Titans/Young Justice: Graduation Day

With a title like 'Graduation Day', you'd think that I would wait until May or June to read this and you'd be right. However, I started reading Volume 1 of Geoff John's 2003 take on the Teen Titans and I realized that I need to read this book first before going on. I'd also need to complete this 3-issue miniseries before going on to Judd Winick's 2003 Outsiders as well. No problem! Besides, the phrase 'Graduation Day' is just that. There's no pomp and circumstance whatsoever in this book.

Our story begins in San Francisco. A major conglomerate has called the Titans to listen to a pitch to sponsor the superheroes in their endeavors. Also invited are the members of Young Justice. In the middle of a break, all hell breaks lose when a malfunctioning android attacks Cyborg, causing him to overload and injury several members of both teams. 

The scene jumps to the nearest trauma center where the medical team are facing meta-human physiologies unlike ever before. A team from STAR Labs arrives just about the same time that the news breaks that a Silicon Valley video game company is under attack by the rogue android. What does this rampaging robot want with a manufacturer of video games? Turns out that the facility is a front for a STAR Labs laboratory where a lot of dangerous technology is being housed; including a robotic version of Superman that has a history of being unreliable and it's just been activated by the cybernetic intruder.

Judd Winick crafts a story that changes a large chunk of the DC Universe. Beloved characters die. Friendships are broken. Teams dismantled. The events of 'Graduation Day' are shocking to say the least.

I'm a big fan of Young Justice. I also like the Teen Titans, though I got to admit, their adventures get a little too soap opera-like for my enjoyment. But I've been sitting on a trove of related material of these teams, including the Outsiders, which I inherited after the death of my best friend. Just recently, the database I had been using for the last 17 years just up and shutdown for no warning. So as I scramble to re-catelogue my vast 12K strong collection, I find myself finally motivated to read some of his stuff in order to determine if I've just been holding onto these book for the sake of my best friend's memory or do I really like these books?

The verdict so far is that the prospects are promising. I definitely want to keep reading those Teen Titans and Outsiders trades. If all goes well, they like this book will definitely be a keeper.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Young Justice, Vol. 1 (A Madman Re-Read)

Cartoon Network's Young Justice. Has there been a better animated series based on the DC Universe in the past 15 years? Loosely based on the Peter David led comic series from 1998, the show was a natural progression of the Batman: The Animated Series universe of shows. The artwork was different. But in terms of the quality of stories involving not just DC's A-level tiered heroes but really obscure characters like Lagoon Boy and Queen Bee, Young Justice could not be beat. 

When a comic adaptation is based on a cartoon these days, the formula now is to swipe images from the TV show directly, add word bubbles and present it as a comic. When I encounter books such as this, I feel gypped. Mostly, because I've already encountered these stories prior. To not use original artwork felt even more like an insult to readers expecting all-new material. True, a series like Young Justice which is comprised less of one-and-done stories and instead serialized over the whole season, is harder to turn into a comic book without spoiling the TV show. Yet, I think Art Franco and Baltazar did an amazing job keeping continuity without ruining the show or feeling like I had already seen the material before!

So why did I read this book again? Well, when I read it in 2017, I didn't own the book. Instead, I got it at my local library and, of course had to return it. By finding it again for a good deal, I was compelled to give it another read. 7 years and the quality just hasn't changed one bit. 

Artwork that looked like the show without being direct rips from the screen. Great stories that capture the spirit of the show without feeling like watching a paper repeat. Now if only I could find the remaining 3 volumes (or 24 some odd issues) to get the whole story. Unfortunately, my library only has volume 1 and it's darn near impossible to find floppies in good condition for the cheap.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

Jinny Hex Special #1 (2022 Comic Book & Graphic Novel Challenge)

The story of Jonah Hex continues in the pages of this one-shot special.

Virginia Heck, AKA Jinny Hex, is the great-great granddaughter of the notorious Old West bounty hunter. Jinny's mother has recently passed away. As a result, Jinny has inherited two things: her family's auto body shop and a mysterious chest full of 19th century guns, weapons and futuristic gadgets.

Just as Jinny is about to open the doors to the shop for the very first time, a man moseys in claiming to be an old flame of her mother's. If you do the math, he might also be Jinny's father. While Jinny is longing to fill the gap brought upon by a deceased parent, Jinny's friends are getting bad vibes from this guy. It appears that Jonah Hex's ability to read people is not one of the gifts Jinny inherited from her family. 

