Joker: One Operation Joker, Vol. 2

I love comic book characters that are so insane that their antics borderline on the surreal. The Tick, Madman and Slapstick come to mind in this category. While I've never put Batman's archenemy the Joker in this category before as he's just too mean and violent in his capers, this manga series by Kodansha may cause me to rethink my earlier analysis of the Clown Prince of Crime.

The idea of having Batman transformed into a baby is a concept that I am sure happened during the Bill Finger/Dick Sprang era. However, that de-aging of the Caped Crusader was more than likely an imaginary story or the work of that good intentioned imp, Batmite. No matter what the reason, that transformation was done with a humorous slant and wasn't a permanent thing. 

In Joker: One Operation Joker, not only is Batman's stint as Batbaby a long-term event, (Volume 2 begins a year after the Dark Knight's encounter with similar chemicals that altered the Joker), this story sees the Joker raising the infant as his own. In the Joker's mind, if he can raise the Batbaby back into the symbol of justice that Batman is, it will prove that righteousness is a flawed social concept.

To help the Joker in his endeavor is Harley Quinn, who poses as Batbaby's mom. One of the Joker's chief henchmen is giving him pointers on being a working dad. Plus, the villain is turning to social media for tips on how to navigate the subways and streets of Gotham. Expecting the citizens of Gotham to ostracize him, the Joker is learning that it's a metropolis full of angels... And that sort of care for one's fellow man is driving the Joker batty!

You might wonder how people are interacting with the Joker without the slightest fear he's going to massacre them. Turns out that without his makeup and typical purple garb, the Joker looks like an albino with dyed green hair. And with so many punks and hipsters in Gotham City, nobody blinks twice at some random dad with chartreuse bangs and wearing an occupied baby carrier.

As wacky and off-the-wall the concept of this story is, I am enjoying it. I applaud DC being willing to allow a manga publisher carte blanche in making a story as unexpected as One Operation Joker. It's a breath of fresh air that has been missing from the rather stale ideas DC Comics America has been churning out. I think fans want something new and unexpected and that's definitely what you will get from writer Satoshi Miyagawa. If you're needing those nostalgic nods to the vast 80 years plus of Joker and Batman lore, you'll get that from artist Keisuke Gotou,

As implausible as it seems that the Joker would decide to stifle his impulse in killing a defenseless baby Batman and instead raise him as his son, I want to know how this story ends with volume 3. While I was able to get volumes 1 and 2 at my local library, it looks like I'm going to have to purchase book 3. Not sure why my library does this. But it's a tad annoying. I'll be more than just a tad annoyed if I learn that this whole non-canonical story turns out to be a dream of the Joker's or something imaginary.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Joker: One Operation Joker, Vol. 1 (2025 Comic Book & Graphic Novel Reading Challenge)

After falling into a similar vat of chemicals that changed the Joker into the madman he is today, Batman reverts into the form of a baby. The Clown Prince of Crime is tempted to just kill the child but he sees a greater chance at revenge by becoming the tyke's father and raising him as his son. The Joker feels that it would be a moment of great irony if someone as sick and twisted as the Joker could raise Batman into becoming a symbol of justice. 

However, raising a one-year old isn't all it's cracked up to be and it's eating into the Joker's day job as a master criminal. Hopefully, the Joker can get the child he calls 'Batbaby' into a premium daycare so the fiend can resume plotting his numerous heists. It costs a lot of money to keep a toddler in diapers and with all the sleepless nights and new found responsibility, Mr. J's bank account is just about at zero.

Joker: One Operation Joker was originally a 21-chapter manga that ran in the pages of Morning KC. Published by Kodansha under an agreement with DC Comics, the series appeared sporadically from 2021 until about early 2023. It was written by Satoshi Miyagawa (Space Battleship Tiramisu). The art is by Keisuke Gotou (sometimes spelled Goto), who is perhaps better known as the voice of Beni in the 2014 anime series DRAMAtical Murder and it's subsequent video game spin-off.

While not officially canon, Joker: One Operation Joker culls from over 80 years of Joker appearances in comics, television and movies. For example, in the first chapter, the staircase the Joker uses to exit the Gotham City subway are the very steps Joaquin Phoenix dances on in 2019's Joker. Even if you're not a big fan of manga, fans of the Joker and DC Comics will enjoy the many, many Easter eggs hidden throughout this paperback edition that contains chapters 1-7.

Don't be fooled into thinking that because this story is set in Gotham City, that it is not a traditional manga. This book is very much Japanese in terms of both the art style and the culture. The process the Joker must go through to get Batbaby into daycare is based on Japan's points system that is determined by an applying family's financial hardship and other social factors. Also, like a traditional manga, this book has to be read from right to left.

The entire Joker manga storyline was published in 3 volumes and all 21 chapters can be accessed through the DC Universe Infinite website. 

