Comic Book Review: Batman/Superman Vol. 1: Cross World (The New 52)

Batman/Superman Vol. 1: Cross World (The New 52)

Greg Pak (Author)
Jae Lee (Illustrator)
Ben Oliver (Illustrator)
Publisher: DC Comics
Pub date: 5/2014
Collects Batman/Superman #1-4 and Justice League #23.1: Darkseid
OVERVIEW

The Dark Knight and the Man of Steel are close friends in the modern day–but the two weren’t always such close allies.
Discover how two of the World’s Finest Super Heroes met for the first time in the New 52, and the mysterious adventure that takes them to a whole new world-the world of Earth 2! The heroes of the main DC Universe meet their Earth 2 counterparts for the first time!

REVIEW

Wow, the art from the previews and Jae Lee’s previous work continues to captivate and doesn’t disappoint. Unfortunately the story that that art coincides with was not as impressive and felt more like a staging event for Lee to captivate the audience with lyrical art-poetry.

The villain of the initial arc I just could’ve grasp what the purpose of the plot to mingle two different earth versions of Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Lois Lane. The initial meeting and boyhoods of the Kent and Wayne kids were fun to read, but the meat of the story focusing on the battles between the adult heroes and the hidden villain were a mere afterthought.

The remaining Darkseid arc at the end of the collection was also a hodgepodge of Ben Oliver’s art that just didn’t feel up to the standards of Jae Lee and the story as well jumping directly to a New God just did not mash up very well.

The art is amazing and recommended to view, just as cool as Jae’s Ozymidas Watchmen run. The plot though leave much to be desired and felt too drawn out and captivating.

RATING

3 out of 5 MONSTERS

Comic Book Review: Black Canary and Zatanna : Bloodspell (2014) HC

Black Canary and Zatanna : Bloodspell (2014) HC
Author: Paul Dini
Publisher: DC Comics
Pub date:2014

OVERVIEW

Black Canary. Zatanna Zatara. Two of the DC Universe’s brightest stars join forces to combat a deadly new threat – a chilling, supernatural foe that preys on their weaknesses and unleashes their awesome powers against each other!

A year ago, Black Canary infiltrated a gang of female criminals set to pull a dangerous heist at a Las Vegas casino and now the story can be told!

REVIEW

With an almost Darwyn Cooke/J. Bone-style artwork, Joe Quinones pulls off along with author Paul Dini (BATMAN: TAS, Streets of Gotham) a fun gal-duo standalone story that showcases the very first meeting of these Justice Leaguers as well as a Vegas team-up.

The story has the standard, casino heist gone wrong plot; the art by Quinones pushes the novel along with some uncanny facial portrayals of the characters that are also reminiscent of Amanda Conner’s lively work.

This team-up is a fresh breeze since it pits Black Canary and Zatanna in their pre-New 52 identities and gives the story a more fun, light-hearted approach that should captivate a wide range of audiences tired of all the current doom and gloom.

RATING

4 out of 5 MONSTERS

Comic Book Review: Harley Quinn: Welcome to Metropolis (2014) TPB



Harley Quinn: Welcome to Metropolis (2014) TPB
Author: Kesel, Karl
Publisher: DC Comics
Pub date: 2014

OVERVIEW

Having played out every trick on the fine citizens of Gotham City, Harley Quinn – the Joker’s former girlfriend – decides that another city deserves her attention. 

After all, why menace one city when you can menace two? Especially if the second has a Man of Steel guarding it. Harley high tails it to Metropolis, with ally Poison Ivy.

REVIEW

This was a very fun Harley book with her personality still very much BTAS/Dini-inspired instead of the crazy Suicide Squad/New52 version. 

The art by Terry Dodson in the majority of the issues stands out with very vibrant and sexy style, while the latter half by Craig Rousseau, while serviceable is just not as lively or attractive that a Harley/Ivy combo book needed to be.

Kesel stands out by going ahead and having fun with the book with Harley taking on a new personality to infiltrate the Daily Planet and mingle with the likes of Jimmy Olson while still vamping it up around as Harley and chasing around town with Poison Ivy her pal.

