#673 - #674 ABSOLUTE BATMAN #1 by Scott Snyder and Nick Dragotta (DC Comics, December 2024) “The Zoo, Part One of Five”. Marvel has the Ultimate Universe; and now DC has the Absolute Universe: both publishers taking established and familiar characters and putting enough spin on their origins and background to make these icons seem fresh and new. Also, it becomes a perfect jumping on point for new readers (although hard to imagine someone just coming to Batman, etc for the very first time). The cynic in me wants to add that after 4-5 years of Absolute and Ultimate Universe titles they will have added enough backstory to make it much harder for new readers to jump in - - so they will end the line and revive it (with some changes, and new creative teams) once everything has been forgotten.
So, is ABSOLUTE BATMAN any good? Yes, it is, and if you yearn for something that will remind you of Frank Miller’s THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS the concise, multi-paneled art of Nick Dragotta and the use of journal entries by characters plus the cutaways to network news clips in Scott Snyder’s script will do that job for you.
Young Bruce Wayne still becomes Batman, but he didn’t inherit a fortune to finance his endeavors, although he is super-smart and a fine physical specimen (some of how that happened is explained, the rest I assume will happen in later issues). His father is a school teacher, and Bruce is the brightest bulb in his classroom. Bruce’s introduction to bat lore occurs during a school field trip to the zoo. He doesn’t lose his parents in a back alley shooting. It happens elsewhere and only one parent is gunned down.
Jim Gordon is mayor of Gotham, with Harvey Bullock as police commissioner. Barbara Gordon is a cop. Alfred Pennyworth is a solider of fortune, hired to keep tabs on a violent Party Animals gang but permitted to engage with Batman if he interferes, which he does.
Crocodile is just the owner of a boxing gym (for now) where Bruce works out. In a bit of foreshadowing, he asks why Bruce has missed so many poker games with their comrades: Eddie, Harvey, Oz and Selina (The Riddler, Two-Face, Penguin, Catwoman). It will be interesting to see how they are depicted in the Absolute Universe. The Joker seems to be a super-wealthy entrepreneur with a private jet, who earned that nickname because he never laughs at anything. No makeup or purple/green outfits, Joker looks more like a gangster out of Dick Tracy.
I did not like everything about this debut issue, but it is definitely promising and I trust that Snyder and Dragotta will reveal a lot more in upcoming issues. THREE AND THREE-QUARTER STARS.
#675 THE CREEPING BELOW #1 by Brian Azzarello and Vanesa Del Rey (Boom! Studios, October 2024) There are some creators, like Brian Azzarello, that I will purchase a new work from solely based on their past titles. Sad to say, I need to quit doing that. Nobody is perfect; and nobody is immune from failing to meet expectations now and then.
This is creepy. This is inventive. This pulls from mythology in horrific ways. But, what it fails to do, that other Azzarello stories have done, is touch my heart and make me care about one or more characters. Sorry, I’m not feeling it here.
Val, a photo journalist on overseas assignment, makes a side trip to Oslo to catch a concert by a death metal band. She snaps a few photos, which angers one of the band members who threatens her in a language she can’t understand. Later, she makes friends with a resident who takes her to her boyfriend’s bar for a nightcap. The same death metal band is drinking and relaxing there. Val gets an apology and a promise to let her photo the band in an ancient wooded setting.
She doesn’t realize that she’s being sacrificed to tree gods and left for dead. Later, when a battered Val revives she finds herself covered in tree limbs, leaves, and muck and discovers a shrine at an ancient tree to past fallen sacrifices.
From this point forward, this is going to be a revenge title as she goes after the band. I just don’t feel a need to read this. The art by Vanesa Del Rey is equally creepy and eerie, but a little too indistinct, too dark, too murky for my tastes. THREE STARS.
#676 - #679 DEVIL’S REIGN #2, #3 of 6 by Chip Zdarsky and Marco Checchetto (Marvel Comics, February-March 2022) This mini-series is more than living up to the promise of the debut issue. Zdarsky packs so much story into the proceedings; and the side-stories are just as engaging as the main theme. Checchetto’s art is really eye-appealing and he depicts some poster-worthy classic panels, added by some great shading and effects from colorist Marcio Menyz. If you haven’t read this title, and have decided you want to, stop reading my review now. Spoilers from this point on.