Completing this review completes Task #35 (A Manga Work) of the 2025 Comic Book and Graphic Novel Reading Challenge.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

DC's Batman Smells, Robin Laid an Egg #1

This year's annual holiday special from DC Comics is rather unusual. For one thing, they embraced the classic parodying of Jingle Bells with a cover and title that confirms that the Dark Knight indeed has odor issues.

Other than the cover, and a couple of cameos by millionaire Bruce Wayne, Batman doesn't star in any of the octet of Christmas stories in this book. But even odder is the complete absence of Harley Quinn. Is she no longer the darling of DC? And if you're looking for Poison Ivy who appears on the cover, you're out of luck. And the egg laying Damien Wayne only appears in a couple of panels at the beginning of one story.

The rundown of the holiday heroics are as follows:

• John Stewart teams with a substitute Santa when the Toyman steals the famed bag of toys from St. Nick's sleigh.
• John Constantine must save a woman targeted by death at midnight. However, it's magic that will save her but a kiss under the mistletoe by the Hellblazer.
• An old flame reappears in Vixen's life. With a reunion date set for Christmas, she has 12 days to find her old flame the perfect gift.
• Deadman comes across a Pennsylvanian mining town in need of a Christmas miracle after the local mine experiences a cave-in.
• The Secret Six introduces Bane to the concept of Secret Santa.
• The Joker gets a chance to see what Gotham City would be like if he was never born, with the Jason Todd Robin playing the role of the angel Clarence.
• Doctor Mid-Nite tries to help a down on their luck family during the holidays. But it might be his day job as a noted physician that saves the day.
• After an encounter with a different Toyman, Superman finds his entire body glowing like Rudolph on steroids. Watch as the Man of Steel runs through his gambit of foes to discover the source behind his illuminating predicament.

I liked that some of the lesser rans such as Doctor Mid-Nite and the Secret Six got a chance to shine. John Stewart's tale was adorable and I got a great kick out of the Joker's Christmas Carol. DC really wants Vixen to jump up to A-list status. This is like her 3rd appearance in a Christmas special in I think 4 years.

Major kudos to the Superman story which took inspiration from one of my personal favs, Superman: The Animated Series.

Every story was well written. But the art varied and most of it was not good. This was probably the least preachy holiday special issued by DC in decades. This was also the most Christmasy of the Christmas specials done in this modern format by the publisher EVER! Neither Hanukkah, Diwali, Kwanzaa or Ramadan is celebrated in any of these tales. Only Christmas! It really makes me wonder if DC is trying to stay under the radar of the incoming administration or is this the calm before the storm? Will next year's holiday special aim to skewer our returning President or is DC going to try and re-patch severed relationships with it's older readers, since they're the ones with the most expendable income?

These holiday specials are usually touchstones for the direction that the House That Superman Built is heading in the coming year. But I'm kinda flummoxed considering how uncontroversial this 80-page giant was. Not complaining. Just not sure what to expect next from DC...

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Team-Ups of the Brave and the Bold

You don't have to have read the previous 26 issues of this 2010's modern version of DC's flagship team-up franchise, The Brave and the Bold. I didn't know this for a while. That's why I sat on this book for so long. Once I realized that unlike how the series opened with a story line of Batman and Green Lantern alternating pairings with other heroes to find the Book of Destiny, these stories were all self-contained. 

The Team-Ups of the Brave and the Bold contains 7 stories written by J. Michael Straczynski as a last ditch attempt to revitalize the sagging series. Despite the superior writing of Straczynski and the awesome artwork of Jesus Saiz, it just wasn't enough to save this series from cancellation.

The following team-ups in the book includes:

• Robbie Baldwin losing his Hero dial during a family trip to Batman's hometown, Gotham City.
• The Atom goes on a 'fantastic journey' inside the brain of the Joker during a delicate surgery.
• During a science experiment on the speed of light in Belgium, the Flash is sent back in time to assist the pilots of Blackhawk squadron during the Battle of the Bulge.
• Batman investigates the legend of the 60s era Frankenstein monster known as Brother Power, the Geek.
• Wonder Woman and Zatanna take Batgirl on a much needed girl's night out.
• Aquaman and the Demon join forces to stop an Eldritch horror from the deep from conquering the world!

I love a team-up title and while I am a fan of the original Batman The Brave and the Bold collection of books, I like that the Dark Knight isn't the focus of the title here. The Atom's story offers a look at the troubled childhood of the boy who would become the Clown Prince of Crime. It was a chilling work. The Aquaman/Demon story also had hints of horror to it. If you ever wondered what it would be like if H.P. Lovecraft wrote a comic book, you'd have your answer here.

The Flash story was powerful. I can't believe it wasn't written by Joe Kubert with artwork by Brian Bolland. I also was enamored with the title's swan song starting Barbara Gordon. Here I am missing her carefree pre-Killing Joke days when hot with the fact that the events of this story will cause that tragedy to occur! And the Dial H for Hero story was a nostalgic tribute to a great premise that just never got it's proper due.

If you ask me, that Brother Power, the Geek story was unnecessary. Though the way that story ended set up for an exciting storyline that I would pay good money to read. It's just a shame that DC gave up faith in J. Michael Straczynski's writing talents. 