RATING

4 out of 5 MONSTERS

Comic Book Review: Star Wars- Dawn of the Jedi: Force storm (2012) TPB



Star Wars- Dawn of the Jedi: Force storm (2012) TPB

Author: John Ostrander
Publisher: Dark Horse Books
Pub date:2012
OVERVIEW

Here begins the tale of the dawn of the Jedi, the Star Wars of 25,000 years ago–before light sabers, before hyperspace travel, before the Jedi spread throughout the galaxy, when connections to the Force were new. 

On the planet Tython, a group of beings–scientists, philosophers, and warriors–strive to maintain peace and to balance the mystic Force.

REVIEW

So you’ve been wanting to read about the Star Wars’ Jedi group before they were even truly Jedis with all the cool light sabers, lighting bolts and amazing acrobatics? Well then this is for you!

I for one was underwhelmed with the new batch of characters introduced in this series where you only get an inkling of where the beginnings of the Jedi sprouted from. 

Apart from a couple fleeting pages of good/bad Jedi using their powers to help/dwindle the masses the main plot point is lost in the yawn-inducing series.

The lone bright point is the artwork by long-standing comic mainstay, Jan Duursema which manages to capture new alien characters and worlds. 

Hopefully the second volume jacks up the adrenaline to make the series more worthwhile as a big collection than this initial volume.

RATING

1 out of 5 MONSTERS

Comic Book Review: Superman : Kryptonite (2008) HC



Superman : Kryptonite (2008) HC
Author: Darwyn Cooke
Art: Tim Sale
Pub date:c2008

OVERVIEW

Written by Darwyn Cooke Art and cover by Tim Sale 

The amazing story from SUPERMAN CONFIDENTIAL #1-5 and 11 by Darwyn Cooke (DC: THE NEW FRONTIER) and Tim Sale (BATMAN: THE LONG HALLOWEEN, Heroes) is collected in hardcover. While Superman attempts to survive his first encounter with Kryptonite, will Lois Lane fall prey to a mysterious stranger?

REVIEW

You would think that an awesome pairing of comic book heavy hitters such as Darwyn Cooke (Catwoman, New Frontier) and Time Sale (Batman: The Long Halloween, Hulk: Gray) would knock it out of the park since their threading on familiar water with Superman. 

With Cooke having portrayed him in New Frontier and Sale working on him with his writing-partner Jeff Loeb on the excellent Superman For All Season; but no this hardcover falls flat with a thud.

The plot ties in a previously Krypton artifact and a semi-Tony Stark/mobster style semi-villain along with the nefarious Lex Luthor and Lois Lane tagging along on the plot.  Superman becomes more of a throwaway side character in this story.

The art is typical Tim Sale with some awesome retro-50s style designs for architecture and costumes. If you’re looking for the all-encompassing “wow” or even a nostalgic storyline in this series, I believe you will be disappointed. 

The art is indeed serviceable, but the pedestrian story here looks like it could’ve been a part of an anthology series instead of headlining as a stand-alone hardcover.

RATING

2 out of 5 MONSTERS

Las Vegas Comic Expo 2013: Convention Report

Here’s my “photo” report from this September’s inaugural Las Vegas Comic Expo held at the Rivera Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada.

1. The Floor
The convention was held in the distinctly older Riviera casino and the show floor and parking area show it’s age. Thankfully the set-up and floor space were done to allow maximum space between booths and tables so there was no back-up that lasted significantly.

Ticketing pick-up took longer than expected and the lack of volunteers and staff did prolong wait and show information. The overall experience though was successful in that you can readily figure out the location and spots of the booths and artists you were looking for since the space isn’t enormous and the wait times to meet creators didn’t stretch hours like SDCC. The longest wait both Saturday and Sunday was for Jason Scott Campbell who continually had a long line but was significantly faster moving than at other conventions I’ve seen him at (see the line photos below for JSC).

