(Click title to go directly to the review)
JUSTICE LEAGUE: GODS & MONSTERS Animated Film (2015)
DAREDEVIL #17
THE DIVINE Original Graphic Novel
SOUTHERN BASTARDS #10
T.H.U.N.D.E.R. AGENTS 50TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION
BATGIRL #42/BATGIRL ANNUAL #3
SECRET WARS BATTLEWORLD Tour Guide Part X
JUSTICE LEAGUE: GODS AND MONSTERS Animated Film (2015)
Director: Sam LiuWriters: Alan Burnett and Bruce Timm
Studio: Warner Bros. Animation
Reviewer: Masked Man
A few years back Bruce Timm said he was walking away from the DC animated universe to work on more personal projects (personally, why Disney doesn't try to hire him away is beyond me!). Not sure what became of those, as his newest project is back in the DCU, kinda-, because for all intents and purposes this DVD movie takes places on an alternate Earth in the DC Multiverse. And in case you were wondering, no, the Justice League we know and love never appear in this film. It's all pretty much “Just Imagine Bruce Timm's Justice League”.
Now, part of me was very disinterested in this film. I'm a big JLA fan, but I'm getting tired of the 50 flavors of different JLAs on 50 different alternate Earths, especially the “this isn't your father's JLA” brand--that is to say, the yet another hardcore version of Superman and company. Well that, would be The Authority and I don't really care about it. But more than Bruce Timm, the name that drew me to this title is Alan Burnett, the unsung hero of the DC animated U. I've been a fan of Burnett's writing ever since I learned he wrote the SUPERPOWERS TEAM: GALACTIC GUARDIANS episode “The Fear”, which was the first time Batman's origin was told on 'film' (if you haven't seen it, I recommend you do). Burnett is also the man credited with making BATMAN: THE ANIMATED SERIES a success, for the highly talented producers Eric Radomski and Bruce Timm knew what they wanted, but it wasn't until Alan Burnett joined the team that the production actually started to executed properly. Burnett also wrote what I feel is the best original DCU Animated DVD movie, GREEN LANTERN: FIRST FLIGHT. So hearing that he was helping Bruce Timm bring this Justice League team to life intrigued me, and he didn't disappoint.
There are a lot of surprises in this movie, as we see characters we know and love doing things differently, so I'll try not to blow too many plot details. The Justice League featured in this story is Superman, the son of General Zod (as opposed to Jor-El), raised by illegal immigrants; Batman, Kirk Langstrom, whose bat experiments turn him into a vampire (as opposed to Man-Bat); And Wonder Woman, Bekka, the daughter of Highfather (as opposed to Himon) slumming it on Earth. So everyone's history is changed, and it does make me curious what Bruce Wayne and Princess Diana are up to. And this Justice League, as I said before, is more hardcore, as you may have seen in Machinima's YouTube teasers (although one could argue DC has already made Wonder Woman pretty hardcore, so she really hasn't changed here). Because of the hardcore nature of the heroes, public opinion isn't really on their side, but of course they don't care. The fun begins when two projects collide: Operation Fair Play, a protocol to take down the Justice League if the government ever needs to, and the villain's master plan to frame the Justice League by killing the scientists who worked on Fair Play. Since our heroes are more violent, it's easier for people to believe they actually did these killings, although aside from that (which wasn't played up enough) they could have used the 'real' Justice League and this story would still have worked fine as it's not too different from the second season of JUSTICE LEAGUE UNLIMITED.
As you would expect from a DC Animated production, all the designs, direction and animation are all well done for a DVD movie. There's really nothing to complain about artwork- and animation-wise (although in my opinion, Bruce Timm's tech and alien designs all look the same and are a bit dull). Likewise, the voice acting and music all services the picture well.
With the hardcore nature of the movie, the body count and the amount of blood is much higher than any other DC animated DVD movie, so seriously not for kids. There was also a warning of nudity in the film. This had me wondering: would they actually go so far to have one of the Justice League members appear nude (ala NYPD BLUE) or something? Turns out what they called nudity really wasn't and was also quite pointless (spoiler here), as it was a gray metal android with upside down letter c’s on her chest indicating nipples. So, whatever.