This book is really a beautiful tribute to some of the best eras of DC Comics. There's sci-fi, war, horror, wacky gimmicks and above all love. Love for a good story full of amazing things never before seen and love for the loyal readers.

Highly underrated stuff!

Worth Consuming!

Rating 8 out of 10 stars.

DC Silent Tales #1

Less is not always more important in this experimental comic book. Gustavo Duarte's Silent Tales was originally published as a series of 6 digital comics under the banner DC's Speechless! None of these stories have words, with exception of the occasional sign in the background like for an exit from a building or a banner declaring items inside a store are on sale. Being essentially a pantomime, this very much is an experiment. Sadly, I didn't feel like the results of the half dozen tales had a success that was replicable.

Here's what on store in this issue without giving away too much of the plots:

• Harley Quinn takes on a DIY project.
• Cyborg looks to relax at Titans Tower with his latest record store find.
• Zatanna adopts a very hungry rabbit.
• Superman learns why it's important to separate his laundry under the categories of whites, colors and radioactive.
• The Joker partakes in some art appreciation under the watchful eye of Commissioner Gordon and the Batman.
• Intergalactic bounty hunter Lobo goes treasure hunting against a band of Nazi vampires!

Let me back that up. Nazi vampires. Vampires that happen to be demonic disciples of the Third Reich! Versus Lobo! Why hasn't DC Comics done a DC Horror series based on this idea?!

Silent Tales wasn't without good ideas. It's just proof that words are important. We live in a society that is obsessed with emojis and text speak. This book proves that comics need words and dialogue just as much as they need pictures. I like Gustavo Duarte. His artwork in Bizarro, the road trip adventure with Jimmy Olsen was so fun. That's why I wanted to buy this 2023 one shot. Unfortunately, the stories in this book are far from superior to his previous work because some of the details get lost without those oh so important words. (To be fair, Duarte didn't write Bizarro. Heath Corson did and that might have something to do with the better storytelling.)

Still, Duarte's art was fantastic as usual. So whimsical. Quite funny. He's a master of caricature. And those creative Ideas. I'm game to read more future works by Gustavo Duarte. But the emphasis has to be on the word 'read'. We live in the age of talkies!

As for DC Comics - please keep taking digital works and giving them the paper treatment. Each trial might not be a success. But for those of us who love the floppy, please don't keep us in the digital dark. 

And please, make that Lobo against the Nazi vampires miniseries a reality... PLEASE!

Rating: 6 out of 10 stars.

Super Powers #5

The first Super Powers miniseries comes to a close with a double sized spectacular not just plotted by written and illustrated by the King, Jack Kirby!

First, the Justice League find themselves along with their biggest foes attached to a gigantic machine designed to sap their powers in order to fuel Darkseid's war machine. Then a forgotten New God frees both the heroes and villains, placing them in Brainiac's vessel in a final counterattack against Darkseid's forces. Add in a time warp or two. A look at the Metropolis of the year 10,000. Boom! You've got one heck of a great finale to a story that was really having a rough start.

My favorite part was having Lex Luthor, Brainiac, Joker and Penguin becoming good guys. I love how it's okay if they try to take over the world. But if someone else from another galaxy tries to do it then it's game on for becoming a hero. To see Batman and the Joker not just working together, but complementing each other- AS FRIENDS! It's just bizarre. Something that I've never seen before. 

I Love it!

Actually, I have kinda seen it before. In the final episode of Justice League Unlimited, the Justice League combines forces with the members of the Secret Society of Super-Villains to repel the onslaught of Darkseid and Apokolips. I thought that episode was great, especially with the ending where after defeating Darkseid, Batman rewards the baddies for their heroic efforts with a 5 minute head start before the Justice League apprehends them. That doesn't quite happen here. But thanks to Kirby's deft touch, the last couple of pages were things of beauty.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

Super Powers #3

Brainiac finally arrives on Earth to enact his plan of global dominance thanks to those new powers he's been given by Darkseid's disciples. Wonder Woman has become leader of the Amazonian army, driven blood thirsty thanks to Brainiac's de-evolution ray and the women warriors have begun an invasion of Earth. The plan looks to be working. That is until the combined forces of the remaining active members of the Justice League arrive on the scene. 

But wasn't Batman, Robin, Hawkman and Superman imprisoned into an endless limbo conjured by the Joker? Well, yes- they were. However, the woman Superman thought to be Lois Lane was actually the Joker's new therapist in disguise. With seemingly endless time on her hands, the doctor has managed to do something nobody thought possible: she's cured the Clown Prince of Crime! Unable to deal with the prospect of being in his right mind, the Joker ends the torture and banishment of the heroes, thus granted them a chance to defeat Wonder Woman's forces. 

