Adam Graham's Blog: Christians and Superheroes, page 46

Book Review: mazing Spider-Man: Renew Your Vows, Vol. 1: Brawl in the Family

Amazing Spider-Man: Renew Your Vows, Vol. 1: Brawl in the Family by Gerry Conway

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


This book collects Amazing Spider-man: Renew Your Vows #1-5 of the main series. This spins off from a Secret Wars universe where Peter and Mary Jane stayed married and they end up with a precocious daughter named Annie who starts developing Spider powers.

Despite this all technically being one storyline, actually I'd suggest the 5th part is a 1-part story. Issues 1-4 set up our premise: Annie has developing spider powers and thanks to a device seized from the Regent, Mary Jane can tap into Peter's spider-powers. This leads to a battle with the Moleman. The story isn't neatly chronological, but reading it in a trade helps with that as we see the events from each character's perspective. Also Issue 1 has some very fun back up stories featuring amusing tales of Annie interacting with her mom and Dad. Overall, the first story is strong, but not perfect. The family really starts to explorer how this will work as well as beginning to muddle through what role a 9 year old girl would have in this.

Issue 5 them breaking up a bank robbery across from a family fun center based on Chuck E Cheese. This one is fun but light and a tad pointless, although there's hints of the plotline ahead.

Overall, this book is quite enjoyable. It's a great concept and the characters are likable enough. While the story's light-hearted, it doesn't shy away from the serious challenges this presents particularly when it comes to a young child fighting crime. The back up stories are fun and the emergence of Norman Osborne's prepubescent grandson as a villain is hilarious yet intriguing. Overall, this is just a fun comic for all ages. Highly recommended.



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The Myth of All Things Geeky

I've been meaning to post about Realm Makers, but haven't gotten around to it until now. There have been a couple posts that have called to mind a commercial from a few years.

Mike Duran noticed a lack of something, what he calls "Geek street cred;"

Sometimes I don’t think I fit in with geeks...

That realization first struck me during breakfast my second day at Realm Makers 2017. For the record, I had a fantastic time there! But I must admit feeling a little awkward on some occasions. Mainly because I lack geek cred. In that case, we were enjoying our coffee, fruit, and pastries, discussing books, writing, and our day jobs, when I happened to mention the film Batman v. Superman. I should have known. What followed was a lengthy, impassioned debate about DC comics, the DC v. Marvel Universe, the true character of Superman, and how dark is too dark for a comic book hero. Most of that conversation, I remained a spectator. Why? I’m just not THAT invested in either Batman or Superman.

Don’t get me wrong — I like both characters. In fact, I like a lot of the same characters and stories my fellow writers like. Star Wars. Star Trek. X-Men. Captain America. The Flash. Harry Potter. Vampires. Werewolves. I’m into all that stuff....

I’m just not SO into them that I want to dress up as a Jedi Knight, a Transformer, or a zombie and memorize the canonical histories of said characters.

This can a all make for some uncomfortable situations. Like the Friday night gala where I wore some Dockers and a polo shirt. The first person I walked up to that evening, I did not recognize the character they were dressed as. So I asked. And felt quite stupid afterwards.

This calls to mind a commercial I saw on Hulu a few years back where a man in his twenties declared he was into "all things geeky."

The phrase annoyed me because it was utterly impossible. All things geeky is a huge, almost, unfathomable amount of territory. It's like saying, "I like books, all books."

That's such an obscenely large and impossible amount of territory to cover. Its fatuous. Even if you are the stereotypical doesn't go to work and lives in parents basement eating junk food sort of geek, you can't be into "all things geeky."

I'm certainly not into "all things geeky." Like most geeky people (particularly those who practice the ancient art of employment,") I'm a specialist. I know quite a bit about Doctor Who, both Classic and New series. I know a a lot more than most about comics history, both DC and Marvel, and there has to be some geek points out there for having watched Star Trek: The Animated Series.

For my costume, I dressed as the Second Doctor's Companion Jamie McCrimmon who flew in the TARDIS from 1966-69 with more appearances than any other companion. Jamie was a McCrimmon, and the show stated McCrimmons were pipers for the Klan McLaren, but they were actually pipers for the Clan Macleod which is why I got a Macleod kilt. And I made sure I was wearing the right sporran, an ascot tie, and even a wrist watch as Jamie came to accessorize his 18th Century kilt with modern items

But beyond my wheelhouse...eh, my geek credentials could be summed up: as follows

I've never watched Last Airbender.,
I have never as a Jedi myself rendered,
I don't have an X-box, a wii, or a playstation At all,
I've never watched Stargate,
IMHO, Harry Potter's not that great,
And I've never been to Boston in the Fall*

*Veggie Tales Reference.(aside: Is that geeky or nerdy?)