As I mentioned before, there's kinda no good reason in the plot to have a hardcore Justice League, aside from the novelty of it. And aside from the Justice League killing villains, there's not much hardcore about the film. Personally, I would have liked to have seen the rest of the characters become hardcore as well--more of a reason for the Justice League to become hardcore themselves, but all the villains and supporting cast are fairly normal in tone and action, so it would have been nice if the hardcore level was universal, so typical villains would be more hardcore as well, but they’re not. Roles and motivations have changed, which definitely adds to the enjoyment of the story, but they don't help justify the hardcore retooling. The one story element I was disappointed in was the master villain's motivation. They wanted to keep them a secret, so we never got a clear understanding of their motivations (I'm being vague here to not give anything away). Not that I wanted to identify with their pain or anything; I just wanted to understand the logic behind their actions more (as Richard Pryor once said, “Why did you kill everyone in the house?!?” “They was home.”)
That said, Burnette and Timm have crafted a good story here. Looking past the 'yet another favor of the Justice League' approach, the story works well and is quite engaging. Lots of time is spent with the main characters, making them fully round characters and not cardboard pastiche. I think just about any superhero/action fan should enjoy this film, assuming you don't have a total bias against the concept.
So on the Masked Man's scale of Crap, Poor, Decent, Good, and Great, JUSTICE LEAGUE: GODS AND MONSTERS scores a GOOD.
DAREDEVIL #17
Writer: Mark WaidArt: Chris Samnee
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Reviewer: Humphrey Lee
I have been bracing myself for the end of this let’s call it “Fucking stellar” Mark Waid (with Samnee, Rivera, Martin, etc.) DAREDEVIL run for quite some time now, hoping it would not actually occur but also understanding the inevitability of it all.
Appropriately, it has really started tightening up the threads it had been weaving for quite some time now, particularly those that started getting their needlework when Matt and company set up a brand new show on the left coast. These past few issues the action has been stellar, and so has the tension and energy as Matt has reached a new level of desperation when it comes to his private life and how his nighttime jaunt affects those who live around and care about him deeply.
And, not to miss anything, we get our obligatory Wilson Fisk intermingling. It’s all been kinetic, it’s all been emotional, and it’s got plenty of suspense with ramifications that will nip at this book for years no matter how it all turns out.
Unfortunately, this issue we do get a tragic, tragic ending to something that I feel was THE defining aspect of this run and that our creative troupe was mistaken to deny us and future generations going forward: The death of Matt’s “West Coast Pimpin’” red suit. So stylish, so classic, so wonderfully garish that it just was not long for this world, it seems. Goodbye and godspeed little fella--you will be missed. =/
Humphrey Lee has been an avid comic book reader going on fifteen years now and a contributor to Ain't It Cool comics for quite a few as well. In fact, reading comics is about all he does in his free time and where all the money from his day job wages goes to - funding his comic book habit so he can talk about them to you, our loyal readers (lucky you). He's a bit of a social networking whore, so you can find him all over the Interwebs on sites like Twitter, Facebookand a blog where he also mostly talks about comics with his free time because he hasn't the slightest semblance of a life. Sad but true, and he gladly encourages you to add, read, and comment as you will.
THE DIVINE OGN
Writer: Boaz LavieArt: Asaf and Tomer Hanuka
Publisher: First Second Books
Reviewer: Morbidlyobesefleshdevouringcat
I picked up THE DIVINE with completely biased intentions, those being this comic is going to be a mass of provocative beauty amidst a structurally heavy tale, much like everything else the Hanuka brothers have done, together or as solo artists. And, I wasn’t wrong, but nor was I exactly right. THE DIVINE, a take on a real life tragic tale of child twin soldiers, is beautiful in its performance, but its narrative substance and depth runs lighter than initially expected.
In the late 1990s a mass of Karen refugees called God’s Army raged through Burma as a means to take back their land from the Burmese Army. This revolution was led by two 12 year-old twin boys, Johnny and Luther Htoo. The boys were said to have mystical powers: the ability to kill someone simply by pointing a gun and concentrating, an invulnerability to bullets and land mines. This tale would entice writer Boaz Lavie and the Hanuka twins to create THE DIVINE.
