Super Powers #1 (3rd Series)

Unlike the previous two miniseries, where all young readers needed was a rudimentary knowledge of the characters and vehicles being highlighted in the Kenner toy show, with the beginning of series 3, you'll be required to have done some homework. The story opens after the events of DC Graphic Novel #4: The Hunger Dogs. Despite being a huge fan of Kirby's Fourth World, I've not read that book. Being in my mid- forties, I'm able to figure out what's happened between the ending of Super Powers, Vol. 2 issue #6 and Hunger Dogs.

The citizens of Apokolips have deposed Darkseid. The former ruler has lost his Omega beam powers and impotently resides in a prison complex personally designed by Mister Miracle. Darkseid's son, Orion, has arrived to ensure that the villain cannot escape or be freed by his remaining allies.

Speaking of allies, Kalibak and Steppenwolf have hired a renown bounty hunter named Tyr to free Darkseid from his prison. To do that however involves the frosty super villain, Mister Freeze who happens to be plotting a break-in at a super secret research facility on earth, light-years away. Using technology from Apokolips, Tyr uses an energy beam to given Mr. Freeze dynamic strength on par with Superman. Good thing that the Man of Steel is assisted by Firestorm along with all-new Justice Leaguers Cyborg, Plastic Man and Shazam. However, it appears that Freeze is too much for the heroes and is about to claim total victory when not one but 3 new Super Powers arrives on the scene. But are these characters friend or foe?

When it came to the new characters for Kenner's third wave of Super Powers figures, there were highs and lows. I was super excited about the additions of Plastic Man, Cyborg, Shazam and Mister Freeze. Only I never could find Cyborg or Shazam. I'm a cold weather fan, so getting a Mister Freeze was like a dream come true. Though I thought the 90s reissue in which the figure turned blue when you put him in ice was way cooler. I didn't know who Tyr was. So I never got him. Same with Orion. Mister Miracle was a character that I knew a little bit about and I remember having a figure of him. As for those mystery characters, more on them in my review of issue #2.

The biggest crime of wave 3 was the lack of mini comics. That had been such a bonus when you bought the figures from the first two waves. Another penalty was the promise of a playset representing Darkseid's fortress. It was scrapped due to the warning popularity of the toy line. However, you can get an inside look of what might have been with the scenes inside and out of Darkseid's jail as it looks exactly like that abandoned playset.

A good read. Just not geared towards kids who were at the time the primary consumers of Super Powers. I think the more adult approach was just another reason why this would be the franchise's swan song until a recent revival by Todd McFarland.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

Batman '66, Volume 2

  A snakebit millionaire, the Joker downsizes his gang, an evil cousin from across the pond, time-travelling hijinx with King Tut, a frozen summer in Gotham, and the Riddler gets away. All this and more; along with covers by the great Mike Allred. It must be another volume of DC's digital first comic homage to the 1960s- Batman '66!

    Jeff Parker and a host of top indy talents continue to give the classic Batman TV show the comic book it long deserved. It's still got that quirky magic, but there are just a few things mission in this collection of comics as opposed to volume 1. The first collection had those clever cliffhangers told by an over enthusiastic narrator. It also contained some crafty cameos when Batman and Robin would scale the wall of a building. Lastly, any little plot curve was eventually solved a few stories later on. But there was a plot in which someone at Barbara Gordon's workplace was zapped by an arcane tome and it's not been resolved- YET! If that plot is explored in volume 3, I fear someone (probably me) will have forgotten this little bit of demon possession.

   I really enjoyed this volume and I look forward to the next. I hope DC continues to publish this dynamic series for quite some time. There is supposed to be a Wonder Woman '77 based on the Linda Carter series, but it's not happened yet. I hope this isn't a bad sign for the future of this awesome book.

  Worth Consuming.

   Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Batman '66, Volume 1

Thanks to my Admin work with the weekly DC Comics new releases, I grew more and more interested in this series. If you're like me and born before 1989, you'll remember either watching the classic Batman series on ABC or in infinite syndication. Batman '66 continues the legacy of that ground breaking series with new adventures starring some of your favorite villains of the Caped Crusader.

 Batman was supposed to have a fourth season but a miscommunication between producers and set designers resulted in many of the sets being torn down prematurely. Rather than rebuild them, the powers that be altogether cancelled the entire project. In the way this series is crafted, it's almost like getting to read what season 4 would've been like.

In this book, you'd learn which two villains are in reality brothers, see what Goldie Hawn would be like if the character of Dr. Harleen Quintzel existed in the 1960s, and witness the return of the original Catwoman, Julie Newmar but still thrill at Eartha Kitt's take as the princess of purr. (I'll let you in on a little secret- it's explained that the Newmar Catwoman went straight s noticing a void in the Gotham underworld, another felon took on the mantle! That's an explanation I could live with!)

There are tons of great stories in this book. I really enjoyed the Emperor Penguin story guest starring one of my all-time favorite Bat-villains, Mister Freeze! Plus The Joker, Riddler, and several obscure baddies abound in this collection of 'digital first' comics.

I think DC is on the right track with Batman '66. Along with continuing the tradition of the show, DC's done another team-up between the Dynamic Duo and the Green Hornet & Kato. Soon, they'll be releasing a miniseries based on a lost script that involves Two-Face. Rumor had it that Clint Eastwood was supposed to play the role of Harvey Dent/ Two-Face. Plus, thanks to this series success, the Lynda Carter Wonder Woman series is going to see new life as a comic next year. Hopefully, we'll be seeing some other great DC shows returning to 'lost season' comic form (I'm hoping for Superman '52 and Flash '91!)

 Along with some dynamic covers by the much personally beloved Michael and Laura Allred, the scope of art is amazing. I'm hooked but alas I'm out of issues to read.

Will this intrepid blogger get to read more of the further adventures of Batman '66? Will he blog about it? Tune in next time- same madman blog, same madman typing!

Worth Consuming

Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.