The Infinite Crisis crossover was inconsistent in its quality, but the first Countdown issue made for an excellent introduction. Starring the Blue BeeThe Infinite Crisis crossover was inconsistent in its quality, but the first Countdown issue made for an excellent introduction. Starring the Blue Beetle, as a tragic everyman sort of superhero among the heavy hitters, his investigation of a mysterious conspiracy makes for a nice tour of the DC Universe at the time. And a bittersweet farewell to the character. The ending and surprise villain was genuinely shocking at the time, and it still holds up. Forget about the tons of tie-in books back then. This was, on its own, simply a good comic...more
While DC's flagship character Batman may still be overexposed, drawing attention away from the rest of that colorful science fiction universe, it can'While DC's flagship character Batman may still be overexposed, drawing attention away from the rest of that colorful science fiction universe, it can't be denied that he still makes for damn good stories.
After the New 52, DC went all in on producing an approachable Batman reboot in as high quality as possible, with author Scott Snyder (who has recently gone on to steer the whole universe with Justice League and Death Metal) and outstanding artist Greg Capullo. This whole series is worth it for Capullo's art if nothing else.
Even if this new book did disrupt my beloved Grant Morrison's Batman Incorporated, I'll forgive... weird how Batman was dealing with two different conspiracies ala Leviathan and the Court of Owls at the same time but whatever.
Anyway, Batman already has the best villains in comics. So it is a risk to create new ones to focus on, an ambition many writers try, which still makes me feel poor Bats is too stretched thin but if it's a good story I must admit it. The Court of Owls, and their assassin Talon, certainly make for compelling antagonists who fit well in this world. It's a bit of an age-old story, with even superpro Batman getting outsmarted and driven mad by evil organization that nearly destroys all of Gotham--again, Batman Inc was doing that at the *exact* same time.
But Snyder and Capullo's take, wow, what a ride....more
A broad array of Batman stories over 75 years, some crucial and some more filler. The quality is inconsistent, to be honest, but I suppose that's the A broad array of Batman stories over 75 years, some crucial and some more filler. The quality is inconsistent, to be honest, but I suppose that's the nature of going through such a large expanse of time.
The Golden and Silver Ages can be hard to read for a modern audience. It doesn't really get good until about the 80s.
There are stories that are one-offs and self contained, and there are chapters in big crossovers like Knightsfall. It's rather all over the place. But that is the nature of Batman, a character who has been around for so long.
(And note that makes it a bit less about the villains, as Joker for example has his own anniversary collection, and for other members of the Bat-family. There is however some notable older chapters like the first appearance of Batgirl and Poison Ivy, as well as a certain 90s Bane moment.)
Certainly an interesting read, with some highlights by famous authors like Doug Moench and Dennis O'Neil, or artists like Neal Adams and Greg Capullo.
Was worth borrowing from the library, but doesn't feel complete for my collection....more
Jerusalem: Chronicles From the Holy City, is a graphic novel in the somewhat simple and direct autobiographical style, and also happens to be one of tJerusalem: Chronicles From the Holy City, is a graphic novel in the somewhat simple and direct autobiographical style, and also happens to be one of the best books about the Middle East I have ever read.
Guy Delisle is famous for his travel memoirs, usually about lesser known exotic places within dictatorships, like Pyongyang and Burma. Years ago, I read his book Shenzhen (published in 2000) which I didn’t enjoy it because I felt his version of the city was very outdated and so it didn’t resonate with me.
Reading Jerusalem was so much more of a thoughtful and informative experience. Delisle really put his soul into it, becoming a master of the comics storytelling craft after many years at it, and with 300+ pages this book has a lot to say. Sadly, although it was published over a decade ago, the tragic realities of this city are worse than ever. The book doesn’t feel dated at all. I wish it did.
What makes Guy Delisle’s experience so important, is that he was not just another Western tourist who goes to Israel and only stays on the Israeli side. Most people never encounter the occupied territories and basically pretend like they don’t exist. This is in fact by design, the country is physically structured that way (as the book explains), but Delisle’s wife worked in East Jerusalem for a year with the MSF humanitarian organization. This made for many fascinating interactions with Palestinians within their own land, as opposed to the curated version so many other travelers have been limited by. At least, from the point of view of myself as a Westerner who went to Israel, it’s incredibly apparent when I read this book how sheltered that side is.
What makes Delisle’s book more personal and interesting than some complex history book, is how he just goes there as an outsider and explores. He goes to settlements. He goes to the West Bank, to Gaza, and talks to people going through the complex Kafkaesque legal nightmares and he listens to what they have to say. He’s unburdened by the nationalism that inflames others, he isn’t Jewish or Muslim—or Christian for that matter and he meets many Christian expats as well.
