Adam Graham's Blog: Christians and Superheroes, page 73

Book Review: Green Hornet Year One, Volume 2

Green Hornet: Year One Vol 2: the Biggest of All Game by Matt Wagner

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


The second half of the Green Horhnet Year One series is much better that the previous installment. The flashbacks are shorter and the main story has some forward momentum at last. What we do see in Flashbacks is actually interesting as we begin to understand the origins of the Green Hornet's headquarters, car, and arsenal. And in Issue #11 the brief flashback was very relevant and timely to the story.

The art wasn't great, but also seemed to not be as bad in places. With the style occasionally being atmospheric rather than merely disorienting. There were some nice character moments, particularly when the Green Hornet forgot himself when talking to a judge who was being blackmailed by the heavy of the story Skid Carusuo. There's also some solid action sequences. The covers remain excellent except perhaps for Issue #12.

The negatives of the book is that the artwork wasn't bad but in some cases it was underwhelming, I'm thinking mainly of the introduction Black Beauty which with a good artist would have been an awesome reveal.

Also the Scourge, a sadistic torturer who Caruso hired to capture and torture the Green Hornet seemed out of place. The character looks great as a menacing sadist and the parts when building up to him and the Hornet are superb. The character was included in the book but because its rated for teens so they can't go too far. Instead of implying he was doing horrible things but using shadow not to show us (a subtle and powerful way to tastefully tell a story), the artist shows him doing things that to be honest, look a little silly.

Also, Skid Caruso is supposed to be the main villain and threat of the story, but by all appearances, he's just a typical crime boss like any number that were in Chicago at the time. We never get a sense of why this guy was worth the Green Hornet fighting across a 12-issue mini-series.

Again, this isn't bad, but it's a problematic story that doesn't really live up to the idea of a year one story.



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Book Review: Showcase Presents Adam Strange

Showcase Presents: Adam Strange by Gardner F. Fox

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Adam Strange is one of those creatures of the Silver Age that no one has really manage to get right since then. This book collects Strange's first 30 + appearances from the Late 1950s to mid-1963. This book collect's tales from Showcase #17-19, and Mystery in Space #54-84.

The set up is simple enough. Young Earth archaeologist Adam Strange is struck by a beam of Zeta radiation that takes him 25 trillion miles away to the planet Rann. There Strange meets and falls in love with Alana, the daughter of one of the planet's chief scientists. Adam is returned to Earth after a while and has to plot to fined the next Zeta beam to take him to Rann. Adam has a keen intellect and also is courageous enough to to be the Champion of Rann, which is good because the people of Rann need saving---a lot. Every trip over, there's a new world-challenging peril.

The adventures in the book are a lot of fun. If you like old Buck Rogers stories, you'll enjoy this. At the same time, I do get reviewers who say this book is repetitive. There is a definite formula of events. However, to writer Gardener Fox's credit, he does manage to vary the on-going themes of Zeta Beam his Adam Strange, he travels across space to Rann with little hitches coming up or Adam having to race to meet the Zeta Beam or make a tough choice about addressing another crisis with his spaceman gear or going to Rann that it doesn't feel too repetitive to me.

In addition, the character of Alana and the romance between Adam and Alana is enjoyable. In an age when women in comics were clueless and helpless, Alana was thoroughly competent. and also helped Adam often in his missions. The romance between the two was straightforward and uncomplicated. Given that this was the Decade with Lois and Lana were making fools out of themselves over Superman, while the entire male Marvel contingent was hiding their secret identity from the women they loved and who loved them, this little bit of sweet romance was actually kind of refreshing.

The adventure are mostly quick and easy to read affairs. There are only two comic length adventures. Mystery in Space #75 is the only story here where Adam Strange battled a villain who was anything like a big name in the DC universe as he faced off against Kanjar Ro and Mystery in Space #81 which seems to finally give Adam what he wanted as Alana comes to Earth, but it's something far more sinister. Both of these are great. The first three issues of Showcase printed two stories each that were between 9-15 pages long, the next 17 stories were 9 pages each, and with the exception of the two previously mentioned stories, the other stories in here were between 13-17 pages which means the writing is tight and action packed.

