Review: 'Batgirl’ #24

By Don M. Ventura

Batgirl #24

DC Comics

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Life can be unfair. When DC relaunches all of their books to what they are hopeful will be great fanfare in a couple of weeks, two of my favorites titles not be a part of the festivities: Power Girl and Batgirl. Well, not this Batgirl at least.

I’ve been following the exploits of Stefanie Brown since she teamed up with Supergirl to fight a few dozen Draculas in the re-readable Batgirl #14. It’s great to see the character go out on a high note—although it is far, far too soon. At the conclusion of the last issue Stephanie had come face-to-face with her criminal father, the Clue Master.

In this issue, the two have a quick showdown between father and daughter before Stephanie is taken down by a whiff of the Black Mercy (DC horticulturists will know what the plant is). What follows is a powerful scene between the young heroine and her mother that ties their relationship up nicely and a sweet cameo by Robin (writer Bryan Q. Miller know precisely how sweet he can go with Damian Wayne).

In the final scene, Stephanie shares a moment with Barbara Gordon on a rooftop where we are treated to seven beautiful pages by artist Pere Perez as we see Stephanie’s “heart’s desire.” I won’t spoil what she experienced while subjected to the Black Mercy, but it was touching, dramatic, funny and everything you would expect from Miller, who has given his protagonist one of the strongest, most confident voices in comics. After a beloved two-year run, Miller sends Gotham’s brightest crime fighter off with undeniable class.

Batman/Robin, Nightwing and Batgirl: The New DCU

No confirmation on who will be writing Nightwing or Batgirl but Batman And Robin #1 will be written by Peter Tomasi and Patrick Gleason, with Damian as Robin.

Per DC Comics,
In BATMAN AND ROBIN #1, the acclaimed creative team of Peter Tomasi and Pat Gleason will explore the family dynamic of the Caped Crusader as Bruce Wayne battles the Gotham underworld with the help of his son, Damian, in the role of Robin.

Looks like the Bat-Family is as big as ever.

Stay tuned for more on the DC new titles.

Wednesday's Finest: 'Batgirl' #17

By Don M. Ventura

Batgirl #17

DC Comics

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Batgirl #17 was a perfect comic book. Every note was right, it was funny (as always), and it was surprisingly touching.

For the past few years we’ve gotten to read a lot of good stories that have featured one of DC most popular new characters: Damian Wayne. In this issue we see Damian through Stephanie’s eyes and there is a scene that is kind of heartbreaking.

Batgirl and Robin are tracking down some criminals responsible for abducting children in Gotham and the two find themselves staking out a museum in which a class of ten-year-olds are on a field trip. In the most hilarious scene, Stefanie disguises Damian as a typical kid: shorts, a T-shirt with happy faces and a red cap with eyes adorned on the top. “This is humiliating” responds the boy wonder.

From a security booth Batgirl observes the normally unshakable Damian Wayne as he is at a complete loss when confronted by a little girl who wants to play with him. “My heart just broke for him,” thinks Batgirl. Damian has been used to great effect in other titles, namely J.T. Krul’s Teen Titans, where he runs around kicking ass and grating his teammates with his hubris. That is here for sure, but there is more.

I was reminded with this book that the Bat-family of characters is just that, a family. Stephanie has always come off as the most grounded of Gotham’s protectors and series writer Bryan Q. Miller conveys that in this in just a few panels and on the last two pages of the issue. At the end of the story Stephanie takes Damian to a bounce house where she shows him that part of what it means to be a ten year old kid is to have fun every once in a while. Of course he eventually says “I’m thinking about stabbing you” but nevertheless they both appear to be having fun.

This serves as a nice contrast to the opening of the book where Alfred attempts to coerce Damian to eat his breakfast because “without adequate sleep or nutrition you’ll stunt your growth.” Damian wasn’t buying any of this.

Miller is on a winning streak with this book. I was excited to see that he was would be writing a story featuring Damian because he’s got a strong sense for characterization. He did equally well with Supergirl in Batgirl #14, one of my favorite single issues of last year.

Pere Perez fills in nicely for series artist Dustin Nguyen. Perez handled the artwork on last year’s excellent (but awkwardly named) Bruce Wayne: The Road Home: Batgirl one-shot. Perez would be great on a Damian mini (consider this planting a seed); his expressions are priceless in this book, especially in the first dismissive scene with Alfred.

If you have any trepidation about picking up any of the Bat-books, consider picking up Batgirl. This is probably the most accessible of the bunch. Oh, and it’s fun.

Rating Scale:

Excellent ««««

Good «««

Average ««

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Get Ready for a Little Torment Batgirl. Damian Wayne to Pay a Visit in 'Batgirl' #17

Of everything Grant Morrison has done to the Batman universe, my favorite accomplishment has have to be the introduction of Damian Wayne into the fold. It also seems that DC’s writers are feeling more comfortable bringing Bruce’s temperamental son into new stories outside of Batman and Robin.