Sometimes the cultural differences make for strange conflicts, as he doesn’t necessarily get along with some of the more traditional Muslim people, and he admits to enjoying the secular modernity of places like Tel Aviv. Israel is, to put it mildly, a weird place. The bigotry of the ultra-Orthodox and of extremist settlers is something that does come up repeatedly, and can’t be avoided as he spent a year getting a deep dive education in this land. Worst of all is the security state apparatus, the injustices of the military at checkpoints which create such an unwelcome and hostile life for so many.
It’s not a preachy book. It’s very in-depth, as he goes to various churches and learns about obscure religious communities and Arab minorities and Samaritans, and meets diplomats at parties and NGO workers and gets into Islamicist controversies about European cartoons and the violence and on and on. It’s incredibly packed, yet it’s always told in such a cordial, almost whimsical way without quite taking sides. This turned out to be the perfect way to learn.
It is often the outsider who has the most objective perspective, who can step outside of emotional battles and see clearly what is happening. Guy Delisle’s Jerusalem is the book everyone should be reading to define the soul this place, without romanticizing it all. And that’s actually the perspective the world really needs, I should think....more
I've always be particularly to Bat-spinoffs more than of the man himself, and it was a nice turn when my favorite Robin Tim Drake got a long-running sI've always be particularly to Bat-spinoffs more than of the man himself, and it was a nice turn when my favorite Robin Tim Drake got a long-running series in the 90s. During the Knightswatch era, it was a natural outgrowth written by Chuck Dixon back when he was a good person (and a great writer of women, see Spoiler and Huntress. What happened to him).
Great art by Tom Grummet and Phil Jimenz, it's fun and the relatively low stakes worked great before everything got overly dark. Robin is the original teen hero, glad he got a title at last....more
Very well done, although 'real-time' comics aren't entirely original but this is the first time I'm aware that Marvel did it. It works quite well withVery well done, although 'real-time' comics aren't entirely original but this is the first time I'm aware that Marvel did it. It works quite well with the iconic character of Spider-Man, and gets a lot into the Cold War of all things. Spider-Man in the 60s during the Vietnam War as a source of conflict, and then it comes up again in the 80s... (On and there's also a subplot about Captain America during the anti-war era that is just an awesome idea, but it doesn't really have so much to do with Spidey)
What's most fun is seeing how each decade of Marvel history is incorporated into an aging Peter Parker. There's clones in the 70s, Secret War and the symbiote in the 80s, Civil War in the aughts, etc. Then there's the tragic deaths of guess who in which era, and it works as a lifestory of sorts how Peter marries Mary Jane and is a forty-something with memories of the death of Gwen Stacy, he feels like three-dimensional in this way. Even the background of Tony Stark and the aforementioned Cap feel like Civil War for example build up over years and years, instead of just a one-off crossover.
Then it ends with a Superior/Doc Ock reference, and the old hero passes the mantle to a young contemporary Miles Morales, which feels so right. One flaw with these kinds of stories, however, is that they often feel rushed and too short, as time passes incredibly quickly and they have to let the reader in on a lot of history in a limited number of pages. And, lest I forget, the great art by Mark Bagley. Who else would be so perfect to illustrate? Just make sure to recommend to long-term fans who will get the references and enjoy mulling over the plot choices, this is not for a novice who only saw some movies and cartoons....more
Mark Waid's Daredevil ends, on a rather successful note. Waid is one of the best superhero writers ever, and it was refreshing to read his take on DarMark Waid's Daredevil ends, on a rather successful note. Waid is one of the best superhero writers ever, and it was refreshing to read his take on Daredevil with a swashbuckling attitude instead of the usual brooding grim that has defined the character for so long.
The second half, with Matt Murdock in California and no secret identity, wasn't as good as the first but still had iconic art and surprisingly smart legal drama plotlines. So, Kingpin even shows up in the finale in what seems like a reference to the show, and after a no-Kingpin policy after such a long time it's interesting to read even if 3 chapters feels too much of a rush to wrap things up.
I for one would enjoy if Waid came back to Daredevil one day. ...more
In my view Freeza should have been the ultimate Dragon Ball villain. The most powerful being in the universe, until defeated by the Super Saiyan.
ThenIn my view Freeza should have been the ultimate Dragon Ball villain. The most powerful being in the universe, until defeated by the Super Saiyan.
Then, suddenly Freeza returns and the mysterious Trunks shows up. It was certainly a bold way to introduce the new addition to the cast, and he's a solid character. But to easily defeat Freeza and even his dad King Cold was a bit of a cheap way to show how the next arc will have villains EVEN MORE POWERFUL.
(I mean, they blow up planets, what did it even mean at this point to be so powerful...)
I will have some thoughts to share about the upcoming Cell Saga in future volumes. I wonder if it should have ended before, but in any case it was certainly interesting to keep up with the science fiction evolution of Dragon Ball, by shifting from space opera to time travel. ...more
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