Elektra (as Daredevil) confronts Wilson Fisk (Kingpin), who reminds her of how she has become “neutered” by promising “no killing” to the original Daredevil (Matt Murdock). He’s sold her file to Kraven the Hunter, and a showdown is set up.
Meanwhile, the resistance team hides out in the sub-basement of Avengers Mansion but that doesn’t go un-noticed by the children of The Purple Man (who have decided they need to kill their father). The Purple Man is encased in a prism where Kingpin is draining some of his powers of persuasion (through a severed finger) to influence the election where he is running for President.
Even though this story was written a few years ago, some of the statements and unethical, cheating methods employed by Kingpin keep reminding me of current events. If you go back and re-read your issues, you’ll see what I mean. How prophetic. Glad The Purple Man doesn’t exist in the real world.
Spider-Man (Ben Reilly) gets the crap beat out of him, and rescued by The Thing and Human Torch. Meanwhile Mr. Fantastic and the Invisible Woman avoid getting beat up in an undersea prison compound. Tony Stark’s plan to run for election against Kingpin gets turned around when the team decides Luke Cage is a better candidate. Doc Oc is tired of doing Kingpin’s bidding and is working behind the scenes to upstage him, now using Reed Richard’s inter-dimensional gate to enlist some superior versions of Hulk, Ghost Rider, and Wolverine to aid him. They fight the Avengers and the team learns that Tony Stark wasn’t on their side (the Chameleon). Whoo boy. I’m enjoying this. FOUR STARS.
#680 - #683 RETRO FAN #35 (TwoMorrows Publishing, November 2024) It’s only appropriate since I have a blog titled Pop Culture Podium that I give a nod to this great magazine dedicated to pop culture faves from the 1960’s through the 1980’s and sometimes beyond.
I’ve been picking up issues at random when they catch my eye, but I’m thinking I need to pay more regular attention to this title. Issue #35 has a great mix of articles that spark that nostalgic flame inside my heart. All their articles are well-researched and add insights that aren’t common knowledge.
Highlights this issue include the cover feature on Space Ghost, Saturday morning cartoon shows featuring rock bands, a profile of actor John Astin, and an insider look at the set of Evil Dead II. FOUR STARS.
#684 - #685 THE EXORCISM AT 1600 PENN by Hannah Rose May and Vanesa Del Rey (IDW Publishing, October 2024) If you like well-written stories that build the suspense slowly then you may find this very satisfying. Great political drama. Great family drama. Supernatural undertones.
There’s a lot of attention-grabbing scenes in this extra-sized issue. I’m impressed with May’s writing as well as Del Rey’s art (much better and more expressive than her work on THE CREEPING BELOW recently).
A newly-elected female President of the United States. Mixed race family. A pending crisis. Political opposition and plenty of critics. Her kids adjusting to a new school and new attention. A creepy shadowy presence in the White House. FOUR STARS.
#686 - #687 YOUNGBLOOD Volume One, #5 Written by Rob Liefeld with art by Chap Yaep (Image Comics, July 1993) My current indifference stems
from having read more than a fair share of superhero team books over the decades, and not because of a lack of quality script or art. Just to review
and compare, I chose to dig out some older ’90’s comics and re-read them. I can say with confidence that the team books of today are head and shoulders above what was popular back then. Case in point: YOUNGBLOOD.
This describes things so much better than I could, confessing to a bit of confusion considering how many characters are included here (with not much indication as to which side they are on). The promotional synopsis:
Darkthornn commands Youngblood to hand over Prophet to him, or else join Badrock in mindless service. Psi-Fire insists that he can defeat Darkthornn, but only if his psychic dampener is removed. Riptide and Vogue are leery of letting the deranged psychic off his leash, but with defeat imminent they see little choice.
Psi-Fire is successful in overpowering Darkthornn, who retreats back through the crash tunnel. The Berzerkers make to follow him, but Kirby decides to stay behind to help out Prophet. Diehard is spat back out of the crash tunnel just as it closes, confirming that Darkthornn's invasion has given up for now.