Obviously, there are other franchises I've enjoyed such as the Star Wars films and Star Trek, Firefly, and the Lord of the Rings movies. But, my ignorance of "all things geeky" is a vast and unfathomable ocean.

Now, I don't want to invalidate Mike's thoughts or his point to the geeky folks at the of his article, but I want to suggest that one thing that seems to be coloring perception is that there's a geeky set of skills/knowledge that most of the room has and the non-geeky lack. truth is that you could probably find every geek stereotype trope and fandom in the room, but no one person embodied them all.

I saw many costumes where I had no clue who they were representing. All I could think was, "Cool costume, whoever you are." However, I made one Realmie very happy by recognizing him as, "The Greatest American Hero" (i.e. Ralph Hinkley) from the 1980s TV show of the same name. And I was delighted that I ran into someone who actually knew about the classic era of Doctor Who.

So, while there are very specific geek events based on a single franchise (such as Star Trek Conventions or the Chicago TARDIS Con,) in a room full of general geeks, there is no set of required curriculum, just folks who like what they like and have really enjoyed it. There's no shame in not knowing something. Something you don't know is something you can learn about---or not. Again, our human brains can only contain so much geeky knowledge.

Mike offers a sage bit of advice:

Memo to geek culture — don’t forget the strangers in your midst.

That's just good manners. I've been at many tables where the dinner conversation goes around me and over my head, leaving me with nothing to contribute. That's not fun.

Also, in the context of a writer's conference, people should have a care. It's a great if a book or movie becomes a franchise that inspires people and causes them to plumb all sorts of depths within it, but all successful franchises also depend on those fans who just buy their movie tickets or books, enjoy it, and walk away.

Book Review: Supergirl, Book One

Supergirl: Book One by Peter David

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


This book collects Issues 1-9 of Supergirl as well as the first annual and some back-up stories/supplementary material that appeared in Showcase 96 #8 and the Supergirl plus #1 team up with Mary Marvel.

Matrix, a protoplasmic version of Supergirl, joined with the dying Linda Danvers in part to save her and in part because Matrix Supergirl was unsure if she had a soul. Now, that she's combined with Linda, she's not sure that she got a good soul as she begins to discover wasn't just a victim of a satanic cult but a member and perhaps a killer.

The main Supergirl story has problems. There are moments that come off as over the top or absurd in their attempts to manufacture melodramatic bleaknress. There's also some lame jokes such as when the book tries to lamely riff on Mary Jane Watson's "You Hit the ing in the mixJackpot, Tiger" line from Amazing Spider-man for...reasons. On the other hand, the storyline does have some some interesting features. The consequences of what Matrix did is explored thoroughly with some great questions being raised as to what her nature is now, what Linda's past is, and what about her creepy boyfriend. And how does the new Linda/Supergirl relate to Linda's parents. You also have a big name DC villain getting in the mix even while mystery swirls around her new hometown.

It deals with religion and while some of the images are disturbing, I give it credit for not being totally dismissive and derisive of faith and Christianity in general.

The Supergirl Plus #1 finds Mary Marvel running away and running into a cop that tries to bring her alter ego in...or is he trying something far more sick. It's a somewhat uncomfortable topic, but I give David credit for exploring it.

The Annual has three different stories. The annual's art is awful and the stories range from just misses to pretty bad.

Overall, this isn't great but it holds my interest and me curious to read what comes next.



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Book Review: Superman: Action Comics, Volume 3

Superman: Action Comics, Volume 3 by Dan Jurgens

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


This book collects Action Comics #967-972. Since Post-Crisis Superman has arrived in the New 52 Earth, one constant source of suspicion has been the New 52 Lex Luthor and his attempts to pick up the mantle of the fallen New 52 Superman. Superman is given a chance to be free of this concern when a psychic bounty hunter arrives to take Lex Luther in and execute him for crimes he's going to commit. However, Superman can't let that stand...or can he?

This is a good book that examines a serious moral quandry in the course of a comic book story arc and it's a good story. All of the characters' motivations and arguments are reasonable. You can understand all sides of the issue. More importantly, there's a bit of drama over what Superman will do, though not much. More cleverly, Jurgens ties this in to Superman's attitude towards Lex and leads to a satisfactory conclusion to this overall conflict that's been going on in Action Comics since the Post-crisis Superman took over.

The book also moves along the plot of the mysterious Clark Kent who isn't Superman but begins to make some discoveries about Lois. It's a nice deepening of the mystery.

