So I have been on an on and off Fourth World kick for the past six months or so. Specifically I have been reading the original Kirby work. Right now I’m into The Forever People. I have become convinced that the most fascinating and relevant Fourth World villain is Glorious Godfrey. I think that cinematically he would be a tremendous first film villain. He’s the John the Baptist of the Antichrist. He could be done phenomenally. I could totally see someone like Tom Cruise in that role.
anyway, I’m deeply loving the off the wall nature of Kirby’s Forever People. It’s super serious storytelling mixed with really oddball characters. It’s Guardians of the Galaxy meets Voltron set in the Biblical book of Revelations. With an inter-dimensional cowboy thrown into the mix. And I have loved rediscovering it.
Spider-man Life Story.
This is quite an interesting spin on the Spider-man mythos. Well written and good art. I do feel like it's a lot more accessible to those that have actually read a lot of Spider-man comics through the years. I for example had no idea Who this professor Warren is and why he wanted to
Clone
Gwen Stacy.
I did however enjoy it but I wonder why basically everyone was miserable all the time.
Apparently there is a FF Life story in the works as well.
Just finished rereading the trade Batman: Strange Apparitions (reprints from Detective Comics, over 1977-78). There's something about this book that makes me enjoy it more every time I read it. It just feels so fantastically... Bronze Age! The world of Steve Engleheart's Batman has a real 'cozy', 'fireside reading' feel to it, in the same way as Doyle's Holmes or Christie's Poirot; horrible things happen, but you can't help but be enchanted by the atmosphere. Walt Simonson's and Marshall Rogers' art is fantastic, with a style you just don't see these days. And it's got what just might be my favourite Batman cover of all time (courtesy of Rogers); Batman, posed dramatically over the grave of Bruce Wayne, looking up grimly at the ghostly image of Hugo Strange - in the driving rain! In fact, with the main story of Strange's ghost, and the bookending tales, one involving Dr Phosphorous, and the other Clayface (Preston Payne) with it's fantastic 'abandoned wax museum climax', it has a strong feel of DC's horror comics of the time.
Art, plot, writing all get an 8/10. Any other fans of this? @Babillygunn, I think this is one of your favourites, isn't it?
Just finished rereading the trade Batman: Strange Apparitions (reprints from Detective Comics, over 1977-78). There's something about this book that makes me enjoy it more every time I read it. It just feels so fantastically... Bronze Age! The world of Steve Engleheart's Batman has a real 'cozy', 'fireside reading' feel to it, in the same way as Doyle's Holmes or Christie's Poirot; horrible things happen, but you can't help but be enchanted by the atmosphere. Walt Simonson's and Marshall Rogers' art is fantastic, with a style you just don't see these days. And it's got what just might be my favourite Batman cover of all time (courtesy of Rogers); Batman, posed dramatically over the grave of Bruce Wayne, looking up grimly at the ghostly image of Hugo Strange - in the driving rain! In fact, with the main story of Strange's ghost, and the bookending tales, one involving Dr Phosphorous, and the other Clayface (Preston Payne) with it's fantastic 'abandoned wax museum climax', it has a strong feel of DC's horror comics of the time.
Art, plot, writing all get an 8/10. Any other fans of this? @Babillygunn, I think this is one of your favourites, isn't it?
Yes! I love it for all of the reasons you mentioned. I know some find it corny, but I love the “bronze ageyness” of it all. I love the editors notes that have light jokiness in them. And as you point out, this contrasts with the heaviness of the story quite well. This has a real Stan Lee/ Kirby feel to it. It’s everything I love about comics. Definitely in my top 5 favorite Batman reads just on the fun factor alone. Your review says it all!