I like how Fox used these fun stories to teach children readers scientific principals. There also was a key message of the book: don't become too dependent on technology. Early on, it's started that that's why Rann and its inhabitants don't know what to do in the face of all of these crisis because they've become too dependent on technology and have forgotten how to operate, think for themselves, and solve their own problems.

The book does have a few repetitive moments. Also, villain quality is pretty low. The villains are mostly one use. They're interesting, but usually they have just a single gimmick. The one attempt of Fox to give Adam Strange a supervillain rivial in the Dust Devil doesn't work.

Overall, though, this is a fun back. It'd be great to read to young kids at bedtime, or to just read yourself if you want to recapture the wonder of better days.




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Book Review: Young Justice, Volume 1

Young Justice Vol. 1 by Art Baltazar

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


This book takes collects the first few issues of the Young Justice Comic book series (based on the Cartoon Network TV series) takes a different tact from DCAU books which essentially told one or two part comic book stories featuring the characters in the TV series. This is much more a traditional comic book where characters are given their own story and arc.

This book begins with an alternate take on the beginning of the Young Justice team. There are minor mostly but definitely different. From there, the storyline seems to drift a bit. We get Superboy having a weird vision about the Justice League, a two part story where Flash, Aqualad, and Robin try to rescue a woman targeted the League of Shadows (on their own) and then we have a concluding story where Young Justice goes camping and talks about their origins. Wally West's is a bit weird and I have to say that Miss Martian's bears a striking resemblance to Wonder Woman's.

Thee's some good character stuff and a few action sequences that are good but my big problem with the book is that the characters we learn the most about and connect with most (Superboy and Miss Martian) are the ones who we see actually doing something the least. In some ways, the book is trying to mimic the TV's shows hinted at larger story arc but doesn't quite manage it with the same style. This is good but could have and should have been better.



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Ranking the Doctor Who Christmas Specials

The tenth Doctor Who Christmas Special will air tomorrow, so I decided to go ahead and rank the Doctor Who Christmas specials so far from worst to best. I'll keep spoilers to a minimum.

9) Voyage of the Damned (2007):

There's a lot to like about this one. There's some cool ideas like a shipped based on the Titanic flying through space. It's stylishally designed and it features many interesting characters, who are all killed off depressing ways, while the most unlikable detestable characters are the only ones to survive. This is the most depressing Christmas special ever (And that includes the Dragnet where a boy was shot and killed on Christmas Eve) because it revels in a sort of miserable cynicism which feeds to a very unsatisfactory explanation of why this is all happening. (Insurance fraud? Really?)

I will give it that it gave the Tenth Doctor that great, "Allonsy, Alonzo." moment. There's also a bit of self-aware parody as people in London are all leaving town after two straight Christmases of having the British Capitol ravaged by alien incursions.

8) The Doctor, the Widow, and the Wardrobe (2011):

This was okay, but nothing really special. I liked the titular feisty widow and empathized her. Beyond that, this kind of fails as a tribute to Narnia as the main Narnia elements seem to be 1) Children going to an unfamiliar house, 2) stumbling in a Winter Wonderland, and 3) meeting talking trees. That's just not enough. Matt Smith turns a nice performance as the Eleventh Doctor. Overall, the story is fun, but ultimately forgetable.

7) The End of Time (2009):

There's so much good in the Tenth Doctor's epic finale and so much that's over the top bad. The good moments are represented with Bernard Cribbins playing Wilfred Mott and the way he interacts with the Doctor, as well as some honest moments. There's some good action and nice plot twits. On the other hand, the plot also has a lot of problems, and is way too long thanks to over-indulgent script. David Tennant's farewell was powerfully shot, but to me, the simple dignity of Pertwee, Tom Baker, or Christoper Eccleston was far preferable and heroic.