A few months ago Damian appeared alongside Supergirl in in Josh Williamson’s Superman/Batman #77 in which the scrappy hero helped the Girl of Steel solve an inordinately large scale murder in Metropolis. Of course, he’s being used wonderfully in JT Krul’s new run on Teen Titans. Damian has become a perfect foil for the likes of Superboy, Wonder Girl and Kid Flash and has found a kindred spirit in Ravager.

Robin appears next, outside of Batman and Robin, in next week’s Batgirl #17 (above). Judging by the preview on DC’s blog the Source today, series writer Bryan Q. Miller has a solid understanding of the character—who is not mean for the sake of being mean. He simply cannot be bothered with to be treated like a child in any shape or form. Alfred Pennyworth will one day understand this.

Best of 2010. Best Character: Batgirl

From Bruce Wayne: The Road Home: Batgirl (One-Shot). Art by Pere Perez.

Comic books tend to get very dark. Even more so if the backdrop for the series is Gotham City where the citizens seem fine with the glumness of their surroundings.

But there is one bright corner of Gotham that is explored by Bryan Q. Miller each month in the pages of Batgirl. I came a little bit late to this series, but it’s title character grew on me so infectiously that I’d have to say Batgirl is my favorite character of 2010.

Stephanie Brown’s dry wit and self-deprecating humor keep the book light and make her the most relatable character in the Bat-family. Everyone would love to be as slick and intelligent as the Caped Crusader, but most of us (given the right amount of gadgets and gymnastics know-how) would probably handle ourselves more like Stephanie.

Boy oh boy does Miller have a precise voice for Batgirl. Some recent highlights:

• In the Bruce Wayne: The Road Home: Batgirl one-shot, Stephanie is confronted with a recently revived Bruce Wayne. Her reaction? She slaps him hard across the face and instantly realizes the gravity of her actions and belts off (above).

• In my favorite issue so far, Batgirl #14 (below), Stephanie has a night out with Kara (Supergirl) and things lead, as they always do, to a team-up. It’s Batgirl and Supergirl against a cavalcade of Draculas (don’t ask, just read it). At one point Supergirl hears screams with her super-ears and asks Batgirl “Can you hear that?” Her response: “You’re sweet.”

• In Batgirl #16, when Batgirl’s Batarang fails her, she tumbles to the ground and thinks “And it was only then that young Stephanie truly realized that gravity would forever be her enemy.”

Miller takes great care in writing Stephanie’s dialogue and letting the humor come out naturally when the story calls for it. There is nothing forced and reader never thinks “Why is she making a joke now?”—something that can happen when writing a character known for quips (e.g. Spider-Man, Lobo, Deadpool, etc.).

It has been a pleasure to read Batgirl month after month because the writing is fantastic and, every now and again, it’s nice to have a bit of reprieve from the dark stuff.

From Batgirl #14. Art by Lee Garbett.



Cape Town Capsule Reviews, 12/8/10 Releases

By Don M. Ventura

Superboy #2

DC

This second issue of Superboy works much better than its first. While I enjoyed much of the art last month, I was not immediately sold on what I found to be a clunky introduction to the series.

Writer Jeff Lemire has warmed up to the storytelling as this first arc, and all its mysteries, begin to unfurl. Smallville has been ravaged by monstrous vines, the M.O. of Poison Ivy who appeared at the end of last month’s issue, and Superboy is searching for the source of the destruction. Ivy claims she has nothing to do with the overgrown weeds but Superboy isn’t immediately convinced.

Once the source is located, Ivy shows her true colors. Thankfully Superboy’s budding sidekick Simon Valentine is on hand to save the day in an amusingly inventive scene. I was immediately reminded of another brilliant scientist who came out of Smallville but fosters an aversion to characters with a big “S” on their chests. It will be interesting to see if a similar future is in line for Simon, a character with enormous aspirations.

Pier Gallo’s artwork is nice, but I continue to have issues with the faces of some of his characters. There can be a soullessness to their eyes. However, his Poison Ivy was quite lovely. Phil Noto has drawn a strikingly beautiful cover with Superboy ensnared in Ivy’s diabolical vines.

27 #1

Image

“Take care of that one,” said my comic book proprietor handing me the much sought after first issue of 27. The comic book has been sold out at the distribution level for weeks which caused a frenzy in the comic book community.

“Is it any good?” I asked.

“Does it matter?” he said with a laugh. He was joking of course. Thankfully it was a good book with a dark indie vibe in both the art and the story. Will Garland is on the brink of being a washed-up musician, a star with talent but no longer the physical ability to continue making music.

Will is a likeable character suffering from Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy who has traveled the world searching for a way to play music again without being in debilitating pain. Will finally finds a doctor who is more Frankenfurter than Oz. The doctor (and his cats) promises to give Will his ability to play again and transforms the 27-year old musician into something more than he was at the beginning of the story.

Writer Charles Soule has written something of a psychotic ghost story with the background of contemporary rock music. The story was not at all what I expected based on the solicits, but I enjoyed how the book unfolded nonetheless. Renzo Podesta’s artwork was apt for a book like this and fit the thick newsprint paper used on this title.