Just finished rereading the trade Batman: Strange Apparitions (reprints from Detective Comics, over 1977-78). There's something about this book that makes me enjoy it more every time I read it. It just feels so fantastically... Bronze Age! The world of Steve Engleheart's Batman has a real 'cozy', 'fireside reading' feel to it, in the same way as Doyle's Holmes or Christie's Poirot; horrible things happen, but you can't help but be enchanted by the atmosphere. Walt Simonson's and Marshall Rogers' art is fantastic, with a style you just don't see these days. And it's got what just might be my favourite Batman cover of all time (courtesy of Rogers); Batman, posed dramatically over the grave of Bruce Wayne, looking up grimly at the ghostly image of Hugo Strange - in the driving rain! In fact, with the main story of Strange's ghost, and the bookending tales, one involving Dr Phosphorous, and the other Clayface (Preston Payne) with it's fantastic 'abandoned wax museum climax', it has a strong feel of DC's horror comics of the time.
Art, plot, writing all get an 8/10. Any other fans of this? @Babillygunn, I think this is one of your favourites, isn't it?
LOL, I just pulled Strange Apparitions off my self a few nights ago to gaze at the gorgeous Marshall Rogers/Terry Austin artwork. I remember being totally engrossed by how involved the story was when I first read it in high school as I was getting pretty heavily back into comics. I need to give it a proper revisit, but that moment when Silver recognizes Bruce through the cowl while he fought Deadshot on the giant typewriter hit just as hard as it did this time around as it did the first time I read it.
It's too bad that Dark Detective was such a stinker of a follow up.
The Len Wein penned Clayface story at the end also reminded me of how much I miss Len Wein.
Did some aimless driving around today and stopped by a comic shop I would occasionally visit when I was in the area. They have a pretty large dollar bin selection and I found some goodies in there today.
Adam Strange: Planet Heist #1-8, The 1993 Atom Special, some Rune comics by Barry Windsor Smith, and a few gap fillers for my Mike Grell Green Arrow collection.
Still working my way through them, but the Atom Special is excellent. Tom Peyer and Steve Dillon. What an unseemly pair, but it works so well! Great comic.
Was just casually reading through Dan Jurgens' run on The Adventures of Superman, and it suddenly occurred to me that Hfuhruhurr the Word-Bringer, broadly speaking, is enjoyably closer to the traditional conception of Brainiac than John Byrne's disappointing 'Milton Fine' ever was.
It was definitely a good start for Taylor. I’m not enamored with Blockbuster as he can sometimes come across as a cheap knockoff of better “big bads” like Kingpin. But the Zucco development could be interesting. In the end though, this had tons of heart, which is what always sets a good Nightwing story apart.
I’m currently reading Batman: Where were you the night Batman Died? from Batman 291-294. It’s some Bronze Age goodness! So much fun. The tone is like they took a Saturday morning cartoon, made it really smart and added elements to make it edgy enough to be 1980s PG.
After reading Kirby’s Fourth World and then Strange Apparitions again earlier this year, and now this, I am more and more convinced that Bronze Age was may favorite era of comics.
Well I just read Year Two, and my feeling was that it was just kind of...basic.
It's funny, in the opening pages when I thought the news mentioning the Reaper as pre-Batman vigilante was an offhanded thing (I had no clue who the villain was supposed to be in this story), I thought, "wait, what? Did we hear about this guy in Year One? I don't remember that!" Then of course it turns out he was just mentioned here because, surprise, he's the villain of this story. Definitely felt like a lesser MotP to me, as I believe @Babillygunn also said. But the art was solid and I really did like the "Batman's forced to work with Joe Chill" angle.
