Daniel Sherrier's Blog, page 17

Today’s Super Comic — Starman #48 (1998)

It’s Starman…in spaaaaaaace!!!!

Had to happen eventually, and it happens at the right stage in Jack Knight’s development as a superhero. He’s become increasingly comfortable in the role, so now it’s time to take things to the next level with his first outer space voyage.

He ventures out with a clear mission: He’s searching for one of the previous Starmen, Will Payton (the early ‘90s incarnation of the brand, presumed dead until this point). Turns out, Jack is dating Payton’s sister, Sadie, and she’s not convinced Will is actually dead. So she asks him to find her brother, and how can he say no?

But he also enjoys the opportunity, even if space travel does get a little tedious after the initial excitement. Fortunately, there’s a strange blue planet to land on, a planet where things are not as they seem. It’s all very Star Trek.

Accompanying Jack on this voyage is another Starman predecessor, an alien named Mikaal, as well as a hologram version of his father, the original Starman, Ted Knight. So the “Starman family” feel carries on even into the depths of space. Forty-eight issues in, and to its credit, the book remains focused on that generational theme.

This particular storyline, though, is just kicking off. And it’s off to a great start indeed.

Story: James Robinson and David Goyer

Writer: James Robinson

Penciler: Steve Yeowell

Inker: Keith Champagne

Cover: Tony Harris

Publisher: DC Comics

How to Read It: back issues; Comixology; included in Starman Omnibus vol. 5 (HC)

Appropriate For: ages 14 and up

Today’s Super Comic — Black Widow #5 (2016)

The current Black Widow remains a quality action series five issues in.

Momentum continues to build. The tension escalates. The stakes feel higher with every issue. And it’s all done in exactly the right tone, and with the right ambiguity, for its title character. I’m genuinely curious to see how this wraps up.

Yet another reminder that there really should be a solo Black Widow movie by now. But at least we have this excellent comic.

Writers: Chris Samnee and Mark Waid

Artist: Chris Samnee

Publisher: Marvel Comics

How to Read It: recent back issues; Marvel Unlimited; Comixology; included in Black Widow vol. 1: SHIELD’s Most Wanted (TPB)

Appropriate For: ages 12 and up

Today’s Super Comic — Nova #16 (2014)

I’m still reading Nova for the first time, and the series continues to serve up textbook YA fun with each issue.

Issue #16 wraps up a storyline that showcases how the young new Nova (Sam Alexander) is trying to be responsible, even as he keeps making mistakes. But the important thing is that he goes to great lengths to fix those mistakes.

This particular space-based adventure brings him into contact with Beta Ray Bill, an alien who’s worthy of wielding Thor’s hammer (that goes back to an old Thor storyline I haven’t read). Bill provides guidance and serves as a role model to Sam, and they’re not so busy saving the day that they can’t enjoy the overall experience.

And just as everything seems to be resolved, a new problem arises on the final page, one that no amount of super-powers can fix.

So far, Nova is a brightly colored book with a positive tone. Even though life is never easy for its protagonist, the series remains upbeat. A great option for YA readers.

Writer: Gerry Duggan

Penciler: David Baldeon

Inker: Terry Pallot

Cover: Paco Medina

Publisher: Marvel Comics

How to Read It: back issues; Marvel Unlimited; Comixology; included in Nova vol. 3: Nova Corpse (TPB)

Appropriate For: ages 11 and up

Today’s Super Comic — Starman #44 (1998)

Starman would occasionally take a detour into the past, in a recurring feature labeled “Times Past.” These stories would foreshadow upcoming storylines, fill in details about Opal City’s history, or show us the original Starman (Ted Knight) in action in his prime. It was a great idea for world-building, and it placed the weight of history behind the current Starman (Jack Knight).

Issue #44 takes us back to 1944, when Ted Knight protected Opal, but he’s more of a supporting character this time. This issue reintroduces us to the Phantom Lady, one of the earliest female superheroes, and it establishes her as the cousin of Ted. We also learn she was the one who became a superhero first, and she helped inspire him to do the same. That’s a nice reversal of how things usually go in comics.