6) Time of the Doctor (2013):

Matt Smith's final episode was a bit of a mess and a comedown after Day of the Doctor. I really thought that the Eleventh Doctor's regernation was handled brilliantly with dignity and reflection. The Doctor himself remained thoroughly likable and heroic throughout. Yet, the story also had problems. The main thing was that it felt like we were only get snippets of the actual story, a few highlights of this 300 year period protecting the town of Christmas on the Planet Trenzalore. While End of Time needed to be not so long, this could have done with a little more time to tell us the story. In addition, the story also seemed to use plot convenience to move along that violated understandings that had been set by Moffat as writer and showrunner. But at the end of the day, I will say that Time of the Doctor left me wanting more and intrigued rather than worn out.

5) The Snowmen (2012)

This special served as an introduction to Clara as companion. It also reintroduced us to the Great Intelligence. Trying to make people afraid of snowmen is a challenge but they did a good job making them look menacing. The special also introduces a fantastic new design for the TARDIS, and Strax had some good moments as well.

4) The Next Doctor (2008):

This was a post-Series 4 special for the Tenth Doctor as he finds a man identifying himself as a future incarnation (David Morrissey). The episode has some nice emotional tension, and a clever mystery at its core, plus Cybermen in Victorian England are a great touch. I liked the ending which was as good as it got for the Tenth Doctor in the "Specials" series between 2008-2010.

3) The Runaway Bride (2006):

The first appearance of Donna Noble, who encounters the Tenth Doctor after he lost Rose. Donna was whisked away by her wedding into the TARDIS without explanation. This was a really fun episode. While there are some repeats from "The Christmas Invasion," I can forgive that for what Donna brought to this episode as a feisty and humorous guest star, who in the final 10-15 minutes would show the type of stuff that would make her one of the best companions of the Revived series. The story has a very dark scene, but it doesn't overwhelm things. This is one story that is underrated in my opinion, and it's too bad that Donna did continue on the TARDIS and star in both Series 3 and 4.

2) The Christmas Invasion (2005):

The Christmas Invasion is good throughout, until the last 20 minutes when David Tennant arrived in pajamas and a bath robe to save the world. In those last 20 or so minutes, the Tenth Doctor saves the Earth, topples the British government, chooses a snazzy new outfit, and has a nice Christmas dinner. In many ways, this was a brilliant stroke by Russell T. Davies because these 20 minutes not only are entertaining, but give us a full preview of the new Doctor and everything his character is going to be over the next 3 + Series: from his playful side, to his, "yo u get one chance" rule, to the fierce anger and arrogance that leads him to bring down the government of Harriet Jones.

1) A Christmas Carol (2010)

If there's one episode of Doctor Who I'm tempted to rewatch on Christmas, it's this one. The Doctor Who take on the Christmas Carol manages to capture the central ideas of the story but take it an entirely new direction in innovative, imaginative, and moving ways. It's a story with beautiful music, and the Eleventh Doctor at his best and of all the Doctor Who Christmas episodes, this is my favorite by a mile.

Book Review: Captain Marvel: Higher, Faster, More

Captain Marvel, Vol. 1: Higher, Further, Faster, More by Kelly Sue DeConnick

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


After the last two books have dwelt on Carol losing her ability to fly (without extreme pain or mental damage), this book goes into a bold new direction. It starts with the cover for Issue 1 that screams that Carol Danvers is ready to go into action and the title of this collection defines its theme well.

If there are rough spots in this book, it's in Issue 1 where the book begins with a cut-scene from events that we won't actually get back to until Issue 5. (I only had to flip through 80 pages, people who read the comic had to wait four months). I was also a little bothered by the conversation with the pilot/boyfriend.

The only other problem is that part of the motivation for her not being sure where she belongs and to take this journey into space is that her mind was affected in the last story leaving her with some uncertainty. Given that, she seems to remember a lot of obscure continuity stuff.

