The Informant

THOR Vol 2. Well, Let's Just Say It Rocks.

2009-08-16T15:53:00.001-07:00

When he's on his game, J. Michael Straczynski is fast becoming my favorite writer working in comics today. (Aside from Joss Whedon, but that goes without saying, and Whedon doesn't comics enough anymore, which is part of the problem. In THOR Vol 2., much as he did in the first volume, Straczynski has reinvented one of Marvel's great characters and is on his way to creating a masterpiece in the genre.

Vol 2. starts off with a bang. If you recall in Vol. 1 Thor raised Asgard in the sky above rural Oklahoma. It's still there, and Thor in his human guise as Donald Blake, tends to the natives of the nearby town as if they were his own Asgardians. But in re-raising the Gods, as in did in Vol 2. Thor intuits that something is wrong in Asgard. And he must separate from his human form and undergo the Odinsleep to find his father who dwells in the Norse equivalent of purgatory to find out what it is.

Where Vol 1. was the obvious set-up for the following stories, Straczynski doesn't disappoint, and while there is plenty of action in Vol 2., it is the complications of the relationships among the Gods that makes the book so intriguing. Of course Loki has a plan in motion to destroy Thor, and sending him/her (in this guise Loki appears as a woman) to Vegas to carry out the plan is a hilarious stroke of genius. Strazynzki gives us a brilliant glimpse into the back story of Loki's origin and his complicated relationship with Odin and Thor.

And, as a special treat, like in Vol 1. when Iron Man shows up to tell Thor he must 'register' under the new law, and Thor gives Iron Man the subsequent ass whoopin' he deserves, here Thor visits the grave of Captain America. In a touching scene, Thor calls back Cap's spirit to tell him how sorry he was and what an honor it was to fight as his side. He tells Cap there is a place for him in Valhalla, to which Cap's spirit replies "I never believed in Valhalla." And Thor then explains to Cap that it matters not what we believe but how we live that determines where we dwell in the afterlife and Cap's heroic life will assure his spirit dwells in Valhalla forever. It could have been clumsy and corny, but Straczynski's spare, lean writing makes it work.

There is a lot to love in this book, and the Informant is a 'non-spoiler' site so I won't unveil the big reveal in Thor Vol 2. But if you've ever wondered about the complicated relationship between Thor and Balder the Brave, let's just say you'll get more than a glimpse inside it, in Thor Vol 2.

This is a book that we definitely recommend. In fact, you may want to spring for it in hardcover and add it to your shelf, because I am sure it's one I'll be reading again and again. I'm guessing you will too.

2009-07-29T17:48:00.000-07:00

There's a lot of stuff going on with spandex clad super heroes taking the dirt nap these days. Batman RIP. Captain America taken out during the Civil War fiasco. Goliath dying during the Civil War fiasco. It's a trend.

It's sort of like remakes in Hollywood. Now I don't mind when somebody takes a hero and does a reinvention or a retelling of their origin. Green Arrow: Year One is one of my most favorite recent examples.

But did anyone ever think Captain America was going to stay dead. Didn't we all, in the back of minds, think that the Barry Allan Flash might return someday. And you know Bats is coming back. It will be another "Biggest Comics Event of the Year". There's another Lazarus pit out there somewhere for the Caped Crusader.

I have a confession to make. I am an unabashed Captain America fan. Yes, he might be the cheesiest hero in the Marvel verse. He's corny sometimes. (Well, almost all the time). He's 107 years old thanks to the 'Super Soldier Serum'. But dammit, he's Captain America and I've been with him all the way. Even during the awkward Falcon years and that whole Nomad thing. (What was up with that?).

Because he's Cap. He stands for something. Doing the right thing. Not the easy thing. Defeating evil. Opening a can of whoop ass on the Red Skull even though he's also 107. And dang it now two bit, trussed up, fancy pants psychopath like Norman Osborn gets to say "Avengers Assemble!" That's Cap's line you sick bastard.

And furthermore the whole problem with the Civil War fiasco is Cap being taken out because Iron Man was an incompetent putz. I'm sorry. Tony Stark does not get to kill Captain America. Thank god Thor came back and whipped his ass for that. I'm so pissed that I have not and will not see the movie Iron Man because of it. Nor will I see it's sequel. As the song says. "You Have To Stand For Something, Or You'll Fall For Anything."

So we waited for the inevitable return of the Captain. You knew it was coming. You waited. It had to happen. You waited. And now it's here. Captain America: Reborn. And what do we at the Informant think about it?

We don't know. And truth be told the story is a little confusing. There's a former S.H.I.E.L.D agent involved in his death. Apparently, Doctor Doom has a time platform (or something) that snatched him away just as he was shot and Steve Rogers wakes up, but it's in World War II again. At least I think that's what happened. I'm not really sure.

Buy the comic if your must, because like I said, it's Cap. But as in the case of Flash: Rebirth, I think I'm going to wait until the trade paperback comes out so I can read the whole story all at once.

Maybe then I'll get it.

The Hood...doesn't suck

2009-07-22T09:00:00.000-07:00

I love it when a (relatively) new character works. It's rare, like when you see a pileated woodpecker eating regular birdseed. Thank the comic gods Marvel let this supervillain eat the regular birdseed.

Readers, reach back into spacetime (2002) and check out the origin story of Parker Robbins. Brian K Vaughan (in my opinion the most consistently entertaining writer in comics today) sort of turned the Spiderman/Daredevil thing on its head and explored what happens when an asshole powers up. Despite Dormammu being involved, which usually predetermines a certain amount of suckiness, the Hood Vol 1-6 allowed for a more classical and deeper story.

Here's a guy who wants an easy way out, and here's a demon inhabiting him through a cloak -with all the Faustian twists and turns you can eat. Oh, and he's a gangster in Brooklyn. And his wife's pregnant. Powers: boots that allow him to fly, and invisibility so long as he holds his breath.

He's gotten a lot more powerful since Bendis got his hands on him. But back in the good ole days, he was just as down on his luck as Spidey, just on the other side of things.

