An Explanation

   Sorry for "going dark" for a bit, but your pal Chuck had the opportunity to go on a mini-vacation recently - and I jumped at the chance!


   I got to visit my brand new granddaughter - what a beauty she is! (Not that I'm prejudiced.)


   And I got to go to... WrestleMania 32 in Dallas! How awesome is that?


   I'll post some more about that later today, and then tomorrow, it's back to comics! Thanks for bearing with me during my brief sabbatical!

"Batman v Superman" - Movie Review

   The good news is: Batman v Superman isn't as bad as most reviews seem to indicate.

   The bad news is: it's not a great movie.

   It wants to be and it tries really, really hard.

   It's loaded with excellent actors - Henry Cavill is larger than life and bristling with quiet strength as Superman, Ben Affleck brings real heft and angst as a (somewhat surprisingly) scene-stealing Batman, Amy Adams is a strong and intelligent Lois Lane, Gal Gadot makes a stunning Wonder Woman, and the rest of the cast is terrific (with a special shout-out to Jeremy Irons as the ascerbic and multi-talented Alfred).

     The special effects are stunning, from the high-powered fight sequences to the environments, from super rescues to street fights and city-shattering blasts. The visuals are so strong that they almost convince you that you're watching a good movie.

   Where it all falls apart is in the story and the characterization.

   The story picks up at the end of Man of Steel, reprising the massive destruction from that film's final battle, as Bruce Wayne witnesses the devastation. He becomes obsessed with the potential threat of Superman and finding a way to stop the son of Krypton. It's a goal Lex Luthor shares (for reasons that are unclear), and the discovery of a certain element from Krypton gives them a weapon to use in the war they're planning.

   But the film rambles all over the map, throwing in numerous dream sequences, over the top fight sequences (wherein Batman racks up a Punisher-like body count), a doubt-ridden Superman, a dark and depressing world devoid of humor and hope, and a final battle that doubles down on the same missteps that plagued Man of Steel.

   The filmmakers tried to cram way too much stuff into one basket, as they mixed in parts of comic book stories like The Dark Knight Returns, Doomsday,  the Justice League, and a badly misinterpreted Lex Luthor (who is depicted as being more of a lunatic than the evil genius whose mind makes him a match for the world's greatest heroes - here, he's a very rich blackmailer).

   There should be room for dark, serious superhero movies - but the problem is that the story gets the characters wrong, the battle promised in the title is over the top and unbelievable (the moment that ends the fight is almost laugh-out-loud silly), and the film is weighed down with its own grim, joyless attitude.

   I counted two laughs in the whole movie (Alfred gets one of them). The film doesn't have to be a laugh-a-minute, but it needed something to alleviate the relentless sense of doom. It came close when Wonder Woman makes her impressive entrance. She's the only character in the movie who seems to enjoy what she does, and she shines here.

   Look, I love these characters, and I've enjoyed their adventures for decades, in many different forms - from Silver Age silliness to grim and gritty conflicts and everything in between. There are so many good stories to be told using them - but this wasn't one of them. (It's also disconcerting to realize that this is a movie starring Superman and Batman and it's not suitable for young children.)

   This is supposedly setting up future Justice League movies and other spinoffs, and that's fine - but let's hope, in those films, they put as much emphasis on the story as they do on the spectacle.

   And lighten up, Francis.

Grade: C+

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New Comics Day

   Here's what I picked up at the comics today:

- King Conan #4 - The fierce conclusion to "Wolves Beyond the Border!"

- Daredevil #5 - Final showdown with The Hand!

- Justice League of America #8 - Can the JLA defeat a god?

- Ragnarok #8 - Speaking of gods - how about a fight between Thor and a zillion fire demons?

- Saga #35 - Searching for a child.

- All-New X-Men #7 - A disturbing story about the Toad.

And that's it!

X-O Manowar #45

   As the tension builds and an old foe returns, this issue of X-O Manowar calmly features a terrible bloodbath.

   Part of the bloodshed happens in a one-sided attack as a small army of human-looking opponents attack Aric, demanding he turn over the X-O suit (wisely, he declines).

   Another section of the bloodshed takes in a lot of innocent victims, as other forces try to frame X-O for the mass murders.

   And then there's the attack on X-O's home, and it's not looking good for his people.

   The issue includes an always-welcome guest appearance by Ninjak, and lots of action and mayhem - setting up next issue's big confrontation.

