My Comic Re-Reading List

After watching the new animated Justice League movie and the included preview for their next release (Batman: Under The Hood), I've become interested in re-reading some of the more enjoyable DC "event" stories from recent years that I have in my collection. Most are crossover events but a few are from solo books. Feel free to read along with me!

Hush (Batman)

The "Red Hood" Story Arc (Batman)

Identity Crisis (mini-series)

Various "Countdown" Miniseries (Not to be confused with the weekly "Countdown" series preceding "Final Crisis")

Infinite Crisis (Mini-series)

52 (Weekly year-long series)

Then I think I'll try reading the various "Final Crisis" tie-ins without reading the actual "Final Crisis" mini-series itself. I imagine everything will make much more sense that way...

Justice League: Crisis On Two Earths (Movie Review)

The last several DC animated movies(Green Lantern, Batman/Superman, Wonder Woman) have been solid and enjoyable. This latest offering from DC is no exception.

From its opening scene that smoothly launches into some great looking opening credits, the moment when the final credits roll, this movie was engaging throughout.

On an alternate reality earth, Lex Luthor is the only remaining superhero, while a group of Justice League look-alikes are the world’s most dangerous criminals. Luthor travels to the world of the Justice League and requests their help. Their response to the situation leads o some great action and nice characterization.

Although none of the original cast from the JLU animated series return for this film, the assembled thespians do a great job of voicing their characters, with the possible exception of Superman. I could be wrong, but I think he has a slight lisp. Not good for the man of steel.

The movie sounds great in a 5.1 home theater but the visuals are the stronger point. Although the character design is not much more complex and detailed than in the animated series, the backgrounds and effects surrounding the characters blend cell animation and CGI wonderfully and create moments I wanted to reach out and touch.

Although the character designs are similar, this story is not an adaptation of the Grant Morrison “JLA: Earth Two” graphic novel. This story is actually better and easier to follow with more focused themes.

James Woods is the stand out performer in his portrayal of the sociopath “Owlman”. Geeky, creepy and extremely “badboy”. He’s the opposite of Batman and every bit his equal in skill and intellect. And we get to see him bring his talents to bear. The stakes don’t get any bigger than they do in this movie, and it’s a great ride!

It should also be noted that this script is adapted by Dwayne McDuffie from material he intended to use in a story arc for the animated series that never came to be because of that series’ cancellation. And although there are some minor continuity differences, most can be attributed to the passing of time if the viewer prefers, and any JLU fans can enjoy this movie as another installment of their favorite show.

Owlman’s worldview is clearly atheistic and his outlook actually represents the natural outflow of a purely materialistic worldview. He believes that there is no purpose or meaning to anything, and it drives his decisions from beginning to catastrophic end.

It’s not a major theme and may have even been unintended by McDuffie, but the fact remains that Owlman, in his villainous plot, is merely acting out what is only logical if an atheistic worldview is followed to the bitter end. Food for thought.

The 2- Disc DVD and Blu-ray editions come with some great bonus features, including an animated short featuring The Spectre and the live action pilots for Wonder Woman and Aquaman (unaired!). But the latter two are on the blu-ray version only. The Aquaman pilot is interesting for those who are curious, but it’s painfully clear why it was never picked up. Bland, obvious writing that leaves no room for subtext and weal performances to match all around.

The Spectre short, on the other hand, is fantastic! Based on the Jim Aparo run from the 70’s, the spirit of vengeance deals out wrath without mercy in a world where evil is evil and must be punished. As a fan of the Ostrander/Mandrake run (which bears similarities to Aparo’s work) I thought it was great, although I didn’t care for the 1970’s film grain effect they added for atmosphere, or the fact that the story took place in the 70’s, rather than the 30’s or 40’s where the character originates. But these are small complaints and this short adds tremendous value to the DVD.

If you’re a DC comics fan or a fan of the Justice League animated series, this movie is a must have. And if you have the option, grab the Blu-ray version!