This was definitely a predicament I didn't see coming. It can only come from the mind of Jack Kirby who never was afraid to play around with conventional norms. I could just see someone like Julius Schwartz or Dick Giordano telling the King that he couldn't make the Joker sane and Kirby's response was 'Just you watch me!' I'm not sure where the next issue is going to wrap things up. I remember owning and trying to read them as a 7 year old kid, this Super Powers miniseries. Kirby's work has always been high school level work and I remember just not enjoying it as much as I thought I should. But now as a middle-aged adult who has come to appreciate Kirby's genius, I've been enjoying giving this book a second try. I don't remember a lot of what I've been reading and despite some uneven plotting, I've thought the art and most of the plot have been quite good. 

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Super Powers #2

After seeing success in the previous issue, Lex Luthor and the Penguin both get greedy in exerting their new powers over their foes in the Justice League and wind up failing miserably. (They've both now been marooned to a neither dimension, awaiting their fate based on their defeats.) Brainiac hasn't yet gotten to Earth yet, so the jury is still out on his performance with powers on loan from Darkseid.

The Joker is the only villain earning the praises of Darkseid's quartet of warriors. Having banished Batman, Robin and Hawkman to limbo, where they are being tortured, the fractured brain of the Clown Prince of Crime seems ideal for the many torments he's subjected his arch enemies to. But he might have gone too far in adding Superman and Lois Lane to the mix!

Of the 8 heroic members of the original Super Powers line-up, once again, Wonder Woman is noticeably absent from the action. Brainiac plans to use her as the generalissimo of an Amazonian army that will take over the world in order to ready our planet for Darkseid's arrival. Brainiac is present on maybe 2 pages of this book. 3 tops. But he's a passive player at the moment. Princess Diana appears in maybe 1 panel of those pages. Of a 24 page book! 

I know that Wonder Woman is going to feature heavily in the next issue. But is her absence from the first half of this miniseries been due to saving up for her big scene? Or was Jack Kirby, Joey Cavalieri OR BOTH, just not a big fan of Wonder Woman? 

So far, things have been really uneven in this, the first Super Powers miniseries. The key to the success of predecessor comic Justice League of America was equally splitting the team up into equitable sequences of action. We're 50% through this story and so far only 75% of the villains and 87.5% of the heroes have done enough to earn a participation trophy in terms of progressing the plot. I remember not being a fan of this series as a kid, considering how great the toy line and the mini comics were. I'm at a loss as to why things don't seem to be pandering out so well, especially since this is a Kirby production.

Maybe it gets better in the third act.

Rating: 5 out of 10 stars.

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

While Jack Kirby created a sizable chunk of the mythos of the comic book industry, he was not very well compensated for it. Some of that was because of how poorly comic book creators were paid for their work. That was the result of being employed in a young industry that didn't have copyright protections yet built in for its workers. A bit was due to poor business arrangements made by Kirby himself, as he was constantly trying to provide for his wife and children. Getting fast bored on his projects didn't help matters for Kirby much either. Sadly, a large portion was because others publicly proclaimed themselves the sole creative genius behind the characters that were like childhood friends to comic book collectors such as myself. 

1984's Super Powers Collection was one of the few times in Jack Kirby's illustrative career that he received both royalties and long overdue credit for some of his DC Comics creations. While the original team of villains were Brainiac, Lex Luthor, The Penguin and The Joker, both DC and toy manufacturer Kenner sought to add some heft to the toy line. However, the majority of Generation X kids weren't very familiar with Darkseid and his Apokolips cronies. Aside from a 1982 story arc starring the Legion of Super-Heroes, Darkseid hadn't really made that many appearances in comics since Kirby left DC in 1975.

Needing to get kids introduced to the New Gods characters, DC Comics released the first of 3 mini series devoted to the Super Powers Collection toy line produced by Kenner. In the first issue, Darkseid oversees a battle royale of his best foot soldiers. The quartet that remains are dubbed on the cover of this issue as 'The Disciples of Doom.' These fighters are given portions of the leader of Apokolips' power and ordered to invade Earth. 

To claim Earth in the name of Darkseid will not be an easy task as a band of super heroes led by Superman and Batman protects the planet from threats both terrain and extraterrestrial. Each newly empowered warrior selects an arch enemy of the Justice League to carry out their invasion orders. Lex Luthor is given the power to manipulate time. The Penguin gets the ability to control birds and to control minds; whereas the Joker is allowed to alter reality in his own warped image. The fourth villain bestowed new abilities is Brainiac. He is tempted with the chance to devolve a population into their most bestial selves in hopes that they might conquer the world through brutal force. However, the android baddie is in another solar system and cannot enact his part of Darkseid's plan until he re-enters Earth's atmosphere.

The first wave of Super Powers had 12 action figures total. 11 of those characters have active parts in the first issue. Wonder Woman is shown as part of Brainiac's plan to conquer Earth, as the race selected for the robot's experiment are the Amazons of Paradise Island. Other than a single page of hypothetical, the Themysciran Princess is notably absent from this issue.

Jack Kirby penciled the cover and crafted the plot which Joey Cavalieri scripted. Adrian Gonzales' pencils were inked by Pablo Marcos. Ben Oda lettered. 

