Mary Louise Eklund

Tag: DC

Comic Comment – Returning to My Bat Roots

Maybe it’s easiest to explain my love of comics by telling you my first word was “Batman.” No really it was, just as my parents. Sure I grew out of DC and into Marvel but still the Bats has held a soft place in my heart. I didn’t jump on the New 52 bandwagon when DC did their whole redo. I just wasn’t certain what line I wanted of the Bats there were choices and I hadn’t a clue. Then on Free Comic Book Day 2011 I got a Batman. I liked it, I really liked it though I was learning the extended Bat family (the Robins have matured dead ones haven’t stayed dead etc.) So I jumped in mid arc. A big multi-title arc “Death Of The Family” Just like in the AvX Interruptus I didn’t chase the story about – I just took what crossed the ONE title I got. Which was Batman issues 13 – 17. Let me tell you I got a good ‘un.

The ever present US legal disclaimer: All images are the property of their owners I reproduce them here under the Fair Use Doctrine of the copyright law for commentary and critique. No more than three pages total from any one issue is reproduced.

Now credit to the creators: Written by Scott Snyder, Adam Glass, Kyle Higgins, John Layman, Scott Lobdell, Ann Nocenti, Gail Simone, Peter J. Tomasi, and James Tynion IV Issue 13 – Scott Snyder, Writer Issue 14-16, Illustrated by Greg Capullo, Eddy Barrows, Ed Benes, Brett Booth, Andy Clarke, Fernando Dagnion, Jason Fabok, Patrick Gleason, Jock, Timothy Green, Rafa Sadoval, Issue 13 – Greg Capullo, Penciler Issue 14 -16 – Jonathan Glapion, Inker Issue 14-16 – FCO Plascencia, Colorist Issue 14-16 – Richard Starkings & Comiccraft’s Jimmy Betancourt, Letterer Issue 14-16 – Greg Capullo & FCO Plascencia, Main & Variant covers Issue 13, 15, Greg Capullo & FCO Plascencia, Cover #14, 16 & 17, Trevor McCarthy, Variant Cover Issue 14, Alex Garner, Variant Cover Issue 16, Tony Daniel, Matt Banning & Tomeu Morey, Variant Issue 17- Katie Kubert, Asst. Editor- Mike Marts, Editor – Batman, created by Bob Kane.

At the end of each issue is a tie-in story featuring the Joker making plans for the finale. Issue 13 Story Knock, Knock Brought to you by Scott Snyder, Greg Capullo, Jonathan Glapion, FCO Plascencia, Richard Starkings and Comic Craft’s Jimmy Betancourt, Katie Kubert, Mike Marts, Cover by Capullo and Plascencia, Varient cover by Aaron Kuder and Nathan Fairbairn, Batman created by Bob Kane. Issue 14 Men of Worship Scott Snyder & James Tynion IV, Writers, Jock, Artwork, Dave Baron, Colors, Sal Cipriano, LEtters, Katie Kubert, Assistant Editor, Mike Marts, Editor. Issue 15 Red Light, Green Light Scott Snyder & James Tynion IV, Writers – Jock, Artwork – Dave Baron, Colors – Taylor Esposito, Letters – Katie Kubert, Assistant Editor – Mike Marts, Editor. Issue 16 Judgement Scott Snyder & James Tynion IV, Writers – Jock , Artwork – David Baron, Colors – Taylor Esposito, Letters – Kate Kubers, Assistant Editor – Mike Marts, Editor.

WHEW That’s some credits on who did what where!

I jumped in on the big return of Joker story-line. He looks different and through some research I learned why he looked different – he had his face cut off and now wears it as a mask. As a result he is more gruesome than ever adding to the creep factor in his “jokes.” The main story is between Joker and Batman – Joker starts leading Batman back to the places of their big battles. Except this time the Joker has the upper hand, finally in order to lure the Bats to the final finally he kidnaps a member of the Bat family. The final battle is at the Arkham Asylum where Joker was imprisoned after each caper.