At any rate, Carol is deployed to space by the Avengers to return a child to a planet where she escaped in a pod with hope of getting in touch with Spider-woman but having to settle for Captain Marvel. Along the way, we get a nice two issue cameo with Guardians of the Galaxy and then Carol gets to an alien plant that Emperor J'son is demanding to evacuate. She and a ragtag team from the planet investigate and find something sinister going on.

Even after ordered to leave, Carol refuses to let the Emperor force the Colonist of Tofra and delivers a stirring action speech at the end of Issue 5, "They are a peaceful people, but I am a woman of war. If you move against them, you move against me. I'm willing to die here today for this cause. I've made my choice, now you make yours." It was an awesome moment, given that she was speaking to a full page of battleships.

Marvel has been rediscovering the joys of space adventures. While the Silver Surfer feels much like Doctor Who, this Captain Marvel adventure feels like something out of Star Trek. She's far from home and the only representative of the Avengers in outer space. She has to make her own decisions and hope that anyone who needs to approve does. It's like Captain Kirk without a crew and a lot less regulation.

Overall, this was a great book and a nice new direction for Carol Danvers.



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Book Review: Golden Age Sandman Archives, Volume 1

The Golden Age Sandman Archives, Vol. 1 by Gardner F. Fox

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


These contain the earliest adventures of the Sandman, a character who Neil Gaiman would revitalize for the modern era often adapting the golden age stories. This book collects the first few stories from New York World's Fair Comics #1 and #2 and Adventure Comics #40-#59.

Most of the book isn't all that impressive, with its regular run of toughs bent on various mischief. The early parts of the book with the art by Bert Christman were pretty typical of comics from the era. In many ways, the Sandman as a gas-gun using crimefighter thought to be a criminal by the law seems to be a pastiche of the Green Hornet.

However, in this case, I think that as a comic book character, the Sandman is actually a bit more impressive compared to the Green Hornet's Golden Age run that's published by Dynamite as the stories are a little less predictable.

I love the Sandman's original costume which is featured throughout the book which ends 10 months prior to him being issued the yellow and purple costume he wore through the rest of the golden age. While I love yellow and purple, it's not near as good as the costume portrayed throughout the book.

I also have to note the presence of Dian Belmont, the Sandman's girlfriend who is probably one of the best female side characters in the golden age.

The book's art leaps forward when Craig Flessel becomes more comfortable in the role and produces a very good look particularly for the golden age. The last few stories seem to turn a page as in Issue 57, the Sandman goes from fighting typical hoods to dealing with a mad scientist bent on extorting the governments of the Earth or change the planet's orbit. It's a great concept and Issue 58 with Killer Orchids and Issue 59 with a hypnotic ruby. It's a shame, the collection ends on such an enticing note.

Overall, this isn't an essential golden age title, but it is above average and a nice read.



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Book Review: Batman: Noel

Batman: Noël by Lee Bermejo

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Batman: Noel is a combination of Batman and the Christmas Carol. The surprising story sets a cynical beaten down Batman who is willing to use a criminal who is the father of a young boy as bait o catch one of his greatest villains.

Batman in this story is a picture of John Bunyan's man with a muckrake. He's been in the slough of evil and despondency so long that it's all he sees. It would probably not be advisable to compare this Batman to the one in the DC mainstream universe as that wasn't Bermejo's point in this short yet engaging and conversational tale.

Bermejo does this art on this book and the art is absolutely stunning. The art is the best thing in a comic you'll see this side of Alex Ross with great colors, shading, and mood.

If there's a downside to the book, it's that it does try a bit too hard to shove Batman into the Christmas Carol mode and when it does, the results are a tad awkward. ("Reduce the surplus criminal population." Really?)

But overall, this book is still a lot of fun with a great story and fantastic art, and with good Christmas graphic novels hard to find, this one is a worthy read.



