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Post by adamwarlock2099 on Jan 16, 2017 17:17:58 GMT -5
Batman The Cult #1-4 (1988) Jim Starlin & Bernie Wrightson
One of my favorite Batman stories. This is what a serious Batman film encompasses. Not the same goofy super villains trying to find a place in being taken seriously, with the gloss of "realism" and an overacted part. Just a power hungry charlatan using religion to get what he desires. No supernatural, radioactive, mutated, cybernetic powers. This is how Batman seemed to me in The Animated Series. Of course short the gore and violence. No fluff. No try hard to make people take him seriously. Not him being a cynical asshole to appeal to the masses. But a man hell bent mission, determined to keep up the fight. To show criminals what they have to fear. Yet not cross the line that would send him into the same camp that his adversaries are in. Though that line might seems so satisfying to cross. The contemplation of it alone, means there's some desire to. But the determination to not be what he fights against is what separates himself from those like Deacon Blackfire and others.
The Cult takes a simple premise and delivers. What if someone left Batman a broken, self doubting, scared, helpless child open to the suggestion of the person that put him in that condition? And what if that person was nothing more than a man? Not even a man hopped up on drugs to make him super strong. Or a cybernetic Russian assassin that's better at him in his own game. Just a confident and egotistical con man void of any empathy, kindness or mercy. A killer, manipulating others to do his will. All in the name of him being a self proclaimed messiah with a message from God (I know right? *Gasp* Religion as a theme in a Jim Starlin book? See even I can poke fun at my favorite writer.) to cleanse this world of the wicked that have overrun it. But is that Blackfire's real intent? It seems that way. But things aren't always as they appear.
And of course will Bernie Wrightson doing the art you know you are getting the best. Not just the macabre of the dead and the din of battle with melee weapons of dismemberment. But in the cold, dank corridors of the sewers. Or the foreboding "army" of rats that attack Robin. Or the evil etched on the faces of those that Blackfire has twisted and broken into killers in his name. To the pain you see Batman's face, despite the cowl, as he witnesses time after time the insanity of Blackfire's mind, and how he displays that in the streets of Gotham. Or in his innermost sanctum. Bernie does all that superbly, as usual. Right down to final confrontation where we find ...
"That's the problem with creating monsters. Control is so hard to maintain."
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Post by Roquefort Raider on Jan 17, 2017 13:21:49 GMT -5
The Atlantis chronicles 1-2, by Peter David and Esteban Maroto.
The start of an ambitious 7-part limited series, this is one of the best things to come out of the early '90s and a great, great example of how continuity can be a blessing rather than a curse.
In this story, we are given a historical overview of the city and civilization of Atlantis after it sank beneath the waves (shortly after the time of Arion). The tale incorporates several contradicting versions of DC comics' Atlantis and blends them into a coherent whole; it is also a wonderful fantasy tale in its own right and one I would have loved even if I had never heard of Lori Lemaris or Aquaman.
The art by Maroto is beautiful, of course, with nice tips of the hat to another great master of fantasy comics, Philippe Druillet.
The script by Peter David is simply brilliant. He manages to blend the grand and epic scope of his tale with the development of attaching characters with archetypal overtones. He manages to make us care deeply for supporting characters who are there for, like, five pages tops.
We are treated to so much storytelling goodness in there...love and ambition, brotherly conflict, science vs magic, good guys who turn out to be scoundrels, dubious characters who turn out to be great, hope vs despair... Wow, I really look forward to re-reading the rest.
Maroto enjoys drawing prehistoric creatures from widely ddifferent geological periods, but in the context of this story I really don't mind. This is, after all, a time of magic.
Highly recommended, and deserving of both a high grade reprinting and a movie treatment!!!