   With a strong (if unsettling) story by Robert Vendetti and powerful artwork by Robert Gill, this story of alien intrigue and power struggles continues to be compelling.

   Recommended!

Grade: A-

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Doctor Who: The Fourth Doctor #1

   It's about time they printed a Doctor Who comic featuring the real Doctor!

   Oh, I know - everyone has their own choice for the actor who played the "best" Doctor - and there have been lots of terrific actors filling those Gallifrey boots - but my personal favorite is the Fourth Doctor, Tom Baker!

   That actor managed the perfect mix of humor, mischief, likability and intelligence. Part of his appeal for me, of course, may be the fact that he was the first Doctor I saw, as the local Public Television station started airing his adventures in the late '70s.

   He's starred in other comic series over the years, but Titan Comics has finally dedicated one of its new (and largely excellent) series of Doctor-based comics to number four.

   This one finds the Doctor and the beautiful Sarah Jane Smith (lovesick sigh) visiting Victorian England on a holiday, but trouble soon finds them, as a mysterious woman sends two giants - each one sporting a single eye - to capture Sarah.

   It's a fun, fast-paced story written by Gordon Rennie and Emma Beeby that reads just like an episode of the classic show. The art by Brian Williamson is terrific, capturing the real-life likenesses of the stars perfectly.

   It's a real delight to read this series - it gets the Doctor "right," and does it with a smile and a wink.

   More like this, please!

Grade: A

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Totally Awesome Hulk #4

   Four issues in and we're finally getting a handle on how Amadeus Cho became the latest version of the Totally Awesome Hulk.

   The tone of this book continues to be upbeat, making great use of the art by Frank Cho - which means you get lots of giant monsters, a sexy alien hunter trying to corral the Hulk, the She-Hulk and a few guest stars thrown in for good measure.

   While the focus is on humor, there are some poignant moments, too, as we see the inner struggle Amadeus is facing - and the lengths he was ready to go to for his friends.

   Writer Greg Pak is skillfully managing the balancing act between drama and humor, and Cho is crafting his usual amazing artwork - making this comic with the silly title a heck of a lot of fun.

Grade: A-

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The Infinity Entity #3

   I'm not sure what is more impressive - that this comic exists at all or that it's been coming out virtually every week with no sacrifice of quality!

   The Infinity Entity has been following the new and different Warlock as he tries to solve the mystery of his own existence - he wields incredible power but he doesn't know why.

   His search brings him face-to-face with a gathering of cosmic entities, including Eternity, Infinity, a Celestial, Epoch, Chaos and Order, the Stranger and the Watcher, along with the incarnations of Death, Love and Hate.

    (Interesting to note that, of the above, two were created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, one by Kirby alone, one was created by Lee and Steve Ditko, and four by Jim Starlin, if we include Epoch, the "successor" to Eon. That's some serious cosmic creative forces right there.)

   Adam Warlock is operating on a huge scale here, but the final page promises some major revelations coming up next issue (though the ones in this issue are already shocking).

   With Jim Starlin writing and Alan Davis and Mark Farmer on the art, this is pure candy for any fan of Warlock (and if you're not a fan, track down those original Starlin stories - you can thank me later).

Grade: A

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Batman #50

   I hate to beat up on our old friend Batman on the same weekend when his feature film, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice is getting mugged by reviewers, but man, was this issue a letdown.

   For the 50th issue special, we have the wrap-up of the storyline that has had Commissioner Gordon filling in as Batman while the Dark Knight has been missing (recovering from a nearly-fatal battle with the Joker).

   The story has introduced a new villain, Bloom, a monster who's part plant and part computer, able to control machines, transform people into monsters (and control them), alter his form, send out spikes that can cut through anything - in other words, he's a living Calvinball (he can apparently do anything he can imagine).

   But the real focus here is the return of Bruce (Batman) Wayne to action - or so you'd expect. Instead, he really doesn't do much other than debuting his new costume (it's a nice enough design, though I'm surprised they didn't follow the movie's template - or the video game).

   Oh, there are a few action sequences, but the story is just kind of a mess - it's been slogging on for far too long, with too many characters and subplots to manage, and the villain doesn't really make sense - and the solution to the problem makes even less sense.

   It's great to have the real Batman back, but that's about the only real takeaway here.

    (Oh, and I hope to catch the new movie in the next few days - a review will follow posthaste.)

Grade: B-

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All-New All-Different Avengers #7

   Gah.

