091 Tarzan On The Planet Of The Apes

Let me state this for the record.  I fucking love Planet Of the Apes comics.  Love them so much.  This book is no exception.  It's the weirdest crossover I've read yet, but it works so fucking well.  I love seeing these two worlds crash together and become something new, yet familiar.  

This book sort of spins out of the third PotA movie.  The one where Cornelius and Zira time travel back to present day.  In it, Tarzan is raised by Cornelius and Zira as their own, side by side with their son.  It just works so well.  Add to that it also deals with alternate earths and time travel, yet doesn't take away from either Tarzan's history nor PotA's.  This book is really fantastic.  

The only thing I don't quite get is how Tarzan can be a youth in 1901 and an adult in 2016.  That's never properly explained and I'm just writing it off to an editorial oversight.

Tarzan On The Planet Of The Apes

Writer: David Walker, Tim Seeley

Artist: Fernando Dagnino

Boom! Studios/Dark Horse Comics

090 Justice League Vs. Suicide Squad

A few posts ago, I mentioned that I went on vacation in mid-June (and that's when my posts stopped.)  I had a layover on my way to Austin, Texas, but because of bad weather, my flight was delayed.  By hours.  Thankfully I had a big stack of books to read during my travels.  This book I read cover to cover during my delay in the Baltimore Airport.

I'll be honest.  I wasn't expecting much out of the book.  And maybe because the bar was low, I really enjoyed what I read.  Well, most of it.  This book collects the complete mini-series as well as the crossover issues from each team's regular series.  The mini-series was a lot of fun.  The crossovers were nothing more than pointless money grabs.

The book is basically the JLA vs. the Suicide Squad, then the JLA teaming up with the Suicide Squad against the greater enemy.  Your basic super-team crossover.  But more specifically, all this is is a set up for the upcoming Justice League of America book.  The Batman lead team.  Killer Frost is a member of the upcoming JLA book, and this story is very much about her redemption, however temporary or permanent it's going to be.

While I'm not a big fan of the Suicide Squad, I've been warming up to the during the whole Rebirth thing.  I had a good time with this book.

Justice League Vs. Suicide Squad

Writer: Joshua Williamson, Tim Seeley, Rob Williams, Si Spurrier

Artist: Jason Fabok, Tony S. Daniel, Jesus Merino, Fernando Pasarin, Robson Rocha, Howard Porter, Christian Duce, Riley Rossmo, Scot Eaton, Giuseppe Cafaro, Giuseppe Camuncoli, Sandu Florea, Andy Owens, Matt Ryan, Wayne Faucher, Jay Leisten, Daniel Henriques, Oclair Albert, Francesco Mattina

DC Comics

089 Jessica Jones Vol 1: Uncaged!

Jessica Jones is back in her own book again.  At last.  I loved Alias way back when.  I've only kind of liked what's been going on with the character since.  Sure, Bendis is the one who has been writing her, but since Alias ended, she's felt very neutered to me.  She's been in the background, they softened her up and made her less appealing.  But she's in a new series and it's really back to basics.  Jessica is her own worst enemy.  She's only trying to do what's right, but even when she does that, she manages to fuck her own self over.  Repeatedly.  This story is a great example of that.

Not only is she back in her own book, the book is by her original creative team of Bendis and Gaydos.  They know Jessica better than anyone else.  This book is going to be a great ride, I can already tell.

Jessica Jones Vol 1: Uncaged!

Writer: Brian Michael Bendis

Artist: Michael Gaydos

Marvel Comics

088 Death Of Hawkman

So, this blog has gone askew already.  Up until this point, I've been doing posts about what I'm reading, in order of what I'm reading.  Mid-June I went on vacation, came home, enjoyed the great weather and let books start to pile up.  I no longer know what order I've read them in, so until I catch up on the pile I have, it's going to be in random order.

Today I read Death Of Hawkman.  It's an Adam Strange/Hawkman mini series and I found it very likable.  The characters have a long history together, so it seemed right to team them up.  Unfortunately, it's the New 52 versions of the characters, but still, I'll take what I can get.

The characterization of Hawkman seems very consistent with what we've gotten since the New 52.  What I mean is this is yet another version of the same character they can't seem to figure out.  DC did Hawkman a huge disservice in the New 52.  Totally changed him, then didn't like what they did, so they changed him again.  And again.  And again.  But, as the title of this collection says, it's all about his death, which is a good thing, if you ask me.  Hawkman always comes back, reincarnated.  I hope when they bring him back again, they'll bring him back to basics, not this over designed, under thought out claptrap.