Quality: 8.5/10

Relevance: 7.0/10

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DC Management Changes

Not sure exactly what's going on over at DC, but some new titles are being passed out. My "Comic Store Guy" was under the impression that Geoff Johns would be inheriting the Editor In Chief position from Dan Didio as Didio moves up the corporate ladder, but that isn't what this article indicates.

http://newsarama.com/comics/DC-Entertainment-Changes-100218.html

Hopefully Johns will one day (If this day isn't it. I'm a little cloudy on what all these jobs do) be given the reins to control all of the DC Universe, but until then, at least he will be the chief "go to" guy when shows, games and movies about these characters are made. A VERY smart move, DC!

My Comics: What's Working And What's Not

I haven't talked about my comic reading habits in a bit so I thought I'd give an overview of the books on my list that I think are working and the books that I'm close to dropping.

Justice Society Of America-

Matthew Sturges and Bill Willingham, the creative team behind the critically acclaimed series, "Fables" took on the Justice Society last year with some fairly poor results. Namely in the realm of dialogue, which feels like it jumped out of a 1950's era comic book. That may be overstating it, but I'd only be sharing the guilt with Sturges and Willingham, who too often overstate the obvious.

The dialogue seems to either state what can obviously be seen in the art panels, or over explain what is happening. It almost reminds of me old comics where the hero would talk about his powers while using them. ("A blast of heat vision ought to do the trick! And now my ex-ray vision confirms that the robbers are gone!")

The duo recently split to each write their own JSA books with Willingham on Justice Society Of America, and Sturges on JSA: All Stars (an ironic title since it hosts the far less recognizable characters). I discovered that the blame for bad dialogue must rest with Willingham, since the same kind of writing was present in his book, while Sturges doesn't seem to be crippled by it. I've dropped the Willingham JSA book, but after checking out some previews for the Sturges book I think I may be picking it up, even though Willingham's book is using more of my favorite characters.

In the meantime, I've enjoyed the high stakes and wonderfully unfolding plot of JSA vs. Kobra, a six issue miniseries, and JSA: Blackest Night miniseries, which serves as perfect fit for the legacy/historical aspects that come with the JSA, given that the JSA's history is literally coming back from the dead to haunt them!


Justice League Of America-

James Robinson is doing a great job with the JLA miniseries "Cry For Justice". It includes moral dilemmas and great characterization and features the proper return of Prometheus, one of the greatest JLA villains of all time! It also features a talking Gorilla, but so far the good has out weighed the stupid in this regard.

Wish I could say the same about the ongoing JLA book. It's not that the writing is bad. It's fine. (Though not more than that.) It's not that the art is bad. It's fine. (Though not more than that.) It's just the case of a book being mishandled in the direction it's taking. First and foremost, I'm referring to the roster. Who is on this team? Donna Troy, Dick Grayson, Cyborg and Starfire as of issue 41. There are also some more second stringer like Dr. Light, Red Tornado and Mon-el (4th stringer recently elevated to second string status). But this feels a whole lot more like a Titans book than a JLA book. What are they thinking? Even the addition og Hal Jordan and Green Arrow to the team don't make up for the rest of the roster. And on the cover of issue 41? Congorilla. I've already read that he is a confirmed future member of the team. It's all just too much, DC. Wake me up when you've got the icons back in the line-up. 'Till then I'm keeping my cash. Speaking of "Titans"...


Titans-

This book has been alright, but far from its peak. The individual issues are good when I can give them my full attention. But they have been very forgettable afterward. This is probably due to the fact that the book has not had a consistant writer for the last 6 months. And now with most of the team moving over to the JLA, I'm not sure what's left. This book was launched based on the idea of the classic original Teen Titans all grown up and reunited again. But it looks like it may just be another team with recognizable name that is filled with unrecognizable faces. And if you try to pull that off and keep reader interest without rock solid and consistent writing, it's a recipe for disaster. So this book has been given its first and only warning. I'm saving up for video games, DC.

Teen Titans-

This team is doing a little better than its predecessors. The art is solid and the stories aim to be character driven. The only problem is that I don't feel like I know these characters. What would do a world of good for this book woul be to have a series of one-shot stories between 2 or 3 issue arcs that focus one one member of the team, helping me to understand what they want from life and from being a Titan. If I can get to know these characters and feel their individual struggles more, I think this book would become a must have!

