Adam Graham's Blog: Christians and Superheroes, page 12

Book Review: Doctor Who: The Road To The Thirteenth Doctor

Doctor Who: The Road To The Thirteenth Doctor by James Peaty

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Road to the Thirteenth Doctor collects three stories: one with the tenth, eleventh, and twelfth Doctor in advance of Titan Doctor Who output becoming primarily about the 13th Doctor only.

In, "The Ghost Ship," The Doctor, Gabby, and Cindy arrive on a spaceship where things are going downhill fast. The artwork is decent, though the Doctor's outfit is a bit different.

It's got a few spooky moments, but is otherwise a bit bog standard sendoff for the Tenth Doctor Comics team.

Must like the previou storys, "Steamship Conundrum" is a pretty generic Doctor Who story. The Eleventh Doctor and Alice arrive in San Francisco to find it overrun by robots and have to figure out what's going on. This one had good action, some decent artwork and for a strange reason, Alice's Victorian-era dress has a Dalek pattern. It's perfectly okay, but doesn't really capture any of the fun and wonder that this TARDIS team produced in their comic run.


In Tulpa, the Doctor is called by Kate Stewart and UNIT to deal monsters attacking London and it's up to him and Bill to sort things out.

Overall, this is the best story of the three in the series, even though it's not particularly original (it bears a striking resemblance to the first year twelfth Doctor comic Hyperion Empire.) Nonetheless, it's an enjoyable read. The artwork itself is a very strong selling point as it not only captures the Doctor and Clara but the monsters pop off the pages.

All three of the stories in the book include cut scenes from the Doctor's adventures on television and this one has the best (and really only one worth mentioning) as we get a scene with Nardole, Missy, and the Doctor talking going down the elevator in World Enough and Time. It's fun just to see them interact and it's probably the highlight of the mini-series.

Overall, this isn't a bad book and there are no bad stories in here, but it's also not all that remarkable either. If you want to read quick one-short adventures with the Tenth, Eleventh, and Twelfth Doctor, then this will do fine, but don't expect to be blown away.



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Book Review: Spider-man: The Daily Bugle

Spider-Man: The Daily Bugle by Paul Grist

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


This collects a bunch of Daily Bugle-related comics.

First up is the three issue Daily Bugle mini-series, which is done in Black and White art. Honestly, this is my favorite part of the book. We follow Daily Bugle regulars like Betty Brant and Phil Ulrich, and a drunk down on his luck journalist named Charlie, while they investigate stories. In one story, with the paper stretched then, Jonah volunteers to investigate a case. It's a lot of fun, with good writing, nice characterization, and the black and white nature is really appropriate for the newspaper feel.

Then we get the Deadline Mini-series. A reporter is on the superhero beat but wants to get off of it and onto crime and she investigates a case where a judge is becoming an avenging vigilante...after apparently dying. This isn't bad, although I'd be lying if I said I liked the character. The biggest problem is that this isn't a story that needs told in the MCU. The MCU elements feel shoehorned in. Betty and Phil play roles in the story but could be placed by any generic characters. And the fact that a story like this happens in the MCU actually makes it less believable that something like this is going on near where Doctor Strange lives and it's up to a reporter to suss it out.

There's a back-up story from three issues of Spectacular Spider-man where Jonah is thrown into an existential crisis when he learns some randos think his newspaper is tabloid trash...mainly because it is. The end of this crisis is...not really satisfying.

Spider-man's Tangled Web #20 sees Jonah on the couch due to some anger issues and forced to confront and examine his past. While some of the interactions with the psychiatrist seem silly and over the top and most of the revelations of Jonah's past (i.e. overbearing/abusive father. Shocker!), I do think its mostly well-executed and its a decent read.

Next up we have Jonah's appear in Holiday Special 2004 where he experiences his own version of the Christmas Carol. It's kind of meh. Most of the jokes don't work and there's little emotional resonance. Plus the Marvel Universe being what it is, Jonah's not going to transform his character because of something that happened in a Holiday special.

Overall, nothing in the collection is bad, but only the three-issue mini-series is actually good, making for an overall mediocre reading experience.



