The Good , the Bad , and the Ugly - [6-28-09]

[SUPERECWFAN1]

Its been about 2/3 weeks since I did a Good , the Bad and the Ugly . So in that time I had a birthday , went to Heroes Con , and found Uncanny X-Men #213 yesterday ! For 50 cents baaabbeee. Yep... just one more Uncanny X-Men issue to go (#205) and I'll have me an epic run from #164-current ! Hell yeahh....


But onto the the new stuff. The latest and greatest from Comics.... away...we...go.

SPOILERS AHEAD...MASSIVE DAMN SPOILERS !!


THE GOOD


Barack the Barbarian #1: Ok this is basically a silly , parody book built in the style of Conan the Barbarian . But stars the President of the United States as an axe wielding , nice Barbarian who travels to Warshingtun and ends up in battles with the Old Warrior and Red Sarah ! He also meets a campaign strategist who helps him and ends up becoming partners with Hileria . All while the evil Boosh Vizier Harry Burden plot to stop his rise to power !

Its just a funny , silly parody wrote by Larry Hama who did GI Joe and Wolverine for years. The book has attracted a ton of press from Steven Colbert to CNN for the sillyness it does. You can spot Palin , McCain , Hillary and others a mile away. But its the spin in all this that Hama does that makes it funny. Good for a laugh.


Batman #687 : Its very rare a Judd Winick book ends up in the "Good" pile with me. Very....very rare. Because Judd falls into adding sexual tones to his stories that really make me wonder if this is a grown man working on books.

Anyhow , the issue deals with right after FINAL CRISIS. We see Superman and the JLA in the cave handing Dick Grayson the Batman costume. How they felt sad for the fallen comrade. There will be no funeral as Dick explains , he basically said so. Not to draw attention away that Batman is gone.

We see scenes of Grayson as any child would if a parent dies , claim he never thought Bruce would die so soon. He knew in their business he could. But its so sudden and now...he does cry for him. Alfred seems to take it the worst. He never breaks down like Dick does....but he does tell Superman "Have you ever lost a son ?"

At the end debate wages as Grayson wieghs being Batman . In the final pages we see that the Scarecrow is back and terrorizing Gotham. And in that final page we see that Grayson makes the decision that he has to be Batman .

Its a good read and one DC should have scheduled before Morrison's to be honest. And its rare I give Winick a compliment. But here he deserves it for this book. Lets see if he can stay on the good list with me and not do cheap sexual situations and all.


Uncanny X-Men #512 : Beast's science team of the X-Men , Archangel , Dr.Rao , Dr. Nemesis , Madison Jeffries , Psylocke and Dr. Yuriko Tagikuchi get the spotlight in this double-sized issue by Fraction.

The team is intent on solving the mutant birth crisis and decide to travel back to 1906 where Nemesis was born to his parents. They feel blood from the parents of the 1st modern era mutant could help them discover a way to help solve this problem.

While there we see that Bradley's research for a power source has gotten the Hellfire Club intriqued. One member however decides to build a 1906 Sentinal to defend the human race . Nemeis meets his mother and he reveals later near the end...that she dies in childbirth as does his father.

After a mis-understanding and battle , Nemesis gets the blood from them. Which he asks her to bury in the park so they can get them later. He then at the end as we see...goes back 100+ years and helps deliver himself as the doctor .

Its a good story and one that I enjoyed. I'm glad we got it before the big crossover happening soon with the Dark Avengers and all. Uncanny has became a good book under Fraction.


Captain America #600 : This one actually for some came out the 15th on a Monday. And the news media went monkey shit crazy over it. Captain America is on his way back people ! This issue starts the comeback story.

Its a double-sized issue by Brubaker , Waid , Alex Ross and others I may forget. One story by Ross sets the stage. We see Cap ...go from weak 98 pound Steve Rodgers to America's finest soldier in WW 2. Then we get the meet of the issue as its one year later since he fell.