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Post by adamwarlock2099 on Jan 17, 2017 14:53:48 GMT -5
Batman: The Abduction (1998) Alan Grant & Norm Breyfogle "A blinding light. A missing hour. And later, a terrible feeling of dread. There's only one explanation: Batman has been abducted by aliens. And that's only the beginning." That back cover sounds a bit cheesy. But when I saw this on the stands, I thought two of my favorite things together. How will Batman handle alien abductions. Will he be able to explain what no one has been able to for centuries? So I was really hoping for a story about genuine alien abduction(s) with Batman in it. I wouldn't really honestly care if it weren't Batman. I'd even be in favor of a investigation into abductions by Batman much like the movie Fourth Kind. In case you want to read it .... But it wasn't that. I was just some criminal scheme with a lot of special effects, drugging and brain washing. Just a run of the mill crime in Gotham with big production numbers. But the story left the abduction of Batman himself open to the reader as to whether he was and it was concidence or whether it was part of the scheme of the criminal The Kook. However, the validity of abductions and that there are so many reported, the story remained neutral on. And many of the things mentioned about alien abductions through time, where actuate, at least in what is theorized and studied. I didn't get what I wanted in the book, but it wasn't bad. Just like a M Night movie with a twist that wasn't what you wanted. However, it did make way for Grant and Breyfogle to do Batman: Dreamland, which I remember being much better of a story. So maybe the trade off is worth it. I'll be reading that too, soon, and reporting on it. Edit: Batman Dreamland (2000) Alan Grant & Norm Breyfogle This took a less blatant shot at the whole alien conspiracy thing, with just a government conspiracy in general. Better than The Abduction to me, but still not on par with what I remember. And I love conspiracy stuff, whether it be "non-fiction" or in fiction. Anything that makes me think about possibilities and open my mind to new things. I think that's more the fascination with alien abductions and UFO sightings that I have; the unknown. In this story Batman helps a gal whose father was the third of three men that worked in dreamland (Area 51) that apparently committed suicide. So Batman goes on covert mission to break into Area 51 and find some answers. Only to find that she, along with The Kook (from The Abduction) now fully rehabilitated and fresh out of Arkham trying to clear his name of being Batman's number one suspect and become a productive member of society.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 17, 2017 22:06:29 GMT -5
Read or rather reread Legends of the Dark Knight #1-5 and Batman: Shadow of the Bat #1-4.
Both read better to me now than when I originally read them 17 or so years ago.
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Post by adamwarlock2099 on Jan 18, 2017 9:38:29 GMT -5
Read or rather reread Legends of the Dark Knight #1-5 and Batman: Shadow of the Bat #1-4. Both read better to me now than when I originally read them 17 or so years ago. Victor Zsasz is just the worst. I've not read much of his latter appearances but this, (the best one to me) his origin, and few appearances in Detective Comics; he really is/could be on par with Joker, given more exposure. But then, I've mostly always been partial to the "human" criminals in Batman's rogue gallery. The ones that seem to fit the scenario of a non superhuman man fighting crime. But pomp and flash usually win out with Americans (at least with modern age Batman to present) and all those super cool villains with all kinds of bang for buck win. (Grundy being the exception, since voodoo "zombie" have a real world connection even if modern age idea of a zombie isn't anything like what voodoo has claimed to do.) And the Stelfreeze covers and Breyfogle art only make it better. And I am starting to forget Alan Grant's talent. As you can see about I've been reading some of his other Batman stories. While they may not all be stellar they are not ever not entertaining.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 18, 2017 22:59:47 GMT -5
And I am starting to forget Alan Grant's talent. As you can see about I've been reading some of his other Batman stories. While they may not all be stellar they are not ever not entertaining. I feel like I did not really appreciate his stories back in the day.
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Post by String on Jan 19, 2017 14:59:42 GMT -5
John Carter, Warlord of Mars #16, 18
I've always heard good things about this Marvel series and this was part of a small bundle of the title I bought on eBay. It's Parts I and III of 'the Master Assassin of Mars' serial by Claremont. While it is caption heavy, I liked Claremont's descriptions and characterization as the story starts with the apparent assassination of Carter which sends Dejah Thoris on a journey of revenge against his killers.
Ernie Colon handles art on #16, effusing a great sense of fantasy onto the story, especially in wide shots of the Barsommian landscape and the city of Helium. I didn't know that #18 was among some of the earliest work by Frank Miller for Marvel but his handling of the duel face-off between Tar Tarkas and a rival was very well-done.
Now gonna have to track down the rest of this title.
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Post by adamwarlock2099 on Jan 19, 2017 16:34:32 GMT -5
Ash #1-3 Joe Quesada & Jimmy Palmiotti (who I just learned from wikipedia is married to Amanda Conner) 1994
I decided to read some, if not all of the 20 or so issues of Ash by the above creators that was published in Event Comics in the late 90's. It then was contracted by Marvel to use the Marvel Knights imprint and do some stories with Marvel characters.
Ash is about a firefighter (Ashley or "Ash") that discovers a power inadvertently when trying to stop a blaze and rescue occupants of a apartment complex. His becoming a firefighter (as gradually told) had a lot to do with an event in his life when he was a teenager. Or at least younger. This event haunts him and is the driving force for him to, even as a firefighter, be brash and "heroic" in his attempt to save lives. The power is something that controls him at first, until he learns to work with it. Much like Marvel's Ghost Rider.
At the last of the third issue he is starting to get a handle on his powers a bit, and starts to seek answers as to how he got this power, and the voices that he hears in his head, both awake and asleep.
I don't think I have ever re-read Ash before so I thought it was time to take a shot at reading it again. I remember liking it real well, and even ordering a Ash action figure that was released during the comic's run. I liked Quesada's and Palmiotti's art at the time. Now it's not got the glamour I remember it did. And I find Quesada's art not having the appeal it once did for me. Except Batman Sword of Azrael. (In fact there is a Ash/Azrael crossover.) SoA was the best Quesada put out. And for the most part I like Palmiotti's inking most artist.
