MY WEEK IN COMICS #3 - - - January 21, 2024
For the last three years I have embarked on a Comics Odyssey, reading and writing reviews of comics towards an ambitious goal which I only attained on one of three attempts. This year, I still want to read more comics and write reviews, but I’m not setting a specific goal. I’ll just document them and number them. We’ll see how far I can go . . . . . . . .
Also, rather than being bogged down or confused by the intricacies of the plot, I was able to enjoy this for what it is: a throw-back to the good old days of less superhero drama, more superhero fights. I found it a refreshing change, although a regular diet of this would not have the same impact.
There are several fights/conflicts in this issue. I liked jutaxposing the battle between Wilson Fisk/Kingpin and Tombstone with the fight between their respective children - - The Rose vs. Beetle.
There are plenty of cool scenes and amusing dialogue. During a stand-off prior to battle Spider-Man and She-Hulk get confused by Typhoid Mary’s flirting, both assuming it is solely intended for them.
Other examples:
“You just start grabbing appendages?! How Dare You?!”
“Are you using my head as a paperweight?”
Tombstone: “I’ve got this.” Spider-Man’s response: “Have you told your teeth?” THREE AND ONE-HALF STARS.
#35 - #44 CATWOMAN: LONELY CITY hardcover by Cliff Chiang (DC Comics/Black Label, October 2022) Collect issues #1-4 of the prestige format limited series
In a world without Batman...will Selina Kyle's old wounds tear Gotham City apart? Cliff Chiang writes and illustrates the ultimate Catwoman masterpiece!
Ten years ago, the massacre known as Fools' Night claimed the lives of Batman, the Joker, Nightwing, and Commissioner Gordon...and sent Selina Kyle, the Catwoman, to prison.
A decade later, Gotham has grown up—it's put away costumed heroism and villainy as childish things. The new Gotham is cleaner, safer...and a lot less free, under the watchful eye of Mayor Harvey Dent and his Batcops. It's into this new city that Selina Kyle returns, a changed woman...with her mind on that one last big score: the secrets hidden inside the Batcave! She doesn't need the money--she just needs to know...who is "Orpheus"?
I haven’t read a lot of Catwoman stories; and those I did were in trade paperback collections/complete stories. So I feel somewhat confident in stating that this is the best one I have ever read. I thought LONELY CITY, while an imaginary future tale, was brilliant in every aspect. It’s an incredible spotlight on the talents of Cliff Chiang and I would direct anyone to this title as an example of how best to use the graphic novel story-telling format.
Even more impressive than his art, coloring, and lettering, is Chiang's ability to spin a great yarn. He brings new characterization to Catwoman, Killer Croc, Harvey Dent, Poison Ivy, Penguin, The Riddler/Eddie Nigma, Barbara Gordon , Jason Blood/Etrigan the Demon and the supporting cast in such a way that makes readers see the good side of villains, most of whom turn out to be honorable. There's even an unexpected romance.
Catwoman/Selina Kyle is now in her fifties, has lost a step, recognizes her limitations and seeks to find a new purpose, acknowledging that she can't do it alone and needs help. The storyline concerns her re-training herself in order to take on the biggest job yet - - infiltrating the Batcave and learning what is the mysterious "Orpheus" that a dying Batman burdened her with.
Book Four is a tour de force where Catwoman and company enter the Batcave and battle mayor Harvey Dent and his Batcops. There's a twist when she finally uncovers what Orpheus is and makes an unexpected decision.
Absolutely brilliant in every aspect. Almost everyone should read this, although I feel it would be incredibly confusing without some prior knowledge of the Batman family. FIVE STARS.
#45 - #46 COBRA COMMANDER #1 by Joshua Williamson and Andrea Milana (Image Comics, Skybound, January 2024) Synopsis:
The Rise of Cobra begins here. In a world where the Cobra organization hasn't formed, one man's sinister plans to utilize the mysterious alien substance known as Energon sends shockwaves across the globe. Who is Cobra Commander? Where does he come from? And what horrors is he planning to unleash that will rock the world-and maybe the universe-to its core? Red-Hot writer Joshua Williamson (Superman, Duke) and artist Andrea Milana (Impact Winter: Rook) kick off the second of four action-packed miniseries that will introduce the best and worst humanity has to offer in the Energon Universe.
This is the second series that will unite the G.I. Joe and Transformers into the Energon Universe. So, if you want to be in on the ground floor you’ll need to pick this up as well as DUKE #1.There is plenty going on in COBRA COMMANDER #1 to hold your attention and the art is dynamic. However, no clear answers are supplied for the three questions posed in the above synopsis. They just get hinted at.
Cobra-La’s reclusive society (not quite human) favors nature over science. Revolution has been sparked due to the intrusion of science into their world - - both perhaps instigated by Cobra Commander. His origins aren’t explained except to reveal that he is not a native, apparently taken in and raised here. He’s also hidden many of his science experiments including the captive Transformer (Megatron?) he’s stealing data from.
Now, he’s determined to make his way across the globe uncovering and hoarding more Transformer data before his big move to bring Cobra-La to world domination. A good beginning, although I liked DUKE better because the storyline was more deliberate and not as vague. THREE AND ONE-HALF STARS.
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