Action Comics, Volume 1: Superman and the Men of Steel (New 52)

   So I finally broke down and decided to read some of the Superman New 52 books. It only took me 4 years to do it. But with the new reboot to the DC Universe called Convergence due out this month, I felt it was finally time to give this book a try.

   This is not your dad's Superman. This isn't even your Superman. However, writer Grant Morrison did a pretty good job crafting a new Superman that builds upon the nostalgic mythology of the Man of Steel that we all grew up with, while subtly modernizing him for the millennial crowd.

   Throughout the past year, I have been working for a comic book website as the new comics Admin for the DC books. So I've had a chance to be able to familiarize myself with some of the newer storylines of the New 52. For example, during the Forever Evil storyline we learn that Superman had just been shot in the head with a Kryptonite bullet. With that discovery, you would think it was something that was just thought up within the last year or so. However in an issue that was published four years ago, we see a time-traveling Legion of Superheroes, along with the Man of Tomorrow, attempting to save the Man of Steel from being shot with that 'silver bullet.' That means that Morrison and the DC editors had to have come up with this storyline almost 5 years ago or more. You don't see this of dedication to story craftsmanship anymore.

   The New 52 has its haters and I must admit I have been begrudgingly frozen to the idea. That doesn't mean that there haven't been any really good stories. The sweeping Batman 'City of Owls' storyline was really good and there have been some pretty decent stories such as the Black Canary/ Zatanna team-up by Paul Levita, and, of course, Forever Evil. I'm going to add Morrison's Action Comics to the list of really good New 52 books.

   I must say something about the art, however. There's just something a little off about artist Rags Morales and his rendering Superman particularly when in his secret identity of Clark Kent. Besides looking like a rejected Jack Davis sketch, the New 52 Clark looks like a 50 pound weakling with coke bottle glasses. Am I to assume that when Clark Kent dresses as Superman he somehow inflates himself with muscles? Plus the hair styles of Clark and Jimmy Olsen are ridiculous. I don't think anyone in the past 5 years with a shaggy Beatles rip-off in real life compared to those two characters.

   Speaking of Clark Kent when he becomes Superman, when the first images of the new 52 Superman were released on social media,  fans the Man of Steel protested having him dressed in a t-shirt and jeans. But, Clark has no idea about his Kryptonian heritage until the unfolding events of this story. So I must give a pass to the questionable costuming. Besides, it's a trend that is temporary, as Superman discovers an adaptable costume (similar to the unstable molecule costume of the Fantastic Four) that clothes Superman in his traditional red and blue motif during his final confrontation with Brainiac.

   Brainiac actually brings everything full circle. In this volume the villain informs Superman that the earth is but one of a few hundred worlds slated for demolition by an unknown force and his plan to shrink cities is the only way to preserve these soon to be destroyed civilizations. I was very confused when DC decided to build the Convergence reboot around Brainiac because when DC does a retool,  the Flash is usually the character the story revolves around. (With the arrival of the Flash in the 1950s it signaled the beginning of the Silver Age and the foundation of the multiverse. Flash has also played a major role in the Crisis on Infinite Earths and Flashpoint; two stories that further rebooted the DCU.) Despite the fact that it does not look like the Flash has a very big role in Convergence at this time, I find it apropos for Brainiac to be the main villain since Morrison hinted at yet another reboot  as early as issue #4 of Action.

   The level of detail in the blueprints for the New 52 books and whatever the post-Convergence DC Universe will look like has inspired me to search out new 52 titles in order to better understand the sweeping changes planned for the latest reboot. One good thing is that this book is proof that though DC wants to keep modernizing heroes for the next generation, they in no way don't have respect for over 75 years of comics history. Now willing to read more non-Batman New 52, I'm sure there will be countless more Easter Eggs and nostalgia and homages to discover in those books and I look forward to unearthing them.

Worth Consuming.

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Why I Didn't Post a Review Last Night...

Too busy cheering on the 2015 NCAA Final Four Men's National Champs!!! #GoDuke!

Daredevil, Volume 1: Devil At Bay (2014 Marvel NOW!)