The comic follows Mark, a newlywed and soon to be father, as he ventures on an off grid government operation to acquire some quick funds for his soon to be family. Mark’s co-worker Jason, a character typecast into the aggressive steroids personality, leads the cooperative into the country of Quanlom. Exotic with heavy eastern religious resemblances, Quanlom according to Jason is wrought with mountains containing precious minerals, a reference to the minerals used in most, if not all, western technology and goods. But what makes the land so unique is the wildlife. More than just wild boar or lions, Quanlom is magical and mystic as dragons and phoenix run free through its bush.
Upon landing in Quanlom the crew stumble upon a boy who will throw the operation into turmoil, inadvertently pitting Jason and Mark against each other. One will strive to save Quanlom and the wreckage that the American government is presenting to the country, while the other seeks only the results of premiums and paycheques. THE DIVINE is very transparent when depicting which character embodies the yin or the yang, unfortunately, easily presenting Mark and Jason as static characters.
As the story continues on Mark learns of a dragon by the name of Leh, whose soul rests within the mountain that the cooperative plans on destroying. The little boy leads Mark to a gang of local boys living in the bush, their homes destroyed by a similar American operation. It is there, of course, that he meets two twin boys with strange powers. The gang, commanded by the twins, are determined to stop the explosives and let Leh have his home, and in doing so prevent further outside forces from destroying their land.
THE DIVINE unfortunately doesn’t bring about anything new with its apparent choice of east versus west conflict. I definitely don’t want to downplay the unique ideas and overall beauty of the comic, but as a narrative piece it really isn’t all there. It’s fairly disheartening to say, but writer Boaz Lavie has simply compiled another work of the exotic East being taken advantage of through the greedy West--but, this certainly doesn’t detract from the stunning art.
If you’re at all aware of the Hanuka twins, it’s likely you’re familiar with each of their own unique styles of drawing. Asaf leaning towards a traditional mix of cartoony and realistic senses while Tomer enjoys bending reality into a far more abstract form. Pencilled by Asaf and inked by Tomer, the comic carries both of their qualities while simultaneously blending the styles into one.
Heavily researched eastern landscapes throw the characters into lush, dense tropical greenery. Animals appear real yet have an otherworldly presence, and mystic religious figures are no longer doll-like but develop into war machines. What really adds much of the depth to the art is Tomer’s coloring. The entirety of THE DIVINE resembles a film comic: bright, vibrant colors with stark shades all compiled onto glossy paper. For me, that is what makes THE DIVINE worth the buy.
THE DIVINE, artistically speaking, is definitely some of the best work currently on store shelves, but as a creative team I would say THE DIVINE faltered. But, even after all that, I’m still biased and believe that this comic should be placed intimately on your bookshelves. THE DIVINE is simply a really beautiful comic.
SOUTHERN BASTARDS #10
Writer: Jason AaronArt: Jason Latour
Publisher: Image Comics
Reviewer: Humphrey Lee
SOUTHERN BASTARDS, since its debut, has always worn its heritage on its sleeve.
Yes, it’s a very distilled “Walking Tall” rendition of the South, but creators Jason Aaron and Jason Latour have worn a tempered Southern pride up near their figurative shoulders, and this book lives and breathes that essence. That’s why I find it very fitting that this issue is a tale of two rabid dogs who the sooner they see themselves put down the better in Coach Boss flunky Esaw Goings and the old Rebel Stars and Bars themselves. As for the latter, for the sake of not turning this space into a political screed, I’ll leave it as saying that Jason Latour presents one of the most honest, personal perspectives on that surrender-filled antique you’ll get from a man who has lived with it most of his life.
Meanwhile, both the Jasons present to us a day in the life of Esaw Goings who is, quite frankly, one of the most psychotic, amoral, and thereby completely engrossing pieces of lieutenant scum I have ever witnessed in a crime story. Going full first person into his demented brain left me wanting to take a cheese grater to my skin while being an excellent showpiece for why he is such a dangerous character for this book, both to whoever rises up as our protagonist(s) in an Earl Tubb-less vacuum and to himself and Coach Boss himself.
This issue is yet another example of why SOUTHERN BASTARDS is great crime fiction, great Americana, and just great comics. Long live SOUTHERN BASTARDS.