I haven't really dove into the Brian Michael Bendis curated Wonder Comics imprint. But as a fan of DC's Western titles, I was interested in learning more about the progeny of Jonah Hex. Though he created Jinny Hex in the pages of Young Justice, Bendis didn't write this story. Eternity Girl's Magdalene Visaggio pens this over-sized special. I appreciated how the writer didn't just focus on the 2020s. Instead, this story goes back to the 1880s and ties in Jonah Hex's legacy with both the character and the plot.

The editors really got me with a clever 'prank.' On one page, Jinny talks about needing to get the Justice League involved. You then turn the page and there's a 2-page scene in which Batman, Black Lightning and Katana are assisting with a brownstone fire. I was really hyped to have these characters taking a role in this special. Unfortunately, it just turned out to be a Snickers ad. No lie! Yup- you fooled me!

Speaking of ads, being an early 2021 DC book, there are a ton for the Future State storyline. I must say I have zero interest in that massive cross-over. I think this is a first for me. The art looks weak. The ideas seem borrowed. And $4.99 per issue is just too rich for my blood. 

A good story with decent art. It does a great job moving forward the Hex family tree. I'm just not sure if Jinny Hex is strong enough of a character to do it on her own.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Completing this review completes Task #16 of the 2022 Comic Book and Graphic Novel Reading Challenge. 'Read a book with a female protagonist.'

Young Justice, Volume 1 (Family Comic Friday)

     Last November, it was announced that acclaimed Cartoon Network series Young Justice would finally be getting a third season after a massive write-in campaign on Facebook. It has been 3 years since the show went off the air abruptly. Lots of fans were highly disappointed in the cancellation I was one of those fans. I was also one of those fans who demanded more of that awesome series.

     I'm not really sure why Cartoon Network cancelled the show. It had strong ratings, critics loved it, and DVD sales of seasons 1 and 2 were very strong. One thing that the show didn't have much of a following in was readership of the comic book tie-in.

     Recently, I found a trade paper back edition of the first few issues of the series. I was totally blown away by it. Briefly, the book gives a kind of overhead that's just like the series. How the team of Robin, Aqualad, and Kid Flash got together with the niece of the Martian Manhunter and a clone of Superman from Cadmus, a research facility of questionable means is taken straight from Cartoon Network. 
     After the intros, the book follows the plot of the series but ventures off unto it's own after that. The Young Justice team are used as a covert strike force by the Justice League. Their main enemy are the secret villains of the League of Shadows. Plus, Superboy seeks both his place in this world and Superman's acceptance. It's great stuff full of action, twists, and turns.

     Anybody wanna guess who the writing talents are behind this amazing series based on the equally amazing series of the same name? Why it's Art Baltazar and Franco of Tiny Titans fame. The artwork is just as breathtaking. The combined efforts of Christopher Jones (Batman '66) and Mike Norton (Hack/Slash) looks so much like the characters of the series. Overall, this was the right group to chronicle the paper adventures of Young Justice.

     This series has been out of circulation since 2013. So why am I reviewing their efforts now? Well, with Young Justice 3 just in the development stage, the hype for the comics is very low. But that's not going to be for long. Copies of this book can be found in bargain bins for a dollar or less. But, that's not the case on Amazon. 3 of the 4 trades that collect this series are being listed for prices of anywhere $20-$100+!

      I'm telling you folks, this series is going to get hot quick! When your children fall in love with the new series and you can't find these comics, don't come crying to me! You've been warned!

      Young Justice is not an all-ages book but it is family friendly. Readers aged 10- up will delight in these adventures. You just have to find them and for a collector like me, that's half of the fun!

    Worth Consuming

     Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.
      

DC Nation Super Sampler/Superman Family Adventures Free Comic Book Day Flip Book (2012)

The Green Lantern B-side cover.

 

Art Baltazar does it again with the preview of his latest DC Kid’s book Superman Family Adventures. Just like Tiny Titans, it’s cleverly written for kids but offers lots of Easter eggs for grown-ups. It’s like a Disney movie, offering a little something that all ages can enjoy.

There are also two very good short stories about Cartoon Network properties Young Justice and Green Lantern: The Animated Series. The art is spot on to their respective shows and the plots are quite good. Even better- they are original stories and not verbatim rip-offs of episodes I've already seen.

Worth Consuming.

Rating: 9 out 10 stars.