The Phantom Lady (Sandra Knight) makes a good first impression here. Not only is she tough and skilled, but she also comes across as a happy hero who genuinely enjoys the work. She makes a welcome addition to the Starman family.

Writer: James Robinson

Penciler: Mike Mayhew

Inker: Wade Von Grawbadger

Cover: Tony Harris

Publisher: DC Comics

How to Read It: back issues; Comixology; included in Starman Omnibus vol. 4 (HC)

Appropriate For: ages 14 and up

Today’s Super Comic — Excalibur #85 (1995)

Ah, the good old days when you could slap Wolverine on a cover and sell more comics, regardless of how little he was actually in the issue.

In the case of Excalibur #85, Wolverine appears only in flashback to dispense advice to the true star of the issue—Kitty Pryde, a.k.a. Shadowcat.

Two magicians want to kill her on account of a magical sword that belonged to Kitty’s late best friend, Illyana (Magick of the New Mutants). The Soulsword is presently bonded to Kitty, making her a target. (What better plot device for a book named “Excalibur” than a magical sword?) One of those crazy magicians has possessed Nightcrawler, and the rest of the team is out of commission. So Kitty has to outwit and outfight a madman who’s wearing the body of one of her closest friends.

The battle shows how far she’s come since her early days as the X-Men’s annoying teen sidekick. In the present, out of all the many X-related characters that have accumulated over the years, Kitty stands out as one of the best…thanks in part to the growing up she did in the pages of Excalibur.

Some time abroad is good for the soul, I suppose.

Writer: Warren Ellis

Penciler: Ken Lashley

Inker: Tom Wegrzyn

Publisher: Marvel Comics

How to Read It: back issues; Marvel Unlimited; Comixology; included in Excalibur Visionaries – Warren Ellis, vol. 1 (TPB)

Appropriate For: ages 12 and up

Today’s Super Comic — Black Widow #1 (2004)

Almost twenty years ago now, Marvel launched an imprint for comics with a hard PG-13 rating that allowed their creators to think outside the box. It was called Marvel Knights, and it facilitated some good stories aimed at an older readership without crossing the line into excessive profanity and the like (that happened in MAX, which started a few years later).

The Black Widow was an excellent choice for a Marvel Knights series, as the first issue of her 2004 miniseries demonstrates.

She’s definitely operating outside normal Avengers parameters here (I think she was between Avenging stints at this point). She’s not above killing to defend herself or others, which normally I’m against, but it fits her character and her checkered background.

Issue #1 sets up a situation where Natasha’s past is coming back to haunt her, which seems to be a pretty standard type of plot for her…but again, it suits the character. And it’s nice to see that even when she’s on the run, she’s willing to leap into action to save an innocent when she could just as easily walk away.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe may not know how to give Black Widow her own movie, but comic books have already proven she can carry a story. For Widow fans, this one’s worth a look (just not the younger Widow fans).

Writer: Richard K. Morgan

Artist: Bill Sienkiewicz

Cover: Greg Land

Publisher: Marvel Comics

How to Read It: back issues; Marvel Unlimited; Comixology; included in Black Widow: Homecoming (TPB)

Appropriate For: ages 15 and up

Today’s Super Comic — Catwoman #1 (2002)

Here’s a time it actually made sense to start over with a new issue #1. When writer Ed Brubaker and artist Darwyn Cooke (both incredible talents) took over Catwoman, they injected a mature tone into the book and set Selina Kyle on a fresh course.

She’s been presumed dead for the past six months, so now it’s time to figure out what to do with her life. She laments how self-serving she had become, but she’s not quite sure what that makes her at present. As she observes Batman in action against the Riddler, she realizes how she doesn’t belong in his world of good against evil; her territory is “between right and wrong.”

Catwoman and Batman have a nice moment together on a rooftop, and the dialogue further sharpens their differences:

Batman: No matter what, I believe that deep down, you’re really a good person. Don’t you think so?

Catwoman: Sometimes…yeah, sometimes I do…but I think it’s just a lot more complicated than that.

