Daniel Sherrier's Blog, page 25

Today’s Super Comic — Generation X #18 (1996)

I probably could’ve pulled off this yearlong series of positive comic reviews with X-Men books alone.

The X-Men had about a million spinoffs in the ‘90s, and one of the better ones of that era was Generation X. It brought us back to the X-Men’s roots as a series about teenage mutants learning to control their powers in a highly specialized educational environment. But Professor X wasn’t teaching this latest generation—stalwart X-Man Banshee (Sean Cassidy) and former villain the White Queen (Emma Frost) had that job.

Though the book is ostensibly about the teens, the dynamic between these two very different teachers is one of the best parts…as #18 demonstrates, when Emma telepathically compels Sean to walk off a plane at 30,000 feet in the air (it’s okay; he can fly). Her well-intentioned drive to keep her students safe, combined with her less rigid morality, make her a compelling character and one who plays well off of Banshee’s more traditional superhero type. Instead of spy vs. spy, we’ve got teacher vs. teacher (and teacher vs. students).

And artist Chris Bachalo is in top form here, with creative layouts and memorable images. A scene of Banshee breaking out of Emma’s spell is especially well done, though there isn’t a weak page in the book.

Writer: Scott Lobdell

Penciler: Chris Bachalo

Inker: Mark Buckingham

Publisher: Marvel Comics

How to Read It: back issues

Appropriate For: ages 11 and up

Today’s Super Comic — Daredevil #208 (1984)

When a guest writer substitutes for an issue, it can often feel like filler. But never when the guest writer is Harlan Ellison. If you see Ellison’s name on a comic, pay attention.

Ellison co-wrote Daredevil #208 with Arthur Byron Cover. The issue doesn’t advance any subplots or provide any new insight into Daredevil’s character—those are usually jobs for the regular creative teams—but it does showcase Daredevil’s skills and resourcefulness by subjecting him to a night of hell.

He’s lured into a mansion that used to be an elegant home, but the owner, consumed by thoughts of vengeance, has rigged it into a giant death trap specifically for Daredevil. DD endures a seemingly endless parade of dangerous obstacles as he seeks an exit, when all he really wanted to do that evening was get a good night’s sleep before his early morning court date.

The story could just as well have starred Batman or Green Arrow, but it’s not really a story about a costumed vigilante. It’s a story about the high cost of revenge, with the altered mansion serving as an excellent metaphor.

This is a textbook example of how to do a fill-in issue.

Writers: Harlan Ellison and Arthur Byron Cover

Penciler: David Mazzucchelli

Inker: Danny Bulanadi

Cover: David Mazzucchelli and Bob Wiacek

Publisher: Marvel Comics

How to Read It: back issues

Appropriate For: ages 10 and up

Today’s Super Comic — The Incredible Hulk #371 (1990)

It’s a Defenders reunion special in the pages of The Incredible Hulk. Doctor Strange and Namor the Sub-Mariner work together to defeat a possessed Hulk, and Bruce Banner assists from the inside.

The action combines magic, psychology, and good old-fashioned fisticuffs, and the book never forgets its sense of humor (writer Peter David gets bonus points for working in both a Doctor Who and a Star Trek reference early in the issue). And it advances the Hulk’s ongoing storylines, leading to an unexpected cliffhanger that sets up a rather unconventional romantic obstacle for a comic book character.

A fun time all around.

Writer: Peter David

Penciler: Dale Keown

Inker: Bob McLeod

Publisher: Marvel Comics

How to Read It: back issues; Comixology; included in The Incredible Hulk Visionaries – Peter David, vol. 5 (TPB)

Appropriate For: ages 10 and up

Today’s Super Comic — Green Lantern #100 (1998)

Want a team-up involving a dead character? Time-travel can facilitate that!

Green Lantern #100 brings together then-new GL Kyle Rayner and then-deceased GL Hal Jordan by sending Kyle roughly a decade into the past, to the Green Lantern Corps’ glory days. Kyle, his era’s sole and randomly chosen GL, serves as the reader’s viewpoint into this wondrous sci-fi world of fearless heroes as the Corps battles Sinestro at his old-school villainous best.