@flickchick85 Thanks for posting your thoughts! Yes, MotP definitely took the idea of the Reaper and improved on it. I didn't really get why Bruce kept the gun that killed his parents all that time, and it definitely jarred that he'd use the thing, even on Joe Chill. I think I said before, I could forgive Year Two its sins if it had just been an 'Elseworlds' type story. There are definitely some things in there I enjoy. But as main continuity it just stretches things too far for me. Thank goodness the whole Zero Hour event erased it! If you get a chance to read the sequel, Full Circle, I'd like to hear what you think of that
@flickchick85 Thanks for posting your thoughts! Yes, MotP definitely took the idea of the Reaper and improved on it. I didn't really get why Bruce kept the gun that killed his parents all that time, and it definitely jarred that he'd use the thing, even on Joe Chill. I think I said before, I could forgive Year Two its sins if it had just been an 'Elseworlds' type story. There are definitely some things in there I enjoy. But as main continuity it just stretches things too far for me. Thank goodness the whole Zero Hour event erased it! If you get a chance to read the sequel, Full Circle, I'd like to hear what you think of that
Yeah, I kinda get him keeping the gun. Like, that's a weird, morbid obsessive thing I can roll with. But the using it just seemed to be a shock value thing and nothing else, as there was no compelling reasoning behind it, imo. I agree this might have worked better as an Elseworld. I didn't randomly acquire Full Circle like I did Year Two lol, but that's why it's nice to have DCU Infinite so I'll be sure to check it out and post my thoughts when I do.
Per the recommendations of @Superchan and I believe @flickchick85, I read Superman: World of New Krypton and the Adventures of Superman story “Saved.”
both were very good. I felt like Rucka built a great story with New Krypton and made Zod an incredibly layered and fascinating character. I’m not typically a fan of Krypton focused stories, but this was tremendous.
And Saved was all Superman. Great story of Superman being Superman. In the end he saves the day with his intellect when he recognizes that his powers will only take him so far. I love it.
I have to say that Dan Abnett’s run on Aquaman was superb. He weaved some epic storytelling. I really loved it. I had high hopes for Kelly Sue Deconnick, but her run was really a let down after Abnett. It would’ve been like watching Willow when you were used to Lord of the Rings.
You and me both. They really dumped on that character in his Rebirth run. The way it ended was absolutely criminal and teased something huge that never came to fruition.
But Rebirth Green Arrow #41 and 42 (the ones where he goes up against Parasite) are among the best comic issues I’ve ever read. And it sets apart why that character is so great.
I have to say that Dan Abnett’s run on Aquaman was superb. He weaved some epic storytelling. I really loved it. I had high hopes for Kelly Sue Deconnick, but her run was really a let down after Abnett. It would’ve been like watching Willow when you were used to Lord of the Rings.
Yeah, it was a absolutly fantastic run, It makes me fall in love all over again with the whole Aquaman world.
Deconnick had big shoes to fill and sadly couldnt do it.
There were a few good things and some neat arcs, but overall it was rather far away from the Level Aquaman that was before.
You and me both. They really dumped on that character in his Rebirth run. The way it ended was absolutely criminal and teased something huge that never came to fruition.
But Rebirth Green Arrow #41 and 42 (the ones where he goes up against Parasite) are among the best comic issues I’ve ever read. And it sets apart why that character is so great.
Absolutly, such a shame really...the whole run is so underrated.
How strong it is, can be seen in the two issues you mentioned...2 issues that show you all you need to know and love about the character.
I am re-reading Darkseid War after having recently read Kirby’s Fourth World. It is really a perfect 1-2 punch. Darkseid War has always been one of my favorite JL stories. It really has everything and is extremely well written. But reading it on the heels of Kirby’s Fourth World makes it even better. Kirby created a world with big, bold colors and huge personalities, with a fine balance of camp and consequences. Johns took that world and made it a few degrees more serious, while still respecting the characters’ DNA. I only wish that somehow Johns would have worked in The Forever People into Darkseid War.
But I love the homage and respect that Johns has for Kirby’s work. He doesn’t try to redefine anything, he just retells the story with a bit less camp.
For the record, I know that Fourth World is usually considered to be Kirby vs Grant Morrison. But for my money, Johns > Morrison. And Johns and Kirby are not competing.
Uh, Darkseid War is a really good story...must re-read that one.
I know with all the Ray Fisher etc stuff its cool to talk bad about Johns as a person...but the man can be a incredible talented writer.