They've just re-released the collection in hardbound, and you'd be an idiot not to add it to the library.

HAVE YOU HEARD? BRUCE WAYNE IS DEAD!

2009-07-11T09:11:00.001-07:00

So Batman bites the big one. Bruce Wayne takes the ultimate dirt nap. At least we think so. So far, I've read BATMAN R.I.P three times and I still can't figure out A) How he actually died and B) If he actually did. But according to everyone else in the DC verse, even Big Blue, he's gone.

Of course, Bruce Wayne might be gone, but Batman has to live on right? At least the spirit of Batman, otherwise Gotham City is toast. You might as well just throw open the doors of Arkham Asylum and let everyone have at it.

So, in order to keep Gotham under the watchful eye of the Urban Legend that is the Dark Knight, DC has given us the Battle for the Cowl. If you have not read the Battle For The Cowl, it's kind of fun and basically has a bunch of pretenders vying for the throne of the Caped Crusader. No spoiler alerts here, but if you're a betting man, you'd know that if the Bat were to go down the smart money would be on Nightwing as the logical replacement.

And so that brings us to Batman & Robin #1 as told by Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely. And it's a good story. We watch Dick Grayson struggle with the very audaciousness of replacing his mentor. He knows the world needs Batman. But does the world need Dick Grayson as Batman? And more importantly does Dick Grayson need Dick Grayson as Batman?

You knew that DC would turn the 'succession' story over to a writer as gifted as Morrison, but one of he problems he, like all comics writers face, is there is very little you can do in the vein of character development. The characters you are writing are created and iconic all you can do is tell the story. And Morrison does that well.

However, when it comes to Robin, the choice of Damian is one that sets the teeth on edge. Sure you're the illegitimate son of a billionaire and the grandson of the founder of the League of Assassins. Boo freakin' hoo. Stop acting like a little punk and get over yourself. No one is going to buy you as Batman, you're barely a passable Robin. So just shut up and learn. And if you call Alfred "Pennyworth" one more time, here's hoping he takes one of his crepes pans upside your little punk ass head.

It will be interesting to follow this story where it leads, but there is a part of us that wants to say to DC "okay, you did the dead Batman thing, now please bring him back to life and let's get on with it."

Until then Batman & Robin #2 awaits.

Retrospective: whatever happened to 'the Other?'

2009-06-16T13:12:00.000-07:00

Okay, if there's one thing we hate at the Informant, it's continuity issues. And why wouldn't we? Continuity issues make one question the whole affair; they leave us broken men; disheartened; disheveled and inconsolable months or years after internalizing back story.

And nothing drives the Informant crazier than continuity issues in the Spider-ouevre. It apparently wasn't enough for Marvel to shuffle Peter Parker through the Clone Saga. Nope. In the absolute SNAFU that was the Civil War and its aftermath, Parker is unmasked, gets an iron suit, has few if any snide come-backs, turns into Iron-Lackey, quits being Iron-Lackey, goes on the run for seemingly forever, and loses Mary Jane to a third-tier Dr. Strange villain in order to save Aunt May, who is about 100 years old at this point, from dying. All this when a slight breeze could probably kill Aunt May in a year or so (and Mary Jane is the hottest, most caring woman on the planet).

Not to mention: all the Other stuff didn't happen now, or something, or it did but we're waiting for some stupid dialogue-deus ex machina-explanatory speech from Reed Richards.

Please. Please, please.

The Other and surrounding events, in my opinion, brought back a slightly stale franchise (though it pains me to use the modifier). Spiderman finally got a villain that wasn't some type of animal, he found a slightly more corporate stand-in for Uncle Ben and he manifested more Spider-like abilities that weren't patently ridiculous. What's not to like? Were Spider-sales that anemic?

If you want to know what I mean, buy J Michael Stracyznski's run on Spidey and compare it to One More Day (hopefully at your library, since you shouldn't pay money for jibberish). Then, buy the Other and compare it to One More Day.

If you're smart, you'll learn:

J Michael Stracyznski's run on Spidey, especially the collection "Going Home" > One More Day

the Other > One More Day

In the immortal words of Meryl Streep, "That is all."

MARVEL ZOMBIES 4 No. 1

2009-05-27T08:32:00.000-07:00

Okay, Zombies and Super Heroes! Perfect combo. Spiderman going all undead and chewing off some poor saps face? Comedy gold. And as Marvel is the master of proving you can never have too much of a good thing, they're back with Marvel Zombies 4, a four book mini-series.

Along with my firmly held belief that white chocolate cannot be classified as chocolate, I also believe you can never go wrong by adding Zombies to just about any literary form, and that includes comics. And having read the first three Marvel Zombies installments, I was pretty happy to find Marvel Zombies 4 on the shelf.

And then I read it.

And it's okay, but it's not what I was expecting. For one thing, Marvel Zombie 4 sort of tries to but not really, take it's self seriously. The main character is Morbius and the problem with Morbius is that he's always been A) a vampire and B) morbid. There's also werewolves and witches and you'd think: cool! But not so much.

First we get an angst ridden last will and testament from Morbius and the other characters where they talk about their feelings and concern for the other people and snacks in their lives. And it interrupts the action. When I pick-up a Zombie comic story, I want slashing and dashing. Less hashing and more clashing.

And one other thing, I want my Zombies created by a Zombie virus, not from some 'other dimension'. Lame. What worked well in Marvel Zombies 1 and 2 is that it was tongue in cheek, like Sean of the Dead, and it was fun to watch Wolverine complain about being hungry all the time.

That said, there are some fun parts in issue #1. Deadpool's talking head is hilarious and hearkens back to the original stories. But unless you're a big fan of Morbius, me thinks you're going to be disappointed.

Problem One: A Zombie story should just be a lot more fun.

Problem Two: See Problem One.