Bucky wants to honor his friend and show up. But they all know Norman Osborn will be on the lookout for em with his band of Avengers. Theres a book memorial to the man happening in the park , and at 1st Norman tries to break it up...but people get pissed. Even if he was a traitor...they loved him. Natasha talks her man and the others from showing in costume to honor Steve. And as a sign of respect...Norman decides to not make a scene there.

Sharon Carter meanwhile is sorta going thru her own issues. She finally remembers that she handed the gun to someone who worked for the Skull and the Doctor. Hunts him down and makes him talk as she finds the gun that killed Captain America ! But she's suprised and we learn that perhaps...Steve didn't die !

The Red Skull hints that it involves the Cosmic Cube in a scene. We see the 50's Cap as well in a scene where he beats some assholes down. We get his origin in a page. Sharon at the end runs to the park and tells Bucky : "He's alive....Steve is alive."

Waid's story is very sweet too. Its about a man who is selling his prized Captain America collection. One he loves and can't answer why to the reporter as its worth millions. We see Stan Lee at an auction for Captain America things. One is dear to him as an old soldier. A picture of Captain America with some army men. Another bids for his police badge as we see a scene of Cap as a cop and this old police Captain as a young officer with Steve Rodgers. Both take their cherished prizes .....Lee with his wife holds her hand as he looks at the picture. No doubt telling her he saved his life. The old captain keeps Rodgers badge in a glass case on his desk.

Then some asshole buys pages of a book Rodgers drew as a comic book artist. He claims he is gonna do a line of books proclaiming Captain America a traitor ! GRRRR...... he rushes back to his comic book company that him and his dad owns intent on making so much . But is shocked...SHOCKED....the man who sold his Cap collection is in fact ...the NEW OWNER ! He claims that their gonna publish Captain America stories of how great and honorable Cap is. There won't be no Captain America :traitor in his company....and slams the door in the assholes face !


Another story features Bernie Rosthenal , Cap's old girlfriend from Brooklyn. How her and Cap became an item and how those who lived in the apartment complex never knew he was Captain America. How he'd travel all the time and once she discovered it.....she couldn't really handle it. How dangerous his life was and worrying. And how saddened she was when she saw him be shot in person.

Whew....its a great anniversy issue . Hopefully you all can find it at your LCS.

End of Part #1.....part #2 coming....

[SUPERECWFAN1]

Gotham City Sirens #1 : For those of you fans missing Birds of Prey and wanting an all female team , Paul Dini is here to answer your prayers. Fresh off a great run on Detective Comics , Dini now has an all female team of Poison Ivy , Catwoman and Harley Quinn !

The story begins as Catwoman admits that post heart surgery after Hush had removed her heart , forcing Batman (Bruce then) to save her....has left her weakened. Even Zatanna's spell didn't work that well to restore her and she nearly gets killed by a C-List rogue. Ivy saves her and the 2 have some female bonding as they go back to the Riddler's place.

Who is ....well drugged by Ivy for the time being. Catwoman is shocked and asks about the money she looted from Hush. Where did it go. Ivy explains she gave it all to save the rainforests and trees. Selina is like..."You gave $30 million dollars away ?!" Harley shows up and is so happy as she has been spending like crazy. Catwoman jokes : "If the Joker came back you'd give it all to him , wouldn't you Harley ?"

"No I am over Mr.J . He hasn't called has he ?!!" Which is a sweet and shows that Dini knows the character he created so well. The rogue shows up...they kick his ass and realize they make a hell of a good team and can work togethor now. Girl power....and they move and buy a huge place ..or Selina does so they can team up. Of course Ivy is worried Selina maybe hurt and contacts Zatana in her own way....and the issue ends as Ivy drugs her wanting to know who Batman is ! Great ending !

Its a good fun read and perhaps one of the best launches from the Batman Reborn month. Give it up to Paul Dini people. Good story.


Detective Comics #854 : This was a tryout for me basically. I was reluctant to really try it at 1st since Rucka's "Action Comics" run doesn't grab me as good. And I had thought he was slipping there. But I gotta admit....Detective Comics suprised me.