Outsiders- Those who have been listening to my podcast and reading my blog for awhile know that I have no love for Dan DiDio. I think there have been a number of ideas carried out at DC that he should have axed. So when I heard he would be taking over Outsiders, one of my favorite books, I was both nervous and curious. Two issues in and he's actually doing a pretty decent job! His storytelling is a bit rushed and his characterization is not very deep, but it's not bad by any stretch and the story he's presenting is one I'm very interested in! He does have an odd habit of having his characters refer to the events of "Blackest Night" as "Blackest Night", something I've not seen in any other books. It feels a bit like having Superman say, "My 'secret origin' days make up some of my fondest memories" or "It was so sad to see Hal broken and hurting during 'Emerald Twilight'" or even "Remember when we had that crossover with Marvel?" A bit odd... Dan may have spent a little too much time in that editorial/publicity chair.

Blackest Night- This miniseries continues to be a very enjoyable read that brings all the biggest DC characters together against intensely high stakes, while also reminding us how they all tick as individual characters. It's not the best "event" book I've ever read, but it continually reminds me of why I love reading comics and why I love the DC universe and all of its heroes and villains! Its an experience I've come to expect from Geoff Johns and Blackest Night has not let me down.

Superman/Batman- This book started out as the go-to place for definitive stories focusing on either Batman or Superman. These characters were once featured better in this book than in their own. But the quality has faded over the last few years and with both storytelling and art falling well below industry standards, I dropped this book last fall. I still flip through the pages of the new issues, hoping to see an exciting new direction, but it looks as though the current story is actually a trip to the past, following up on the "Our Worlds At War" miniseries from several years ago. (When was that anyway? As far back as the 90's?) I'm not interested in flashback anthologies, so this book will continue to be ranked with "The Brave And The Bold" on my list of purchase priorities. Get the stories out of the past and into the well-written and drawn present if you want my money again.

Secret Six- This book continues to hold the top spot on my reading list. It follows the story of a group of super-villains on the run and trying to make their way in the world. Character driven with clever dialogue and page turning stories. And in a story where the villains are "heroes", the villains they face are REEEEALLY bad! Evil pulls no punches and neither does Gail Simone, who I now consider every bit the equal of Geoff Johns and on some days even better! Give this book a try!

Well, that covers the "Team" books I've been reading, and I had more to say than I thought! Guess my opinions about my solo books will have to wait until another time!

Technology Bytes

Once I make my millions (or just have enough to employ someone) I think the first position I will fill is "Administrator of make-technology-problems-go-away".

I've spent so many years exercising the creative part of my brain that it has swollen and suffocated the technology part. So when error messages pop up, or software behaves in strange and mysterious ways not intended by the engineer, I can only hope that I can fiddle my way through or find some tech support that can solve the problem quickly. The only problem is, tech support can rarely solve the problem quickly!

People say all the time how much technology has advanced, but I don't see how that's true when you have to know WAAAY to much about it in order for it to work properly!

(Sigh...)

Okay, I feel little better now. Let's see if I've gotten an e-mail from that tech support guy yet.

Time To Cheat!

It's been awhile since I've cheated on a video game, but as I'm playing through Final Fantasy 12 again, I feel the need.

Two problems plague this game, as least concerning my tastes. First is the License System. A board you spend earned points on to unlock skills, spells and weapon/armor compatibility. The problem is, unless you have a strategy guide, there's no way to know in advance where the things are that you need to unlock, and so you end up spending precious license points on stuff you don't need and have to level grind to get the skills you want.

Yes, I do have a strategy guide, but I'm just not interested in unfolding a giant paper chart to look at anytime I want to upgrade a character's armor. I did it for awhile by my patience has run thin.

The secondary issue is combat balancing. Not as big of a deal, but now and then, even after hours of level grinding with no plot advancement, I can run into a boss that is far too tough for me. (Demon Wall anyone?)

So I'm cheating with a code for a ton of extra license points so that I can stay way ahead of the curve, if not fill up my board. And since much of the game is still balanced, instead of an experience gaining code, I'm using an "action gauge always full" code for those insanely tough boss fights, so that I can just keep hammering on the bad guys without ever stopping until they're dead. Like having haste on crack. I used it for the Demon Wall fight and found it gave me the edge I needed while still leaving me with an exciting (and not overwhelming) challenge.

I've beaten this game before without using any cheats until the very end (just to fill out my license board), but I'm less patient this time and don't want to play a game that isn't designed to my tastes.