Dark Avengers Issue 4

2009-05-12T17:57:00.000-07:00

How could a super criminal - they actually call them that, you know, in Marvel land - end up helming one of the world's foremost domestic and foreign intelligence agencies? How, how, how?

Well, the how's aren't answered and probably never will be (suspension of disbelief, anyone?), but issue 4 starts showing a little bit more of that Bendis magic. Maybe, just maybe, the whole ridiculousness of this Dark Avengers run might have some excellent moments:

We have Doom, eyes aglow, rebuilding his Kingdom brick by brick, and he is - umm - mad at Tony Stark and Nick Fury. Real mad.
The Sentry finally shows some of that Hulk-like dangerousness. He's like a crocodile - he doesn't move very often, but when he does, you're missing an arm.
Norman Osborn suddenly looking even more like Tony Stark - wide eyed and feeble, swept up by that elusive thing called public opinion.

Problem 1: What's really not that interesting about this whole thing is the escapades. How many damn teams have their own jets? What the Informant wants to see more of is the Norman Osborn personality quirks, the unhinged moments when he runs some nobody through with a sword.

Problem 2: Sort of getting tired of the magic. But this problem is just a sub-layer of Problem 1. It seems like just seeing Norman in a Hellicarrier, or at a desk in Avengers Tower, or in a cabinet meeting with the president, or anything not all action-packed would be preferable.

Where it works: The Sentry, believe it or not.

Buy it: Yes, until further notice.

THE FLASH: REBIRTH

2009-05-10T18:45:00.000-07:00

Last summer, as we patrolled the aisles of Artists Alley at SDCC, we stopped dead in our tracks when we spotted colorist Moose Bauman's table and his cover print of FLASH: Rebirth. It was by far one of the coolest images we've seen to grace the cover of a comic in quite some time. We're not ashamed to say that a Moose signed print is framed and hanging on the wall right now. And as we listened to Moose explain a little bit about what was going to happen to the world's fastest human we were intrigued.

Writer Geoff Johns has brought Barry Allen back and while what we've heard on the forums and panels about the return of the original Scarlet Speedster sounded lame, the cover gave us hope. It is an awesome image. The original Flash, pulling on the boots, and getting ready to run for justice while the lighting bolts swirl around him. An intriguing concept and we couldn't wait until the issue arrived to see if the story actually lived up to the cover.

What is the answer to that question, you ask? The answer is a resounding...maybe. Every good story must have a beginning, middle and end to be effective. And Flash: Rebirth has a great beginning and a fine ending that will make me want to read the next book, but in the middle it breaks down somewhat. Barry Allen and Hal Jordan spend a lot of time strolling around Central City exchanging a lot of existential mumbo-jumbo which is supposed to pass as "important dialogue" and most of the time it falls flat. They reminisce. They talk about what the world is now going to do with all these "Flashes" and yet they never answer the one essential question on every one's mind. How did Barry Allen come back from wherever he was?

There are some great set pieces in this book. Early in the story, a panel of Captain Frost and some of the Flash's enemies lamenting that they're going "to need more rogues..." is hilarious. And the ending when someone unexpected shows up (and doesn't someone unexpected always show up?) gives you hope for the story arc as we move to future books.

But I couldn't help feeling the overall effect of what should be a monumental, groundbreaking comic, came up short. Sigh.

Still, I'm not ready to give up on The new old Flash yet. If the cover for the next book is anywhere near as good as the cover for issue #1, that alone will be a reason to buy it.

AUTHOR JOCELYNN DRAKE TALKS WITH THE INFORMANT ABOUT BATMAN, VAMPIRES, AND HER NEWEST BOOK DAYHUNTER

2009-04-30T19:38:00.000-07:00

Jocelynn Drake burst onto to the paranormal and urban fantasy scene with her stunning first novel Nightwalker, last year. This week, her next book in the Dark Days series Dayhunter is on sale. If you love brilliant writing, kick ass heroines and vampires you can't go wrong with Jocelynn's fantastic books. What we learned when we ran into Jocelynn at New York Comic Con is that she's also a huge fan of comics. She joins us this week in a special interview.

Remember The Informant is here to promote and celebrate working artists. So do yourself a favor and pick up both of Jocelynn's books! She's an artist in the finest sense! Be sure to visit Jocelynn at her website. http://www.jocelynndrake.com/

Q. You've stated in previous interviews that you found some of the Batman comics from the late ‘90s and early 2000's were influences on your work in Nightwalker. What is it about the Batman canon that you think contributes to your particular writing style or story development?

A. I think what has drawn me to Batman is that he nightly walks a tightrope over this dark abyss, constantly in danger of becoming exactly what he is fighting against. Unlike so many of his other superhero counterparts, he’s still a vulnerable man with hopes and fears and weaknesses. And through it all, he’s got this singular sense of honor and duty that he clings to. It’s that kind of amazing character development and turmoil that I find myself drawn to. My characters are also on the other end of the spectrum. They have superhuman abilities and yet are struggling to retain that human element. The key to retaining their humanity is clinging to that sense of honor and duty, because if they lose that, they will fall into that same dark abyss that Batman is fighting.

Q. One of the great debates among students and critics of the comics world is that Batman stands for Vengeance while Superman is a seeker of Justice. In your view what is about Batman's quest for Vengeance that we as readers find appealing?

Wow! That’s a great question. It’s Batman’s quest for vengeance that making him appealing in many ways to readers. It’s a human verging down a dark path and taking back what was stolen from him little bit by little bit. As a vampire writer, I’m naturally drawn to the darker side of humanity. We’ve all lost something at some point in our lives and there’s sometimes that deep down selfish need that we want to steal it back or punish someone for what they did, not simply because it’s the right thing to do, but because we were hurt and we want to hurt them back. Batman is about larger, grander ideas, but I think there’s still a little part of the young wounded Bruce Wayne crying out in the darkness, wanting to strike back against the world.