   See, this is how you drive Chuck away from a title.

   I've been enjoying the All-New All-Different Avengers - it has featured smart stories written by Mark Waid and terrific art by Adam Kubert.

    It includes some nice moments between Falcon - uh, Captain America and Jane Foster - uh, Thor, and between the Vision and Ms. Marvel.

   That sets up a quick battle, a big mystery and a collision with the Uncanny Avengers team.

   And that's where this whole story jumps the tracks - to read it will require buying both titles, along with prequel and postlude issues - and the story also weaves through Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., New Avengers, Howling Commandos of S.H.I.E.L.D., Captain America: Sam Wilson, and Illuminati.

   And since I don't buy any of those comics, I have a choice - do I add more comics to my pull list, do I stick to the main titles, or do I just say "the heck with it" and drop all the Avengers titles?

   My solution is, I'll keep buying this title for the creative team. But many more stunts like this and I think I'll have no choice but to drop this title, too.

Grade: A-

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The Classics - Superman #127

   Everyone has "their" Superman artist.

   I admire the work of many artists, including (though not limited to) Curt Swan, Murphy Anderson, Neal Adams, John Byrne, George Perez, Jerry Orway - you get the idea.

   But "my" Superman artist is Wayne Boring.

   I'm not claiming he's the best (though he was an excellent craftsman), but when I first discovered Superman's adventures in the late '50s, he was almost exclusively the guy drawing the adventures of the Man of Steel.

   His Superman was distinctive - a barrel chest, a big chin, and yes, a bit stiffly posed - but he was also powerful, friendly and heroic in stature - rippling with strength.

   During the decade (and more) that he worked on the title, Boring got to tackle all the classic characters, including the supporting cast and villains like Brainiac, Luthor, Metallo, and, in this issue, Titano the gigantic chimpanzee.

   Toto started life as a trained chimp, but a trip into space leads to exposure to unknown radiation, and as a result he shoots up to gigantic size - and he projects deadly kryptonite rays from his eyes!

   Superman's battle against the ersatz King Kong only succeeds thanks to Lois Lane, and the chimp's affection for her. I won't give away the ending, but the story manages a happier solution than Kong ever found.

   It was yet another outstanding job by Boring, but note that the cover above is by Curt Swan - which might explain why Titano is a gorilla on the cover instead of a giant chimpanzee. (Hey, gorillas on the cover help sell comics!).

   Soon Swan would take over the crown as the top Superman artist - but for me, my first favorite will always be Wayne Boring.

Grade: B+

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New Comics Day

   Here's what I picked up at the comics today:

- All-New All-Different Avengers #7 - Oh boy, a multi-title crossover! (Sarcasm.)

- Badger #2 - Back in action!

- Batman #50 - A new look!

- Elfquest Final Quest #14 - Is it the end for Cutter?

- Totally Awesome Hulk #4 - Beauty and the Beast!

- Infinity Entity #3 - A cosmic collision!

- Patsy Walker Hellcat #4 - A new menace, a new... tattoo?

- Star Wars #17 - Death stalks the prison cells.

   And that's it! 

Superman #50

   Well, the "Rebirth" of DC's line can't get here soon enough.

   The interminable story that's been running through the Superman title has our hero on the ropes, with his secret identity revealed, his powers taken away and his life turned upside down by a mysterious enemy.

   With this issue the enemy is revealed, Superman's powers are restored and we seem to be headed toward a major showdown - a battle in space, as the Man of Steel makes a last-ditch effort to save the world!

   And we see all that, but they have an extra-sized issue to fill, so the creative team rounds out the issue with extended dream sequences!

   Which I hate!

   And which don't really do anything to advance the plot!

   But, hey, roll out the guest artists (the art is quite good, thankfully, if a bit of a mix of styles). Pad that anniversary issue! And don't worry about the mess left behind - it'll all get fixed in a few months.

   Hurry up, tomorrow!

Grade: C

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International Iron Man #1

   Yep, it's another comic devoted to the adventures of Tony Stark, and this series apparently takes a global approach - thus the title, International Iron Man.

   But strangely enough, the issue devotes most of its time to a flashback of a particular event from Tony's college days.

   To be more specific, the focus is on his encounter with a beautiful fellow student named Cassandra - but if he's going to manage to get some, uh, quality time with her, he'll have to find a way around her bodyguards.

   It's a fun story the does eventually get around to modern times (though I'm still not sure where the "International" comes in).