The book ends with a nice splash page previewing the perils to come for the Man of Steel. Overall, this is probably the best Action Comics book since Rebirth and it shows strong forward momentum for the title.



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Book Review: Superman: The Atomic Age Sundays Volume 2 (1953-1956)

Superman: The Atomic Age Sundays Volume 2 by Alvin Schwartz

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


This book collects the Superman Sunday newspaper strips from March 22, 1953 to June 21, 1956.

This book collects 17 stories and all of them are at least okay. Probably the weakest one involved Clark Kent having to deal with an actress needing publicity. There's also a story in which Lois almost catches Superman in his secret identity and they go on a time travel. adventure where Superman will establish secret identity in each stop and if Lois can figure out even one, Superman will reveal his twentieth century identity. It has some fun moments, but the overall moral that Lois is too dumb to figure out Superman's identity under any circumstances.

Probably the most interesting stories are one in which two other survivors of Krypton arrive on Earth and plan to use their powers to take over, as well as the final battle between Superman and the Prankster for a good long while. Superman also meets up with Hercules. Superman encounters a crook who gets intangibility powers. It has some interesting moments and presents some challenges to the man of steel. Another one of my favorites has a Superman helping a female lawyer who has been forced to serve as a process server by her chauvanistic uncle as a process server in order to get hired by his firm.

There are also some very uniquely 1950s stories. For example, Superman appears on a take off on, "This is Your Life," and Lois got a 1950s quiz show revolving Superman's identity. These stories are a little weaker than the book's strongest tales but still an interesting time capsule.

Overall, this is an enjoyable addition to the American Comics library collection and a worthwhile read.



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Book Review: The Flash, Volume 3: Rogues Reloaded

The Flash, Volume 3: Rogues Reloaded by Joshua Williamson

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


This book collects seven issues of the Flash, Issues 14-20.

It begins with the 4-part titular story, "Rogues Reloaded," which finds that the Rogues seem to have disappeared from Central City. Barry's starting to miss them because of the lesser and often more ruthless villains who take to the street in their place. However, the Rogues have one more trick up their sleeve and a plan for one more big score.

This is a solid Rogues story with plenty of action and Barry has his moments against each of the Rogues as this plays out. Williamson does shift our moral view of the Rogues. Many writers and fans of the Flash have tended to treat the Rogues as Flash's frenemies, cuddly crooks who really aren't so bad and will generally help out when the chips are down. Williamson tells that the rogues are first and foremost criminals, and that they've hurt people, which the Flash and the audience are reminded of. Being criminals also tests the nature of their code. They don't all full psychopath, but Williamson really establishes them as bad guys and real opponents of the Flash. It's a refreshing shift and the story works quite well.

Next up is the two part Sins of the Father story in which Kid Flash goes to Iron Heights Penitentiary to visit his dad (Reverse Flash Daniel West) only to find him missing and the key to the mystery is the Flash's old enemy Captain Boomerang who is tangling with some gun-runners. The story mixes a very fun comic book tale with a solid and powerful emotional story arc for Kid Flash. It's easy to connect with Young Wally's feelings as he's going through so much.

Finally, Issue 20 gives us a one-shot where Iris investigates the disappearance of the bodies of Godspeed's victims (the Flash's first big Rebirth storyline,) with Iris setting out to find out what's going on. This is a nice issue for giving Iris a bigger role and also giving her a reason to suspect Barry's true identity.

Overall, the stories are solid, if not perfect. This is an enjoyable read with three complete story arcs, however each story also features Easter eggs and hints of coming attractions (which I won't spoil), so not only do I think this is a good book as written but it's also going somewhere with Josh Williamson having some big ideas that I can't wait to see realized.

Disclosure: I received a free digital of this book through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.



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Book Review: Darkwing Duck: Orange is the New Purple

Darkwing Duck: Orange is the New Purple by Aaron Sparrow

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


This book collects the first four issues of the Joe Books Darkwing Duck series. The book kicks off with Darkwing catching Megavolt and the opening of a new prison which turns into a trap set by Negaduck which leaves Darkwing and Gosalyn trapped in prison with all of Darkwing's most dangerous foes. Negaduck gives Darkwing a head start and then it will be open season on him for his foes.

This turns into Darkwing and (to an extent) Gosalyn fighting his foes. It's a fun and nostalgic ride. It does let us know that for the Joe Books series everything Darkwing (including the TV series, the Boom Comic series, and even appearances in Disney Adventure are all in-continuity.)

The next issue is a one-shot, "A Midsummer Gnatmare" which has Darkwing introduced to a new villain: The Gnat. It's fun with a little bit of nostalgia and it feels like a typical Darkwing Duck episode.