Essentially a 24-page promotional comic for the Kenner line, the inside cover features a full color ad of the original 12 figure line-up with an action shot of a Superman action figure punching the lights out of an illustrated Lex Luthor in his iconic green and purple armor. 

Completing this review completes Task #27 (Based on a Toy Line) of the 2024 Comic Book and Graphic Novel Reading Challenge.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

Batman: Second Chances

Jason Todd. 

The second sidekick of the Dark Knight. One of the most controversial characters in comic book history. He's like the celery of DC Comics as you either love him or hate him... and most despise him!

I decided to give Jason Todd another look with the purchase of this collection of stories from the late 80s. Featuring writing by Max Allan Collins, Jim Starlin and Jo Duffy, Batman: Second Chances covers the retooled origin of the character that was sorely missing from his 1983 debut. And this is where I think a lot of readers hated Jason Todd. 

See, Jason just kinda got thrust on readers as being the new Robin in Batman #368 after having basically appeared in a couple of cameos nearly a year prior. Jason Todd was replacing Dick Grayson, whose role on the 1960s Batman TV series made the young ward a household name. Never mind the fact that Dick Grayson had moved on from being Batman's partner years before. Here's a kid replacing a legend. A youth who is a little cocky, a bit brash, and kinda rude taking over the role of America's favorite teen sidekick without so much as a thank you and it ticked fans off. 

I think DC Comics kinda realized that fans were unhappy with Jason Todd. So after Frank Miller's Batman: Year One storyline retooled the origins of Bruce Wayne for a more modern audience, Max Allan Collins sets his sights on giving Jason Todd a formal introduction into the Batman Family while giving readers the must desired reason for the fallout between the Caped Crusader and Dick Grayson. 

Though the title was never officialled renamed, editors rebranded the Caped Crusader's solo title as Batman: The New Adventures. Here we learn that during one of Batman's annual visits to Crime Alley, the area of Gotham in which Thomas and Martha Wayne were murdered, someone had the brass balls to steal the tires off of the Batmobile. The thief is none other than the orphan street rat, Jason Todd. 

Not even old enough to drive and this kid steals from the Batman! This kind of bravado impresses Batman. Working out a deal, Batman gets Jason set up with a halfway house. However, the program ends up being a front for organized crime a la Fagin and his pickpockets in Oliver Twist. Only much more violent. When that placement falls through, Bruce Wayne takes in Jason Todd and a new Boy Wonder is shortly christened. 

Despite a new origin and a blessing from Dick Grayson to Jason as being his heir appearant, time was short for the new Robin. By mid-1988, Jason's fate was left up to readers to call a 1-900 number to decide if the Joker would kill the new Boy Wonder in an explosion or merely mangle him a little. More readers called in to kill Jason Todd, beating out those who wanted to save him by less than 100 votes. I remember my house voted. But I don't remember if my dad was one of Jason's executioners or saviors. I know I wanted Robin to die. But my father often would do the opposite of what I wanted in his own Joker-like sadistic way...

Did Jason Todd really deserve all that hatred? Based on the stories in this book: no. Max Allan Collins and Jim Starlin do a decent job making him an agreeable sort of fellow. I'm guessing it's the Jason Todd from 1983-86 that got on reader's nerves and sent the lad into an early grave.

And sure- Jason Todd is back alive. It wouldn't be comic books if the characters didn't return from the beyond once and a while. This Jason who goes around as the ultra-violent Red Hood, is a fan favorite among many. Readers love how as the Red Hood, Jason Todd will cross lines that the rest of the Batman Family refuse to even toe. But me, I am a purist. I prefer Jason as a carefree kid, trying to make the best of a new life, even though on the other side of the comic book page, unknown readers were making plans to kill him. 

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

The Batman/Judge Dredd Collection

The 1990s was the cross-publication crossover era. After a brief blip in the late 70s, the DC and Marvel universes went through most of the 1980s without the two sides ever meeting. Then in the 90s with Marvel facing bankruptcy, the worlds of the two big publishers collided. Not to be outdone, the major indy publishers followed suit. Shi meet Daredevil. The Ninja Turtles meet Savage Dragon. And Batman meet everyone!

That's how the DC Universe came to meet the citizens of Mega City One!

In Judgment on Gotham, a futuristic piece of tech transports the feared Judge Death to Gotham City. In a melee with Death, the Batman gets his hand on the dimensional warping gadget and finds himself in Mega City One facing down the one and only Judge Dredd! Meanwhile, back in Gotham, Judge Death forms an unholy alliance with the Scarecrow! 

Vendetta in Gotham sees Judge Dredd in Batman's backyard and he's come with a sentence on the Dark Knight- a death sentence! 

The story Die Laughing is supposed to be the next story. According to the ending of Vendetta in Gotham, that's where things wrap up. Yet, for some reason, The Ultimate Riddle came next. It has Batman, The Riddler and Judge Dredd enslaved by a powerful being who has joined the mightiest fighters in the galaxy in a no holds barred battle royale.