   It's a sharp script by Brian Michael Bendis, with wonderful, expressive art by Alex Maleev.

   The series has Tony's "voice" down pat - and the issue manages to evoke an origin-like feel without actually recapping Iron Man's origin.

   Fun!

Grade: A-

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Wynonna Earp #2

   I'm really enjoying the new Wynonna Earp series, as it takes us back to the beginning of her career as a U.S. Marshal (Black Badge Division).

   She's traveling the country, hunting down assorted monsters and demons with a vengeance.

   You can tell she's young because she has almost no thought to her own safety as she launches into deadly situations and trusts that her own toughness - and some big guns - will get her out of any situation.

   This time around she travels to Malad City, a small town built around a Milk Company - but there's nothing wholesome about this business, as it serves as a distributor of human organs to assorted nasty creatures around the country.

   As always, writer / creator Beau Smith serves up an equal measure of hard-hitting action, sharp dialogue and a solid helping of humor.

    I really like Laura Innes' artwork - her characters are lively and expressive, her action scenes are hard-hitting, and she captures the humor and the horror equally well.

   The series is a good primer for the upcoming TV series set to hit the SyFy Channel starting April 1 - set your DVRs now!

Grade: A

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Superman: The Coming of the Supermen #2

   What the heck happened here?

   The first issue of this series, Superman: The Coming of the Supermen, was bristling with promise - a return to the classic character, placed in a modern setting, with lots of action and enough mysteries to keep things crackling along.

    The only difference seems to be the loss of co-writer Tony Bedard - Neal Adams is the writer and artist of this issue, with Alex Sinclair providing the color art.

   The story here just seems to lose cohesion, as things happen with little rhyme or reason. Kalibak leads an attack group from Apokolips - again - to steal... something... from Luthor's labs.

   Superman finally meets the Supermen (and expresses no surprise at their appearance), becomes furious and destructive as he tries to destroy their blood samples (Why? No idea.) Kalibak attacks a child who had befriended Superman. (How did he know about this kid?) And so much of the dialogue is awkward and clumsy.

   The art, of course, is dynamic and exciting - but the issue feels like it was written quickly and with no real plan.

   Can we drag Bedard back to assist with the writing, please? It's like a completely different series, and especially heartbreaking given the promise of the first issue.

Grade: C

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Irwin Allen's Lost in Space: The Lost Adventures #1

   I'm a big fan of the original Lost in Space TV show.

   (Sue me.)

   I know, the stories and concept were silly and campy, the plots were simple, the characters were two-dimensional, the sets were cheap - but I still liked it back in the '60s, and I like it now.

   Mostly, it's the heart and the humor. The characters are likable (except for Dr. Smith, and even he is usually entertaining) - I especially liked the family aspect of the group, and the tender moments between them.

   And the Robot was always fun.

   The concept is back again in comics as American Gothic Press presents stories based on two scripts that were written for the original show by Carey Wilber - but never produced.

   That makes these stories an interesting artifact - but not necessarily a successful comic book.

   It does feels like an episode of the show - it focuses on Dr. John Robinson, pilot Don West, Robinson's son Will, and the Robot - and the characters all speak with the proper "voices." But it also feels like a "low budget" effort - there's a lot of standing around and talking, and very little plot involved.

   The "men" from the series are working on a science experiment, while hidden and mysterious aliens plot mischief. And that's about it.

   The art by Kostas Pantoulas is very good, and the images of the characters are well done - but the pacing is off, and there are several "silent" panels that seem out of place - they don't move the story forward.

   So the first issue is a bit hit-and-miss. It captures the feel of the original series well - but so far, the "episode" it's adapting isn't one of the show's better efforts.

Grade: C+

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Legends of Tomorrow #1

   I don’t understand why DC’s TV show, Legends of Tomorrow, is so much better than the comic book. (A comic, after all, has no budget restrictions to deal with - anything can happen!)

   To be fair, the comic book with that titled just started this week - and aside from featuring Firestorm, it has nothing in common with the show. 

   Instead, the oversized (and at $7.99, not at all inexpensive) issue features an odd mix of heroes, feeling for all the world like a collection of castoff ideas.

   It includes four 20-page-long stories, each one mostly focused on introducing the characters, including the Metal Men, Metamorpho and, believe it or not - Sugar & Spike.

   Firestorm is written by original creator Gerry Conway, but the story doesn’t do much more than provide a cliffhanger for the next issue.