At the end of issue 3 we come face to face with out first major player in the game. I believe it is Azrael. Like the Islamic angel of death not Jean-Paul Valley. But I am not sure. It's been long enough that about 90% of this is new to me. So I guess we'll see when I get a chance to read more issues.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 20, 2017 2:41:02 GMT -5
A lot of the focus of my classic reading was finishing what I owned of 1950s material, which I did about a week or so ago. I also read my way through the rest of Grell's Green Arrow run from the late 80s and early 90s. Good stuff, some of the stories are a bit topical, so it does feel dated, but still solid story telling all the way through.
I've moved on to early 60s material now, and with the 50s stuff, I have read a lot of early Silver Age DC stuff, and I have to say the Flash issues stand out head and shoulders above the rest. I can't quite put my finger on the reasons why, but it is just much more compelling storytelling than most of the other Silver DC stuff I read (and I read chunks of late 50s-early 60s Superman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Martian Manhunter, Justice League, Adam Strange, and Blackhawk). The only stuff that comes close to being as compelling is the early Green Lantern stuff and I've only read the Showcase stuff there so far. Most of the Flash stuff has a slightly different sensibility (though some of it feels more like the other DC stuff of the time), especially the stuff featuring the Rogues or Grodd.
I've also dived into the Comico Jonny Quest series from the 80s now that I filled in all the gaps I had in the run. Only read a handful of issues so far, but it's great fun.
-M
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bor
Full Member
Posts: 238
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Post by bor on Jan 20, 2017 3:57:41 GMT -5
I recently finished "The Flash by Mark Waid" book one. I really loved it and cant wait for the next one to come out. I have read parts of this rum before but never all of it or from start to finish so its the first time I am going to read several of these stories. Highly enjoyable.
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Post by Rob Allen on Jan 20, 2017 15:05:37 GMT -5
I've moved on to early 60s material now, and with the 50s stuff, I have read a lot of early Silver Age DC stuff, and I have to say the Flash issues stand out head and shoulders above the rest. I can't quite put my finger on the reasons why, but it is just much more compelling storytelling than most of the other Silver DC stuff I read... You'd have to check the GCD to be sure, but I suspect that the difference between the Flash & GL stories and the rest of DC's output is a writer named John Broome.
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Post by Hoosier X on Jan 20, 2017 16:11:40 GMT -5
I'm reading the Nick Fury story in Strange Tales #150. The art is amazing!
Jack Kirby layouts, John Buscema pencils, Frank Giacoia inks.
S.H.I.E.L.D had a lot of great art teams in this period, but I wouldn't be a bit upset to find that this team stuck around for a few more issues.
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Post by berkley on Jan 20, 2017 21:51:42 GMT -5
That's the one. Emma saying wolverine stinks like a warthog. What comic is that from and what issue? Wolverine #16 from 2011. Every time I see something from this writer it confirms my dislike for his work. In fairness, it hasn't been that much - online previews or samples like this - and my dislike for Wolverine as a character is a large contributing factor in this particular case. edit: Another contributing factor in this case is that the pages sampled here, writing and artwork, remind me of the kind of thing Jaime Hernandez used to do about a million times better in Love & Rockets.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 20, 2017 23:14:59 GMT -5
Wolverine #16 from 2011. Every time I see something from this writer it confirms my dislike for his work. In fairness, it hasn't been that much - online previews or samples like this - and my dislike for Wolverine as a character is a large contributing factor in this particular case. edit: Another contributing factor in this case is that the pages sampled here, writing and artwork, remind me of the kind of thing Jaime Hernandez used to do about a million times better in Love & Rockets. Aaron's creator-owned crime fiction is amazing stuff. His Marvel stuff is hit or miss with me, but Scalped and especially Southern Bastards are phenomenal reads by him. -M
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Post by tingramretro on Jan 24, 2017 12:19:57 GMT -5
Just read a recently released collected edition reprinting two classic serials from the short lived but well remembered British girls comic of the 1970s, Misty. The first story, Pat Mills' Moonchild, is basically a rip-off of Carrie about a bullied young girl who develops telekinesis, but the second story, Malcolm Shaw's The Four Faces of Eve, is bizarre even by the standards of British comics of its time; a young girl wakes up in a hospital with no memory of her past but plagued by nightmares of the death of a girl she doesn't recognize, and gradually uncovers her own terrible secret-she s actually four girls, having been created by an unscrupulous surgeon masquerading as her father from the corpses of three dead teenagers! Misty's target audience, incidentally, was girls aged from 9-12...
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