Comic Pick of the Week: July 1st, 2009

Reading List;

• Batman:Streets of Gotham #1
• Green Lantern Corps #38
• Dark Tower:Fall of Gilead #2
• Batman & Robin #2
• Irredeemable #4

Pick of the Week;

Batman & Robin #2

Written by: Grant Morrison
Pencils by: Frank Quietly
Colours by: Alex Sinclair



I'll admit it, I'm in love with Dick Grayson. I'm secure enough in masculinity to say that I think. I had never read Batman until Bruce Wayne's death... I was, of course, familiar with Batman, what living breathing human being is not? But I had never read any of the comics, other than the occasional issue I managed to find lying around wherever I happened to be killing time. But when I heard the they were going to kill Bruce, and that it would be Grant Morrison doing it, I was fully on board. At the very least, I thought, it would be an interesting story arc that I could drop afterwards. Much to my surprise though, it hasn't been the death of Bruce that's been interesting, but how the people around him have dealt with it.

For anyone who doesn't already know, Bruce is dead. Now in the reality of the comic book universe, we all know he'll be back some day. He only has to stay dead long enough for "Blackest Night" to finish. But in the meantime, we get Dick Grayson as Batman, and Damien (Bruce's asshole son) as Robin. It's been a fascinating story to follow, Dick wants anything except to be Batman, he has spent a very long time carving out a separate existence as Nightwing and this issue gives us some real insight into how much he hates the idea of giving that up to follow in his "father's" footsteps, to take several steps backwards and in so doing filling some enormous shoes. Page one is a full page of a very defeated looking Dick, sitting on the steps. In front of him is a discarded Robin symbol and Alfred asks "May I ask what happened?" We then get the story of Dick and Damien taking on an attempted prison break at Arkham, which turns out to be an assassination. After it's over, both Dick and Damien have a palpable sense of failure about them, Damien, clearly frustrated, says to Dick "Look at you! This pathetic impersonation of my father makes a mockery of his memory!" and dissapears.

The relationship between Dick and Damien is intense, and a refreshing departure from the Bruce/Dick relationship. Bruce was Dick's father, and now Dick has to rise to become Damien's father, but unlike Dick... Damien has no intention of needing a father figure. Dick is struggling with having to re-build the trust that a superhero needs, the cops suspect he's not Batman, Gordon doesn't know what's going on. There's a great scene where Alfred convinces Dick it's like performing a great character, Hamlet, Willie Loman, or even James Bond. Dick admits that the show must go on and takes off after Damien.

Everything about this book is spot on, all of the relationships are intense and convincing in every way. When Alfred admits he's not okay, I literally leaked three tears. The art is stunning, the panel layoust during the prison break is very cool and lends itself to a fight. The only other Frank Quietly I've seen is the All-Star Superman stuff, which is VERY different. That style suited that book very much, as does THIS style suit Batman.

I had every intention of dropping the book after the death of Bruce, but Dick is a much more interesting Batman than I ever imagined, and I'll keep reading this as long as it stays that way.

Getting "Weepy" with Malibu's run of DS9

In the process of sourcing out some local music for the shop I ran in Victoria, I met the proprietor of a local comic shop, Gareth. He kept recommending the same comic to me, one "The Watchmen" by Alan Moore. I finally relented and read it, devouring the epic 12 issue series in a mere two or three nights. It has become one of my favorite books and, as was intended by the creators in the early eighties, proved to me that comic books can indeed be "literature".

After reading (and enjoying so intensely) "The Watchmen" I dug out my old comic collection. I had no REAL interest in comics as a kid, but being "somewhat" of a Star Trek fan I had a large collection of Star Trek comics. Deep Space Nine premiered in 1993 when I was twelve years old, a fresh consumer unfettered on Paramounts marketing blitz. Riding the popularity of ST:TNG (now in it's sixth season) Paramount had licensed the franchise to Malibu, who released a schwack of Trek comics. The most heavily produced and longest running was DS9.

