Lobo #1 (2024 Comic Book & Graphic Novel Reading Challenge)

After a popular tryout miniseries, DC Comics decided that the time was right for an ultra violent regular series starring the Czarnian bounty hunter Lobo. Only this version of Lobo was nothing like he was envisioned by creators Keith Giffen and Roger Slifer.

When he first appeared in the pages of The Omega Men #3, Lobo was a hardened baddie that never let a bounty go unclaimed. This is rather like the 1990s version of Lobo. Only, instead of dressed like a Hell's Angel from Hell, the original Lobo wore a skin tight leotard hued in purple and neon orange. The new Lobo had long, greasy hair and wore earrings and chains. Giffen's Lobo had a feathery bouffant and was free of adornments. Actually, you couldn't see his ear from the hairstyle that invokes images of Farrah Fawcett and Vinnie Barbarino. He might have been wearing earrings.

The biggest difference in the two versions of Lobo was in how the character was presented. Giffen's Lobo was like Clint Eastwood's Man with No Name' outlaw Western character. The 1990s Lobo was like the 'Man With No Name' set to 11- make that 12!  Keith Giffen claimed in a 2006 interview that his Lobo was  'an indictment against' Marvel's violent antihero, the Punisher." But as Alan Grant took over the reins from Giffen after the 1990-91 miniseries, in 1993 Grant shifted Lobo to become an over-the-top parody of Marvel's Wolverine. 

It's ironic that a character meant o criticize the disturbing 80s trend of mega violent characters evolved into a character noted as one of the industry's most Uber violent, no holds barred, irreverent figures of all-time. It's even more ironic that Lobo's lack of sacred cows, except for those space dolphins, would give birth to a number of imitators that continue to push the envelope to unthinkable levels. Topps Comics, Image and even Marvel created their own parody versions of a character that was a satire in of itself. Talk about the snake eating it's own tail.

In this premiere issue, Lobo is on assignment. He's on the hunt for a real nasty. Only instead of being hunted for killing somebody's loved one or for stealing something valuable, the bounty is for missed alimony payments! Things go wrong for Lobo, leaving the bounty hunter with only a single body part to claim his money. Only a nose and two nostrils isn't enough to make a claim which leaves this bastich extremely P-O'ed. 

After roughing up his handler, Lobo is given a new bounty, a milquetoast accountant named Quigley. Only it's the handler who's having the last laugh as Lobo is being lured into a trap as his quarry is protected by the most dangerous bunch of henchmen in the galaxy. 

The original version of Lobo would return to much controversy with DC's New 52 relaunch. Readers were left to find that the rebooted Lobo was actually an impostor, much like how Jodo Kast impersonated Boba Fett. Only in this case, it's the pretender who comes out on top. Today's Lobo has become more of an offensive buffoon. Now the father of a half human teen prone to bouts of papa's bad attitude, Lobo's intensity and insensitivity are balanced by daughter Crush's ability to think things through before acting. 

Interior art and cover by Val Semeiks.

Completing this review completes Task #26 (The first issue of a series or miniseries) of the 2024 Comic Book and Graphic Novel Reading Challenge.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Detective Comics #627

From 1991, this deluxe sized issue commemorates the 600th appearance of the Dark Knight in Detective Comics. The idea of this issue is pretty novel. To begin, it reprints the very first story of which Batman appeared in Detective Comics #27. In a story titled 'The Case of the Chemical Syndicate', Bruce Wayne is alerted to the death of a pair of businessmen while accompanying Commissioner Gordon on a case. In the guise of the Bat-Man, the vigilante hero determines who the killer is, ushering forth a gritty sense of justice with dark undertones unparalleled in comicdom. 

Readers then are gifted with a reprint of a story from Batman's 30th anniversary appearance in Detective Comics (#387), circa 1968. Editor Julius Schwartz commissioned Mike Friedrich, Bob Brown and Joe Giella to retool that first appearance to reflect the more modern time period. This reboot includes Robin the Boy Wonder in a story that focuses on the generation gap, which was a subject that DC Comics seemed to have very little knowledge in. It's an odd tale in which Robin is sure that the son of one of the deceased is the killer' to the point that it's Batman who keeps a level head while the teen sidekick literally says 'Kids these days...'

There are 2 more stories in this anniversary issue. Both of which retell 'The Case of the Chemical Syndicate' to reflect the early 90s. The first story introduces a new character called Pesticyde. Unfortunately, it's the character's only appearance. But it was a darn good one! Written by Marv Wolfman, with art by Jim Aparo, it blows that 60s reboot out of the water!

90s retool #2 is a bit more complex. Half of the story focuses on Batman trying to solve the murders of those businessmen; half focuses on a drunken homeless man claiming that his buddies have been killed. You might think that the two plots have nothing to do with each other. Yet, Alan Grant does a masterful job stringing both story lines together. This story has some great art by Norm Breyfogle, who along with letterer Todd Klein, sneaks in the names of dozens of past Batman artists and writers. The cool thing about all this is how each matches the art style or signature of the creators. 

I'm co-leading a comic book club this school year. Our first assignment is to read a Batman comic book. Any Batman work is allowed. I was going to read an issue of Detective from 1970 that reprinted several of Batman and Robin's most unusual cases. Unfortunately the book was coming apart at the seams. At first I thought I had bought the book without a back cover. Then I saw that the missing section was still inside the bag. I then began seeing how the front cover and other back pages were beginning to peel as well. As much as I really wanted to read that book, I didn't want to bring it to school and let it get further damaged. Hopefully I'll read it sometime in the future. 

Detective #627 was an interesting experiment. It started in the 60s and continued 30 years later. I wonder if this test was ever continued in another anniversary issue? If yes, I'd be really interested in getting those issues if DC ever did. And if they haven't, maybe it's time to do it again! I'd buy it!

As much as I wanted to show my students an old comic book, I'll have to do with this book. Though if you were to ask those guys, they'd probably comment that 32 years of age is old. 

Sheesh...

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.