2. Creators- Part 1
(listed clock-wise)
  • Chrissie Zullo 
  • JG Jones x2
  • Mark Brooks
  • Stephane Roux
  • Len Wein
  • Eric Basaldua
  • Adam Hughes

 2. Creators- Part 2

(listed clock-wise)
  • Carlos Pagulayan
  • Stephen Segovia
  • Philip Tan
  • Jay Anacleto
  • Simon Bisley working on a Venom sketch
  • Tim Bradstreet

Comic Book Review: The Avengers (2011) Vol. 1 TPB



The Avengers (2011) TPB

Author: Brian Michael Bendis
Pub date: 2011

Overview

There came a day! A day unlike any other…when two of Marvel’s top creators teamed up for the very first time to create a bombastic new Marvel series that not only ushers in the Heroic Age of Marvel Comics but unleashes onto the world the most blockbuster Avengers team ever! Who will answer the call? And will they assemble just in time?

REVIEW

Well another Avengers series reboot has come and gone but this new version by long-time Avengers mainstay, Brian Michael Bendis, keeps the ball rolling from his previous volume. 

With the blocky-art return of John Romita Jr. managing to step-up a notch over the flabby A vs. X series this titular title continues the ball rolling and with the 1-st tier stars as Captain America, Iron Man, Thor, Wolverine and the rest come back for more face-bashing, time-spanning excitement.

The storyline is nice with the typical benis decompressed story and character chit-chat, but the JRJR art and spotty inking would have been nicer if tightened up a bit more.

RATING


3 out of 4 MONSTERS!

Jim Lee, J Scott Campbell, Adam Hughes, B. Booth OA Page Prices from 1996!

I just picked up the James Robinson “Leave it to Chance” book from the 90s and on the back page of the books Wildstorm was selling original art pages from their studio that you could purchase directly from them. 

Now I thought pages from ’96 would have been cheaper, but it looks like even back then the prices for the “name” artists were still steep back in the days. 

Prices listed below due to the bad photos.

Jim Lee

  • Wizard trading card: $300
  • Wild CATS pages: $200, $450, 
  • DefCon 4 cover: $600


J Scott Campbell

  • Gen 13 pages: $275, $225, $200, $325


Adam Hughes

  • Gen 13 pages: $225, $275, $225, $225

Brett Booth

  • Backlash/Spider-Man series: $200, $225, $800
  • Backlash/Spider-Man series: $200, $350, $325, $450
  • Backlash/Spider-Man series: $175, $175, $225, $150

Comic Book Review: The Flash (2012) Vol. 1 HC



The Flash (2012) Vol. 1 HC

Artist/Co-Author: Manapul, Francis.  
Publisher: DC Comics,
Pub date: 2012

OVERVIEW
Struck by a bolt of lightning and doused in chemicals, Central City Police scientist Barry Allen was transformed into the fastest man alive.

Tapping into the energy field called The Speed Force, he applies a tenacious sense of justice to protect and serve the world as The Flash! The Fastest Man Alive returns to his own series.

REVIEW

One of the few outstanding bright spots in the DC New52 re-launch, the paring of previous Flash series artist, Manapul and colorist Brian Buccellato now mashed together as co-authors as well. The rebooted Flash keeps the legacy grounded with the silver age Barry Allen assuming the role of The Flash from the very beginning, ousting the use of former series hero, Wally West who is nowhere seen in this series. The original Flash, Jay Garrick kicks off his own New 52 series in Earth2, this time as a younger version of himself.

The art is gorgeous with Francis Manpul’s layouts structured in very daunting comic-bookish ways that stands out along with the initial Batwoman series by J.H. Williams. The colors are watercolor-like in presentation and again makes it stand out from other overtly computer-colored comics on the stand.

The storyline though is a bit convoluted with a new protagonist named Mob Deep, who’s initial story line and mystery doesn’t really rev up the series and sputters near the end of the arc. The re-imagined Captain Cold though stood out, and hopefully the introduction of the new Rogues will continue the upward spiral of this series.


RATING

3 out of 5 MONSTERS