Overall, this is a fun book. It's not quite as good as the Boom studios books, but it's an enjoyable piece of Darkwing Duck nostalgic.



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Book Review: Batman, Volume 2: The City of Owls

Batman, Volume 2: The City of Owls by Scott Snyder

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


This book continues where the Court of Owls left off with Issues 8-12 and the first Annual.

The bulk of the book is dedicated to dealing with the fall out of the Court of Owls as they descend on the city and send assassins to kill off the city's well to do. There's a reveal about what happened to Alfred's father and also something shocking about Bruce's family that's maybe a little melodramatic. Overall, it's a satisfying conclusion to the previous arc.

The Annual follows a young woman living with her younger brother who has to raise him and deal with him being bullied until Batman steps in and she tries to return the failure. It's a fairly good take on what's become traditional for many annuals since the 1990s to focus on some character other than the central character. It's not perfect, but it works.

The final issue sees a revived New 52 take on Mr. Freeze as he escapes from Arkham seeking revenge on the billionaire responsible for his wife not being restored...Bruce Wayne. The story has some good twists but it represents a pretty drastic revision of Mr. Freeze's backstory from what had become the classic version in the 1990s. I don't like it. I think it changes Mr. Freeze from a tragic figure to just another insane monomaniac.

Still, overall the book is well-written and Snyder continues to have a solid take on Batman.






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Book Review: Doctor Who: The Crimson Hand

Doctor Who: The Crimson Hand by Dan McDaid

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


This book collects the final 10th Doctor comics. After the 2008 series and until Series 5 truly got under way in the Spring of 2010, the Tenth Doctor was on his own and companionless on television with few adventures. Thus Doctor Who Magazine gave him his own companion and own 2009 Season complete with story arc.

However, Majenta Pryce is far from a typical "companion." She first met the Doctor in Issue 394 of Doctor Who magazine when he thwarted her hotel that was ripping apart time. The Doctor encounters her again at a prison called, "The Thinktwice" where her memory has been wiped. She recovers enough of her memory to blame the Doctor for the whole thing and demand she be taken to a planet, but first some detours.

Overall, the book works fairly well. It'a case where the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. The only bad story is the story without Majenta called Space Vikings because it's just Vikings IN SPACE.

However, many of these stories were middling. What stands out as good are the Stockridge Child which features the return of Max Edison. The Age of Ice finds the returns of the Skith and this time they're in Australia with some lovely art. The Deep Hereafter has the Doctor becoming a hard boiled detective of sorts (though they thankfully this was a short story) and then the ending of "The Ghosts of the Northern Line" captures the world-weariness of the late Tenth Doctor's era. But probably the only really great story is the titular, "The Crimson Hand" where at least the truth about Majenta is revealed and the universe will never be the same.

Overall, this is a fun book with plenty of good stories and a very solid thru-line.



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Book Review: Essential Amazing Spider-man Volume 10

Essential Amazing Spider-Man, Vol. 10 by J.M. DeMatteis

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


This book collects Amazing Spider-man #211-230 along with Amazing Spider-man Annual #15.

This collection has Spidey facing off with multiple villains from his own history as well as from other Marvel series. The long-time Spidey fan will find such traditional menaces as the Vulture, the Frightful Four, and the Sandman, along with a battle with and a later team up with Submariner, and also a few appearances by Madame Web. We also get to see the first appearance of Hydroman and a follow up team up with Sandman. However, the book also features some other surprises such as the Foolkiller and with former Batman scribe Denny O'Neill spending time writing the series, there are some good solid mystery stories thrown in.

Overall, there's not a bad, stupid, or unworthy story in this book. It shows how solidly Marvel had a grasp on Spider-man as a character in the early 1980s. Two stories represent the book at its best. The Annual features Spider-man, Doc Ock, and the Punisher in a Three way battle. It's a tense story and shows a true conflict between Spider-man and the Punisher and the Punisher's character takes a much darker turn than had been portrayed in early stories. It also shows Frank Miller's pencils at their best and most disciplined.

The final story in Issues 229 and 230 has Spider-man battling the Juggernaut, a character from the X-Men stories that is unstoppable and coming after Madame Web. The fight becomes personal when Juggernaut puts Madam Web in the Hospital and Spidey throws everything he has him and then some. It's intense, exciting and surprising as Spidey battles a villain that the entire X-men had trouble taking down.

Overall, my only annoyance with the book is how awful he is to Debra Whitman. Other than that, there's solid supporting characters, great villains, and great fun. A superb read for fans of the Amazing Spider-man.



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