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Book Review: Superman Vol. 2: The Unity Saga: The House of El

Superman Vol. 2: The Unity Saga: The House of El by Brian Michael Bendis

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I was apprehensive about a lot of changes that Brian Michael Bendis made to Superman...particularly with Superboy now being turned to a teenager. This book justifies the change and explains while also presenting a compelling cosmic quest that ties into what happened to Krypton, what Jor-el's been up to and brings a bit of a turn for Zod as a character. On top of that, I think Bendis does get a better with writing Lois Lane.

The art does feature a lot of big spreads-single page and two page, but I think the cosmic epic nature of the story can justify it.

If I had a fault with the story, it's the big solution to the huge problem at the center of the destruction of Krypton is a bit cheesy and unoriginal. This epic probably could have tightened but this isn't one of those Bendis stories that scream, "Padded!" Given that this is a 9-issue story, that says a lot about the book.




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Book Review: Batgirl: The Bronze Age Omnibus, Volume 1

Batgirl: The Bronze Age Omnibus Vol. 1 by Various

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


This book contains a lot of the same material as the Black and White Showcase Presents Batgirl volume from the mid-2000s. The big differences that Batgirl's Guest Starring appearance in Brave and the Bold, Justice League of America, World's Finest, and Superman Family have been ditched in favor of more of her adventures in Batman Family.

The book begins with a very enthusiastic introduction by Gail Simone and her passion bleeds off the page and just builds the excitement.

The book can be divided into three sections:

Batgirl (early appearances in Batman/Detective Comics): We get five stories we show co-stars with Batman and Robin. These are mostly pretty good. They show her as skillful and capable. The big exception to this is "Batgirl's Costume Cut-Ups" which is a humor story whose "joke" is that Batgirl is a female obsessed with her appearance and that gets in the way of fight crime. I don't generally go off on 50 year old stories for being 50 years old, but this one was dumb when it came out. But again, that's my only complaint.

Batgirl solo feature: Batgirl had her own solo feature in Detective Comics. Her stories were close to a full length comic, only told in two parts over multiple issues. These are really good basic crime and detective stories. Some are pitched towards more "female" problems like a killer who targets women dating service or women being killed after buying wigs, but they're never patronizing. They're well-told. These stories do benefit from being in color and the good paper used because some of the colors used really are something to be hold. The artwork is consistently superb and the plot lines are well-thought out and she does really well in these grounded stories.

Batgirl in Batman Family: At the end of the Batgirl solo stories, Barbara Gordon was elected Congress and apparently retired, but with the Batman Family, she was brought for periodic appearances. This book reprints the classic, "The Invader from Hell" where she and Robin team up to battle a Satanically powered Benedict Arnold. The Batman Family stories features a good number of team-ups with Robin (as the new Dynamite Duo) but also some solo stories and there's a team up with the original Batwoman and it's nice of her to be acknowledged. These go into some more superheroics and are a bit sillier at times than her solo series. Still, these are fun to read, particularly those I'd never seen before.

Overall, these are just lovely and I can't wait to read the next Omnibus.



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Book Review: Spider-Gwen, Volume 3 Long Distance

Spider-Gwen, Vol. 3: Long-Distance by Jason Latour

My rating: 1 of 5 stars


This is...bad. After Gwen selling out to Kingpin Matt Murdoch in the last book, we get two issues of Spider-Gwen, we get two issues where nothing happens. We have a Thanksgiving Issue and a Christmas Issue. Spider-woman from the 616 Universe guest stars in the Thanksgiving Issue, but her appearance is pointless. The art on the Thanksgiving Issue is just so cartoonish and silly.

Then we get the Spider-Gwen Annual which is pretty much incoherent. The best idea in there is that in Gwen's Universe, Steve Rogers is a Comic book artist that drew Captain America, but beyond that, the Annual's just a confusing nearly unreadable mess.

Then we get an All-New Wolverine Annual that a crossover with Spider-Gwen. It's the best thing in the book even though its dull, tedious, and unoriginal body swapping story that is out of touch with the continuity of the guest character. That it's the best thing in the book says volumes about how bad the rest of it is.

This book was a waste of time. I'll read the crossover with Miles Morales, but I'm on the verge of quitting my read through this.



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Book Review: Silver Surfer: Black

Silver Surfer: Black by Donny Cates

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


This is a graphic novel mini-series in which the Silver Surfer is facing death against a dark foe in the depths of space.