I will say this is a fresh new take on the oft repeated battle between Bats and Joker. It is well written and pulls many emotional strings not just of Batman but the readers too along the way. There isn’t shying away from a large body count here of guilty as well as innocents making the stakes grow higher with each issue. In the end I felt Batman proved to be who we know him to be but instead we learned something very important about the Joker – his weakness. If DC keeps up with the power and tight writing of this story they have got fodder for many story lines to come. The Bat family has been deeply changed by the results, if not Batman himself. The Joker has shown he knows more than he lets on but his ultimate weakness kept him from using it. So I was left wanting to know – how will the Bat family be after such horrid experiences? will the Joker have the guts to use his knowledge when he returns from wounds? Because he’s gotta come back, right? I mean that’s what he DOES right?

There were more aspects to the story than the interactions between the main guys. Joker’s interactions with the various members of the Bat family appeared in their comics. The bonus story at the end of each Bat comic showed the Joker recruiting various villains to help him complete the final showdown in the asylum. It makes for an excellent two page splash piece in Issue 16 complete with Faux DC superheroes. I like the insight to each villain. I was reminded that a good villain is a hero in his own head – sure they see what they are doing as right and have to be coerced into going along with the Joker’s plan. Admittedly some needed more than others. It is interesting to see a story were both are villains. Here it leads you to wondering just what is Joker’s grand plan? When we see it, it’s chilling but follows a certain twisted logic. That’s good writing. That’s staying true to what makes the twisted mind of the Joker the best comic book villain ever. Cudos to the writers!

Now to the art – It was wonderful. I can say it supported the story didn’t make me wince or gawk, instead I saw the movie in my head. Isn’t that what comic books are supposed to do? Here the art and the story worked perfectly together. There were small touches I like – the flies increasing around Joker’s rotting skin mask. The slight touches of how Alfred puts his arms around the Robins when they are in danger. Images like that add to the story, increase the depth of the characters and make the comic experience complete.

To be my arc venturing back into the DC and Batman world I have to say this hit a home run for me. I only hope it can keep up these high standards.

Okay you know what comes next… scans from the comics

I’m gonna be spoilery

So if yo don’t want to be SPOILED

STOP

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June 5, 2013
Comic Comments – Wide Awake

This is the first arc of the Fable spin-off Fairest. It takes issues 1-6 to tell the story of Sleeping Beauty (Brier Rose) and the Snow Queen (Lumi) waking from their slumber imposed by Brier’s curse but used by the Fables to destroy the Adversary. Okay, I know if you don’t read the Fables title this a lot of jargon to take in. Hold on I’ll do some ‘splainin’ after we get the legal disclaimer and artistic credits out of the way.

All images are the property of their owners I reproduce them here under the Fair Use Doctrine of the copyright law for commentary and critique. No more than three pages total from any one issue is reproduced.

I love giving credit to the creators. First off Fairest is created by Bill Willingham. The credits beyond that are as follows. If not issues are noted the credit stands for all the issues 1-6. The credits are: Bill Willingham, Writer; PHil Jimenez, Pencils and Variant Covers for Issue 1, Andy Lanning, Inks Issues 1 & 2, pages 1-7 & 12-20 in Issue 3, Issue 4 with Andre Pepoy on pages 12 & 13, pages 1, 3-9, 12-14, & 17 or Issue 5, pages 2-14, 16-20 of Issue 6′ Andrew Pepoy, Inker pages 2, 10-11, 15-16, 18-20 of Issue 5 and pages 1 & 15 of Issue 6; Andrew Dalhouse, Colors Todd Klein, Letters; Adam Hughes, Covers, Romulo Fajardo, Jr., Variant Cover Colors Issue 1; Special Thanks to Zander Cannon, Issues 2-6; Gregory Lockard, Assistant Editor; Shelly Bond, Editor.