Bring the Thunder #1

Dynamite

I’ll say right up front that war stories, or scenarios, tend to not immediately enthrall me. Not that Bring the Thunder is bad, it’s simply not the type of title that I normally seek out.

Jai Nitz, who plots this book with cover artist Alex Ross, has written an interesting script featuring some refreshing dialogue that lifts it from being a forgettable origin story. The newly powered hero of Bring the Thunder reminisces over his two favorite rock albums after likening the sound of the blows he and his antagonist are laying upon one another to a symphony.

The fight ends with the hero on the ground, then begins a flashback to show how he came to gain his as of yet defined powers. Wayne Russell is a Para Rescue soldier in Afghanistan who comes across what looks to be an alien weapon while in battle. After seemingly blowing up, he finds himself transported to his home in Chicago a year after disappearing.

The set up for Bring the Thunder has been handled interestingly enough. I’d like to see Wayne explore his life back home and dealing with the consequences of having disappeared for a year. I think the star here is Nitz and his inventive scripting; Russell’s narration was incredibly human and kept me more involved in the story than I would have expected.

DC Universe Holiday Special (One-Shot)

DC

A few months ago we got a nice fat Halloween Special from DC, and now we have nice fat Holiday Special just in time to spread a little super-powered cheer. These books can be a mixed bag sometimes, but there’s nothing really awful inside.

The best of the lot, surprisingly, is an Anthro story called “Sometimes the Bear…” in which Anthro must hunt for food with his father to provide for his hungry family. It’s the Solstice and Anthro promises to bring back food and perhaps a gift for his younger brother.  The script by Joey Cavaleri and art by Carlo Soriano is positively top-notch and never veers towards schmaltz considering it’s a holiday tale after all.

There is drippy sentimentality to be had in a Superman tale called “Hero of Heroes” that lays it on a bit thick. Similarly there’s a Spectre story called “The Gift” that isn’t as maudlin, but following the Superman story, I was hoping for something less steeped in reality.

A closing story featuring the Legion of Super Heroes in a story titled “Holiday” by Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning was more along what I enjoy in a comic book like this. Factions of the Legion are soaring through Metropolis chasing a series of false alarms when they would rather be enjoying some respite from their day jobs to do a little holidaying. Chris Batista and Rick Perrota handle the art and make a strong argument that they should be drawing a regular Legion title.

The Flash #7

DC

Seeing Scott Kolins working with Geoff Johns always feels right. The two broke out with their original work on the Wally West Flash book in 2000 and turned that book into a must-read for fans of the Scarlet Speedster.

Flash #7 serves as an origin story for Captain Boomerang before jumping back into the book’s second arc. Johns presents most of the story in flashbacks as we see how Digger Barnes’ fondness for boomerangs grew and his eventual move from the Australian Outback to America.

Desiring to be an idol for the children of Central City, he had no chance of holding a stick to the city’s speedy protector. So he threw boomerangs at him to the admiration of the Flash’s Rogues.

Johns writes another strong expository story and ends by introducing the next Flash tale; Digger proves again that his judgment has just never been so hot. Kolins artwork is enjoyable, but his style is noticeably different than when he and Johns originally worked together. Series colorist Brian Buccellato keeps the look of The Flash consistent and sharp as with the issues that have preceded it.

Knight and Squire #3 (of 6)

DC

Knight and Squire Editor Janelle Siegel must say to writer Paul Cornell, “Paul, just do whatever you want.”

The first issue was an odd mix, but I have grown to enjoy the whimsy and humor of this mini-series. Each issue brings dialogue that is increasingly easier to follow—the first issue came with a glossary on the last page. Really. The third issue opens with the not-initially sinister plan to resurrect King Richard III.

Knight surmises that Richard III may not be the villain Shakespeare made the royal out to be. In true Shakespearean fashion all of Richard’s plotting is done by way of monologue and within earshot of whoever is near. Cornell’s plot grows wackier as Richard raises other former kings, initiating a coup in England. Of course Knight and Squire are on hand to thwart the former royals’ plans using social media such as Twitter and YouTube to bring them down.

If this doesn’t sound like your cup of tea, you might not want to pick up Knight and Squire. However, I’ve found this to be one of the more charming books being published today.

Thor: The Mighty Avenger #7

Marvel

Thor finally gets what’s coming to him in this issue. Jane Foster’s pants. I couldn’t resist. There’s a funny scene the day after when Thor notices a great deal of wreckage outside Jane’s home and she wonders “How could we not notice that?”

“Perhaps our attention was wrapped in other matters,” says Thor. Only a God could be so diplomatic post-coital. I’ve enjoyed this title for the last seven months and it’s been fun watching Thor and Jane’s relationship blossom since she found the amnesiac God of Thunder in the first issue. The citizens and authorities think the rampaging to be the handiwork of their resident Asgardian and turn on him.

Along with Ultimate Thor, Thor: The Mightyt Avenger has been a wonderful and pared down approach to the character who can sometimes be written a bit heavy handedly. Writer Roger Langridge never compromises who Thor is; Langridge has presented a Thor who is at times a victim of his own hubris but ultimately a likable guy. Chris Samnee’s artwork, of which I have become a fan, has been entirely pleasing from one issue to the next.

