Batman/Deadpool #1

I think every series comic book collector gets to this point in their hobby: you buy so many comics that you get behind on cataloging and such that you forget to actually read them. I'm currently doing some consideration of letting go of a few books. With an collection of over 12,000 comics and graphic novels, I can afford to let go of a few. But this one that I read isn't going to be one of those books.

This is the second of the Batman and Deadpool crossovers from 2025. This is DC's entry. It starts of with the main work, written by Grant Morrison. Right off the bat, that should tell you that this book is going really play with your brain. Like Neil Gaiman and Alan Moore often do, Morrison really explores the relationship of the creative writer and his characters. Plus, as it seems that DC has made Morrison the official keeper of the keys to the multiverse, there's a real bend in the fabric of reality that keeps the reader on high alert but is entertaining as all get out.

There are 4 backups in this special that pits a character or two from the DC Universe with one from the Marvel Universe. The first one has John Constantine showing up on Doctor Strange's doorstep. While I love the classic Ditko look of Doctor Strange by Hayden Sherman and the standard crossover banter between the two masters of the arcane arts was very good, it is a different pairing that steals the show. Ghost Rider vs. Swamp Thing! It's more of a MacGuffin in the background showing the conflict of having both the DC and Marvel universes collide. But if the big two publishers ever wanted to get more of my money, a pair of one-shots starring the former Dr. Alec Holland and stuntman Johnny Blaze would be a sure fire way to get it!

Story #2 has the Laura Kinney Wolverine in Gotham looking for help from the Dark Knight in finding her missing sister. Instead, she recruits Nightwing and the pair bond over what it means to be a legacy hero. Featuring one of the best closing pages in comics history, that image by Bruno Redondo is currently my FB icon.

Story #3 is a goofy adventure with Harley Quinn and the Incredible Hulk and a vat of toxic waste. Cute but not really doing anything to advance either characters needles.

Story #4 had me going up and down. G. Willow Wilson and Denys Cowan team up the Kamila Kahn Ms. Marvel with that electrifying teen, Static. Good story. But the art was all over the place. Some panels were masterpieces. Others look like something I'd draw. (That poor woman in the power suit and massive goiter...) You know it could have been the inks and colors that looked like they were markers. I know it's trying to emulate how the Milestone imprint books looked back in the 90s. I just don't think it works when applied to a Marvel character. 

I also thought that for a Batman and Deadpool book, some of the pairings just didn't fit within these two comic families. Nightwing and Laura Kinney make sense. Harley Quinn's inclusion does too. I've never thought about a Hulk-Deadpool connection. Neither does that apply to Doctor Strange. And Static would fit better in a Green Lantern crossover because of his relationship with Jon Stewart. So, there needed to be more theme appropriate teamings.

I hope that the Marvel/DC experiment isn't over. Technically, it wasn't as a pair of Superman and Spider-Man specials came out earlier this year. But I want more. Wonder Woman and Captain America would be epic. I've already proclaimed a desire for Ghost Rider and Swamp Thing. What about Amanda Waller vs. Nick Fury?! There's so many more pairings that just scream for a chance to make it to paper.  

Come on Big Two! I'll make room in collection for any more crossovers that you might have in mind!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars. 

DC Dog Days of Sumer Special #1

8 action packed adventures for all you DC Comics fans. 

A $9.99 price tag might be pretty steep for most of you. But I am a holiday themed comic addict and since I was going on vacation this week, I could not pass it up. 

There's quite a few of DC's best working on this book including Dan DiDio, G. Willow Wilson, Stjepan Sejic and a cool-looking cover by Francis Manpul. While there's an impressive list of talent on this book, the quality of the stories do vary. 

The best stories were:

• A Killer Croc tale of the crime lord's Miami origins, set in the Everglades.
• Beast Boy's feats of strength during his much needed summer vacay.
• Red Lantern Dex-starr teaches a milquetoast the benefits of rage when some Khund vacationers go on the war path.
• On a jungle safari, Animal Man must protect his family when an ancient menace targets them as his next meal. 

The worst:

• A Superman and Krypto team-up. The story of the duo facing an alien menace was good. But the art was really poor. 