Q. Do you have a list of favorite Batman Comics?

A. I really don’t have a long list of favorites. I wish I could just say all of them. They have been filled with amazing stories, stunning character development, and astounding art work. Some favorites just off the top of my head are: the Knightfall series, A Death in the Family, and The Killing Joke. I adore the Joker stories and any chance to throw in Harley Quinn is always fabulous (she’s my hero after Batman). Of course, I’ve recently fallen behind on my reading, so that list might still grow and change. I’m dying to get my hands on the Neil Gaiman stories of Batman.

Q. Do you still read comics and what current books are your favorites?

A. Since I’m currently on deadline for my own books, I haven’t gotten much reading done. Most of my comics are now compiled in graphic novel form. I am looking forward to the new Battle for the Cowl story arc. Actually, I’m dying to read the Battle for the Cowl series! I also read the No Man’s Land series in novel form, but I’m looking forward to picking up the comics and reading it again.

Q. Have you ever had the desire to write a comic script?

A. Hmmm… not yet. However, I written various forms of fiction, novels, short stories, poetry, screenplays, and plays. I hope to one day write plot for video games. I wouldn’t be surprised if the comic strip bug bites me one day. Yet, the real question is, will it be any good? Your guess is as good as mine.

Q. If Batman and Captain America (before he was dead) square off in hand to hand combat, who wins?

Do you really have to ask? Batman by a country mile! He’s quick, intelligent, and athletic. And come on, he’s Batman.

Whatever Happened to the Caped Crusader, Part II

2009-04-25T15:39:00.000-07:00

SPOILER ALERT: Apparently, what's waiting for Batman is endless reincarnation and lots of work. After all that hard work, he gets more hard work.

In a way, it's sort of beautiful, in the same sense that a painter will always paint, a songbird will always sing, etc. In another sense, it's got to be a bit disappointing for the Batman. Can't you just see the spirit of Bruce Wayne secretly wishing he'd sent Dick Grayson to a better superhero school?

Believe me when I say it's not worth your hard-earned disposable income.

Is There Anything Better Than A Super Teams Team-up?

2009-04-22T17:45:00.000-07:00

The Informant admits that we likes us some super teams. Justice League. X-Men. Avengers. You name it, get a bunch of super-heroes together and it's sweet times. I don't know why this is, but it is. Maybe it's because you get to see a bunch of your favorite heroes on a single page, so there's a more for the money element to it. Maybe it's because you like watching all the personalities clash.

Whatever the reason, getting two teams together is twenty pounds of fun in a five pound sack and Titans versus Justice League Origins & Omens #10 is no exception.

If you haven't caught up on the story as it crosses through the DC verse, Jericho has been held in the Watchtower after his latest escapades. Of course he escapes and makes it back to Titan HQ and starts jumping bodies like a fool. What's great about this book is that Nightwing (and you know how we here at The Informant feel about Nightwing) takes center stage. The Titans make every effort to capture Jericho, whom they consider their responsibility, and bring him under control.

The only problem is that the Justice League has arrived and they want Jericho back. Mayhem ensues. Of course, everyone gets a chance to discuss their feelings and when Jericho jumps into Superman he suddenly learns that taking control of Big Blue is not as easy as it looks.

No spoilers here. I recommend this book and would say read the ending and see what happens. Especially with Nightwing. Writer Judd Winick has done a commendable job and while it isn't the best art you'll find in comics (a pained expression seems to cover the gamut of emotions on most of the heroes) it doesn't do anything to detract from the story either.

Whatever Happened to the Caped Crusader?

2009-04-17T17:23:00.000-07:00

OH man. Neil Gaiman + Batman. Arty comics lovers eat your heart out, this is going to be good. Unless by good, you mean terrible. Reading this 'piece' is a lot like coming home from a particularly gruesome day at the office, only to find out your one-and-only is having a Notebook viewing party in your living room with 6 other women...and also that same day you saw someone throw their McDonald's trash at a guy in the bike lane.. and also you have three separate letters from the IRS in your mailbox.

Neil Gaiman needs to get over himself and quit stewing in his own little world. Batman is Batman because he gets shit done. Neil Gaiman is Neil Gaiman because people like weird, noirish takes on circuses and hoboes. The two do not gel. It's a Batman comic, or even an Alfred comic or whatever, but for the love of god, enough already with "There's a separate world just beyond our reach, if only we'd notice it." For Christ's sake, just give Dead Batman a mystery.

Problem One: The whole damn thing. Bad, bad, bad.

Buy/No Buy: Avoid it like it's the plague. It's not worth $3.99.

War of Kings

2009-04-17T16:49:00.000-07:00

One of my long held beliefs, right up there with my famous postulation that Luxembourg is imaginary, is that Marvel underestimates and mishandles its so-called Cosmic characters to an inexcusable degree. Black Bolt is just cool. Gladiator's dedication to the Shiar throne is a neat, never-gets-old plot device. Galactus and Silver Surfer - when they're done well, it works. But the cosmic players are almost always relegated to half-hearted cross overs with DC, or to some ridiculous adventure where there's 6-12 magical objects that turn all omnipotent when together.

Maybe Marvel rarely uses Black Bolt because he doesn't talk, which must suck for the publisher; they can't foist terrible dialogue on him. Or how about Gladiator, who is, unfortunately, almost always tied to the least believable plot lines in comics - M'Kronn Crystal, Cassandra Nova (a twin that Professor X murdered in the womb? is Marvel even trying anymore?), etc. That's why I approached purchasing the first War of Kings with a little trepidation, and that's while I'll casually try out #2 and #3 with optimism (reserved optimism).

Black Bolt is finally kicking some ass. He more or less just looked cool as an Illuminati member, but all he did there was give the old baldy a head to probe. Now, the Inhumans have left the moon, where they were never that consequential in the first place, to rule the Kree, one of the suckier alien races in comics. Two birds, one stone. It's working for me.

So, I won't resort to my usual glib spotlight on specific problems. I'll just recommend giving this one a try. At the very least, the newest event can't be any worse than "What Happened to the Caped Crusader." I'm going to tear that Neil Gaiman "Special" a new one in my next post.