The story is good and unlike some Silver Surfer mini-series of recent years (exs: In Thy Name and Devolution I'm looking at you), this actually captures the Spirit of the Character (although there was one moment I didn't buy) It's very talky and a bit preachy, but to be honest, it wouldn't properly be the Silver Surfer if it wasn't. However, this story is really a great cosmic epic. It does seem to be set before some more recent events such as "Original Sin" and the Slott/Allred run of Silver Surfer stories, so works for casual fans who haven't been reading all of Marvel's output.

The artwork is really want makes this book work. The drawing, and the eye-popping colors by Dave Stewart really sell the concept.

While I don't read a ton of modern Marvel, this is worth checking out for any fan of the Sentinel of the Spaceways.



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Book Review: Firefly: The Unification War Vol. 2

Firefly: The Unification War Vol. 2 by Greg Pak

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I was not a fan of the first volume of the Unification War, but this second volume works. The first volume was all set-up and flashback. This one gets right into it with the crew of Serenity splitting up, all trying to save Mal, who ends up stranded on a planet and forced to ally with his capture. This story has a great sense of pace, a lot of moving parts, and really does capture the spirit of the original. This was a solid read for Firefly fans and I look forward to reading the third volume.



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Book Review: Batgirl: Oracle Rising

Batgirl, Volume 7: Oracle Rising by Cecil Castellucci

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


This book collects Issues 37-44, the first eight of Cecil Castellucci's run on Batgirl.

The first six issues pick up with the Terrible Trio (fresh off having been defeated by Batgirl in Mairghread Scott's last issue) stumbling upon the Artificial Intelligence for Oracle, Barbara Gordon' hacker identity back when she was in a wheelchair.

This plot was frustrating. At six issues, this feels bloated and padded. There's a lot of Oracle whining and plotting revenge and just being overly dramatic. I also think the author, in writing about Barbara's financial state after she was pushed out of Gordon Clean Energy, doesn't really understand how corporations and stocks and such actually work. He's decided he needs Barbara to be broke even though she'd still be a millionaire at this point, but the story demands it.

The art is not pleasant to look at. It's not awful, but just kind of meh. I do think she does have some nice developments towards the end of the arc, but it's a slog to get through.

Next up Issue 43 and 44, which is, a tie-in to City of Bane. What I did find impressive is that you didn't really need to know anything about that event to understand this story. Essentially, we learn Bane took over the city and it ruined some real estate. Seems believable enough. At any rate, a Fantasy writer has found a way to actually create the world of his imagination, and wants to take his love, and his best editor there. However, Batgirl and Jason Bard get in the way and end up involved in a fantasy fight. It's interesting and I think the writing does some things to forward the relationship, as well as leaving us with a big question about Jason for the next volume.

Overall, the main arc is a bit annoying at times, even though it does have some good points. The last two issues are surprisingly fun and do some clever things, even though they're by no means masterpieces. So I'd rate the book somewhere between 2.5 and 2.75 stars, we'll round it up to three stars and call it okay.



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Book Review: Wonder Twins Activate

Wonder Twins Vol. 1: Activate! by Mark Russell

My rating: 2 of 5 stars


Wonder Twins Activate is a book that's got two faces. On one hand, it can be a bit of a goof on superheroes and supervillains particularly when it features things like the League of Annoyance. However, towards the end of the book, it becomes a heavy handed smackdown that simplifies complex problems and suggests maybe we should give villains who take over the world what they want provided its actually something we can behind. It's an annoying book that can't decide what it wants to be and confuses you to what it's actually about. There are some nice moments but I can't recommend it.



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Book Review: Batman Universe

Batman: Universe by Brian Michael Bendis

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Batman Universe starts off simply enough with the Batman investigating a strange crime by the Riddler with the theft of a Faberge egg. However, it becomes far more epic as this a story that involves Vandal Savage and will ultimately take Batman to the ends of the Universe and back in time.

This is a fun, ride of a story. It was originally told in a Wal-Mart 100-page giant over 12 months and Bendis makes every section interesting. I'd thought he should do Batman and this book confirms that view. He could write a really fresh take on the Dark Knight.

My biggest complaint is that the book has some major misunderstandings of how the Green Lantern Corps works, though I guess I'm not sure what we should expect from a career Marvel guy. Other than that, this is a lot of fun and worth a read.



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