In the middle was:

• A Justice League story involving a Minotaur named Ferdinand. His quest to find a suitable main course for the League's BBQ was admirable, especially since I am a professional chef. But I don't know this character and that made it hard to make a connection with the story.  
• Captain Carrot's cartoon world is undergoing a CRISIS. With Earth-23's Superman out of commission, the bunny must rely on the grim and gritty Atomic Batman of Earth-17 whose all about logic Yet, with the sun feeling unappreciated, the only way to save the day means relying on some hilarious cartoon physics! Again, the art wasn't all that great. But it seemed to match this Looney Tunes inspired tale.

If you are keeping count, I just mentioned 7 stories. That's because #8 is one that I couldn't decide whether I loved it or hated it. It involved a pair of drunks deciding to ride an untamed bull (wearing a pained on smiley face) at a county fair. To the rescue is Batcow! This was an absurd story that had some hi-highs and some groan-worthy lows. I'm sure that I don't feel okay with this story. I just don't know whether to hate it or love it. 

Overall, I enjoyed this special very much. For the most part, the stories were great. It was the artwork that wasn't, in my opinion, DC Comics quality. If you are going on a vacation anytime this summer, pick up the DC Dog Days of Summer Special. Almost perfect for reading on a breezy evening after a long day of fun in the sun.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Ms. Marvel, Volume 4: Last Days (Marvel Now!)

   With the universe on the edge of collapse, Ms. Marvel gets her affairs in order. But first, she finally gets a chance to meet her hero: Carol Danvers AKA Captain Marvel. It's a dream come true for the young hero as the two Marvels race to save Kamila's brother Aamir from kidnappers looking to turn him into an Inhuman weapon.
    This volumes collects the end of the Ms. Marvel series created by G. Willow Wilson. But it's not the end of Kamila Kahn and her band of friends and family. She returns obviously with a new series after the events of Secret Wars later in 2016. She had too- she's too gosh darn popular not to return!
    Yes, the new Ms. Marvel was controversial to many by having a Muslim character starting in their own Marvel comic. But I didn't hate this series. I think it was very delicate balance achieved by Marvel with exploring her faith and family morals while showing a young 16-year old girl find her way in a very modern Big Apple 2015. 
    I'm not opposed to new characters of different faiths, creeds, orientations, colors, and sexes taking over the mantle of what the media calls 'white-washed' superheroes. Having a new person as Batman or Spider-Man or even Ms. Marvel, albeit temporary or for good is a staple of comic books. Just don't make Bruce Wayne Jewish all of a sudden and without any explanation merely for the sake of pandering to new readers. That move is just a thinly veiled a cop-out to see more books over good art and superior storytelling.
   This series, not just this volume is the perfect Marvel Now! reading. It's very well written, lots of fun, and has lots of heart. One thing I'm one the fence on, however, is the art. Renderings by Adrian Alpohona and Giuseppe Camuncoli are okay. But for some reason, they both can't seem to get Ms. Marvel's face right. Some panels, she a beautiful young woman and the next, she looks like she's got Super Grover's nose and mouth. 
   CONSISTENCY! That's what the art is missing! It was on the top of my tongue. And don't get me started on the variant covers, they are what a good friend of mine of Facebook would call 'things that (he) could do better!'
    Along with the ending of this series, this volume collects issues from Amazing Spider-Man (2014-2015) #7-8 in which Ms. Marvel teams-up with the essential character in the Marvel Universe that you really must team-up with: you're friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man! A fun read that proved I really haven't been that caught up on the exploits of the wall-crawler.

   Worth Consuming

   Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

   

Ms. Marvel, Volume 3: Crushed (Marvel NOW!)

   Ms. Marvel continues her training as an Inhuman. But that doesn't mean life is all peaches and cream for young Kamala Khan. She still has to balance her home life and school work.

    When the son of a family friend moves into the neighborhood, it appears that Kamala has been bitten by the love bug. That affection seems to be destiny when the young man is revealed to also be an Inhuman. Sadly, Ms. Marvel will have to learn the hard way that just as there are good Inhumans, there are some rotten apples in the bunch too.

   Speaking of things not being as they seem, Loki- looking younger, hipper, and apparently on the side of good and not evil, arrives in Jersey City. (OK- When did this happen?) The former god of mischief's task, appointed by his mother Frigga, is to discover if there are any more threats from Ms. Marvel's arch-enemy, the Inventor. But in classic Marvel fashion, a battle between Ms. Marvel and the reformed Asgardian trickster breaks out before the two are able to realize that they are both fighting the same side for once.