Somebody Has To Win! Why Not You!

2009-04-06T16:35:00.000-07:00

Hello Soon To Be Faithful Readers...

We're running a contest this month at The Informant. You could be the lucky Grand Prize Winner of a $75 Borders Gift Card. Or the somewhat lucky winner of one of three $25 Borders Gift Cards. How can I win you ask?

Easy.

Simply sign up to be a follower of The Informant or subscribe to the blog. Read one of our reviews and post a comment.

When you've done that send your email address along with your comment to mikespradl@gmail.com and your entered. It's that easy. The winners will be chosen from all entries by random drawing on April 30th. So sign up to follow or subscribe today!

You could snag some swag that will keep you in comics and graphic novels for a good long while!

Help us help you!

Enter today! Somebody's gotta win!

BATMAN & ROBIN The Boy Wonder Volume One

2009-03-31T21:03:00.000-07:00

There is a reason why Frank Miller doesn't suck when it comes to writing comics. Most of those reasons are amply displayed in Batman & Robin: The Boy Wonder. Take Miller, add celebrated artist Jim Lee and allow them to retell the story of Batman's sidekick and you have what might simply be one of the great comics of all time. Yes. I. Said. It. One of the great comics of all time.

For someone who has nothing left to prove, it's gratifying to see an artist continue to push the envelope. It would be easy for Miller to live off of 300 or Sin City. Sort of like Steinbeck in the 1930's. But he continues to take chances and expand our views of what a great graphic novel can be. Batman & Robin: The Boy Wonder is art. Pure and simple.

This compilation was first published in 2008, so some of you may have been familiar with the earlier single issues. Lucky for me I've not read any of them before now, so this was my first exposure to this story. I'm glad it came to me like this. If I would have started reading from the beginning, I might have been forced to storm the DC offices and go all Tom Cruise in the first Mission Impossible and read the pages right off the editors desk at night, with a flashlight taped to my forehead.

There are so many "Oh My God" moments in this book it's nearly impossible to list them all. First, you can start with Batman who is the darkest of knights under Miller here. We all know the story of young Dick Grayson and the tragic death of his parents. How Bruce Wayne takes the young boy under his bat-wing to become his loyal sidekick. But here, to say that Miller puts his own unique spin on the story is the biggest understatement since Pacino sat across from DeNiro in Heat. The fact that I can't come up with a better metaphor is one of the reasons that Miller is Miller and I'm well...me. The Informant.

What Miller does is make the Bat the least sympathetic character in the book. His tough love approach to young Grayson is cringe-worthy at times. But it works. And he throws in so many surprises and guest appearances and twists along the way that this collection becomes almost a mini-encyclopedia of the DC verse. Let's just say young Robin opening up a can of whoop ass on The Green Lantern is worth the price of the book alone.

Batman and Robin: The Boy Wonder would be good enough and worth reading if all you had was Miller's words. It could be a novel. But throw in Lee's art and you're talking a classic. Which all they seem to do these days. Lucky for us and nice work if you can get it.

This is one we recommend takes a permanent spot on your shelf.

Buy/No Buy: Definitely buy. In fact spring for the hardcover. It's a keeper. (And you could do us both a favor and buy your copy through one of our affliates by clicking on one of the links above. We got eat to you know! Just sayin').

KINGDOM COME SPECIAL Superman One Shot

2009-03-27T20:31:00.000-07:00

This Justice Society of America one shot, written and illustrated by comics virtuoso Alex Ross picks up after the events of JSA #20. Earth 1 has been destroyed and whatever caused it's destruction, be it man made, or prophetic, it sent Kal-El, Earth One's mightiest hero, through space and time where he lands on Earth 2. Of course, as the story unfolds, we find Earth 2 already has it's own Superman and in truth, doesn't really need a second one.

Feeling alone and out of place. Kal tries his best to fit in, talking over his problems with Cyclone and other members of the JSA. But when he intervenes in an attack on the Daily Planet nearly causing injury and deaths by his own recklessness, he realizes he is a man without a country. One of the best scenes in the book is when Lois Lane of Earth 2 seeks to speak to Kal-El about her doppelgangers death on Earth One. It is here, where Ross' artwork really shines. The emotions betrayed on the face of Kal are palpable.

Some would argue and their position would be a strong one, that Ross is best served by drawing and leaving the writing of the books to others. In many cases they would have a sound argument but in fairness, he does a very decent job here. This is a story full of pathos and regret and perhaps his art helps make the words as much as the words help make the art.

KINGDOM COME SPECIAL: Superman also offers a terrific bonus section where Ross shows his pencils, inks and takes readers through the process of bringing his version of Superman to life. He has few peers when it comes to art and this time he's written a story that comes close to measuring up to his skill at the drawing board.

Buy/No Buy: Solid buy. It's worth it for the bonus material alone.

Also, this is a one shot and the story will be continued in MAGOG #1 picking up with new writers and new artists going forward. This is probably a book you should have in your permanent collection.

DARK REIGN: WAR MACHINE Vol. 1 & 2

2009-03-23T20:19:00.000-07:00

There is much to like in the launch of this new mini-series in Marvel's Dark Reign saga. For one a lot a stuff gets blown up and that's always a plus. Greg Pak has done a good job of creating instant tension and action. The art by Leonardo Manco is first rate. In many panels you can almost believe for a moment that you're sitting in a theater watching a movie. It's that good. Impressive attention to detail and the action sequences are especially well done.

In Volume One, we revisit War Machine, reborn for the post Tony Stark world. In the opening sequence, James "Rhodey" Rhodes, Starks former ally and best-friend, launches an attack from his space born satellite on a group of murderous mercenaries in Santo Marco. Let's just say that he wreaks total havoc on the bad guys and the action is superlatively spread out over several pages.

We here at The Informant try very hard not to reveal spoilers which would detract from the surprise and enjoyment you deserve when reading a comic we recommend or even one we don't recommend. After all, Captain America died so you could have the right to read even bad comics if you want. So as the story unfolds, Rhodey meets up with some old friends, old enemies, new enemies and enemies who used to be friends. All the while getting blown apart and put back together like a Transformer on acid.