Vendetta in Gotham wraps things up with the Joker joining forces with the Dark Judges in Mega City One! 

Finally, the last Czarnian, Lobo is hired to protect an intergalactic children's host who happens to get kidnapped by the mutants of Mega City One. The story was a wild ride. What would you expect from a 1990s era Lobo story? Not sure why this one was added to a collection of Batman/Judge Dredd crossovers. But I am glad it was. Now if we could get a Lobo/Deadpool crossover!

5 amazing adventures. The level of violence, gore and naked flesh would make this a Vertigo property. But I guess DC saw a cash cow and thought they'd lose sales and they might of! I'm sure 2000AD didn't care one bit. But this is definitely not something for all ages. Maybe not mature audiences only type stuff. But please don't buy this for your under 11 years old Batman fans!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

The Batman & Scooby-Doo! Mysteries #2 (Family Comic Friday)

I got behind this week. As a result, I'm digging into my stack of books I haven't had a chance to review for today's Family Comic Friday. 

I'm going to a personal fav for this one. It's got Batman. It's got Scooby-Doo. And it's got mysteries galore! Let's take a look at an early issue of The Batman & Scooby-Doo Mysteries.

In this issue, a ghost has taken up residence inside the Batcave. Could a real spirit have been unleashed into the Dark Knight's inner sanctum? Or even worse- has somebody discovered the location of the Caped Crusader's secret lair? With Scooby-Doo and Mystery Inc. on the scene, plus Robin, Batman will get to the bottom of this mystery for sure!

The Batman & Scooby-Doo Mysteries is a 12-issue maxi-series. It's solidly in the vein of a previous favorite series of mine- Scooby-Doo Team-Up. Only we explore the long history of Mystery Inc. and the Batman Family. In the first issue, Scooby and the gang went back in time to the days of just before Bruce Wayne became Batman. While it had a bunch of 1950s era Batman nostalgia, it was lacking something. 

While I still haven't figured out everything issue #1 was missing, I did put my finger on one thing. The great Sholly Fisch was not the writer of that premier offering. Thankfully, Fisch is back. But regular team-up art partner Dario Brizuela isn't. Yet, with the art of Randy Elliott, it's an adequate substitute. Elliott has the mystery gang down pat having illustrated many, many issues of Scooby-Doo, Where Are You?. His Batman is classic DC. Robin looks more like Bruce Timm's version from Batman: The Animated Series. It was all very good.

I also liked the twist to this story. It felt very Batman '66. I don't want to ruin the surprise but I think Randy Elliott spoiled it with the cover. I just won't dig too deep into the Joker's role in this clever detective comic. 

While there are only 2 issues left in this series to hit store shelves, a Volume 1, collecting issues 1-6, is currently available. If the young reader if your life hated to see Scooby-Doo Team-Up disappear, this is the replacement series you've been needing. I just hope when this series ends that another round of Scooby parings will be forthcoming in comics form real soon!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Showcase Presents World's Finest, Volume 1

Presenting some of the most off-the-wall adventures starring the Man of Steel, the Caped Crusader and the Boy Wonder. Aliens, love-sick dames, giant robots and rather unusual new teammates to the trio of heroes make up the list of opponents faced by the World's Finest. 

This black and white collection also contains the first ever meeting between Batman and Superman from the pages of Superman. The original Batwoman, Kathy Kane, attempts to shatter the glass ceiling in competition with Batman and The Man of Tomorrow. Lastly, in an all-time classic, The Joker and Lex Luthor join forces against their arch-enemies.

But where's Superman's Pal, Jimmy Olsen? The cub reporter was an integral part of the World's Finest issues of my father's that I used to read by the literal trunk-load as a kid. Jimmy and Robin would often have a generational gap competition in the pages of this DC Comics team-up. Not having the ginger teen in these stories is just rather weird to me. Perhaps he'll pop up in volume 2...

One unforgivable disappointment is the overuse of plots. Yes, with comic books, being nearly a century old, it's nearly impossible to not reuse plot lines. But to have so many repeat plot lines less than a year apart in time; things got predictable quick. Maybe if I was a reader in the mid-1950s approaching these as they were published on a bi-monthly basis, I wouldn't have noticed the lack of imagination. But I doubt it.

Still, this was a great collection of 1950s DC stories. Their naive optimism was a nice transition from the bleakness of the Atomic Knight and Great Disaster stories that I had been reading prior to this archive of Golden Age works.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

Joker: Year of the Villain One-Shot

Joker stories are getting to be a dime a dozen. He is perhaps the most popular Batman villain of them all. Thus DC Comics is putting out tons of stories about the Clown Prince of Crime ad nauseam. I am sure that the average Joker fan feels that those stories are so amazing. And I will admit that the role reversal of the Batman: White Knight storyline does seem to have some originality to it. But the majority of the Joker stories being produced these days just seem interested in diving deep into the Joker's psyche and getting as violent as possible. It just doesn't make sense to spend full price on stuff that's going to be in the dollar bin next year.