I started reading comics early enough that Hal was and is “my” Green Lantern, but Kyle was the reigning GL throughout my adolescence. Ron Marz wrote a lot of good Kyle stories, but seeing Hal back in action was always a treat. So this was the perfect way to celebrate the 100-issue milestone and show us how fun comics can be.

And the cliffhanger’s even better.

Writer: Ron Marz

Penciler: Darryl Banks

Inker: Terry Austin

Publisher: DC Comics

How to Read It: back issues; Comixology; included in Green Lantern: Emerald Knights (TPB)

Appropriate For: ages 10 and up

Today’s Super Comic — Supergirl #18 (1998)

Comics get a bad rep for printing covers that have nothing to do with the contents of the story, and that’s often deserved. But with Supergirl #18…yes, she does sprout fiery angelic wings while battling classic JLA villain Despero.

You can’t say Peter David’s Supergirl series doesn’t distinguish itself from Superman’s multiple titles. Spirituality is a major theme, and one that doesn’t play well in Superman stories (personally, I’ve never been a fan of applying Jesus imagery to Superman). It works excellently with this version of Supergirl, though. David gradually unveils the series’ mythology over the course of the run, leaving plenty of room for mysteries and surprises.

Fans of David’s X-Factor no doubt recall Layla Miller, the ultra-precocious young girl who “knew stuff.” Well, this series gives us her precursor—a friendless orphan named Wally who claims to be God. It’s been a long time since I’ve read this, and I don’t recall what exactly the deal was with him, but I’m curious to rediscover that answer. Issue #18 features a wonderful moment that humanizes the boy (who, under a lesser writer, could easily have become insufferable).

This issue also further develops the familial relationship between Supergirl and Linda Danvers’s father. Though, yes, Supergirl technically is Linda, but not exactly…and they also seem to be something else…

So it’s not the most accessible title, which explains why this version of Supergirl eventually faded away in favor of the original. (Also, the original version always returns…maybe a few months later, maybe a few decades later, but always. It’s one of the immutable laws of comics.) Nevertheless, if you read this title from the start, it will reward you.

Writer: Peter David

Penciler: Leonard Kirk

Inker: Cam Smith

Cover: Gary Frank and Cam Smith

Publisher: DC Comics

How to Read It: back issues; Comixology

Appropriate For: ages 11 and up

Today’s Super Comic — Uncanny X-Men #211 (1986)

Mutant Massacre, the title of a classic X-Men crossover, sounds dark and violent…and it is. Pointless murder, defeat, and critical injuries all occur. But it’s less about that and more about fighting to overcome such darkness, no matter how bleak the situation gets.

We don’t see graphic images or gore (it was a more kid-friendly era of comics). But, particularly in Uncanny X-Men #211, we do see the X-Men risking their own lives to protect the innocent Morlocks from the vicious Marauders, and doing so despite their own preexisting injuries. Things actually go pretty poorly, and how they handle defeat shows us how heroic the X-Men truly are.

It’s one of their worst days, but because of the goodness they demonstrate along the way, we continue rooting for them. A fine example of how to balance hope and darkness.

Writer: Chris Claremont

Pencilers: John Romita, Jr. and Bret Blevins

Inker: Al Williamson

Cover: John Romita, Jr. and Bob Wiacek

Publisher: Marvel Comics

How to Read It: back issues; Marvel Unlimited; Comixology; included in X-Men: Mutant Massacre (TPB)

Appropriate For: ages 11 and up

Today’s Super Comic — Ms. Marvel #6 (2016)

It’s only natural for teen superheroes to screw up from time to time, and in Ms. Marvel #6, Kamala screws up big time…literally big time.

Like many teenagers these days, she’s so over-committed that she’s trying to be in multiple places at once (also literally in her case). In doing so, she risks missing out on all the important things and winds up fighting a giant-sized clone of herself (maybe not so much like many teenagers).

I’m pleased to see that the series, as well as Kamala, values input from adult role models. Captain Marvel (her hero) and Iron Man (her boss in the Avengers) both show up. Their Civil War II tensions appear without much subtlety, but no knowledge of that storyline is required (I haven’t read it yet). Despite their differences, though, both adults genuinely care about Ms. Marvel … not only her career, but her personal well-being.

Such a fun series, with excellent heart at its foundation.