The current trend in Multi-verse spanning comic stories, is one I've found myself enjoying on many occasions. However, in character universes as broad and dense as Marvel and DC, it can be a challenge to keep all the divergent plots and characters straight. Who is fighting who? Is she a good girl or a shape-shifting bad guy? And while the Dark Reign concept is off to a good start in most of the verse spanning issues I've read, I'm hoping it doesn't fizzle out like Civil War.

And so far I will say that the first two volumes of War Machine offer a good beginning and I think, if you're a true comics fan, when you see the final panel of Volume 2 you might just wet yourself. The story really gathers momentum in the second book and when you arrive at the end you realize this moment is one of the reasons why we love these books so much.

Problem 1 with War Machine Volumes 1 & 2: It's a good launch of what promises to be a an interesting mini-series. And if you're wondering, it offers no clues nor answers any questions regarding the whereabouts of Tony Stark or Iron Man.

Problem 2 with War Machine Volumes 1 & 2: It's a problem not necessarily specific to this book, but to these types of 'event' publishing in general. It's sometimes difficult to keep everything straight as you move from character to character and world to world.

Buy/No Buy: Definitely buy. I can't wait to read Volume 3 and I'll be adding this to my permanent collection when the trade is published.

OUTREMER: Saga of The Knights Templar

2009-03-18T18:02:00.001-07:00

For those of you who love a taste of classic comic story telling then I urge you to visit TemplarComics.com and order your copy of Outremer: The Saga of the Knights Templar. If you have an interest in the Knights Templar, the Crusades or simply a great story well told, this is a comic for you. All I can say is that by reading it I was taken on a pleasant journey back to my youth when I spent hours pouring over the Classics Illustrated line of graphic novels. Outremer harkens back to those books, only it does them one better.

Stephen Dafoe is the author of numerous books on the Knights Templar, or "The Medieval Marines" as I like to call them, and has told the fascinating tale of the founding of the order in Outremer. Started as a monastic order, the knights were first given the charge of defending religious pilgrims on the roads to Jerusalem. In gratitude, King Baldwin of Jerusalem gave them shelter in Solomon's Temple and they became known as the Poor Fellow Soldiers of Christ and King Solomon's Temple. Later, simply, the Knights Templar. Over time, their numbers and reputations grew until they became perhaps the most powerful military force in the Christian world.

Outremer: The Saga of the Knights Templar is told in a fast, furious and action packed manner. Never do you feel as if you're being given a history lesson. In this post Da Vinci Code world, the truth and legend of the Knights has become more blurred than ever. And if you recently viewed the nearly unwatchable mini-series The Last Templar on television, then you're used to a visual medium so I highly recommend you pick up a copy of Outremer and try to put The Last Templar TV show out of your mind.

Outremer: The Saga of The Knights Templar isn't just a great story for the comics lover. The art is exceptional as well. Bob Prodor contributed pencils, inks and letters and Stephen McKim has created a beautiful cover that will not be done justice by your computer screen. I think it should be sold as a poster or print. It's that stunning. Dafoe also did the colors for the comic. Overachiever.

Don't wait. Order a copy today.

Buy/Don't Buy: Definitely Buy. Highly recommended!

BATMAN: The Battle For the Cowl, Volume One

2009-03-12T19:13:00.000-07:00

This week marks the beginning of a promising new mini, in Batman: The Battle for the Cowl. Let's all agree that DC has pulled a fast one in the whole 'death of Batman' thing they've been funneling to us. It's an interesting idea, it's probably the only Batman story that hasn't been done, and it will be intriguing to see how they figure it all out. But we all know the Bat ain't dead. We all knew going in to the Batman: R.I.P.

Artist and writer Tony Daniel has taken the opportunity presented by the death of Batman and run with it. He's done it by using the writer's stand by of asking the question "What if?" In this case what would happen to Gotham City if the Batman were truly dead?

As you can imagine with Bats gone, chaos reigns. Once again the turnstile known as Arkham Asylum is immediately overrun. Most of the major criminals escape. (Although the Joker is mysteriously missing). And into this breach a group of super-heroes who call them selves "The Network" take up the mantle of Batman in practice if not in name. Nightwing, Robin, Wildcat, Catwoman, the Birds of Prey and a few others step in to hold back the tide of crime and corruption that swells exponentially with no Caped Crusader to hold it back.

What works best here is Nightwing. We here at SOC have said it before. We feel Nightwing is one of the most underused heroes in the DC verse. In Batman: The Battle for the Cowl he takes center stage, leading the network in it's fight to protect Gotham and at the same time trying to track down a lone vigilante who is impersonating Batman and creating a sense of false hope for the citizenry.

Daniel does a remarkable job with the story and the art in this book. He asks interesting questions of the characters, the foremost being: in a life or death struggle on the streets of darkness, how do you replace someone who is irreplaceable. This is the emotional battle Nightwing deals with and the first volume in this three volume mini is well done and will certainly keep me reading the next two.

My only tantalizing question is we see Poison Ivy, Killer Croc, Bane, the Riddler, we hear about Two-Face and Penguin and we see Scarecrow.

But where is the Joker? I have a feeling he'll be showing up before it's all over.

Well done Mr. Daniel.

Problem No. One with Batman: The Battle for the Cowl: There really are no major problems here, except for the pet peeve of the ease of which Super Villains escape from Arkham.

Buy/No Buy: Definitely buy

Bound by Law

2009-03-06T14:38:00.000-08:00

There is more to comic books, dear reader, than capes and tights and inexplicably chiseled features.

Yes, yes, I know. You're already grimacing. You're wishing the Informant would stick to Marvel and DC and maybe Vertigo, perhaps Image Comics. But, reader, has the Informant steered you wrong? The answer - no - will be proven again in branching out a bit here.