The story starts as Kathy Kane is looking for information on the Religion of Crime and its 13 Covens. She gets some information from a thug , meets the new Batman who tells her , that her long hair could be a problem in a fight and goes off. Kathy then that morning meets her ....well ex-gf Anna who believes Kane is cheating on her due to the late nights.

Kathy awakes later as her father , the Colonel reviews tapes of her meeting with Batman. And asks her about the night job. She admits she feels she can't slow down due to be stabbed in the heart and wants to know why the Religion of Crime is so hot for her .

We see her battle her way to a meeting of the new female leader ....and meet the weird new rogue Alice ! Whoa....thats creepy . We see Kathy pull a gun out as the story ends.

The backup has Renee Montaya as the Question as she's hunting down a missing kid. Who may have been taken by a sex ring. She takes the case and soon enough at the end we see her tell her computer/HQ guy she has company as we see some bikers. Knowing a fight is brewing next issue in this 8 page backup.

Its a good book...and it shocked me how good Detective Comics would be. The backup is a bit weird...as i had expected them to follow off from what we saw in Final Crisis. But I suppose that its best to not even mention that series for how off the rails it went. Good work Rucka.

Fables #85 , Jack of Fables #35 , & the Literals #3 : The Great Fables crossover parts 7,8,9 . The biggest crossover in Fables history reaches its final parts. Bigby has been transformed into a little girl by Kevin Thorn and his ability to change reality and his desire to start from scratch and rewrite everyone ! The other "Literals" ...Revise , the Page Sisters , Gary aka the "Pathetic Fallacy" try and stop him. Bigby goes into his rage and destroys the Genres (Mystery , Science-Fiction , Blockbuster and Comedy) helping Thorn . He then transforms into his old wolf self and turns back as Thorn's hold has slipped over him.

Thorn meanwhile is ready to start anew after savagingly killing his half-brother "Writers Block" . Sam (old fable) coaxes him into cleaning himself so he can start anew . He wants to hide his pen , but instead watches as the magic pen of Thorn's scrambles his brains .

Jack ....(our hero... the greatest DAMN FABLE ...EVER) has his own problems in Fable town. Seems that his son the new Jack Frost has showed up and wants to know his dad. Jack tries and teaches him some things like ...never sleep with girls ya just met , they may end up being your half sisters. Frost isn't liking that and freezes his father for being an asshole to him and his mom.

The woodland creatures who believed Jack to be "Boy Blue" reincarnated learn that Jack isn't him and they wanna kick his ass too. Beauty and her man (The Beast) have Jack stay at Bigby and Snow's house . Its there Jack raids his cigerattes and booze....and meets the cubs( Snow White and Bigby's children). And like any good uncle he teaches them to play poker !

Anyhow , Jack Frost meets his dad and somehow Jack talks his son into saving the day. He sends him on a heroes journey and then he'll be rewarded like those fable tales teach. His son , agrees to go stop Kevin Thorn. Its there that Thorn is finally ready as Bigby and everyone rush in to stop him. He writes himself a force field and is all ready...when Jack Frost uses his new powers to freeze him inside the bubble ! Stopping him.

They debate what they can do so Thorn will never do this again . Revise (his son) wonders if death would be a way to go for his father. But the last "Literal" Deus-Ex Machina shows up and annouces he is there to wrap this up. He gets Snow White's egg in her office and Gary explains..inside is a whole blank universe for Thorn to write and create. Opening a doorway once the egg is cracked. Everyone goes in except the Page Sisters and Gary. Snow says they could lose their powers , but Gary claims he loves this world and would rather stay here.

In the final scene we see Jack walking as he's chased outta Fable town , and he runs into Gary. Who wants to be his sidekick again. That Bigby didn't seem to like a sidekick. Jack takes his pal back...and they walk into the sunset.....

Now that was a good fun crossover. I enjoyed it and I'm half interested in pulling Fables now possibly. Hmmmm....