Halcyon #2

Image

Aha. This issue presents something that was not alluded to in Halcyon #1. In the inaugural issue of the series, readers were introduced to the members of Halcyon, a super team that was on the precipice of becoming obsolete.

Villainy appeared to be coming to an end and there didn’t seem to be much to do in the way of superheroics. Halcyon #2 begins with Transom racing to stop a tsunami—the only threats to the world anymore are natural disasters and manmade accidents. Otherwise Earth is fairing pretty nicely. And this is the mystery: there appears to be something unnatural about the new world order, but nobody understand what it’s cause is.

Marc Guggenheim and Tara Butters have written a solid follow-up that lets the reader into the predicament a little more and we begin to see how this world’s heroes are adjusting. The dialogue and pacing are strong and the story seems to have clearer direction in this issue. Ryan Bodenheim’s artwork is quite satisfying. There’s not a lot of background, but that’s acceptable because his character work is well detailed.

While I’m not getting blown away by Halcyon, I’m going to continue picking it up because the story is intriguing and the creators’ work is solid enough to keep my interested in what happens next.

T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents #2

DC

Some might accuse this issue of T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents as being a bit on the “talky” side, but since Nick Spencer is scripting, I say “talk away.”

The first issue of T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents introduced readers to the new team’s handlers; the second issue introduces Henry Cosgei, an Olympic champion in running from Kenya. Most of Henry’s story is narrated. The reflections on his love for running, his achievements in the sport, his family life, and finally his downfall that are all explored. It appears that Henry has been framed in a plot to coerce him into joining the T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents.

Now as the hero Lightning, Henry believes he has been given a chance at redemption. Like the first issue, Spencer delivers a fantastic script and proves again to be adept at characterization. By the end of the book the reader has a solid understanding of who Henry is.

CAFU’s has turned out more excellent pages on this book, but Chris Cross steals his… uh… thunder with two separate double pages spreads of Lightning running. These pictures are nothing less than astonishing.

I Am an Avenger #4 (of 5)

Marvel

I’ll always have a soft spot for a good Thing story, and Robert Aguirre-Sacasa has written a really special one in this Avengers anthology. ‘Ol Ben Grimm, sporting an enormous Hawaiian shirt, tells his fantastic family that he has decided to join the Avengers.

Sara Pichelli’s illustrations are lovely to say the least. Can I also say cute without sounding off-putting? Because Ben calling his family to dinner, Valeria looking doubtfully at her Unca, and the Thing riding away on a Fantasti-bike are all incredibly cute. Aguirre-Sacasa’s story is as heartwarming as it is funny as Ben affirms to Reed and company that the Avengers is a team but the Fantastic Four is his family.

The final story in the Sean McKeever’s three-part “Closure” storyline featuring Firestar and Justice is nicely illustrated by Mike Mayhew. There are also a couple of pleasant short stories by Colleen Coover (featuring Spider-Woman and Ms. Marvel) and Lucy Knisley (featuring Stature and Iron-Man) that might also feel at home in Marvel’s Strange Tales II mini-series.

Detective Comics Annual #12

DC

Detective Comics Annual #12 continues the revitalization of the Batman franchise established with Grant Morrison’s Batman Incorporated. Not that the Bat-books were bad, but there are stories to be mined from the idea initiated by Morrison.

David Hine has come up with an exciting story that has Bruce Wayne and Dick Grayson in Paris to establish a French Batman and solve a string of strange murders of political movers and shakers followed by the suicide of their killers. It doesn’t matter that there are two characters in Batman costumes because Hine writes Bruce and Dick’s dialogue well enough to distinguish the two.

The story opens with the Batmen following a Parisian masked character that they believe might be involved with the murders. There are a couple of amusing scenes with Bruce Wayne attempting to convince the head of Police Nationale to allow him to initiate a Batman program within the city of love to prevent additional murders.

Possibly even more enjoyable is the follow-up story by Kyle Higgins called “The Night Runner” which is something of an origin tale of the Parisian Muslim character that Bruce and Dick are chasing at the outset of the Hine story. The art by Trevor McCarthy with colors by Andre Szymanowicz is absolutely gorgeous.

Batgirl #16

DC

Oracle informs Stephanie Brown that the Batarang used to frame Batgirl for murder is irradiated, a clue that the police investigating the case have missed.

“Can your ‘magic clue machine’ trace it?” asks Stephanie. Sigh. It’s dialogue like this that brings me back month after month to this title. Writer Brian Q. Miller has fleshed out this wonderful new addition to the Bat-family nicely and has made this my favorite ongoing title.

Stephanie and Oracle are on the case to clear Batgirl’s name and bring the murderer of one of Stephanie’s classmates, Newton, to justice. Meanwhile Batgirl starts crushing on a Gotham Central Detective who is aware of her innocence and we introduced to a new villain and leader of the Reapers, the group that killed Newton for not joining their ranks.