Add Duke University Press to the ranks of esteemed comics publishers. Bound by Law by Keith Aoki, James Boyle and Jennifer Jenkins deserves a piece of the spotlight. (Download the PDF to sample the work, if you like)

In 81 pages, a historically arcane and outdated - but necessary - legal protection is effortlessly taken to task, flayed, autopsied and resuscitated. This is a book about law that is fun to read, and you'll leave its pages smarter than you entered. Bound by Law is one of those books that dry, smarmy academics should carry around and emulate.

The subject is one that both puzzles and intrigues the Informant: US copyright law. Has there ever been something so overused and tragically, fatally misunderstood?

The creators cover a range of topics: fair use, copyright, trademark, insurance, creative commons, and a whole range of bureaucratic excesses. Akiko, the star of the show, is a documentary filmmaker in NY; she is slowly and tortuously alerted to the subterranean mess she has entered (no, not NY, but the tricky minefield of what is and is not public domain). You can feel yourself going crazy right along with her.

Landmark cases are presented so succinctly that you wonder why judges need to write 21 page opinions. Historic and recent documentaries are given equal treatments and are equally as interesting.

Problem one: One single caveat, dear reader. There are hints of a lawyer behind these pages. To my mind, there is an overemphasis on history and precedent, whereas a more suitable ending would have looked not only forward but also the "muddled sort of future/present" as I like to think of it. I left these pages with nowhere near as much knowledge on Creative Commons as I did about Copyright. An asterisk to my caveat: it's not a comic book about creative commons. I'm aware of this. But creative commons is where it all seems headed.

Problem two: couldn't find a problem two.

Why you should buy the book: If you're an artist, or if you're simply interested, you can't really do without this book. Plus, come on, it's like $9.00 or something; the recession isn't that bad yet.

I'd be surprised if the lawyerly creators ever came out on the wrong side of litigation. The "firm" of Aoki, Boyle & Jenkins have such a skill with the sentence, as well as an intuitive understanding of visual metaphor and artistic sequence, that it's a good comic even if you'd rather eat your own hands than read about copyright law.

Superman & Batman: The Search for Kryptonite

2009-03-05T10:51:00.001-08:00

When I saw the first issue of Superman & Batman: The Search for Kryptonite on the shelf a few

months ago, I was excited and tempted to pick up the first issues. But as they say, so many comics, so little time. I decided to delay gratification (and sometimes I can't even wait to do that!) and read the book when it was collected. Then the hardcover came out and I told myself I'd wait for the paperback and save a few bucks, but eventually I caved like you knew I would and bought the hardcover.

And I'm glad I did.

It's hard to think of any two Superheroes who have a more complex relationship than Big Blue and the Bat. (Maybe Reed and Sue Richards, but who cares?) Mad at each other half the time, on the same side but pursuing different methods, but

getting the same results. When they're together in a story, it offers up the writer a tremendously rich area of ground to cover. They're so different, yet alike in many ways and when the writer understands that concept and uses it well it makes for a great story.

Luckily, the writing Michael's, Johnson and Green get it. And Superman & Batman: The Search for Kryptonite is all the better for it. Here we find Superman doing some serious self-analysis. He's thinking about his destiny. His role as savior of the world and the many times that the Big K has nearly taken him down. So he asks Batman to help him. Gather up all of the Kryptonite in the world. In other words, make the world safe for Supes.

So Batman agrees and they undertake their challenge. Along the way they are met with some surprises and as I just said in my last post regarding Kevin Smith: Green and Johnson happily take you a few places you never expected to go. And aside from a weird little episode regarding Aquaman refusing to let them take a Kryptonite deposit from Atlantis (which will make no sense to those uninitiated to Aquaman's recent dramas), it's great fun. So saddle up and take a flyer on Superman & Batman: The Search for Kryptonite.

Problem #1 with Superman & Batman: The Search for Kryptonite: Nothing really. The Aquaman thing is a little strange. Come on Arthur Curry, get over yourself already. It's Superman for COL!

Buy/No buy: Definitely buy. It's worth putting on your shelf in hardcover.

Batman Cacophony #1 by Kevin Smith

2009-03-03T12:39:00.000-08:00

Let me get something of my chest first and that is this whole Arkham Asylum thing. This place has worse security than CTU on the TV show 24. How is it that so many criminals can walk right out the front door of the world's most sophisticated super prison? You'd think Batman would get a clue and start asking Big Blue if he can borrow his key to the Phantom Zone.

But Kevin Smith takes the credulity straining Arkham trope and gives it a little twist. Sending someone to break inside Arkham to assassinate the Joker. And it's none other than Deadshot. Using this unique plot device, Smith sends Deadshot inside Arkham and of course things go horribly, horribly awry. The Joker ends up escaping (surprise!) and Batman is on the trail of his arch-nemesis once again.

I've always loved Kevin Smith's work in comics. His creation of the Television show Reaper has become one of my favorites. And his Green Arrow trades, especially Quiver, are among my all time favorites.

The focus of Batman: Cacophony #1 is on the Joker and Smith doesn't disappoint. His Joker is effortlessly insane and the dialogue that flows from his lips is at the same time funny and disturbing. The thing I love about Smith's work is you never have any idea of where he's going next. I won't give away the ending of Batman: Cacophony #1 but let me just say it left me hanging in a good way, like all comics should, and I can't wait to read the next issue.

Problem #1 with Batman Cacophony #1: Very little, minor issues, most notably the Arkham Asylum as Swiss cheese part of the narrative.

Buy/No Buy: Definitely buy. Smith is one of those writers whom you trust will take you someplace unexpected and you'll enjoy the ride.

2009-02-27T20:02:00.000-08:00

They had me at Vampires and Werewolves.

The new mini-series, Superman & Batman vs. Vampires & Werewolves created by Kevin VanHook, with art by Tom Mandrake is inspired by many of the great B movies and campy horror films of the late '60's and early '70's. VanHook has taken several supernatural and vampiristic tropes and turned them on their heads, in having The Dark Knight and The Man of Steel square off against these mythical and magical creatures. It's never meant to be taken seriously, but it's a fun ride all the same.

