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DC’s New 52 Year One Reviews: Animal Man by Jeff Lemire

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It’d be pretty cool to have a superhero for a Dad. I know a lot of people get all mushy and say “My Dad is my hero,” but let’s be honest, if the dude can’t fly/lift a truck/inherit the powers of a jackrabbit, he’s not much of a hero.

I think the most heroic thing I ever saw my Dad do was stoically fix his dislocated toe on a water park net bridge. I’m still a little impressed, but I’m not exactly bragging to Superman about that one. “What’s that, Supes? Oh you saved a WHOLE civilization from being colonized by Braniac? That’s pretty cool. One time my Dad dislocated his toe on a playground built for children, and he didn’t even cry.” [Read more…] about DC’s New 52 Year One Reviews: Animal Man by Jeff Lemire

DC’s New 52 Year One Reviews: Dial H By China Mieville and Mateus Santolouco

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If you read comics and you’re mildly pretentious, or kind of feel like someone’s calling your name when they say “intellectual,” there’s a pretty good chance you have what I’d call the “Sandman Complex.”

In addition to a troubling tendency to throw powder around strange bedrooms, this complex is the desire to defend the literary artistry of your funny books (*shudder*) with the verbose and complex line of argument that Sandman made so damn easy. The non-comics ridiculer wants to laugh at the lack of Joyce in your hands? Fine: that won’t stop you from your fierce rebuttal of “But but but Shakespeare… and and and refried reality!”

It was in this general mindset that I originally felt compelled to pick up Dial H. How does it rank in terms of fulfilling my Sandman Complex? [Read more…] about DC’s New 52 Year One Reviews: Dial H By China Mieville and Mateus Santolouco

DC’s New 52 Year One Reviews: Batman Incorporated by Grant Morrison and Chris Burnham

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When the new 52 began, a lot of comic fans wondered what this meant for the future of Grant Morrison’s Batman Incorporated. One of the best ongoing DC titles when the new 52 was announced, Batman Inc. didn’t make it into the new 52 lineup until the second wave of titles – the wait was, without a doubt, worth it. [Read more…] about DC’s New 52 Year One Reviews: Batman Incorporated by Grant Morrison and Chris Burnham

DC’s New 52 Year One Reviews: Batman by Scott Snyder

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Batman’s not an easy character to own.

He’s so popular, and so many creators have taken charge of him over the years, that it’s pretty tough to point a finger at the Batman writer. Frank Miller, of course, but then also his Lordship Alan Moore, and maybe Jeph Loeb gets in there, and none of it really exists without Neal Adams, and well honestly it’s kind of just offensive to not include Bob Kane (and Bill Finger!)…

The point being, Scott Snyder didn’t have much of a chance.

And yet. [Read more…] about DC’s New 52 Year One Reviews: Batman by Scott Snyder

Marvel Comics The Untold Story Rewind Review: Fantastic Four Number One

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Through my usual series of suave and gentlemenly maneuvers (lucky, I just got lucky), I managed to get my hands on an advance copy of Sean Howe’s Marvel Comics: The Untold Story. The insanely detailed biography covers the complete insider history of Marvel, from Captain America punching Hitler to present. I’m still making my way through the book (Jim Starlin and Steve Gerber are wreaking havoc on Marvel’s 70’s comics at the moment), but as I do so I’m finding that the book is providing a ton of inspiration to go back and enjoy early, iconic marvel story-lines. And you don’t get much earlier or more iconic than Fantastic Four #1.  [Read more…] about Marvel Comics The Untold Story Rewind Review: Fantastic Four Number One