Miller keeps the arcs short if they need be (this one was only two issues) and the laughs only where they are required. Dustin Nguyen has adapted well to the series as its regular artist; his panels are lively and he keeps Stephanie’s expressions wonderfully expressive.

Wednesday's Previews, 11/10/10 Releases

The Amazing Spider-Man #648

Marvel, Price: $3.99

Great jumping on point!

Written by Dan Slott; Art and Cover by Humberto Ramos.

“Big Time” begins! Big changes are happening for The Amazing Spider-Man: Bigger threats, bigger guest-stars, and a big opportunity that could turn Peter Parker’s life around! Which cast members are staying and who’s saying goodbye? Find out as we’re introduced to new characters and reintroduced to a number of Spidey villains as they make the triumphant return to the book! Plus: New developments for Mayor J. Jonah Jameson, the staff at Front Line, and The Sinister Six! The next chapter in Spider-Man history starts here! Guest starring the Avengers and the Fantastic Four in a giant-sized, 39 page lead feature! PLUS! An All-New Adventure featuring the All-New Spider-Girl! Paul Tobin & Clayton Henry bring a tale of action & intrigue, and make a strong argument for why you can sometimes send a Spider-Girl to do a Spider-Man’s job!

Ant-Man & The Wasp #1

Marvel, Price: $3.99

Written and Art by Tim Seeley; Cover by Salvador Espin.

Two of Marvel's smallest heroes must join forces and get over one BIG elephant-in-the-room! Eric O'Grady once stole the Ant-Man suit from Hank Pym. But now, Eric is the only one who knows about a secret AIM plot to steal Pym's greatest invention! Can the two men get along long enough to save the soul of the former Goliath, Bill Foster? Tim Seeley, creator of Hack/Slash brings us the big story of the two smallest Avengers! And make sure you check out this adventure before the astonishing events of Avengers Academy #7 next month!

Avengers: The Children’s Crusade #3

Marvel, Price: $3.99

Written by Allan Heinberg; Art and Cover by Jim Cheung.

The return of Wanda Maximoff! The search for the Scarlet Witch is finally over as the Young Avengers find Wanda. But is she a hero or a villain? Is she still the Scarlet Witch? The battle over Wanda rages on as Avengers go up against the Young Avengers, Magneto clashes with Quicksilver, Wonder Man battles Wolverine, and the most powerful villain in the Marvel Universe conspires against them all so that he can possess Wanda himself.

Batgirl #15

DC, Price: $2.99

Great jumping on point!

Written by Bryan Q. Miller; Art by Dustin Nguyen and Derek Fridolfs; Cover by Dustin Nguyen.

It's a new year and a new look for Batgirl as superstar artist Dustin Nguyen (Detective Comics) joins the creative team! The unsinkable Stephanie Brown's second semester at Gotham U. starts like any other – new classes, new allies, a vigilante stalker – everything a gal could want! But what Gotham City's Batgirl isn't prepared for is the arrival of the mysterious "Order of the Scythe." Who are they, and why have they set their sights on her? "The Lesson" begins here!

Batman: The Return of Bruce Wayne #6

DC, Price: $3.99

Written by Grant Morrison; Art by Lee Garbett and Walden Wong; Cover by Andy Kubert.

Grant Morrison and Batgirl artist Lee Garbett deliver the final chapter of this time-spanning epic! With Bruce Wayne just steps away from returning to present day Gotham City, the timestream might have a few more surprises in store for The Dark Knight! Do not miss this issue, as it paves the way for the shocking future era of Batman!

T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents

DC: Price $3.99

Written by Nick Spencer; Art by CAFU and Bit; Cover by Frank Quitely.

Would you rather burn out or fade away? That's the question at the heart of this bold new series about a group of people who, for one reason or another, are at their wits' end until they're offered a chance to become superheroes. The catch? Their powers will kill them.

Writer Nick Spencer (Morning Glories) and artist CAFU (War of the Supermen) present a fresh take on the classic comics property, starring a new batch of recruits brought in to take over the original agents' mantles and make some difficult choices of their own – all while dealing with global threats the rest of the DCU doesn't even know exist!

Chew #15

Image, Price: $2.99

Written By John Layman; Art and Cover by Rob Guillory 

It's the final chapter of the "Just Desserts" and the biggest story in Chew history, figuratively and literally. As we reach the one-quarter mark of the Chew run, the last remaining major characters are introduced and an event transpires that is so shocking and unexpected that it changes the book forever, fundamentally and irrevocably.

And, as a special sloppy, wet kiss to everyone who has supported the book and helped it to succeed beyond our wildest expectations: Chew #15 is bonus-sized, with more story pages and a special Tri-Fold Poster Cover at no extra cost!

Halcyon #1 

Image, Price: $2.99

Written by Marc Guggenheim and Tara Butters; Art and Cover by Mark Englert and Ryan Bodenheim.

What happens when the never-ending battle for truth and justice ends?

From Collider Entertainment comes the next quantum leap forward in superheroes: Halcyon. The groundbreaking new series dares to ask: What happens when the superheroes win? What happens once there is no crime, no war?