Long live cheat devices!!

The Wolf Man (Movie Review)

Universal Studios' first attempt at a monster franchise rejuvenation comes in an update of their classic movie, "The Wolfman". With names like Benicio Del Toro and Anthony Hopkins at the top of the bill, it looks as though the studio is hoping to lend dramatic credibility to this monster genre story.

In several regards, this movie succeeds in bringing class to an often classless genre. Yes there is blood and messy violence. But there is also an engaging subtlety to characterization that only the likes of Hopkins can bring. And Del Toro's eyes have a brooding quality to them that lends darkness to his scenes while still remaining sympathetic.

The look and feel of the movie is well done. The sets and location are wonderful and transported me easily to the world they were creating.

Genre fans will appreciate the attack sequences, which usually end with multiple body parts strewn about the room. But they may also be let down by the uninspiring transformation sequences, which utilize only CGI, rather than a blend of make-up and digital effects. Even if you prefer CGI to practical "in-camera" effects, we've seen all of these transformation beats before in movies like "An American Werewolf In London" and the "Underworld" movies. They still look pretty neat in this movie, but for a franchise relaunch attempt, I wish they had taken their time and come up with a new approach to the concept.

Fans of the classic universal movies will also notice that the werewolf look in this movie is clearly inspired by the original. For my tastes, this was a bad way to go. I've seen that "classic werewolf" look lampooned too many times to avoid seeing a shaggy man that looks a little silly and with a hairdo that seems to belong in the 80's for some unidentifiable reason. The face of the werewolf in this flick just reminded me too much of "Teen Wolf" for me to feel very intimidated by it. The more wolf-like bone structure seen in other werewolf movies works better for me than the "super hairy man" look used here. Some other updates to the physicality of the werewolf worked well in this movie, but the look of the face and head fell flat.

As with any story of this nature (The Hulk, Mr. Hyde, etc.) they have opportunity to deal with man's fallen state and the beast we all have within us. This movie contains a few lines in the script dealing with this theme, but the attempt seems half-hearted. It's doubtful the film will motivate any meaningful conversation. The plot is interesting and took a few turns I didn't expect, but some of the main plot points and story beats were very predictable.

Despite my issues with the flick, this is a very solid monster movie that genre fans should see. If not in theaters, than definitely on DVD. And with the performances involved, there may even be some appeal for non-genre fans. But there's nothing terribly new here. An enjoyable yet forgettable experience.

Rated R for bloody horror violence and gore.

Quality: 8.5/10

Relevance: 6.0/10

Toilet Best For Diapers

A few weeks ago my son cooked up some "poop soup" for me. I kid you not. His diaper was a bowl of brown liquid terror.

We use cloth diapers, so unfortunately this wasn't something I could just throw away. Armed with rubber gloves and a plastic bag, I did the best thing I could think to do. I took it out in the back yard and "hosed the crap out of it".

Although the spray nozzle delivered fantastic water pressure, the procedure was not as efficient as I'd hoped. But God saw fit to give me another opportunity last night. This time I took a more hands on approach and dunked, rubbed and squeezed the crap off where it belongs. In our toilet.

That's love, people.

The Return Of The 360!

Late last week marked the return of my xbox from repair. Well technically that's not true. They gave me a "replacement unit" which I sincerely hope has the latest internal build so that I can avoid the even greater likelihood that my old unit had toward the red ring of death.

Either way, everything is working great and we rocked out to Rock Band last night after the Superbowl.

And yet, despite having my system back, I find that I am completely hooked on Final Fantasy 12 again for the PS2! So my goal is to play through and finish FF 12 before the new one comes out in early March.

Can he do it? Place yer bets folks, the race is on!

Hunter's Moon, by Don Hoesel

Today I've got a review provided by "guest brain", The Itinerant Iconoclast! Check him out at: http://itineranticonoclast.blogspot.com/


Don Hoesel's first novel, last year's Elisha's Bones, was a workmanlike effort in a genre that has been overworked in the CBA marketplace, that of the search for the supernatural artifact. It was a fine, albeit standard, thriller.