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Book Review: Captain America: Death of the Red Skull

Captain America: Death of the Red Skull by J.M. DeMatteis

My rating: 2 of 5 stars


This book shows us the Death of the Red Skull as told in the 1980s by JM Demattens. This was not the final word on the character (who'd be resurrected in less than 50 issues) but it was an event. The book captures that event in a year's worth of Captain America Comics from Issue 290-301. The first three issues and the last issue are probably the best in the book. The first 3 set up the fact that Cap is now partnered with Nomad and engaged to be married to a Jewish lady named Bernie. The dialogue is a tad corny, but the story is enjoyable for what it is. However with Issues 293-299, the story becomes a long slog of melodrama and over the top supervillain speeches. The story crawls with way too many characters operating within the same and chewing up scenery. One character in a coma was in multiple issues with his wife by his bedside and nothing happened to him. It was as if DeMatteis wanted to assure us the character was still in a coma. It had to be maddening to have to wait a month to read a story that went slow and went nowhere.

The story picks up with the actual death of the Red Skull in Issue 300, though this issue also features Captain America being saved by a magic Indian. Issue 301 is a solid conclusion actually as the Avengers come to help Cap with the aftermath. There's a nice moment where Hawkeye comes representing the West Coast Avengers with praise and respect for Cap after their troubled past.

Overall, this book was not a fun read. It has its moments, but its way too long for the little that happens, there are too many characters, and the dialogue is too florid, stilted and soap operatic.



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Book Review: Mr. T: Graphic Novel

Mr. T: Limited Advance Edition Graphic Novel by Christopher Bunting

My rating: 2 of 5 stars


This is not Mr. T's first rodeo in comics. The character based on the real Mr. T featured in a 1990s NOW comic book series and then a brief stint in two comics for the British AP Comics prior to this book which was published by Mohawk Media.

Unlike those prior books which has Mr. T as an urban warrior, right wrongs for the poor, this book has Mr. T in his role as a bodyguard for celebrities, something he actually did in real life.

The result is a tad less impressive. In Mr. T and the T Force, Mr. T took on whole gangs of criminals, battled a giant Aztec, and showed incredible feats of strength. Here, it's a tad more routine. In four "episodes," he bodyguards a child, hunts for a kidnapped girl, and is hired to bodyguard an Anglican Priest in Issues 3 and 4. Overall, the stories are more realistic, but that's the problem. You don't pick up a Mr. T comic looking for realism.

The comic also fails for the look of Mr. T. The Costume is horrendous and doesn't suit him at all. The idea of giving him a body armor is also something that's not quite the Mr. T we know and love. The end to Episode 4 is dark and left unresolved and is a big violation of the Mr. T character.

The one saving grace of the book is the "Bonus" Episode which has Mr. T guarding an Australian "superhero" from a supervillain only to discover things aren't quite what they seem. There are some nice moments and some good action in this story. The art in this is decent throughout, but it's nothing special. Worst of all, the writer doesn't seem to get the appeal of Mr. T as a comic character.

The action should be a bit over the top and we ought to get some positive life lessons out of the story. There ought to be tenderness and tough love. If we can't support a proper Mr. T comic and have to settle for this stuff, than in the words of the man, I pity us foos.



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Book Review: Essential Amazing Spider-man, Volume 6

Essential Amazing Spider-Man, Vol. 6 by Gerry Conway

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


This book sees us swing fully into the Gerry Conway era on Amazing Spider-man and for many, it includes the event that many say launched the Bronze Age of Comics. This book collects Amazing Spider-man #114-137, Giant Sized Superheroes #1, and Giant Sized Spider-man #1 and #2.

The book kicks off with #114 and #115 which continues a previous story arc about a gang war between Doctor Octopus and Hammerhead. The book also establishes a long time problem of Aunt May staying on as Doc Ock's housekeeper much to Peter's distress.

Issues #116-118 reprints and revamps a story from the magazine size Spectacular Spider-man #1 featuring the story of a reform mayoral candidate and a strange man-monster pursuing him. The action is a good and the story is decent as far as it goes. The story creates a minor continuity issue since the name of the candidate wasn't changed. Still, the result isn't bad.