The heroes of Utopian achieve their final victory only to face their greatest challenge ever. An all-star collaboration courtesy of Tara Butters (TV's Reaper), Marc Guggenheim (Amazing Spider-Man, Resurrection), Ryan Bodenheim (Red Mass for Mars), and Alisa Tager (Serenity).

27 #1

Image, Price: $3.50

Written by Charles Soule; Art by Renzo Podesta; Cover by W. Scott Forbes.

Hendrix, Cobain, Joplin, Morrison. All belong to the “27 Club,” which admits only the most brilliant musicians and artists…and kills them dead in their 27th year. Will Garland is a famous rock guitarist, secretly unable to play for months due to a neurological disorder afflicting his left hand. He’s also 27! With mad scientists, long dead rock legends and cosmic entities in his way, can he make it to 28?

Wednesday’s Finest, 10/13/10 Releases (Part 1 of 2)

By Don M. Ventura

Bruce Wayne: The Road Home, Batgirl (One-Shot)
DC

About a month ago I picked up my first issue of Batgirl and became immediately enamored with the character. Bryan Q. Miller has reintroduced this incarnation of Stephanie Miller (who has previously protected Gotham as Spoiler and briefly as Robin). This is one of the four Bruce Wayne: The Road Home tie-ins to celebrate the return of the original Batman to the DCU. It sailed past those issues, and everything else I read this week, to be finest book released this Wednesday.

All of the books under the Road Home banner center around Bruce Wayne’s return to his life (and time). He is back and sizes up the Bat-cast of characters while attempting to prevent a series of assassinations around the globe. The B-story in all four of this week’s releases has been Reporter Vicki Vale’s attempt to write a story on Batman; early on she discovers that Bruce is no longer performing his duties as the Dark Knight and begins fitting the pieces together issue by issue (the other three titles are: Batman and Robin, Outsiders, and Red Robin).

Miller has found a distinctive voice for Stephanie Miller as Batgirl; she’s funny, has a teenage mentality, and she’s smart but by no means the detective that Dick Grayson and Tim Drake have grown into. While looking for a gun stolen from Waynetech she says “How else are we gonna solve the mystery of the thingy stolen by the invisible super-guy.” So charming.

And that’s the thing about this book: it’s uncompromisingly charming. Most of the Bat books do not tend to be as lighthearted or have a protagonist who makes you laugh and think “Did she just say that? Oh yeah, she’s a teenager.” Albeit a teenager who’s grown up in Gotham and wears the iconic bat symbol on her chest.

While tracking down the stolen weapon, Stephanie comes across a gang of thugs. One of them says “Looks like the bears done come home, Goldilocks.” Stephanie retorts “At least a well-read hooligan” before dispensing some serious whoop-ass. This page in particular allows Artist Pere Perez to show off some really fine artwork as all of the action is against a backdrop of Stephanie pulling down a ski mask, getting ready for action.

I appreciate the light tone of this Batgirl; it is atypical of what readers expect in a Bat-family series and it’s nice to read a book where the character doesn’t take herself so seriously. I think this is why I have embraced the current runs of Thor: The Mighty Avenger by Roger Langridge and Power Girl by Judd Winick. That isn’t to say I need everything to be light and cheery in tone, it’s just refreshing every here and there.

Again, Perez did a wonderful job on the artwork (regular artist Lee Garbett is a hard act to follow). This issue serves up a couple of good action set pieces and Perez proves he is skilled for the job, especially when Stephanie takes a swipe at Bruce. Her reaction to this is priceless. Colorist Guy Majors does nice work complimenting Perez’s work. I especially liked a single-panel flashback of Stephanie in her Robin threads. The colors were muted; the back of Batman’s silhouette tells everything the reader needs to know about her success as the fourth Robin.

Batman: The Return of Bruce Wayne #5
DC

With this book already running late, we do not get to enjoy thirty-one pages full of Ryan Sook’s wonderful drawings. It seems clear that Artist Pere Perez was brought in to finish the work and prevent any further delays. As it stands, Bruce Wayne is traipsing around the globe in this week’s four Bruce Wayne: The Road Home titles, but at the end of this he… well, I won’t spoil it here.

Batman: The Return of Bruce Wayne continues to be a fun and preposterous story that only DC seems able to pull off. Our time-traveling hero has gone from the Cro-Magnon era, swashbuckled, and faced-off with Jonah Hex. This issue has Bruce return to the 20th Century as a Private Dick who follows a case to solve the murder of a certain Martha and Thomas Wayne.

Grant Morrison has written a sprawling Batman epic over the last few years and seems to be tying things up here and in the pages of Batman and Robin. While at times his work can be confusing, things remain mostly straightforward. Morrison writes Bruce as a gumshoe trying to put the pieces of a murder mystery as well as his own man-out-of-time mystery.

While I have no qualms about Perez’s work (he was excellent on Bruce Wayne: The Road Home, Batgirl), Sook does something really special with Morrison’s material. Sook uses dramatic angles and effective close-ups. The opening scene has Bruce in a hospital room, being awakened by a mysterious dame, and the scene has a wonderfully noir-ish look. I’m eager to see more of Sook’s work in the future.