His second work, the upcoming Hunter's Moon, shows a great leap in craft. This is a much subtler novel, more akin to a mainstream literary work than the standard fare offered in the Christian publishing world. I am encouraged that Bethany House has taken the steps to publish a novel that does not fit the standard CBA mold in terms of its setting, plot, and overall feel, and hope that its publication will lead other houses to expand their offerings.

Not to say that the world that Hoesel paints is altogether unique. The main character, CJ Baxter, is a successful author from a politically-connected family with secrets to hide. Both of these worlds, of the author and of the politician, are well-worn, but Hoesel exercises a deft touch in weaving these disparate worlds together. He delivers to us a taut family drama, a story of a man coming to terms with his own failings and the consequences of his own actions.

Hunter's Moon moves at a nice pace, slowly building up tension that finally comes to a head in an exciting extended scene that covers the book's final 6 to 7 chapters. The spiritual aspects of the novel are also woven in subtly and without distraction, an accomplishment that many Christian authors would do to learn from.

The Way Of Shadows- Brent Weeks

The last few months have been a really good reading season for me. I read strictly fantasy of the sword and sorcery variety, but it's been getting harder to find authors I like. I took a chance in a bookstore in December and read the first chapter of a fairly new paperback. (I almost always buy only used.) Brent Weeks is a pretty new author, having only published the "Night Angel" trilogy so far, of which "The Way Of Shadows" is the first.

I'm not finished with the book yet, so I can't technically recommend it. But I can say how much I'm enjoying it! It has all the ingredients that have become vital to me in the last few years.

1. Sword and Sorcery
2. Dark and Brutal (Good is good and evil is EVIL!)
3. Internal Character Portrayal

That 3rd ingredient seems the hardest to come by. There are many fantasy authors who spend much time on what their characters are doing and saying, and others who spend time describing the world and environment of the characters. Few seem interested in taking me inside of the characters to experience the thoughts they are wrestling with.

I found Terry Brooks and Terry Goodkind to both be very good at this. Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman also tend to do well when writing together. Robert Newcomb is a new author for me that does this well, though he has a few writing flaws that I've had to get used to. But Brent Weeks is right up there with Brooks and Goodkind in this department. The "Night Angel Books" are all over 600 pages long, but I'm flying through his chapters faster than I have on many 300 page books. Very gripping stuff!

I'm interested to see where Weeks sits philosophically. Although his characters are mostly corrupted in major ways, or incredibly broken from evil done to them, redemption is a very strong theme. He also presents a polytheism believing world in which there is also a "One God" religion. He paints its followers as good and compassionate and the religion itself is placed in a very positive light, with none of the (overdone) hypocritical- overpowering-church, (AKA,"the author has a chip on his shoulder") kind of monotheistic representation typical of most fantasy novels.

But even if Weeks happens to be a Christian, this book will never sell in a Christian bookstore due to the extremely dark content and the use of a few F-bombs and less intense swearing. A shame, really, because I think he uses the language well, without exploiting it, to present a dark world in need of redemption. And so far this book strikes me as a great starting point for discussion that would lead to examining the Bible.

Very cool stuff!

Final Fantasy 12 Better The Second Time?

As I wait for my 360 to return, I've tapped into some of the games I most enjoyed on my PS2. One that caught my attention (since the next installment will be released in early March) was Final Fantasy 12.

When I played this game the first time, the combat system took some real getting used to, but I ended up enjoying it a lot. (Still used cheats for infinite "license points" late in the game. One too many things to think about.) Since then, I've been introduced to Bioware games like Neverwinter Nights, "KOTOR" and Dragon Age: Origins, all of which use a similar hybrid between turned-based combat and "action-rpg" combat. So now that I've returned to play this game again, it's been smooth gaming from the very beginning.

I'm also not a big fan of politics in my fantasy stories. I can never remember the difference between a duke and a lord or a prime minister and a chancellor. And politically driven fantasy stories tend to enjoy giving every character a title, in addition to their name. Waaay too much for my tiny brain to keep track of. But this time around, since I'm not adjusting to the combat system, I've been able to keep track of the story a little better. I'm only a few hours in, but the plot seems much easier to follow than it did the first time. Woohoo! Maybe I won't dread cut-scenes this time through!

I rarely play RPGs through a second time in less than 8-10 years. So I've been amazed at how excited I've been lately to finish my work day or "to do" list so that I can play Final Fantasy 12! Speaking of which...