T.H.U.N.D.E.R. AGENTS: 50th ANNIVERSARY EDITION
Writers: VariousArtists: Various
Publisher: IDW Publishing
Reviewer: Masked Man
Both fans and creators love the mystique of the Silver Age; that's why everyone is willing to give those characters another shot again. The two main superhero groups from that time who haven't really survived are Archie's so-called Red Circle heroes and Tower's T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents (The Higher United Nations Defense Enforcement Reserves). Started in 1965 by the man, the myth, the legend, Wally Wood, the heroes have now hit their 50th Anniversary, and IDW (the current licensor of them) is celebrating with a 64 page special, which is fitting since old Tower Comics issues were all 64 page affairs (containing about six stories).
In the 'prestigious' format, at $7.99, this issue is a hefty sum, but the good news it is worth it, although it is mostly reprints, so if you already have all 20 issues of the T.H.U.N.D.E.R. AGENTS, you probably don't need this. But if you're a passing fan, or curious about this mythic team, this is 8 bucks well spent. Editors Greg Goldstein and Michael Benedetto are to be commended for putting this together. The issue has four classic T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents tales, a ton of pin-ups, plus an unpublished (since it's missing dialogue) homage comic of the T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents.
To quickly go through the stories, all worked on by Wally Wood (and others):
1. “First Encounter”, which is pretty much a zero issue, explaining the creation of the T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents.
2. “D-Day for Dynamo”, a crazy adventure of the T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents' main hero, Dynamo, rescuing his girl from the evil warlord Dynavac (noted for revealing who the Warlord really is!)!
3. “Master of Evolution”, where an evil scientist who can create dinosaurs somehow thinks he can make more money using them as a diversion to rob banks as opposed to just selling tickets for people to see them! Luckily Dynamo saves the day (notable for its classic visual of Dynamo fighting a T-Rex).
4. “A Matter of Life and Death”, where the evil Subterraneans plan a trap for the T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents, using their teammate Mentor as bait (noted for being one of the first important deaths in a comic book).
All 60s cheesy and fun, with great art by Wally Wood. It's also important to note that Wood was really trying to be different with these comics. Unlike many superhero comics at the time, T.H.U.N.D.E.R. AGENTS had connecting stories, as they always fought the subterranean forces of the Warlord. And going even further than Stan Lee, he really gave his heroes problems, even killing one off for good! And this fine anniversary showcases it all. The one element missing is a story of the infamous villain/love interest Iron Maiden.
Lastly, you got to enjoy all the pin-up work, many from George Perez. Back in the 80s, Deluxe Comics thought the T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents were public domain and hired George to draw new issues. There are also lots of nice pin-ups by late comic vet George Tuska, colored by Rhonda Pattison.
So on the Masked Man's scale of Crap, Poor, Decent, Good and Great, T.H.U.N.D.E.R. AGENTS: 50th ANNIVERSARY issue scores a GREAT.
BATGIRL #42/BATGIRL ANNUAL #3
Writers: Brendan Fletcher/Cameron Stewart (BG#42)/ Brendan Fletcher/Cameron Stewart (BGANN#3Art: Babs Tarr (BG#42)/Various, Bengal (BGAnn#3)
Publisher: DC Comics
Reviewer: Humphrey Lee
I wholly admit that I like to romp from time to time. And who doesn’t? Keeps you feeling young and carefree, something we all need a bit in our daily grind.
And that is why I’m still really digging on BATGIRL here, something I wasn’t quite sure would hold my attention a few months into the new run by Cameron Stewart, Brendan Fletcher, and Babs Tarr (and other assorted artists). The energy this book has is absolutely infectious and, even though some of the overtones of the book aren’t exactly aimed at my demographic, I still find myself completely tuned in to what is being sold. And that’s a good thing, too, that even though by being a 30-something white male this rendition of the Barbara Gordon character isn’t actively trying to win me over because, quite frankly, I don’t need to be, especially with a Batgirl comic.
And regardless, it still is because it remains true to a lot of those pillars that make comic books what they are, with a hero/heroine that finds themselves time and again needing to use all their wits and abilities to survive the day whether they’re in costume or not.
These two issues of BATGIRL are very exemplary of these tenets as they are very reflective of an ordinary person living an extraordinary second life while the first one remains as dramatic as can be.