I sat down with my white cardboard box of comics, alone late one night after Jesse and Emma had gone to bed. And pulled out the first issue of Deep Space Nine... wait... it was the "special preview editions" I had forgotten about. I bought them from Peter Greaves one day on the bus for $5. I found out later he'd stolen them... I liked Richard, I suffered insufferable guilt for weeks, but wasn't going to let go of those books. I flipped through all the issues. The TNG/DS9 crossover... the one where Dax, Bashir, and O'Brian sit in Quark's with Worf presenting the various theories they've heard, about why the Klingons spontaneously developed the head ridges (my favorite being the result of a biological weapon used in a war with the Tribbles, some kind of gene re-writing virus or something). I remembered Blair (don't remember his last name... I worked with his mom at the Caprice... hmm...) stealing issue number eight from me at the old Courtenay Junior and running away with it. I'm chubby... I don't like to run. I remembered neglecting to buy the Sept, Oct, and Nov issues, so that Mom and Dad could get them for me for Christmas, and how much fun it was to read ALL of them Christmas morning...

And I got a little weepy. I'm man enough to admit it. Comic's made me cry a little.

Since then, much to Jesse's dismay, I've regained my love for comics. Thanks to Garreth and his fine staff at Legends Comics I've discovered a previously disregarded source for pungently fascinating stories, and far more beautiful art than I had ever expected. Geniuses like Allan Moore, Warren Ellis, and much to my surprise... some adaptations of one of my favorite authors Harlan Ellison.

I haven't revisited the DS9 again yet... as a "man" I am only allowed to let out one tear... WHILE I FAKE COUGH... once per quarter, so I have to wait until December before I have another look.

Comic Pick of the Week: June 24th, 2009

Reading List:

• Green Lantern #42

• Astonishing X-Men #30

• Skaar:Son of Hulk #12

• Amazing Spider-Man #598

Pick of the Week:

Amazing Spider-Man #598

Written By: Joe Kelly
Pencils By: Paulo Siqueira & Marco Checchetto Siqueira
Colours By: Jeromy Cox

Ok, so this is part 4 (of 5) of the "American Son" story arc. Where we have Norman Osborne trying to turn Harry into his own personal "super-hero". There was a lot in this issue that I just outright enjoyed. There were some big reveals, including the fact that Lilly, whom has up until this issue, has been carrying Harry's baby... is actually carrying Norman's and that they've been working together to manipulate Harry. Spider-Man has been captured and is being beaten by Norman and Bullseye while they attempt to remove his mask. In the end, Harry discovers the ruse and willingly dons the "American Son" Stark style armour in an attempt to rescue Spider-Man from the clutches of his evil father. Spider-Man, post "One More Day" has been everything a comic book is supposed to be, and I think this issue was a prime example. Everything in it was fun and exciting. We had betrayals that lead to heroic acts of daring rescue, we have the fantastic Norman/Harry Father/Son storyline going on which ultimately ends in a (little doubted) epic betrayal.

The art was in usual form, Marvel puts some of it's best talent on the book. My only complaint is more due to character design than actual artistic talent or ability. I find that Harry and Norman look WAY to similar... especially when they're both wearing a suit. The scenes I enjoyed most (art-wise) were the scenes with Norman and Bullseye with the captured Spidey. The detail and viseral feel of the panels is inherant, and you feel each hit Spidey takes, making his eventual escape that much more satisfying. This has been a really enjoyable story. I only started reading Spider-Man after the re-boot, and this is the first real taste of the Peter/Osborne connection we've had. I LOVE the father/son relationship, it's a big part of what I like about the Bat-verse right now, and seeing Harry struggle with his past/future as a superhero/villian, in the face of his father who has clearly chosen his path without struggle or regret is a stark contrast.

"The Plan"

So, this came about as a way for me to gush fanboy love for comics. I adore comics, everything about them. But my wife is getting pretty sick of hearing about them every week, so I figured I'd unleash my opinions on the internets... pretty much assuming no one will be that interested. I'll do a weekly pick, let you know what I've read, and what my "Pick of the Week" is. I'll also probably do some "Book Reviews" of various collected editions and old runs of single issues I may own. There's very little I enjoy more than talking about why I love the comics I love.

It won't be JUST that though, I'm hoping to throw in a few amusing anecdotes here and there... and my two kids often provide entertaining stories. If there is anyone out there who decides to read this, I hope you enjoy it!