For those who don’t follow Fables let me first explain the concept. Think of any fairy tale, folk lore, or fable you’ve ever heard that is now in the public domain and those are the denizens of Fables. There are many different worlds in Fables Oz, Arabian Tales, King Arthur’s Court, and so-on. These are call the homelands. We are a world in this universe know as Mundy because magic isn’t as predominate here. The book started when many characters were fleeing the homelands because of a villain called The Advisory. These refugees settle into life in New York City in a neighborhood called Fabletown. Except for the animals because talking animals would draw attention land was bought in upstate New York for them and they settled there on The Farm. The war raged on with The Advisory for many issues but finally his empire in the homelands was defeated with a multi-pronged attack that included Brier Rose (Sleeping Beauty) sneaking into his capital and pricking her finger at just the right moment to put all in charge of the empire into a sound sleep due to her curse. There have been many arcs since then and the capital slept away as Fabletown/Farm won the war and started the return of those who wanted to go back to the homelands. Recently goblins took Brier and Lumi (Snow Queen was formerly of Advisory inner court) not sure which one was the Sleeping Beauty since both were beautiful. Upon leaving they torched the capital killing all the other sleepers in the city. THAT’s where the Fairest series begins.

I do encourage you to read all of Fables it’s a fantastic story way beyond the normal comic. It’s well written, entertaining, adult centered, story using characters from our childhood. However if you aren’t up to reading all those TPBs (even from your local library) then you can catch up with the Wikipedia article on the title or peruse the list of characters at Wikipedia.

Now we are all on the same page as it were, let’s get on with Wide Awake where the ladies awaken. The story starts with Ali Baba finding a bottle in the ashes of The Advisory’s capital. In the bottle is a Bottle Imp whose power isn’t to grant wishes but instead to know things, specialty being the Mundy world. Still he knows where the greatest treasure of the capital city that has not been looted is kept. He leads Ali to the goblin encampment and the women. After some adventure and misadventure Ali wakes the beauties by kissing Brier with true love in his heart. Only the twist is the true love isn’t for Brier. The Lumi wakes in a really bad mood. She freezes all the goblins immediately and but feeling generous tells Ali, the Bottle Imp, and Brier to RUN! They take her at her word. Eventually they are caught and held as guests/prisoners of Lumi. There we learn Lumi LOVES stories. Bottle Imp tells how Brier became cursed something she didn’t know herself, how Lumi came to serve The Adversary, and a bit about how Ali became the Prince of Thieves. Later the knowledge gained from these stories helps Lumi and Brier win a large battle and come to a chilly friendship. Bottle Imp is granted his freedom for his help. We find out who was the true love in Ali’s heart when he kissed Brier. Brier not only gets revenge on the Dark Fae that cursed her but also learns that what she wants isn’t true love but true builders love – a foundation to build a future with someone else.

The story is like all in the Fables franchise extremely well written. Honestly the character development that continually builds on itself. This series is impressive and multi-faceted. It has a good sense of humor in it with the Bottle Imp bringing most of it. I love how things that were small at first become more important as the story moves along. If you read any in this universe you have to be on your toes watching for where those small plot pivots are! Excellent for engaging a reader beyond surface entertainment. There is a lot of thought and writerly talent brought to bear in the story. Excellently done.

Fables is know for extremely artistic covers that represent characters in the story. Fairest is following in that tradition but I don’t think it’s as strong. The cover of issue 5 falls very short of that mark. The Photoshopped glowy fire in the background is pathetic. If it had centered on just Lumi and her polar bear that would have been great but now we had to grey them up and add some Photoshop horror. Issue 1 is by far my favorite cover. It is a wraparound cover with all the fair ladies that will make up Fairest pictured tending the waking Brier who kicks off the series. Great concept! Excellent execution!

The interior art lives up to the VERY HIGH standards of the Fables franchise. It’s beautiful but story supporting. The people are consistent and well done. The sheer details put into the panels are breathtaking. It’s wonderful to just thumb through and enjoy the images. However I do miss the Fables trademark theme page boarders but that’s never been a feature of their spin-off books. I’m a big fan of the theme boarders. I think it comes from loving the old line illustrated books. Except these are in color! I’ll point them out when reviewing Cubs In Toyland arc when it is complete in that title.

Over all this didn’t disappoint it brought great story with fantastic art the very things I expect from the Fables franchise. It’s a sound and strong beginning for this title. It did not fall short on any measure and honestly I expected nothing less.

Next up for Comic Comments is a Zenescope title. We’ll visit Grimm Fairy Tales, Myths & Legends issues 16 & 17 for The Gathering story arc.

Up next is pages and panel comments: **SPOILER ALERT**

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August 31, 2012