So why did I buy this Year of the Villain one-shot at original price? That's easy! Two words: John Carpenter!

Having the legendary director, who by many is considered more of a modern master of horror than Stephen King, take on Batman's most deranged enemy was so intriguing to me. I just had to know what the Halloween creator was going to do with the Joker. 

In this story, Carpenter focuses on one of the Joker's henchmen. Thus, you really get to see Joker at his most insane and in this one-shot, that has Joker and adjutant taking on the roles of Batman and Robin. Of course, the villain has a warped way of seeing vigilante justice. Murderers an thieves are off the hook. But if you are a jaywalker or don't pick up after your dog makes on the sidewalk- beware this antithesis of The Bat!

Jon Carpenter's story was unique but not really different. I remember that classic 1960s story in which the Joker made his own versions of Batman's utility belt. But Joker didn't really try to go on the 'straight and narrow' with his gadgets. I was also rather unhappy with the ending. It's too open-ended. However, I would not be surprised if the henchman and some other characters introduced in this book might pop up in a future issue of Batman/Detective Comics or even a sequel one-shot. 

A good story that is at times quite creepy. Not the definitive Joker tale. But I also don't think that this story is over yet. Thus, I will rate it slightly higher that I might normally.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

New Year's Evil #1

For DC Comics, 2019 was the Year of the Villain.

The title of this holiday special is a throwback to a series of 1998 one-shots that were devoted to the villains. So I very much appreciated DC's throwback to that lineup of dastardly specials. True, the villainy of 21 years ago wasn't nowhere near as evil as the acts that has occurred throughout the Year of the Villain. But still, I'm a sucker for nostalgia. 

In this 80-page giant, fans will celebrate the holiday season with a number of bad guys including the calculating Calendar Man, the intoxicating Poison Ivy and the merry Prankster AND Toyman! (Sadly, those two didn't have a team-up story together! I would have paid an extra $1 just for that!)

Of course, this wouldn't be a special about antagonists without that Clown Prince Cover Boy, The Joker! His New Year Eve story about an impostor Joker terrorizing Gotham was probably the best story! ANDDDDDDD... it wouldn't be a DC holiday special without a story that features DC's other cash cow, Harley Quinn!

I'm not complaining about that. Her story that guest stars Renee Montoya was quite lighthearted and heartwarming. And I love Harley Quinn. I'm just saying that if you thought DC could overlook the Joker's Ex-girlfriend even though this is a holiday title devoted to villains and Harley is more of an anti-hero- well then you'd be wrong! 

You can't have villains without heroes. Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman have prominent roles in this special that features 8 different stories. But that's about all for the champions. I don't recall appearances from The Flash, Green Lantern or anybody else. Yes- the villains really shine here!

This was the last holiday special I read for 2019. Being more set at New Year's than Christmas, Hanukkah or Kwanzaa, I waited until after almost right at the turn of the year/decade to read this. 

You know now that I think about it, Hanukkah might have been mentioned but it was never observed in this special. Kwanzaa wasn't even thought about!  A couple of non-traditional holidays were part of some of the stories (and no- I am not counting the made-up holiday by an alien race in the Sinestro story), but I would have liked a story set at Diwali or a Krampus style adventure. 

I have no problem with other holidays than Christmas. And holiday comics are quite interesting when they look at how Winter is celebrated nationwide. Why, I'll even say Happy Holidays sometimes. But I will never deviate from calling December 25th anything but Christmas! So as long as DC never gets afraid to refer to Christmas as only X-Mas and only by that term, I'll have no problem with the House That Superman Built delving into international and non-Christian holiday waters! 

If any of the powers that be over at DC read this review- let's see some global flare next year! I really think it's needed to keep these festive reads, which I adore and look forward to so much,  relevant and fresh!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Harley Quinn 25th Anniversary Special #1

Have you ever found a book and you know that you've read it but you got zero clue how you wound  up with it? That's the case with this book.  

I'm a huge fan of Harley Quinn and I am an original fan. September 11th, 1992: I was watching Batman: The Animated Series expecting a typical Joker episode of the show, when this pixie pops up on screen for just a few short minutes. At that point, the Batman Family forever changed and I became one of the first members of the Gang of Harleys.

All that being said, I really can't remember when I bought this book!!!

In this tribute to the Jokers (EX-) Girlfriend, Harley has a host of adventures. First, she takes the Gotham City Sirens to Sin City and parties in a way only Harls and her girls could. Then BFFs Harley and Ivy are tasked with an important mission by the master of the Green, Swamp Thing! We also get a glimpse of Harley's days are Joker's side piece as she faces celebrating her birthday along. Lastly, it's a battle of sidekicks as Harley takes on Robin in a story that reflects her inner struggle to be a baddie with a heart. 

This was a wonderful collection of stories celebrating one of my all-time favorite looneys. I am a huge fan of crazy characters from The Tick to Deadpool and everything in between. I think it's because I struggle with depression and anxiety; sometimes at the same time. When I see heroic characters dealing with mental health issues, I think it normalizes an otherwise very abnormal life. Harley Quinn is definitely one of those characters that has given me both a lot of laughs and a lot to reflect on.