The BAD

Justice Society of America #28 : Continueing the story by Jerry Ordway , we see that the Spectre has somehow arrived to help beat this dead enemy. The story gets wonky as the JSA really don't know if their having an effect in 1945 and fighting soldiers or not. Kung (the Japanese rogue who has returned) wants to punish the JSA members for allowing the atomic bomb to drop on Hiroshima in 1945.

Anyhow the Spectre does battle and ....heres where it gets crazy...for the issue its said that no one can have an effect on Kung. As he shape shifts and all. Here later in the issue they start helping the Spectre have an effect and the Spectre tells Kung to beg for forgiveness and Kung won't . The Spectre sentences him to the dark realm again he emerged from. A final twist is that Star Girl had a small piece trapped inside her , that Kung could later use to return and take control. The Spectre stops that and the JSA members ask to meet him in person. He tells them he can't join but lets them meet Crispus Allen who says its a learning process still between the Spectre and him.

Its not an altogethor bad issue. Its a nice fill in before Sturges and Wilingham take over JSA next issue. But its got some key problems and it fails in the 2nd part. Its ok....

The Ugly

Red Robin #1: Of all the titles I had hopes for.... coming into the Batman Reborn month....it was Red Robin. Part of me thought....how could this book fail ? Its gonna have Tim Drake assumer the Red Robin costume and have him deal with what came outta Battle for the Cowl , Damian becoming Robin , and Bruce's death.

But it just never hits right. Yost is a decent writer on books like New X-Men and X-Force. But here its like he wanted Tim outta Gotham to do this story-arc. And he starts the tale by having Tim confused to what to call himself.... Tim Wayne or Tim Drake.

And the stuff we wanna see is 2-3 pages as Dick Grayson explains that Damian has to be taught things. And we see him explain he's Robin. Which makes me wonder....why not follow where Tim was fucking stabbed and could have died ? Instead it makes Grayson look like a heartless bastard to yank the Robin mantle from Tim and hand it to Bruce's son in asap fashion as this book portrays.

And then ....Tim sits after destroying some things in a pissed anger over it all...and goes "He's Alive...I know he is." And he goes overseas and has a dart board set up for god knows what reason. And wears the Red Robin costume since he don't want anything he does to get back to Batman. (I guess Tim forgot the conversation in the fucking cave he had in the same issue)

We see Ra's Al Gul in the final page. But damn if this book is just bad. Of all the books coming outta Reborn.....this failed the worst. Just a bad series. Don't ask Tim how he knows Bruce is alive and why he's over in Spain I believe...he's just there !



Thats it for todays back issues people. Happy reading.

[snarkbunny]

Good reviews, SuperE. You don't read Fables?

[SUPERECWFAN1]

Good reviews, SuperE. You don't read Fables?

I have the 1st 2 TPB's of the run ....and issue 50# . I may likely start hunting down back issues of it now. I pull Jack of Fables every month. Since he is the greatest fable of them all.

[snarkbunny]

Heh Heh Heh, one of the many classic moments from JoF.

[Village Idiot]

So in that time I had a birthday...

Now that you're 18, you gonna move out of your mom's basement?



Happy Birthday.

Gotham City Sirens and Detective were both good, Red Robin less so. The Fables crossover was fun, but didn't seem to move the overall story in any particular direction.

[snarkbunny]

The Fables crossover was fun, but didn't seem to move the overall story in any particular direction.

I'm kind of thinking the Fables Crossover was for the creative team to have fun and give us a fun arc after "Dark Ages" in Fables, and to "clear" the plate by removing the Literals from play.

[SUPERECWFAN1]

Now that you're 18, you gonna move out of your mom's basement?



Happy Birthday.

Gotham City Sirens and Detective were both good, Red Robin less so. The Fables crossover was fun, but didn't seem to move the overall story in any particular direction.

I'm kind of thinking the Fables Crossover was for the creative team to have fun and give us a fun arc after "Dark Ages" in Fables, and to "clear" the plate by removing the Literals from play.

If you have been reading Jack of Fables since #1 , you kinda get the feeling that it resolves those plots left . Now the book has a fresh start again since Revise and the Golden Burroughs is all done with.