   Metamorpho (one of my old favorites from the ‘60s) spends the entire story a prisoner of evil industrialist Simon Stagg. 

   The Metal Men, written by Len Wein, is the only standout - and is a largely self-contained story. We get info about the robotic team, a desperate rescue attempt, an introduction of the cast - all the things you need in a “first issue.”

   As for the Sugar & Spike story - I’m honestly not sure what to think. The brother and sister team originated in the Silver Age as babies who got into lighthearted mischief and adventures. Now, in the modern day, they’ve grown up to become detectives. We see them on an odd recovery mission as they have a shootout with a deadly gang in a deserted warehouse. Written by Keith Giffen, it’s funny - but I think I preferred them as infants.

   I can only assume that DC’s executives (rightly) figured none of these series could stand for long on their own, so they tried repackaging it this way.

   It still doesn’t work. 

   I wish it did - I like all these characters, but there’s nothing here that demands my attention. 

   Sorry.

Grade: B-

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The Classics - Action Comics #252

   This issue of Action Comics (#252) is famous because it's the first appearance of Supergirl, a brilliant addition to Superman's mythology - but that's not what I'm talking about in this column.

   Instead, I want to focus on the solo Superman story in the issue, which features the first appearance of his classic foe, Metallo.

   I'm pretty sure I first read the story in a mid-'60s reprint (a Superman Annual, perhaps), but it really impressed me.

   The original story from 1959 follows a criminal mastermind who has a terrible car crash - but he's discovered by a brilliant scientist who realizes the only way to save the man is to give him a robot body - one that uses uranium as a power source for his mechanical "heart."

   When he discovers that the perfect fuel for his heart is kryptonite, he becomes a formidable foe - and nearly puts an end to Superman.

   What's funny about reading the story now is that the villain - John Corben - is supposed to be a double for Superman, but he really looks like Tony Stark, and finds himself trapped in an armored form, just like the original Iron Man.

   Coincidence? Certainly.

   Still, it's a great story and surprisingly grim for the time, given the deadly conclusion to the adventure (yet somehow Metallo returned eventually - I have no idea how).

   Oh, the Supergirl story is great, too.

Grade: A-

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New Comics Day

Here's what I picked up at the comics shop today:

- Infinity Entity #2 - It's the end of the world as we know it.

- Uncanny Inhumans #6 - Fun times in the Quiet Room.

- Legends of Tomorrow #1 - A mix of lower-tier heroes, including... Sugar and Spike, grown up?

- Lost in Space #1 - A lost adventure (and a found script from the original series)!

- Spirit #9 - Has the Spirit met his match?

- Superman #50 - Fighting the immortal villain.

- Superman: Coming of the Supermen #2 - Round two with Kalibak!

- Usagi Yojimbo #153 - Turtle power!

- Wynonna Earp #2 - It's a milk run!

- All-New X-Men #6 - Showdown with the Blob!

   And that's it! 

Mandrake the Magician

   Here's further proof that we're living in a Golden Age for comic reprints!

   Mandrake the Magician is one of the first super-powered comic heroes of all time, and this full-color reprint from Titan Books focuses on Sunday pages from 1935 to 1937.

   The character seems a bit quaint these days with his top hat and tuxedo, and we can cringe a bit at the characterization of his friend Lothar, a powerful African who speaks (and sometimes acts) childishly, but often saves the day for Mandrake.

   The opening storyline also features a female assistant, the beautiful Rheeta, who has a special ability of her own - she can turn into a huge panther!

    Mandrake's powers are amazing - he can manipulate reality, levitate, cause destruction and create illusions. It would all eventually be explained as (mostly) a form of mass hypnotism, but in these early tales he's more of a miracle worker and always the master of any situation.

   The stories are by Mandrake creator Lee Falk (who also made his mark by creating the first costumed hero in comics, The Phantom), and he keeps things moving along at top speed, with lots of action, humor and a bit of sex thrown in for good measure.

   The art is by Phil Davis, and it's impressive work - imaginative and vibrant, creating strange worlds and armies of evildoers for Mandrake to face. And he's quite good at drawing beautiful women. And since the reprints cover a couple of years, you can see his improvement (and perhaps the influence of other artists) on his work.

   Loaded with imagination and energy (and a fair dollop of humor), this is a terrific series. A product of its time, certainly, but loaded with timeless entertainment.

Grade: A

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