Motel Hell #1
IDW

The 70’s and early 80’s served up some spectacularly odd horror films before the genre moved almost exclusively to tales of masked slashers. The original movie Motel Hell was about good ‘ol Farmer Vincent and his overprotective sister Ida (played by Rory Calhoun and Nancy Parsons respectively) and the unique "critters" they put into Farmer Vincent's fritters.

I was late in discovering this film and did not immediately embrace the corniness of the plot. Nonetheless, I picked up the book and found that the story’s propensity for over the topness is more effective in this medium thanks to a strong script by Matt Nixon. I should have known I was likely to get a kick out of Motel Hell. As a kid I’d often read horror comics regardless of the inevitable nightmares.

The story revolves around a group of quasi-media celebrities, all known for their lack of character, who are invited to the Motel Hello (the “O” is chronically on the fritz) for a complementary spa weekend. Things start to go to Hell (you were expecting cucumber facials?) and the guests begin to realize Farmer Vincent’s farm isn’t even a nice place to visit.

Chris Moreno’s artwork is well suited for a horror title. Moreno’s take on Vincent and Ida are recognizable caricatures of their cinematic selves and his scenes of violence are as nauseating as they need to be. There is an especially creepy long-shot, then close-up, of Ida wearing a pig’s head and holding a chainsaw as she stares down her next victims. Cover Artist Tim Bradstreet provides a chilling nod to American Gothic with Ida and Vincent looking ready to dispense a little hell.

Knight and Squire #1
DC

Based solely on my love of Paul Cornell’s current Lex Luthor storyline in Action Comics, I was eagerly awaiting his take on Knight and Squire. However, I didn’t find myself entirely embracing this book after I put it down.

I stumbled over some of the British slang throughout the book, but not enough to make me yell “Bloody Hell!” and toss the book aside. Cornell wisely includes a small glossary of said British slang titled “What you missed if you’re not a Brit.”

The setting of Knight and Squire is a pub protected by a magical spell that prevents the evildoers that inhabit it from combating one another. When the spell is lifted, it is up to Knight and Squire to bring control to the hostility that immediately surfaces.

There’s some very funny work in this inaugural issue, but not enough to recommend just yet. After we learn that there’s a crime duo know as Double Entendre we hear them speak: “I swear, if tonight doesn’t get more exciting, I’ll go to the top of Big Ben and toss myself off.” Ridiculous and funny. The artwork by Jimmy Broxton is somewhat reminiscent of Amanda Connor and perfectly fits the tone of the book.

The Invincible Iron Man #31
Marvel

The “Stark Resilient” storyline continues with Tony surviving the explosion of his new Alpha model repulsor-powered car. Military Industrialists Justine and Sasha Hammer have begun to throw everything at Stark to bring him down and they up the ante at the conclusion of this issue.

I was a little shocked, when I began and continued to read this storyline, at the amount of story that involves Tony and how little he flies into action. I find it reminiscent of Bruce Jones’s early work on The Hulk. I’m not complaining at all because Fraction has presented a really fantastic character piece as Tony begins putting everything all back together after his life was torn apart (see Civil War through Dark Reign). This issue deals with the fallout of the crash at Stark Resilient and the team’s attempt to get back on track—literally.

Salvador Larroca’s pencils are quite strong and made more so by the exceptional coloring of Frank A’rmata. There is a spectacular picture of Tony’s suit protecting him from the crash at the opening of the story. I haven’t looked into this yet, but Larroca’s Tony looks very reminiscent of Josh Hollaway (Lost) and Pepper Potts is a dead-ringer for Nicole Kidman.

Heavy on action, or heavy on character, I’ll continue following this title as long as Fraction is working on it.

The Amazing Spider-Man #645
Marvel

“Origin of the Species” has been an action-packed and fun ride as Spider-Man has done his best to protect Lily Hollister’s baby from just about every villain in Spider-Man’s pantheon of bad guys. I only haven’t seen Rocket Racer.

In the last issue it appeared that the baby did not survive the chase around Manhattan. In this issue, Spider-Man is out for revenge. Spidey calls upon every anger-issue he’s ever had against his menagerie of villains and doesn’t wait to do so one-by-one. This is effective, but we just had a similar issue in the “Grim Hunt” storyline where Spider-Man goes a bit ragey on the Kravinoff family for murdering some Spider-family characters.

This criticism aside, Waid has written another strong issue of The Amazing Spider-Man. Artists Paul Azaceta and Matthew Southworth have improved upon the work in the previous issues. There are some good splash pages and a number of menacing shots of Spider-Man as he is devoid of humor throughout. To great effect, Waid chooses to not have Spider-Man say (or narrate) anything in this story until the second to the last page.

Wednesday's Finest, 9/9/10 Releases

By Don M. Ventura
Titles released on September 9th.

Batgirl #14
DC Comics
I am sorry to say that I have not picked up any of Bryan Q. Miller’s Batgirl run prior to this issue, because Batgirl #14 was an excellent read. More than that, it was fun. How else could it live up to a title like “Terror in the 3rd Dimension”, a borderline goofy one-shot featuring Supergirl and two dozen marauding Draculas?