From the opening scene in Volume 1 when a body plunges off a rooftop in Gotham and Batman meets Marius Dimeter, the story grabs you and pulls you in. Batman, who has encountered magic before, believes he is facing it again as Dimeter disappears by walking through a brick wall. But when the World's Greatest Detective conducts a thorough autopsy in the cave, he begins to follow threads that lead him to the only possible conclusion. Not only vampires but werewolves are stalking the streets of his city.

Throughout the series VanHook uses other characters from the DC verse with great affect. Wonder Woman and Nightwing in particular. (And we here at the Informant are adamant in complaining when we feel characters are under used and Nightwing is a case in point.) Like any detective Batman follows the clues until he uncovers a Gotham City professor and researcher who had played with fate and of course his research has gone horribly awry. Experiments and research always goes awry. This is perhaps the weakest part of the story, but the action and the wolves and vamps make up for it.

The end result is a delicious tale of red herrings, mystery (what is the motive of this Dimeter guy anyway?) and suspense. It's a lot of fun watching Batman turn from non-believer to believer although, this also strains credulity as he's encounter magic and super-villains and aliens of every stripe. Why does he have such a hard time accepting the reality of werewolves and vampires?

Problem No. 1 with Superman & Batman vs. Vampires & Werewolves: The only major complaint is that despite being headlined in the series title, Big Blue doesn't show up until the third volume. Plus the whole Batman not believing in Vamps at first. But overlook that little hiccup and enjoy the ride.

What works: Vampires. Werewolves. 'nuff said. Plus my personal fave The Green Arrow.

Buy/No Buy: Definitely buy. I would recommend the single issues but feel free to wait for the trade paperback. But you'll definitely want to add this one off to your collection.

Dark Reign One-Shot, Dark Avengers 1-2

2009-02-22T19:34:00.000-08:00

When House of M reverberated across the Marvel Universe, it became pretty obvious that Brian Michael Bendis was (and would remain) the star in Marvel's solar system. All the other writers would have to dovetail and orbit around Bendis's ultimate vision of the Marvel Universe: highly relevant Avengers, a more than cursory acknowledgment of the millions of mutants in existence, and a more consistent and consequential stage for characters like Namor, Luke Cage and Emma Frost.

Bendis should have penned Civil War, and the unfortunate reality that he did not will go down as one of the bigger mistakes in comics history, if only because the concept was so timely and perfect and, alas, not pulled off in the end (strike one: a cloned god (?); strike two, three, and evidence of steroid abuse: firefighters and policemen tackling Captain America).

Thankfully, solid hands helm Dark Reign, which is soothing because the premise seems a whole lot riskier than Civil War. The Green Goblin in charge of the world's foremost military agency? Tony Stark on the lam and wanted for - what, exactly? - idiocy and ineffectualness? It's puzzling that a distinctive run of "events" in the Marvel U could now end with a fizzle. All I can think: huh?

Still, the Dark Reign concept might require neural elasticity, but if anyone can quickly (and rightly) leave the Skrull Invasion behind and launch another event, it's the man who made the Avengers the number one selling comic in America. If only for the anti-Illuminati of Osborn, Doom, Emma Frost, Namor, the Hood, and Loki, I'm in...for now.

Problem one with Dark Reign as a whole: the experience/inclination, shared by Peter Parker, of "HUH?!?!?"

Problem two: I'm getting Sentry self-pity fatigue. When Bendis brought back the Sentry in New Avengers, I couldn't believe that the Superman character was working panel to panel, but he was. The Sentry indelibly made his presence felt every time Cap yelled those magic words. But times change, and the Sentry pity party feels stagnant.

What works: Venom was never meant to be a minor character, and Daken's weird personality mixture - American Indian, schizophrenic samurai, and bisexual - will prove to be a good addition to Wolverine's stockpile of issues.

Buy/no buy: Give it a skeptical shot, drop it at the first sign of trouble.

THOR Vol. 1-6

2009-02-20T16:39:00.000-08:00

I've always felt that The Mighty Thor was one of the most underutilized heroes in the Marvel Verse. It was always troubling to me to see him, even during his Avenger days, take a backseat to other characters like Captain America or Iron Man. I mean, get a load of the giant winged helmet! He's the God of Thunder of crying out loud.

Then the Civil War and Initiative story lines came along and used the ridiculous Thor clone plot line. Sure, reading a comic book requires a suspension of disbelief. That's a given. But how do you clone a god exactly?

I'll admit it had been awhile since I had picked up a Thor comic. And it was with some trepidation that I purchased the Thor 1-6 trade paperback at New York Comic Con. But I'm happy to report that my worries were completely unjustified. This is a great book and a first rate story.

J. Michael Straczynski's writing is immediate and swift. As the creator of Babylon 5 and having written for many television shows, he has a gift for dialogue and it shows here. But he doesn't try to get by on snappy dialogue alone. There's a real story here. From the heartfelt discussions between Thor and his mortal alter-ego Donald Blake, to Thor's hilarious encounters with the local populace when he raises Asgard in the Middle of Nowhere, Oklahoma, this is a tale with depth.

And for me, the best part of the book is Thor's thorough ass-kicking of Iron Man. And let's face it, who doesn't need an ass-kicking more than Iron Man these days? The whole scene is fantastic fun. Iron Man just never learns. Rule number one in Super-Hero team relations, whether it's The Avengers or The Justice League : Never piss off the big guy.

Straczynski, accompanied by at times stunning artwork by Olivier Coipel, has brilliantly rebooted the Thor franchise. I can't wait to see what happens next.

Problem no. 1 with Thor vol. 1-6: There are no problems. This is a brilliant story, beautifully told.

Reason to buy no 1: See above. Run don't walk (or do us a favor and purchase through one of our advertisers) to your local comic shop and pick up a copy. You won't be disappointed.