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This issue is part two of the Denny O’Neil storyline “Last Days of Gotham”. This story was very disappointing. After months of reading Grant Morrison, I was looking forward to a good old fashion comic book story by one of the greats in Denny O’Neil. This issue was uneventful and the story as a whole was pointless.
The story follows Nightwing - Dick Grayson - as he battles a criminal posing as Two-Face and his cohorts. The story also deals with an actress who was abused by these criminals prior to the earthquake that hit Gotham. By the end of this story we aren’t left with much except Harvey Bullock and Commissioner Gordon moping around about the disappearance of Batman and Nightwing feeling as if he’s a rank amateur who can’t fill the shoes of his mentor Batman.
Click to continue reading DC Comics Review: Batman #684
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Review: Ultimate Hulk Annual
Posted by Todd Matthy Categories: Editorials, Reviews, Marvel Comics,
Is this a joke? Because if it’s supposed to be a joke, then it’s funny. The sad thing is I don’t believe Ultimate Hulk Annual is supposed to be a joke. I think it’s a serious story that comes off as a joke.
Ultimate Hulk Annual is a slugfest between the Ultimate version of the Hulk and Power Princess from the once amazing Supreme Power. And it’s the ultimate (no pun intended) example of men who enjoy being abused by women.
Who’d have thought Homer’s hatred of pants could be taken so seriously? The cause of the fight is pants. Seriously. After being advised by Ultimate Captain America to experience the world for herself, Power Princess of Supreme Power fame decides to take in the grease-filled (and delicious) experience of an American diner, only to be interrupted by a naked Ultimate Hulk. Ultimate Hulk is refused service because he’s nude, therefore Power Princess must act as a bouncer. That’s the story.
My problem with this story is it completely neuters its stars. Ultimate Hulk was a wild, out-of-control, and cannibalistic brute that was the deciding factor in world-threatening events. Power Princess (or at least the Supreme Power version) was the most frightening character in comics. Does anyone remember how she would steal people’s youth? How she dropped a tank on a soldier? And not only felt it was her right, but derived pleasure from it? The book treats these characters like they’re jokes.
And the sad thing is this could’ve been a powerful story about how dangerous super-humans are. Just imagine how much collateral damage a fight between Wonder Woman (who Power Princess is based on) and the Hulk would be. If you’ve read Miracle Man you’d know. Instead we get a fight over pants.
Click to continue reading Review: Ultimate Hulk Annual
Zack Anderson had the world as his oyster. He was a super-villain - when he saw something he wanted, he took it with no fear of the consequences, until he decided to testify against his old boss. Today Zack is keeping a low profile as an office worker lusting after the girl from accounting who thinks he’s a creep. Pills have taken away his superpowers and he is at the mercy of a parole officer that wants nothing more than to see him behind bars or killed. Zack wants to relive the glory days of his youth, and is willing to sacrifice his new life to do it. So begins the latest masterpiece from Ed Brubaker and Sean Philips.
Click to continue reading Review: Incognito
I loves me some James Kochalka. His daily strips over at the American Elf site are alternately odd, funny, poignant, life-altering, and/or just plain fun. And while it’s rewarding to check in on a daily or weekly basis, it’s not until I get the books in my hand that the full picture is revealed; there’s much more continuity and grace in reading multiple strips in order that weaves itself like an actual story.
Kochalka uses a four-panel box to document his daily activities (and sometimes lack thereof). After over ten years of strips, he’s perfected both his style and the seemingly straightforward but not-so-simple format to distill moments in his life into completely relatable and universal truths. Volume 3 of his collected strips was released just prior to the holidays, and maybe it’s the all-color nature or the fact that it delves into Kochalka’s life as a father and his wife’s next pregnancy in a way that makes me think about my 1-year-old son, but I think it’s probably my favorite of the books so far.
Kochalka’s been documenting his life in this way since October of 1988, and what may seem random when read separately day by day, once collected into book form, an intimate portrayal of his life emerges, with storylines that build and flow like a good novel. While I’m sure it’s not his “life” in that way that any type of documentary is not fully revealing, after following his printed adventures through the years, I feel like I’ve got a pretty good idea of what the James Kochalka would be like if I were to meet him on the street one day. At the very least, I’d know to ask him how he’s doing with his band or what made him mad that day…
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| American Elf
Too many corps in the world of Green Lantern?
Posted by David Torres Categories: Editorials, DC Comics,
I just finished reading “Green Lantern” #36 which continues the “Rage of the Red Lanterns” storyline. It’s a pretty good issue. I’m not a huge Green Lantern fan, but this story arc is a prelude to the big storyline coming out later this year called “The Blackest Night” and I’m interested in reading it.
One of the plots that has been going on in Geoff John’s run of Green Lantern has been the emergence of different colored Lantern corps. We first saw the “yellow” Lanterns with the debut of the Sinestro Corps - which I think is a great idea. I always liked the idea of an evil version of a particular hero or team in comic books. But over the past few months or so we have been seeing the debuts of other Lanterns: Red Lanterns, Blue Lanterns, and long time Green Lantern enemy Star Sapphire has her own corps. I love Geoff Johns, but I think this maybe overkill.
I think with the introduction of all of these different types of Lanterns, it diminishes the uniqueness of Green Lantern and the Green Lantern Corps. As I said, I’m not a huge Green Lantern fan and I don’t read it every month. Maybe the hardcore Green Lantern fans are okay with this, but I think it will be too much if this all stays around post-Blackest Night.
I’ve done a little research and according to ComicVine.com, there will be seven different corps each representing a different emotion. They are as follows: Red=Hate/Rage, Orange=Avarice/Greed, Yellow=Fear, Green=Willpower, Blue=Hope, Indigo=Compassion, Violet =Love. There will also be a Black Corps appearing I’m assuming during “Blackest Night”. We know that some DC characters will be resurrected during this storyline, so I guess all the resurrected characters will be members of the Black Corps.