Adam Strange is also following that inconsistent path.  While he's mostly like the New 52 version, he's kind of not.  But they're bringing him back closer to the true Adam Strange.

This was a fun mini-series.  Marc Andreyko writes a great buddy book, if you can call this that.  I hope DC lets him continue on and write more of these two characters.  He seems to have a feel for them.

Death Of Hawkman

Writer: Marc Andreyko

Artist: Aaron Lopresti, Rodney Buchemi, John Livesay, Norm Rapmund Sean Parsons

DC Comics

087 Doctor Fate Vol 3: Fateful Threads

I'm shocked this book lasted 18 issues.  I'm happy it did, but I'm shocked DC didn't axe it earlier.  I don't think it sold despite being a solid and fun book.  It may have had something to do with Paul Levitz's arrangement with DC?  I don't know.

Anyway, this is it.  The end of this version of Doctor Fate.  From the beginning, it felt like an indie book to me. The writing, the art, the content.  It did not seem like anything else from DC.  I applaud them for giving us something different.  And I wasn't looking forward to yet another new take on another DC character.  Shows what I know.

I enjoy the reappearance of the original Doctor Fate in this book.  He's the current Fate's great uncle.  He shows up to give advice and aid the younger Fate in his travels.  What made me squeal with delight was a panel in which the elder Fate mentioned his time with the Justice Society.  Which means Paul Levitz was planting seeds.  Something he does well!!!!

I'll miss this book.

Doctor Fate Vol 3: Fateful Threads

Writer: Paul Levitz

Artist: Sonny Liew, Brendan McCarthy, Ibrahim Moustafa, Inaki Miranda, Breno Tamura

DC Comics

086 Champions Vol 1: Change The World

Plain and simple, I loved this book.  It felt effortless.  It felt natural.  And it was good.

The premise.  The teen members of the Avengers quit the team after the whole Civil War II thing.  Clearly it's a generational thing where they don't see eye to eye with the adult Avengers.  Ms. Marvel calls together Nova and Spider-Man, who think she's going to try to talk them back into joining the team.  Instead she shocks them by telling them she quit and wants to do something different.  And so is born a new group of Champions.  They want to fight social injustices.  They want to change the world, as the title of this volume announces.  They're very idealistic.

The three former Avengers begin to assemble a team.  They get the current Hulk and Viv Vision.  And so is born a team.  Shortly after, Cyclops hunts them down because he wants in.  This book has a very Teen Titans feel to me.  Teen Titans way way way way way back in the day.  A group of kids getting together to do what they feel is right.

The stories are based on a lot of stuff that's in the news today.  And it's highly enjoyable.

Champions Vol 1: Change The World

Writer: Mark Waid

Artist: Humberto Ramos, Victor Olazaba

Marvel Comics

085 Superwoman Vol 1: Who Killed Superwoman

I wanted to love this.  I wanted to love this a lot.  I didn't.  I didn't hate it.  I liked it, but I didn't love it.  Maybe part of it is I'm missing a little back story.  Superwoman got her powers when Superman died, his energy shot out and was absorbed by people.  I didn't read that book, so I don't totally get it.  I don't know if Superwoman operated in any books before this one.  If she did, it would make a little more sense to me.  If she didn't, then I think that's a loss for this book.

I wish this was the second story arc for this book.  I think the death of the Lois Superwoman would have had a bigger impact if we got a chance to know her better as Superwoman instead of a few pages.  

I didn't read the New 52 Superman books, so this version of Lana is brand new to me.  I don't know how long she and John Henry Irons have been together.  That was kind of a surprise to me.  The last I read of Lana was in the excellent Supergirl series pre-New 52.

The whole Lena Luthor plot was just too much for me.  I know it's a comic book and you have to let your disbelief go, but even this was ludicrous for me.  I don't know if it was meant as a way to write her out since the whole Rebirth thing is going on and these books are slowly supposed to right the ship.  It was just too much.

But I'm fascinated to learn more about Lana as Superwoman.  I like that she's got Superman's old red costume and power set.  I understand that Lois had to be written out, I just wish we got it a touch later than we did.

I'm anxious to see where this book goes in volume 2.  I hope I fall in as much love with the book as I am with the idea.

Superwoman Vol 1: Who Killed Superwoman?