    On paper, Ms. Marvel/ Kamala may seem to be the least Marvel-like superhero title currently out. The title's star is Muslim, she's Afghani, and she's a she. But this is probably the one modern Marvel title that is written consistently in that classic Marvel House of Ideas style. Let's compare Kamala with the character that defined the classic style of Marvel, the one, the only Peter Parker!

     Both began their careers as teens. Both are outsiders mostly for being geeks. But they are both brilliant nerds and rely on those smarts to save the day. Both teens come from working-class families and that makes things like costume repair a pressing concern when money is tight. Plus, with the two being in high school, a large number of their adventures take place in public education both as students and superheroes. And of course, there's the fair share of unrequited love and teen angst.

    Are you sure Stan Lee isn't writing this series?

    Lastly, for you fans of Agents of SHIELD, this volume contains a Ms. Marvel team-up with Phil Coulson and Agents Simmons. One of the students at Kamala's school is selling stolen super-villain tech. With SHIELD on his tail, the seller is quickly apprehended. But one of his stolen wares got mixed in with some of the food in the high school cafeteria. Thus, the ever popular pizza day is going to be one that Ms. Marvel's teammates will remember for years to come.

    I'm already a fan of this series and thanks to the bonus SHIELD issue, I'm a big fan of that series too. (I've been wanting to read it but on the fence as to whether it's worth $4 to find out. It is!) The quality of the new Ms. Marvel keeps getting better and better. This series deserves some Eisner Awards and a Hugo or two. For those of you feeling that it's unpatriotic to enjoy a book like Ms. Marvel, I say it's Un-American not too. 

   The Khan's are a typical immigrant family in that they keep their old world traditions alive while being proud to become Americans. Yes- Kamala's mom and dad are afraid that their daughter will be Americanized by their new homeland, but they are just as fearful that their son will fall in with the wrong Islamic crowd (in other words militant.) Plus, I don't know of any decent parent that doesn't want to lose their child to a growing ever so dangerous world of sex, drugs, crime, or death. 

   And no- this book is not some secret ISIS training manual or propaganda for luring kids into becoming followers of Islam. If you are that concerned, maybe you should read this book with your child. It will show an interest in things they like, such as reading comics. Plus, you can then be ready to answer or further research any questions about Islam or the war on terror that might pop up afterward.

   A quality series that keeps getting better with one of the single best issues of 2015 (SHIELD #2) inside.

   Worth Consuming

   Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Ms. Marvel, Volume 2: Generation Why (Marvel NOW!)

   The adventures of the new Ms. Marvel continue. Last volume she went up against an all-new villain called The Inventor. Well, he's still on the loose and he's more determined than ever to put Jersey City's new guardian on ice! With an assortment of dangerous drones and crazy robots, Kamala Kahn and her friends find themselves targets everywhere they go. Things are going to get even more deadly when Kahn's powers start going wonky.

    In the meantime, Kamala gets some sage advice from one of her mosque leaders to find a mentor. This leads the young heroine to team-up with the least kid-friendly mutant of them all- WOLVERINE! Plus, Ms. Marvel learns of her Inhuman origins in when she becomes the proud owner of Lockjaw?!

    The combined team of writer G. Willow Wilson, Adrian Alphona, and Jacob Wyatt continues to do a superior job in this exciting new series. The dialogue is hip and fresh and funny. The plots are original and exciting. But the art, while exciting and at times dynamic, is all over the place. Ms. Marvel has the ability to change shape so when she has giant hands or an oversized foot, I overlook it. But there are times where Kamala looks more like a muppet than a superhero.

   Like I said,  I'd excuse that type of styling if it was during a battle or something heroic. But, Kamila usually appears to look like a long lost cousin of Bert & Ernie when she drawn from a distance, doing nothing more than standing in line or drinking a soda. Are we to just assume her genetic structure is in a constant state of morphic flux or do the artists just 'phone it in' during these scenes hoping viewers like me won't notice? 

    Consider this observation that only thing keeping this volume from achieving perfection.

    Worth Consuming

    Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.