Issues #119 and #120 have Peter Parker going to Canada to investigate a strange letter sent to Aunt May that may tie into the reason for Doc Ock's interest in her. While in Canada, he fights the Hulk. The story is good and a nice crossover that takes Spider-man out of his element and allows him to meet up with General Ross. The action is good and my only problem with it is that Spidey's attitude is a bit inconsistent with what was betrayed in Annual #3 when he chose to let the Hulk go out of compassion even though it cost him his first chance to join the Avengers.

Issue #121 is the big one. It's, "The Night that Gwen Stacy Died." which is one of the seminal events in Spider-man history and the history of comics in general with many saying that Spider-man #121 marked the start of the more serious Bronze Age of comics. Clearly, the biggest reason for the death of Gwen Stacy is that the author didn't know what else to do with her. Dating back to Issue 111, Conway had done very little with this relationship, so her death was necessary.

However, Conway goes beyond necessity and creates a masterful story that acknowledges the real impact of what happened when she perished as a result of Spider-man's fight with the Green Goblin. The reaction is realistic and completely believable. The emotions are handled appropriately and with great sensitivity, adding depth to Spider-man character.

The one unrealistic part was Gwen dying before Spidey's web hit her. This was retconned to her dying as a result of her spine snapping when the web grabbed her close to the ground.

At any rate, Issue #122 has the follow up death of Norman Osborne and also begins to see the development of Mary Jane Watson as a character which Conway also does in a very subtle intelligent way throughout the book.

Issue #123 has J Jonah hiring Luke Cage to go after Spider-man and is really a showcase for that character that works pretty well. Issues 124 and 125 are another great concept as J Jonah own son has become one of the "freaks" he raves against as a new Man-wolf. Issue 126 features the return of the Kangaroo. Issues #127 make up a nice two parter about the apparent return of the Vulture with some great plot twists along the way.

Issue #129 is the first story featuring the Punisher. It's pretty basic but gives a good outline of the character. Issue #130 has the return of Hammerhead and leads into Issue #131 where Peter has to prevent Aunt May from marrying Doctor Octopus. It's a fun story, but you just have to avoid thinking about why Doc Ock is wanting to marry Aunt May because it breaks down. Issues 132 and 133 have Conway revamp yet another previously introduced villain into a major menace and he does a great job with the Molten Man.

Giant Sized Spider-man #1 features a team up between Morbius the living Vampire and John Jameson as Man-wolf. The story is probably one of the weakest in the book but still okay.

Giant Sized Spider-man #1 was written by Len Wein and has Spider-man and Dracula in it, though the two don't do battle although Peter Parker bumps into her in the hall. This is a decent story of murder and fear on a cruise boat with Spider-man needing to find a scientist to get them back to New York to save Aunt May. Issue #134 has Spider-man fighting the Tarantula with the Punisher joining in Issue #135 after initially believing Spider-man was in league with the Tarantula (hmm, the Punisher must read the Daily Bugle.) The Punisher is pretty reasonable in this story and suprisingly so given how the character developed as he's okay with Spider-man catching Tarantula and turning him over to the police.

Giant Sized Spider-man #2 (also by Len Wein) has Spidey teaming up with the Master of Kung Fu with both men beginning the adventure thinking the other is a villain. This was a nice change of pace and just a fun team up that took Spidey out of his element.

Issues #136 and #137 feature the reveal of the new Green Goblin as Harry Osborn in a truly epic story.

Overall, this is a book that lives up to his title as these are truly essential tales. Several issues are much-read including the first Punisher stories, the Night Gwen Stacy died, and the last two stories featuring Harry Osborn. That which isn't actually essential is very well written and pretty darn interesting. Conway doesn't redo the Spider-man mythos but builds on it and the results are amazing. The book has a variety of artists including John Romita, Gil Kane, and Ross Andru, and all do an equally great job of capturing the classic feel of Spider-man.



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