Writer: G. Willow Wilson

Artist: Nico Leon

Cover: David Lopez

Publisher: Marvel Comics

How to Read It: recent back issues; Marvel Unlimited; Comixology; included in Ms. Marvel vol. 5: Super Famous (TPB)

Appropriate For: ages 11 and up

Today’s Super Comics — Doctor Strange: The Oath #1-5 (2006-07)

If you’ve never read a Doctor Strange comic, the best place to start is the miniseries The Oath by writer Brian K. Vaughan and artist Marcos Martin.

Doctor Strange’s origins inform the story, and the titular oath is not of the magical variety. His selfish, arrogant past haunts him, both externally and internally, as he discovers an elixir that could cure cancer worldwide. It’s a perfect premise for the character, and the execution is spot-on.

The Night Nurse co-stars, and as a fellow medical professional, she’s a natural fit and a good viewpoint character to introduce us to Doctor Strange’s world. (By the way, the Night Nurse is the inspiration for Rosario Dawson’s Claire, who appears in every Marvel Netflix series. And kind of funny in hindsight—Strange and the Night Nurse keep referring to each other as “Sherlock” and “Watson.”)

The third leg of our team of protagonists is Strange’s manservant, Wong, and the tremendous respect between him and Strange guides much of the story.

So if you watch the new movie next weekend and want to dive into the comics, I recommend beginning here.

Writer: Brian K. Vaughan

Penciler: Marcos Martin

Publisher: Marvel Comics

How to Read It: back issues; Marvel Unlimited; Comixology; included in Doctor Strange: The Oath (TPB)

Appropriate For: ages 12 and up

Today’s Super Comic — Runaways #18 (2004)

With #18, the Runaways’ initial storyline reaches its resolution…and the new status quo is established for the next series. Again, I have to admire how impressive this series is and how it contributes something new to the Marvel Universe.

And really, the series could have ended here and felt totally complete, but why let perfectly good characters go to waste? In just eighteen issues, these characters are as well-developed as some who have been around for many years.

A specific mission drove them throughout the first seventeen issues—stopping their parents—and writer Brian K. Vaughan kept the tension high the entire time, in part by introducing a mystery around one Runaway potentially being a mole and leveraging the parents’ lack of trustworthiness. But here we catch our breath and realize, yeah, let’s keep following these kids.

Well worth your time to read.

Writer: Brian K. Vaughan

Penciler: Adrian Alphona

Inker: Craig Yeung

Cover: Jo Chen

Publisher: Marvel Comics

How to Read It: back issues; Marvel Unlimited; Comixology; included in Runaways vol. 3: The Good Die Young (TPB)

Appropriate For: ages 12 and up

Today’s Super Comics — Batman: The Long Halloween #1-13 (1996-97)

Seems to be an appropriate time of year for Batman: The Long Halloween, though anytime near a major holiday would work. This Batman story is, as the title implies, long in scope, spanning a full year early in the Dark Knight’s career. A serial killer is targeting gangsters, but only on the holidays, giving Batman a mystery to haunt him for a full 365 days.

It’s a busy year in which we see many of our favorite Bat-villains, including quite a bit of Harvey Dent as he transitions into Two-Face. Early on, Harvey, Batman, and Commissioner Gordon make a vow to bring down the crime lord Carmine Falcone, a.k.a. the Roman—perhaps with bending some rules, but never breaking any, Gordon insists. You can spot the DNA of the excellent Dark Knight movie in that and other moments throughout. In Gotham City, doing the right thing takes a toll—but it still needs to be done.

Certain writer/artist teams seem to bring out the best in each other, and the quintessential example is frequent collaborators Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale, the writer and artist here. Sale’s panels are big, uncluttered, and consistently a little rough, which suits Batman’s world rather well, and Loeb writes a lean, efficient script that covers up a minimum of the artwork. Interestingly, the story has plenty of room to breathe over thirteen issues, but it still feels stripped down to its essential components.

And another plus—the story requires Batman to be a detective. That facet of him tends to get overlooked sometimes, particularly in other mediums.

The miniseries deserves its status as a classic. I wouldn’t call it the best Batman story or anything like that, but it certainly is something special.

Writer: Jeph Loeb

Artist: Tim Sale

Publisher: DC Comics

How to Read It: back issues; Comixology; Batman: The Long Halloween (TPB)

Appropriate For: ages 12 and up