Writer: Phil Jimenez

Artist: Phil Jimenez, Emanuela Lupacchino, Jack Herbert, Joe Prado, Matt Santorell, Ray McCarthy

DC Comics 

084 Avengers Four

I don't know how he does it, but Mark Waid is producing some of the best stuff of his rather long career.  He's still coming up with stories that entertain highly.  This is (mostly) no exception.

This is a sort of retelling of the first Avengers line up change, but it's an all new story, too.  The original Avengers all step down and are replaced by this new line up.  Scarlet Witch, Quicksilver and Hawkeye join Captain America.  And the public see them as a joke.  This is quickly rectified when they meet a woman who uses her powers to help boost and amplify the powers of these four.  They become a powerhouse team.  They invite her to join the team as Avenger X.  But because of the nature of her powers, they keep her in the background for her own safety.

However, since joining the team, she actively tries pitting them against each other and tries to take them down.  Which is fine, but unless I missed something, there really isn't a sufficient reason for her to do this.  And that makes this story crumble for me.  It was pretty good up until that point.

And on a tangent, can I mention how much I hate how Marvel publishes monthly books?  This volume reprints Avengers 1.1 - 5.1.  What?  They couldn't make it a stand alone mini-series.  They made it issues 1.1 through 5.1 of the regular book?  Really?  What's the purpose?  It's stupid.  At least I only read Marvel in trade format, so it's less confusing that way, but still.

Avengers Four

Writer: Mark Waid

Artist: Barry Kitson, Mark Bagley, Sean Izaakse, Ro Stein, Mark Farmer, Rafael Fonteriz, Andrew Hennessy, Scott Hanna, Mike Perkins, Ted Brandt

Marvel Comics

083 Batman/Wildcat

I love this kind of compilation book.  Unlike a book that collects a specific story arc or run by a particular creator, it's a book that takes a couple of mini-series and pads it out with some spectacular bonus material.

This book collects the Batman/Wildcat mini-series, the Catwoman/Wildcat mini-series and all the Batman/Wildcat stories from The Brave & The Bold.  And it's glorious.

The two mini-series are nothing to write home about, but they're solid and an enjoyable read.  The first mini-series is yet another take on the Fight Club cliche.  The second is another Vegas/Mob story.  Neither are original concepts by any stretch, but like I said before, decent enough reads.

The real treasure here is the inclusion of the Brave & Bold stories.  I'm currently reading the giant Brave & Bold Omnibus at work and have come across some of these stories recently already.  For some reason, DC decided to team Batman and Wildcat up despite the fact that Wildcat was an Earth-2 character.  No mention was ever made of it, so clearly this is an Earth-1 version of the same character.  I don't think he ever appeared anywhere but these select issues, which is too bad.  Not that it matters anymore.  After Crisis, there was only one Earth, so only one Ted Grant.

I'd love to see more books along the lines of this one.  Such fun to read.

Batman/Wildcat

Writer: Chuck Dixon, Beau Smith, Bob Haney

Artist: Sergio Cariello, Art Thibert, Danny Miki, Jaime Mendoza, Tom Palmer, Irv Novick, Mike Esposito, Bob Brown, Nick Cardy, Jim Aparo

DC Comics

082 Wonder Woman By John Byrne Vol 1

I'm really looking forward to re-reading John Byrne's run on Wonder Woman.  It's kind of like Velveeta.  It has absolutely no nutritional value, but that doesn't stop you from reading and kind of enjoying it.

I don't remember how long he was on the book, but I do remember he had a few big arcs.  It's been so long that I didn't really remember too much of what's reprinted here.  I'm waiting for his Hippolyta arc and his (kind of awful) Donna Troy arc.  I have very fond memories of both of those.

What he did here is take Diana, drop her in a new city, set up a new supporting cast and introduce the seeds for the new Wonder Girl.  At this stage in her fictional life, Wonder Girl is kind of a horrible idea.  Thankfully later on she gets fleshed out much better, only to be turned into something even worse than what we have here in the New 52.

Lots of guest stars in this book.  I like guest stars.  Sue me.  

The only thing that really pissed me off about this book is Byrne did what everyone else likes to do when they have no idea what they're doing with Wonder Woman.  They stage something big and tragic on Themyscria and slaughter half the Amazons.  That's so overdone and such bullshit.  Future writers, don't even think about it!!

Wonder Woman By John Byrne Vol 1

Writer: John Byrne

Artist: John Byrne

DC Comics