(As a side note, it’s always nice when a Catwoman/Batman rooftop scene in a Catwoman #1 manages not to devolve into gratuitous sex to “shock” us or show off how “adult” it is. I try to stay positive here, but that poor decision in the New 52 series deserves the jab. So…sorry/not sorry. But as I said, Brubaker and Cooke bring a mature tone to this book.)

Catwoman, when handled properly, is a complex character. Her many shades of grey give her the potential to surpass Batman as a compelling protagonist. And this particular #1 kicks off the finest set of Catwoman comics I’ve ever read.

Writer: Ed Brubaker

Artist: Darwyn Cooke

Inker: Mike Allred

Publisher: DC Comics

How to Read It: back issues; Comixology; included in Catwoman vol. 1: Trail of the Catwoman (TPB)

Appropriate For: ages 14 and up

Today’s Super Comic — Zatanna #8 (2011)

Let me again lament how short-lived Paul Dini’s Zatanna series was. But better than nothing, I suppose.

Issue #8 kicks off a new storyline that forces Zatanna to confront her childhood fear of puppets, which apparently stems from a time her father, Zatara, made a serious error in judgment and went too far in stopping a bad guy. And now that old mistake is back to haunt his daughter.

Not only does it set up a good conflict that’s both internal and external, but it also fills in details about her life, past and present—something the character had been in need of for many years. (An amusing little flashback in this issue involves a Sesame Street guest appearance gone awry.) Here, she’s portrayed as a person first, magician second.

It’s always nice to see Zatanna get to be her own character rather than just the Justice League’s resident sorceress.

Writer: Paul Dini

Artist: Cliff Chiang

Cover: Stephane Roux

Publisher: DC Comics

How to Read It: back issues; Comixology; included in Zatanna vol. 2: Shades of the Past (TPB)

Appropriate For: ages 12 and up

Today’s Super Comic — Birds of Prey #56 (2003)

The second era of Birds of Prey began in #56, when writer Gail Simone kicked off a long and consistently entertaining run on the title.

It starts with the previous status quo. Oracle (the original Batgirl, Barbara Gordon, currently confined to a wheelchair) uses her extensive computer prowess to do good around the world, and Black Canary is her field agent and best friend. But this time, they’re operating in their homebase of Gotham to take down a CEO who’s planning on stealing his employees’ retirement funds. The plan is simply to scare him straight, but this would be a rather boring comic if everything went according to plan—and it’s certainly not that.

Simone hints at a new recruit for the team, one who will bring a fresh and interesting dynamic to the book.

This is just the start, and it’s a good one indeed, full of humor, ethical dilemmas, and cliffhangers.

Writer: Gail Simone

Penciler: Ed Benes

Inker: Alex Lei

Publisher: DC Comics

How to Read It: back issues; Comixology; included in Birds of Prey vol. 1: Of Like Minds (TPB)

Appropriate For: ages 12 and up

Today’s Super Comic — Captain Marvel #1 (2012)

Carol Danvers hasn’t had the smoothest history, but she’s finally in the A-list where she belongs. After her character-rehabilitation in the Ms. Marvel series from ten years ago, she was finally ready to take the name and title she should have had from the start—Captain Marvel, Earth’s Mightiest Hero.

She officially takes the name in Captain Marvel #1 (from 2012, not 2014 or 2016; I miss the days when series would go on for hundreds of issues). It’s basically a tone-setting issue, beginning with a fun romp as then–Ms. Marvel and Captain America take on the Absorbing Man, who amusingly wants to steal a moon rock in hopes it will give him moon powers. Things get a bit more serious later with the true inciting incident for the first storyline—the death of Carol’s hero from her youth (and not a superhero hero).

It’s a solid start that strikes a nice tonal balance. I thoroughly enjoy Kelly Sue DeConnick’s writing style—the dialogue sounds organic, the sense of humor is strong, and there’s a focus on character. All good stuff.

Writer: Kelly Sue DeConnick

Artist: Dexter Soy

Cover: Ed McGuinness, Dexter Vines, Javier Rodriguez

Publisher: Marvel Comics

How to Read It: back issues; Marvel Unlimited; Comixology; included in Captain Marvel vol. 1: In Pursuit of Flight (TPB)

Appropriate For: ages 12 and up