098 The DC Universe By Mike Mignola

I love Mike Mignola's art.  I always have.  Reading this book reminds me there's a whole Hellboy universe I haven't read and need to.

Books like this are a joy to read.  Focus on an artist or a writer, showing their work all collected together.  It's also great reading something like this because there's a bunch of stuff I'd forgotten about, didn't realize he drew it or completely missed the first time around.  

The book starts off with a Phantom Stranger mini-series.  I'd forgotten he was the artist on this book.  It's been years since I read it, so it was brand new to me again.  He's perfectly matched to draw the Stranger.  I'd love to see him do a book today with the character.  

This also collects The World Of Krypton mini-series.  I never read it the first time around.  It was part of John Byrne's reboot of the Superman universe and I found it pretty fascinating.  I know, I know.  Byrne is a hack, but he's still an interesting one.  There are some other Superman stories here.  I didn't realize he'd done as much Superman as he had.  

I have to say my favorite stuff in here is his Batman stuff.  He was born to draw Batman.  His art is super moody, super stylized.  He fits Batman like a glove.  I'd love to see a Batman series drawn by him.  It would be magnificent.

I want more books like this!

The DC Universe By Mike Mignola

Writer: Paul Kupperberg, John Byrne, Roger Stern, Jerry Ordway, George Perez, Neil Gaiman, Dan Raspler, Mike Mignola, Steve Purcell

Artist: Mike Mignola, P. Craig Russell, Rick Bryant, Carlos Garzon, Karl Kesel, Jerry Ordway, George Perez, Curt Swan, Brett Breeding, John Statema, Troy Nixey, Kevin Nowlan

DC Comics

035 Cosmic Odyssey: The Deluxe Edition

I read this when it first came out in the late 80s.  I remember nothing about the book.  So this was a good test to see how it holds up thirty years later.

It holds up damn well.  I had a great time reading it.  Jim Starlin loves cosmic stories.  He's known for cosmic stories.  This was a cosmic story.  Mike Mignola draws so beautifully.  Each page here was a treat.  His take on a lot of these characters was a real joy.

I'm not big on the New Gods.  I'm sure that's sacrilegious to say, but they've never been my favorites.  Though two of my favorite New Gods are featured here.  I love Metron and Lightray.  I love how polar opposite they are.  I love how polar opposite they look.  Mignola drew them in his own style without ever losing the original Kirbyness of them.  Such a great job.  There were also some stunning full page illustrations.  I can't get over how beautiful this book is.

One thing I'd completely forgotten was the whole Xanshi storyline.  Well, I hadn't forgotten it because it's still mentioned often enough, but I'd forgotten that lasting plot point happened here. In this book.  These mini-series are usually self-contained stories that don't bleed over into the proper universe with lasting effects. But this one did.  Thirty or so years later.

This book is a great read.

Cosmic Odyssey: The Deluxe Edition

Writer: Jim Starlin

Artist: Mike Mignola, Carlos Garzon

DC Comics