Many thanks to character creator, Paul Dini for giving us Harls! Kudos to Jimmy Palmiotti and Amanda Conner for the amazing job they've done over the past several years with her! 

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 10 out of 10 stars!

Batman: The TV Stories

The 1966 Batman series redefined the Caped Crusader. Despite the ultra-camp factor of the TV series, the show has endured as a fan favorite for over 50 years! 

This DC Comics collection features about a dozen stories that either influenced or were influenced by the ABC live-action series. Featuring The Riddler, Penguin and The Joker, almost all of your favorite villains are here! Sorry- no Catwoman. But this volume does contain the origin of the Barbara Gordon Batgirl and the first appearance of Mister Freeze using his original moniker, Mr. Zero. 

Some of these stories are sheer genius. Others are quite mad or madcap. You definitely can see the influences regardless. 

Speaking of influences, I love the Amanda Conner tribute cover!

With art and stories by Jerry Robinson, Bill Finger, Carmine Infantino and many more, this is a great way of getting to read the stories that inspired a cult classic without having to pay collector's prices.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Harley Quinn Volume 4: Vengeance Unlimited

This volume of Harley Quinn sees a new creative team of A.J. Lieberman, Mike Huddleston and Troy Nixey. With this new team Harley Quinn becomes dark--- very dark.

First Harley creates for herself a new persona and begins seeing patients again. As she unlocks her patients inner-most secrets, Harley becomes the target of a killer with a penchant for puzzles.

Then Harley takes on a gig that will net her a nice nest egg. Only, the target she's meant to obtain is a young orphan. As a devil Harley and an angel Harleen perch themselves on the shoulders of the Joker's ex-girlfriend, will Quinn listen to her heart or her checkbook?

I was okay with the change of tone. And I find it quite odd. I hate it when Deadpool gets crapped on. Yet I am strangely okay with it when the crap hits the fan for Harley. I have nothing but love for Harley Quinn. I think (MAYBE) the reason why I'm not so fazed by it is that I know that such tragedy is important for the villainess to escape her abusive relationship from the Joker.

One thing that bothered me to no end was that there was this great story set up involving the Joker, Harley and her new beau, a police detective. Supposedly, Harley was going to use the cop to pull off a heist of drug money. Yet, by the next issue, this plot line is completely abandoned. Man, that irks me!!!

A very good look at the pain and sufferings of Harley Quinn. Now that I've read all of this series, it's on to find the next collection of stories starring the Maid of Mischief!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Harley Quinn, Volume 1: Preludes and Knock-Knock Jokes

A businessman seeks to turn Gotham City into the next vacation destination. His plan is to infringe of the copyrights of the Batman's Rogues Gallery and freely use their likenesses in a villain themed theme park. Upset that he wasn't asked, the Joker seeks to get the permission and respect he fells that he is due.

Feigning illness, the Clown Prince of Crime manipulates his gal pal Harley Quinn to do his dirty work for him. The Joker really just wants to get her out of his hair.  But with this new batch of responsibility, Harley starts to feel independent and gains a new sense of worth-while. Thus starts the beginning of the end of the relationship of Harley and her Puddin'.

I was very excited about finding the volumes that reprint this entire first series devoted to the Joker's girlfriend. I've been a Harley Quinn fan since day one and I really want any and everything of her's in terms of comic books and trades. These are among some of the most difficult and not cheapest ones to find.

The Final Night's Karl Kesel does a really excellent job here. I thought only Paul Dini was able to write definitive Harley Quinn stories. I can now add Kesel to that list. 

As for the art, I was really impressed with the work by husband and wife team Terry and Rachel Dodson. They add a very soft ink whimsy to Harley. It's a stark contrast to Bruce Timm's very sharp curves used in Batman: The Animated Series. Yet, the Dodson touch works!

Volume One was a wild ride. I can't wait to see where volume 2 goes next!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Harley Quinn: Harley Loves Joker #1

Paul Dini returns to the character he knows best- Harley Quinn! This miniseries is supposed to be a sequel to the classic 1994 story Mad Love. But I really don't know where this book is in any way a sequel.

What I do know is that Harley is in a lot of debt to the Neverland Gang and has less than a week to pay it back. To do this, Harley and her Puddin’, The Joker need to score a major heist. Yet, there's a new player to the Gotham underworld that keeps getting in the way- as well as all the loot!

The story itself is really good. Just as only Nixon should go to China, Harley Quinn should only be written by Dini!

I don't quite know what to think about the artwork. Bret Blevins’ art starts out in this issue very neat and clean. But his drawing quality really deteriorates over the progression of the first chapter. Was Blevins pressed for time with the deadline? Did he get a hand cramp? Was he just bored with the project?

I really don't know. But it really was a distraction. Hopefully issue #2 will be better. More than that, I really hope I see the connection between this story and Mad Love!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.