YOUNGBLOOD #5 was a “flip-book” with BRIGADE #4 on the reverse sidearm written by Rob Liefeld and Eric Stephenson with art by Marat Mychaels. The art in both sides of this comic is so close to the same style of Liefeld. This story is even harder to summarize. The Birds of Prey (no copyright on the name, not the DC team) takes on Brigade in a giant battle that ends in stalemate (with the exception of one unnecessary death). All this is observed back in Washington, D.C. where a disappointed Pentagon official decides they need to send out yet another team - - Bloodstrike.
This was tedious! If you ever grow weary of current superhero fare, go back and read some of these. It will renew your belief. TWO STARS.
#688 YOUNGBLOOD BATTLEZONE #1 by Rob Liefeld and Eric Stephenson with art by Richard Horie (Image Comics, April 1993)
This is just a reference guide with illustrated break-downs and details of Youngblood Headquarters, their Mobile Command Center, Hyper-Sonic Transport and Helicopter Drop-Ship.
Want to know the finer points of Shaft’s Bow or Sentinel’s Exo-Skeleton? How about Chapel’s Armory and Hyper Cycle? You get the picture.
More than any of us really want to know. ONE AND ONE-HALF STARS.
#689 YOUNGBLOOD STRIKEFILE #1 (Image Comics, 1993) This is another “flip book”. One side is a flashback story of Golden Age Allies (like Marvel’s Invaders) Die Hard (from the cover), Super-Patriot and Glory. Written and pencilled by Rob Liefeld with inks by Danny Miki, it’s typical big panel Liefeld battle action against the Nazis.
The flip side is also written by Liefled, but more interesting with some intricately detailed art by Jae Lee that is somewhat spoiled by too much black/dark in the colors by Steve Oliff.
The trio of Chapel, Simmons (pre-Spawn?) and Duke, guns blazing, go up against Cybernet agents in a successful mission (except no more Duke, which doesn’t seem to bother anyone).
It’s a short 12-page story, but the Lee magic is on display.
THREE STARS.
#690 YOUNGBLOOD YEARBOOK #1 by Eric Stephenson and Chap Yaep (Image Comics, July 1993) From the Amazon synopsis:
Youngblood are sent to investigate the disappearances of CI Operatives at a military base in Antartica. There a big fight ensues between Youngblood and some barbarian people, known as The Savages. They follow the barbarians into a cave, at the end of it is a jungle, known as Arcadia. Youngblood is surrounded by barbarians and they are all captured. The barbarians take them to a giant building to meet someone named Tyrax, who shares his story to Youngblood. Tyrax shares his intentions on taking full control over Arcadia.
I’ve noticed that many of these Youngblood battles end in a draw. This is Image’s version of Marvel’s Savage Land. One of the barbarians befriends Youngblood and helps them escape via a portal back to their timeline, where they vow to return and stop Tyrax. Ho hum. TWO STARS.
#691 - #692 YOUNGBLOOD VOLUME SIX #3, #5 by Chad Bowers and Jim Towe (Image Comics, July-September 2017)
2017 marked the 25th anniversary of the year that Image started their comics revolution with debut team title YOUNGBLOOD. This is an all-new cast on a brand-new mission that intersects with some of the original team members.
There are some differences between the YOUNGBLOOD books of 1993 I just finished reading, and this one: There are less characters. The story is less convoluted and easier to follow. The art in no way resembles the Liefeld influenced art of Volume One. However, it’s too much of a departure. Jim Towe is capable, but his art style seems more suited to an Archie book.
I can’t even tell you the super-names of most of the new team of four. I didn’t read Issues #1 and #2, and they spend most of their time out of costume planning and discussing and refer to each other by first names. They are searching for a missing hero named Man-Up (groan). The only other super-name I saw mentioned was Vogue. They recruit old Youngblood member Doc Rocket (ugh) and she ends up fighting alien bounty hunter Bloodwulf who was tracking new member Petra. Badrock is in a bad way but assisting the team from his chair.
Diehard from the original team is now President of the United States, and employs Shaft as an assistant/investigator. Cybernet is back under a scrambled name (Brynetec) and they battle in Issue #5, where two of the originals get into a fight. (Yeah, seems like they were always fighting each other back in the day).
Issue #5 also revives the flip-book format with BLOODSTRIKE #3 on the reverse side, written and illustrated by Rob Liefeld. It’s only three-pages long, and instantly forgettable. TWO STARS, just like the old days.
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