Kara Zor-El, who doesn’t go by Linda in this issue, comes to spend a Friday night with Stephanie since neither of them have any derring-do to do. Being a couple of teenagers, the two head to Gotham University where they eventually find themselves at a 3-D vampire film. When a nearby science experiment goes awry, unleashing 24 hard-light carbon copies of Dracula, the girls are ready to bring the cadre of vampires to justice (although in a hilarious scene, we see that Stephanie is unable to leap into action as quickly as Kara).

Tracking down and defeating the renegade Draculas is expertly laid out by Lee Garbett. This is especially so in a two-page spread showing the heroines in a number of oddball settings; most notably a photo booth where the action is depicted in four photos, beginning with a very regal Dracula and ending with Supergirl and Batgirl making funny faces to the camera. Garbett clearly has as keen a sense of humor as Miller does.

While Grant Morrison has brought some fun to his Batman and Robin series, Batgirl has got to be the lightest of the current slate of Bat titles. Miller takes several opportunities to establish the chemistry between Batgirl and Supergirl as well as managing to have fun with their differences (both as heroes and as their alter egos). I will also admit to being a sucker for a good pairing of any Batman and Superman protégés.

I enjoy a well structured story arc, but it refreshing to come across a good one-shot like this where it isn’t necessary to remember what occurred in previous issues. It delivers on the humor while further establishing the friendship of these two young women.

And I can’t finish without touching on the fantastic cover by Stanley “Artgerm” Lau. It is wonderfully busy, but sets the tone of the story inside perfectly.

X-Men #4
Marvel Comics
X-Men titles have never consistently been my cup of tea; this is mainly because the creative teams seem to change so often. New writers often come aboard to reintroduce obscure and little-beloved characters that they believe deserve a fresh spin. I’ve not historically been impressed with the results.

However, this new title has been solid in spite of a plot centering around a vampire army’s attempt to recruit the X-Men into their fold. Paco Medina’s artwork is top-notch. There’s a fantastic scene with Logan violently doing the best he does against a horde of the undead.
Victor Gischler has taken on what would seem a thankless task: heading up the "Curse of the Mutants" storyline. But he is handling the story with great excitement and has kept the story progressing nicely.

A minor qualm with this book has been the covers which have so far consistently shown action that does not appear in the book. That said, Gischler continues to put out good stories with strong cliffhangers.

The Amazing Spider-Man #642
Marvel Comics
Mark Waid returns to this book with great aplomb and demonstrates that he understands Peter Parker as much as anyone. Waid delivers some great comedy as Peter races across town to make a first date, then immediately interrupts the scene by a crowning Lilly Hollister on a Goblin Glider (trust me, it’s good stuff).

She is being chased by an army of Spider-villains led by Doctor Octopus who makes a creepy appearance—which is a testament to Mark Waid’s ability to set up a scene. The book goes quickly from light to chilling as Spider-Man, Harry Osborn, and Mary Jane are subdued by Ock as he delivers Lily’s child.

The artwork by Paul Azaceta fits the tone nicely, but feels rushed and awkward in some parts. This five-part arc titled “Origin of the Species” is a welcome departure from Joe Queseda’s needless four-issue “One Moment in Time” story.

Weird War Tales One-Shot
DC Comics
There may be a theme here. I am really enjoying my arc-free books this week.
I grew up on books like Weird War Tales and the other horror anthologies that flourished in the seventies for DC Comics, such as Weird Mystery Tales and Secrets of Haunted House.

This issue submits three tales for our approval: Darwyn Cooke and Dave Stewart present an oddity called “Armistice Night”, the story of Earth’s greatest deceased warriors at something of a family reunion (too peculiar in places); a second story, titled “The Hell Above Us”, revolves around a sunken sub and its last doomed survivor. Written by Ivan Brandon with chilling illustrations by Nic Klein, this was the best of the three; Jan Strnad and Gabriel Hardman offer a final piece about a mortally wounded young soldier with an affinity for dinosaurs titled “Private Parker Sees Thunder Lizards.”

Stories like this are best judged twofold: 1) did you enjoy it while reading it, and 2) did you continue to think about it afterwards? In other words, did it haunt you?
Yes to both.


Thor, the Mighty Avenger #4
Marvel Comics
Like Batgirl, I was impressed to read a second one-shot this week that was also lighter than a run of the mill Thor tale. Thor, the Mighty Avenger has been surprise. Since I was a kid I’ve never warmed to this character, but I’ve been hooked by this simple take on the God of Thunder.

Stripped away is all of the posturing and dread seriousness. In it’s place we have a fish out of water tale about Thor’s banishment to midgard (Earth).

In this issue he is visited by the Warriors Three who take him out for a boy’s night out in England that quickly turns to fisticuffs between the four Norsemen and Captain Britain. Writer Roger Langridge continues to impress with his take on Thor; it is both funny and accessible. Equally, I am becoming an enormous fan of Chris Samnee’s art. It is deceptively simple, but there is so much expression and character in his straightforward illustrations.