   Daredevil is back with an all-new series, an all-new city, and an all-new law partner. After being disbarred in New York, Matt Murdock must move back to San Francisco if he has any hope of getting to practice law again. Though Murdock has lived in the city by the bay before, he's having a tough time adjusting to the landscape. If only San Francisco had more skyscrapers...

    Sadly, Foggy Nelson couldn't make the trip West. But it wasn't because of the cancer he battled in the previous volume. Always wanting to be the hero, Nelson finally got the chance to save the day but it cost him his life. Or did it? This is a comic book of course.

   Though Daredevil has gone through quite a few changes, one thing that stayed the same is the creative force of Mark Waid and Chris Samnee. Waid continues to write the adventures of the 'Man Without Fear' with heart, humor, and hubris. Samnee still has the pop art style that I'm a huge fan of and it's lovingly embellished once again by the great Javier Rodriguez.

   There's also a flashback story set during Murdock's move to California. It's also written by Waid and it's not a bad tale. However, the art is not by Chris Samnee and there's just something missing in the formula. It's probably why it's my least favorite offering in this volume. Otherwise, this is a near-flawless collection of new Daredevil comics.

   Worth Consuming

   Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

New Avengers, Volume 5 (2010-2013)

  

Luke Cage's tenure as leader of the New Avengers comes to an end. For the safety of his wife and baby girl, Power Man has agreed to leave the team and the Avengers Mansion. But before Luke and family can pack up the u-haul, the team's headquarters has become a crime scene. Things go from bad to worse when the bodies begin to stack up literally at the New Avengers doorstep. Now everyone on the team has moved from being a person of interest to suspect. The New Avengers better act fast as the feds and the Captain America led Avengers are moving in quick to take the team down before even more dead bodies turn up.

   The final volume of the New Avengers was a page turner. It had that comedic chemistry that many Avengers squads are missing. It had incredible moments of action and exciting adventures galore. Another thing this volume had was lots and lots of occult magic.

   Speaking of occult magic, the star of the story isn't Luke Cage. Though his impending dismissal from the team plays a large part of the plot, it's Doctor Strange whose the main focus of the story. At the beginning of this series, Strange was stripped of the title Sorceror Supreme. These final 5 issues tie up some loose ends from the series' first volume. Plus, by series end, all becomes right with the Marvel Universe by having Strange regain his cosmic destiny.

   You may think I revealed a major spoiler, but there were tons of twists and turns that I didn't even mention that I think are more shocking that Stephen Strange regaining the title of Sorcerer Supreme. Besides, I think by the middle of this series, it becomes apparent that he's going to wield the Eye of Agamatto again. It's the journey he make take that I didn't see coming.

(BTW- I'm not really a fan of Marvel's occult comics. It just a matter of personal taste. Though this volume is full of things arcane, it's not handled in an evil or menacing way. I do love a good horror comic and this book evokes those 70s Marvel horror classics. So, this was actually a fun read.)
   Worth Consuming

   Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.
   
 

Batman '66 Meets the Green Hornet

 

The year is 1967 and on ABC superhero history was made with the first live-action team-up of non-affiliated super heroes. In the two-part Batman episode, entitled  "A Piece of the Action" and "Batman's Satisfaction", the Green Hornet and his faithful valet Kato arrived in Gotham City in hopes of taking down the notorious stamp collector Colonel Gumm. Batman and Robin assume Green Hornet is a villain since in Hornet's home town he acts like a mob boss attempting to wipe out the competition. The two pairs forge an uneasy truce to take down the villain played by Roger C. Carmel (Harry Mudd of Star Trek fame.)

    Batman '66 Meets the Green Hornet is a sequel to that classic Batman series match-up. It was published jointly by DC Comics and Dynamite Comics, who currently owns the rights to the Green Hornet comic franchise. Originally a digital first comic, the book is co-written by Kevin Smith, the creative force behind Clerks and Mallrats. While Smith has written some Batman comics before, this is his first venture in the world of Batman '66. However, Smith has written several Green Hornet mini-series so it actually made perfect sense for the actor/director to write this miniseries. 