What Geoff is doing in “Green Lantern” is great stuff, but I hope it’s only temporary. I think having the Green Lantern Corps vs Sinestro Corps should be enough. The eternal struggle of good vs evil with Hal Jordan vs Sinestro.
Q&A: Aaron Lopresti on Wonder Woman, Sludge, and Fantastical Creatures
Posted by Tom Mason Categories: Interviews, DC Comics, Independent,
Aaron Lopresti may be the regular artist on DC’s Wonder Woman with writer Gail Simone, but he also likes to hobnob with Hobbits, yearn for Yetis and bound after Bigfoot in his new book “Fantastical Creatures Field Guide: How to Hunt Them Down and Draw Them Where They Live” from Watson-Guptil. I met him back in 1993 when Steve Gerber and Chris Ulm picked him to be the regular artist on the Steve’s Ultraverse title Sludge. Aaron has since worked on Spider-Man, The X-Men, Hulk, The Avengers, Batman, Plastic Man, Green Lantern, Superboy, Xena, Star Trek, Gen 13, and Mystic. He even took the plunge and self-published Atomic Toybox and CHIX. You can always find him at Comic Con International in San Diego where he shares a booth with Terry Dodson, but today, you can find him here: 
Click to continue reading Q&A: Aaron Lopresti on Wonder Woman, Sludge, and Fantastical Creatures
DC Comics Review: Justice Society of America #22
Posted by David Torres Categories: Reviews, DC Comics,
Holy crap was that a good issue! This is the final part to the “One World Under Gog” storyline. Normally I don’t have the time to write a review for things so quickly after I read them, but I had to on this one. Geoff Johns and Alex Ross just hit a monster home run on this one. Normally when I read comic book storylines, I’m never quite satisfied with the ending. Sometimes the story starts off good and ends badly or the ending ends up being just okay. Not this one, this was one of the best endings to a comic story arc I’ve read in a long while.
Click to continue reading DC Comics Review: Justice Society of America #22
It’s almost 2009. I’m sitting here with my wife and new born son - my oldest son is already asleep. Not sure if we’ll make it until midnight. We’re so tired! Anyway. We here at Comix 411 and Gear Live wish you a happy and healthy new year. God bless.
The World According to Todd: Best of 2008
Posted by Todd Matthy Categories: Collecting, Editorials, Reviews, DC Comics, Marvel Comics,
Figure Caption: You gotta love Supergirl!
It’s that time of year again when we look back at the year and see what lived up to our expectations and what fell flat on its face. So without further ado…here is MY Best of 2008.
Book of the Year: Captain America
When my friends ask me what the best comic out there is, this is my answer. Every month, Brubaker mixes social commentary, superhero history, and pulse pounding action into a symphony of awesomeness. As icing on the cake there is always a new twist or a new piece of character development that makes aspiring writers (like myself) bang their heads on a table wishing they thought of it. Damn you, Ed. Steve Epting’s artwork continues to be realistic and energetic with fun homages to great artists like Steranko.
Worst Book: Countdown to Final Crisis
Wasted time. Countdown to Final Crisis was an over-hyped highlight reel of the DC Universe that promised to set the stage for Final Crisis. Not only did it not set the stage for Final Crisis, it didn’t do much of anything except steal minutes from my life I’ll never get back. That and about $156 from my wallet.
Click to continue reading The World According to Todd: Best of 2008
The Joeys - Year End Comic Book Awards - Part 2
Posted by Joel Rosenberg Categories: Editorials, DC Comics, Marvel Comics,
Bad Guy of the Year: I see three choices here. Libra seems to be running the bad guys in the Crisis series, but we don’t know enough about him yet to make an informed decision. Darkseid seems to be the overriding influence of the bad guys, but he may or may not be dead. Every time I try to get an intelligent answer out of DC they only have one answer: It’s Grant Morrison. I guess that means that all will be clear in 2009. I’m holding my breath. So, in my humble opinion, Norman Osborn is the standout Bad Guy of the Year. From running the Thunderbolts to running everything, he provided a welcome surprise to the end of Secret Invasion. And he’s crazy, too.
Good Guy of the Year: Even though I didn’t like how they got there, I thought Spider-Man had a pretty good year story-wise. Now that Marvel has clarified things, a little, in that the only change was that Peter and MJ never got married so that all continuity remains the same things makes more sense. I thought Thor had a great year - kicking Tony Starks’ butt, having Asgard floating over Oklahoma, and beating the crap out of the Skrulls was neat. But old friend Bucky Barnes, The Winter Soldier, is the Good Guy of the Year. A beautifully drawn and written unending novel has the former Bucky picking up the reins of Captain America. Why soon we won’t even miss Mr. Rogers and as soon as that happens…
Good Girl of the Year: Supergirl is happy/sad, rebellious/obedient, heroic/whiny. In another era I would make a time of the month joke, but who knows about Kryptonian cycles anyway? We’d all like to know what MJ whispered in Mephisto’s ear before stupid Peter took the deal, but we have to wait. By default I make it She-Hulk who fights earth villains, Skrulls, and still finds time to sleep around all over the Marvel universe. And has a Skrull girlfriend too.
Bad Girl of the Year: The Skrull Queen was pretty bad, but then let herself get killed by Norman Osborn. Granny Goodness is not exactly a girl. So I go with Mary Marvel. Of course by next year she’ll be back to the Light Side but I love her in her new black costume. All she needs is a whip and mask and… I think I’ll stop right here before I really do get into trouble with my editor.
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