Okay he messed up Doomsday Clock and wrote a rather boring Three Joker...but still.
I recently stumbled in one of my Boxes over Batman The Dark Knight from the New 52.
I have completely forgotten about that series to be honest.
Only thing i remember is that i loved many of the Covers and that it had some kind of Mutated Two Face early in.
Other than that, i dont remember anything.
So i added another 4 volumes of comics to my already huge reading list.
Good thing that its not a punishment and i love reading comics. XD
Haven't had a chance to read much lately - hopefully putting that right soon. Anyway...
Just finished reading the hardback Harley Quinn and the Birds of Prey: The Hunt for Harley, which collects Harley Quinn and the Birds of Prey #1-4 (along with a short story from Harley Quinn: Black and White #12).
Harley Quinn has avoided Gotham City ever since she broke up with the Joker and found a home, and a kind of family, in Coney Island. But when she gets an offer she can't refuse, she has no choice but to slip back into the city as quietly as she can, hoping to be gone before anyone - especially her ex - learns she's there to steal Joker's legendary cache of loot. But for Harley, "as quietly as she can" is plenty loud...and before she can say "Holee bounty hunters, Batman," the Joker's sicced every super-villain in the city on her pretty ombre head - and the only people tough enough (or crazy enough) to come to her defense are Black Canary, Huntress, Renee Montoya, and Cassandra Cain: the Birds of Prey!
This is written by Amanda Conner and Jimmy Palmiotti, with art by Conner. I loved their work on Harley Quinn: Rebirth and was looking forward to this.
Art first. I love Amanda Conner. She's one of my favourite artists, and my very favourite Harley artist (she also seems a really cool lady). And she's bang on form here. Everything; faces, bodies, postures, backgrounds, total carnage, all rendered faultlessly. She's the absolute master of those little facial expressions, some only in the background, that show what everybody else is thinking-but-not-saying (if it's about Harley, normally a mixture of incredulity and exasperation!). I can't fault a single panel. Beautiful.
Writing... The plot's good; zany, of course, but it hangs together, making sense in that 'Harley' kind of way. The characterisations are great (standouts for me (other than Harley herself) are Renee Montoya (the most engaging I've seen her), Joker, and Huntress). And there are some very, very funny lines. I was chuckling out loud within the first couple of minutes. But...
... This is the first Black Label book I've read. I get that the imprint is supposed to be for a mature audience, and that it pushes the boundaries regarding violence and swearing/cursing. But to my mind they should be releasing stories that benefit from those elements, rather than stories which would work perfectly well without them but which have them added just to be 'edgy'. And sadly, that's what this feels like. I'm not a fan of swearing in comic books, but the first few times here it worked and did make me laugh. Unfortunately, it soon settled into 'coz we can' mode, as though they'd written the story, then gone back looking for places where they could insert 'naughty words'.
Similarly with the violence. I love dark, gritty, violent comic books as much as I do those which make me think. I have no problem with violence that makes a point. But I don't need to see crossbow bolts piercing eyeballs just for the sake of it. And I could have done without
Clayface getting Mr Freeze's gun up his ass, and being frozen from the inside out.
It felt forced (forgive the pun), and not at all funny. Conversely, there's a point where Harley's on the end of some pretty extreme, sustained violence, and it works. It makes a point about who she is, and who she isn't. Just a shame they couldn't hold the rest of it to that standard.
The black and white short story at the end is also written by Conner and Palmiotti, but art this time is handled by Chad Hardin. It's funny, and centres around Harley's decision to form a full-on superhero team ('Harley Quinn and the Annihilators'), and their attempts at doing super-heroic kinda stuff, and finding that it's not as easy as (say) Batman makes it look. Hardin's black and white (and red!) artwork is cool. It's a throwaway tale, but a nice way to round out the book.
Back to the main story though... Artwork, fantastic. Writing, very good in places; not so good in others.
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I own the two-volume HC set (reviewed them earlier in this thread).