     So why does the Dynamic Duo team up again with Green Hornet and Kato? The two teams reunite when the notorious Gumm, now promoted to General, steals a train full of rare fossils. The caper turns particularly deadly when the Clown Prince of Crime, the Joker is revealed as Gumm's silent partner. When the dastardly pair rob a collection of stamps, the heroes are forced to become a team or Gotham City will be bankrupted with a $20 million lawsuit for the lost collections.

    This story was awesome. The writing was very good and without a single swear or reference to Star Wars, I cannot believe that Keven Smith wrote it. The regular covers were painted by my favorite artist of all-time, Alex Ross, with one variant by regular '66 cover artist Mike Allred. The art was also superior with amazing renderings of Adam West, Burt Ward, Caesar Romero, Van Willams, and Bruce Lee. The only actor not portrayed in comic form was Roger Carmel as Gumm. I'm wondering if his estate refused to allow his likeness to be used as Gumm's character is portrayed as being covered in an experimental adhesive much like Baron Nemo from the Avengers. If that's the case, I will approve the blatant plot device rip-off of a Marvel villain.

     Worth Consuming

    Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Sesame Street/ Strawberry Shortcake Free Comic Book Day Flip Book (Family Comic Friday)

 

  In 2013, Ape Entertainment attempted to produce titles based on the television series Sesame Street and the popular girls toy line Strawberry Shortcake. To advertise the forthcoming releases, the publisher issued this free comic book day comic. On paper, these should have been home runs. But for some reason, these titles couldn't find a successful readership.

   On the Strawberry Shortcake side, we get three stories. In the first tale, Strawberry gets a case of the blueberry flu. Unable to run her shop, some of her friends come in to save the day. Then the Shortcake gang go on a treasure hunt for a pirates treasure and learn that one man's junk is another's treasure. Lastly in a story that doesn't even feature the sparkling red head, a character named Sugar Plum goes on the hunt for a rare book that she mistakenly loaned out.

   All three stories were charming. Little girls would really enjoy these. The art, though drawn from the modern version of the toys, was very clean and bright. The only thing missing were the fruity smells that the dolls were known for.

    The Sesame Street side only contains one story. Starring perhaps my least favorite of all the muppets, Elmo, it also features my all-time favorite furry blue monster- Grover. In this yarn, Elmo is playing superhero when Super Grover crashes onto Sesame Street. Taken a little aback by the new competition on the superhero front, Super Grover helps Super Elmo learn that his super power isn't flying or strength- it's his heart.

    When a story can make a character that normally makes me want to barf fall in love with him, you know you've found something special. But after this FCBD offering, Ape Entertainment only released one further comic based on the Jim Henson property. For the life of me, I can't figure out why Sesame Street didn't become the instant success that it's sister property, The Muppet Show did. The only thing I can come up with is that Sesame Street is geared toward pre-schoolers and this book is pretty wordy. Also, whereas both kids and adults loved the Muppet Show mostly little tykes are fans of Sesame Street.

    Strawberry Shortcake didn't fair much better either. Ape's first series was only 4 issues long, but that was a mini-series (and one of the cover's boasted a scratch and sniff feature.) But after the release of this free comic, Ape only released a smattering of one-shots. Why couldn't this series take off?

   In 1985, Marvel released a Strawberry Shortcake series under its Star Comics kid's line. But that title only produced 7 issues. What doomed that book was the fact that little girls weren't reading comics in the 80s. Though more girls are reading comics now than ever before, it's titles published by DC and Marvel that seems to be garnishing the most attention. If you're the publisher of an indy publication, it's hard to gain a presence in stores but it's almost impossible to reach out to readers of the fairer sex in those situations.

   So, if neither of these series is still being published or considered hits, the why did I review this book? Well, to be honest, I was so busy at work this week and I forgot to devote time to the Family Comic Friday book that I wanted to read. Plus, I didn't realize until after I read this comic and did some research that I learned that these books were not winners. But I decided to go ahead and review this book if only to let parents and guardians know that there are some great comics out there for really young kids and girls that are NOT published by the big two. You just have to search for them or ask your local comic book shop to carry them.

   Worth Consuming.

   Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Amazing Spider-Man 2

              

   After missing it in theaters and then somehow passing it on HBO and OnDemand, I finally got my hands on a copy of Amazing Spider-Man 2. This action romp through the Big Apple on the web-swinging back of your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man pits the hero against the armored Rhino, the electrifying Electro, and the creepy Green Goblin all the while balancing love and job in his civilian life as Peter Parker. On paper, this should be a slam dunk. But at almost two and a half hours long the film's momentum is paced sporadically as the plot gets really dragged out and then all of a sudden it gets jammed pack with a dizzying array action and adventure.

   Amazing Spider-Man left me pleasantly disappointed. It has some very good acting. With the exception of Heath Ledger's Joker, that's not really what superhero films are known for. There were some very fun scenes that succeed thanks to the great acting. But overall the film feel flat in areas that comic based films are praised for, especially plot and SFX.

Andrew Garfield's timing and poise as Spider-Man/ Peter Parker is excellent. The way he makes Spider-Man a thriving part of New York and his scenes with everyday people and the real heroes of the city, the NYPD and NYFD, while in costume were perfect.
 
   Then you got Jamie Fox who played a nerdy uberfan of Spidey's named Max Dillon, who is turned into the misunderstood Electro was fantastic as well. There was a real character progression to Dillon that made him a sympathetic foe. Plus there was great chemistry between Garfield and Fox in their few scenes together.

   Speaking of chemistry, Andrew Garfield's Peter and Emma Stone's Gwen Stacy got it! Maybe it;s because the two are lovers in real life, but they made ASM2 a kind of romantic comedy in the vein of Tracy and Hepburn. Even Paul Giamatti as Rhino was good though I think his Russian accent needed work because I couldn't understand a word he was saying. (OKAY- maybe it was too good!)

    If this was the only dynamic of Amazing Spider-Man 2 then the film would be an instant classic. But the writers, producers, and director decided to add Norman and Harry Osborn into the mix. Norman, played by Chris Cooper, has some sort of terrible auto-immune disease. His search for a cure is what leads to OsCorp conducting its research with spiders that ultimately bite Parker and give him his powers. With Norman's death, his company is handed over to his son, Harry. When Peter tries to reach out to his old friend, the film spirals into about 45 minutes of Harry trying to find a cure for the genetic condition he inherited from his father. It may be important to understanding Harry's character and motivation, but it really slows the film to a snails pace.

   Harry's search for a cure winds up taking on the mystery behind the death of Peter's folks. Peter finds a satchel that belonged to his father and that spins the film off into yet another tangent. Sure, Peter's search does provide some much needed scientific jargon as to why that spider's bite gave him special powers but that's about all it does to benefit the film.

   Ideally with all of the tangents and sprawling plotlines, this film should have been cut into two movies and Amazing Spider-Man turned into a trilogy. But with a major deal struck between Marvel Studios and Sony to add Spidey to the official Marvel movie universe,  I think the plans to make this film series into a trilogy were scrapped in order to get Spider-Man into 'Captain America: Civil War' as soon as possible. (It's rumored that this is the movie in which Spidey will be introduced to the MMU.)

   Sadly, Andrew Garfield will not be portraying the wall-crawler in the forthcoming Captain America flick. In fact the Peter Parker Spider-Man might not even be featured in the forthcoming Spider-Man cinematic reboot scheduled for release around 2019. ( In an effort for a more diverse Marvel film universe, rumor has it that the half black, half Latino Miles Morales Spider-Man will appear in Civil War.)

  Yes- the Spider-Man franchise is going to get a second reboot in less than 5 years time! And for that reason alone, I feel that that this film tries to do too much because there won't be an Amazing Spider-Man 3 to round out the unanswered questions of the first film. One such question is still unanswered- just who is the guy in the shadows at the prison for bad guys? He pops up again in this film and I still don't know who the heck he is.

   Amazing Spider-Man 2 is a rare type of superhero film. It's acting was far better than the story and don't get me started on the special effects. Maybe it's because I watched this film on DVD but the action scenes involving Spidey were so fake looking. But during Stan Lee's tenure are the mastermind behind the Marvel Age of Comics, his stories were known for being heavy on character and drama and that's what happens here. I just hope Marvel Studios allows Andrew Garfield a much-needed swan song before the pass on the mantle of Spider-Man to whoever is cast as the Miles Morales Spidey.

   Rating: 5 out of 10 stars.