Knight is actually a throwback to one his oldest, campiest and most iconic eras. Batman 66′ Vol. 1 contains all new stories set in the Batman universe that was popularized by Adam West and Burt Ward. No longer bound by the technology and production budgets of television shows of that time, Batman ’66 retains everything that made that show tick while blowing out the scale of their adventures in ways the show never could.
During the beginning of my X-Men vision quest, a vendor at Comicon strongly recommend checking out Astonishing X-Men. In particular, he told me to check out Joss Whedon’s run from issue #1-24. According to him, these were some of the best X-Men tales ever. I’ve kept that thought in the back of my mind until I stumbled upon both books in the Astonishing X-Men Ultimate Collection for half price.
For the purposes of this post, I’m just going to write about Book 1, which covers our heroic mutants through two story arcs: Gifted and Dangerous. I haven’t read enough X-Men to say where this fits in the pantheon of X-books, but this is at the very least some of the best material I’ve read yet.
Meeting your significant other’s parents is a big – and oftentimes awkward – step in anyone’s relationship. This adage holds true for Marko and Alana, as she meets her husband’s parents for the first time. With that said, the stress of this initial encounter is amplified by a number of different factors, such as tense race relations, a missing spirit doubling as a babysitter, and a host of assassins out for their blood, including Marko’s ex-fiancee.
Twenty episodes in, and Morning Glories is already rolling out their Saved By The Bell: The New Class? Introduced at the very end of Vol. 3, the Truants are a militaristic group of students on a mission. In this series of issues, their origins are explored, their connection to the original gang is explained, and their mission is outlined. These kids do kick butt, but do they make for entertaining comics?
Before Bruce Wayne wore the cape and the cowl, he fought crime as a faceless vigilante. Batman Vol. 4: Zero Year – Secret City focuses on his early days of crime fighting during a time when the people of Gotham presumed he was dead. At this point in time, the Red Hood Gang has the city in a stranglehold, and one Edward Nigma emerges from irrelevance to become one of Batman’s biggest foes.
Do clones have souls? This existential question is the driving force behind X-23 Vol. 1: The Killing Dream. Conceived and raised as a killing machine, Laura Kinney goes on a quest to find her own path through life. Conceptually sound, the actual execution of issues 1-6 of X-23 fall a bit short in almost every respect.
Will the real Peter Parker please stand up? Unbeknownst to most of the world during the recently-completed Superior Spider-Man, Doctor Octopus’ conscious was actually inside Peter’s body due to a last ditch effort on Doc’s part to cheat death. Before Peter ultimately regained control, Doc Ock had made some dramatic changes to the status quo that he must now deal with. This extra-large Amazing Spider-Man #1 picks up shortly after Peter Parker gets his body back. Through its feature story and a number of bonus vignettes, this debut issue lays the groundwork for the world that the good doctor left behind.
In it, Dr. Manhattan reflects on of his life while alone on Mars. The way in which the story progresses through decades of his tragic life while juxtaposing the seconds that pass as he drops a photo to the red planet’s surface is beautiful. Within the span of one issue, it made me feel like I got everything I needed to know about the character. In a book where a good chunk of the in-depth information is buried in long-form prose, Watchmaker stands out as a much more elegant and entertaining way to convey those same points.
Long before the video game, there was the Arkham Asylum graphic novel. They share the same location and general premise, though they differ in execution quite a bit. The video game is an action-packed slug-fest while the book is more of a psychological thriller. As Batman enters the asylum to Widely renown as a classic, this one sure does deliver a unique visual and reading experience unlike anything I’ve read before. Continue reading
Saga is the latest brainchild from Lost and Y the Last Man writer Brian K. Vaughan. Set well into the future, it chronicles the trials and tribulations of soldiers from rival factions that have fallen in love with each other. What Vol. 1 may lack in originality, it makes up for by executing on its vision really well to tell an entertaining and mature sci-fi soap opera.
Continue reading
In Third Person 