In BATGIRL #42 you have Barbara dealing with school, balancing friendships and a degree in the making. In costume, additional to your normal assortment of baddies, she now has to deal with a “no vigilantes” directive stamped down onto Gotham, putting her in direct conflict with our new Batman, her father, who is on the clock as well as a terrorist organization, Gladius, is doing some dirt in the vicinity causing Spyral and the still dead but not really Dick Grayson to be involved. Both are tests to her physical and mental prowess, and both have interesting bleedover between her costumed and unmasked lives, though this does fail the Bechdel Test since they lean on the men in her life as plot points. Regardless, these issues are prime examples of the strength of Barbara Gordon as a character between her raw abilities and drive and the awkwardness she constantly lives with as she tries to use them for the tireless fights for justice and fine-tuning theses.
As my monthly DC pulls dwindle more and more for lack of interest in their directions, BATGIRL will continue to have a place on the list as long as it continues to provide this quality of characterization and exuberance.
SECRET WARS BATTLEWORLD TRAVEL GUIDE PART X
orAngela does not have time for your shit this week, Battleworld!
By Henry Higgins is My Homeboy
PREVIOUSLY, ON SECRET WARS…X-Men, just all up on everything. Everywhere you turn there are mutants absorbing Phoenix eggs, mutants trying to murder Chris Pratt, mutants even being drawn by Greg Land that don’t look like porn stars. It’s just all over the place.
1602: WITCH HUNTER ANGELA #2 (Marguerite Bennett & Stephanie Hans, Kieron Gillen & Marguerite Bennett, Irene Koh)So, it doesn’t take long for the adventures of Angela, murder queen of Battleworld, to start trying to murder Venom. I’m 110% in favour of this, especially when she has to team up with the 1602 version of the Guardians to do so. Seriously, this world’s Rocket Raccoon is just a very smart raccoon that occasionally gets sloppy drunk. But her quest to protect jolly ol’ England from the Witch-Breed is fraught with dangers…and drunk stories. Lots of drunk stories. Good stories, but druuuuuuunk.
AGE OF ULTRON VS. MARVEL ZOMBIES #2 (James Robinson & Steve Pugh)I’m not quite sure what reality Grand Inquisitor Punisher comes from (if he’s the guy from 1602 world then his life took a shitty turn, or maybe GodKingDoom just saw fit to make two olden day Punishers, which, trust me, I’m on board), but his day just got muuuuuuuch worse. But he’s a fun distraction from the gang of Hank Pym, Vision, Wonder Man and the original Human Torch, hereby renamed “The Superhero Team You Could Not Pay Me To Care About”. They have a plan to stop the Ultrons, which is admirable. Less likely than the Ultrons’ plan of “make a deal with the zombies to ruin the world for everyone”, but hey, some days you’re the windshield, and some days you’re the fly being eviscerated by a zombie Paste Pot Pete.
M.O.D.O.K. ASSASSIN #3 (Christopher Yost & Amilcar Pinna)It’s time for another installment of Angela just murdering fools, but she’s got nothing on the sheer levels of destruction MODOK has been wreaking across his…Killville. Look, I don’t name the worlds, I just write about them. But it’s MODOK and Angela vs. the World, and…well, the world, as it turns out, has a lot of warm bodies to throw at the little butterball of murder. I don’t think I was expecting to see Boomerang manage to actually land a hit with his…well…boomerangs, but here we are, in the year 20DOOOOOOOOM, and that’s what we got going on.
THORS #2 (Jason Aaron & Charles Sprouse & Goran Sudzuka)In the halls of Doomgard, specifically the mead hall, it is time for the Thors to gather and mourn the passing of one of their own. And get drunk. And REALLY want to go punch some faces in. Because the only thing that scares the world-weary Hulks of Greenland is an army of even drunker Thors. But as the murder mystery, well, stays the same, we see the return of Odinson! Or Doomson now--Doomson. I don’t care what his actual name is, one-armed badass giant ax Thor is now Doomson. And he just loves throwing shade at Ultimate Thor, which I find hilarious.
BATTLE-WORLD TRAVEL TIP!
After weeks on weeks of watching the Thor Corps get trounced, randomly killed, and just straight shot through zones, it’s nice to see our honourable police force go into action. Maybe less drunk wouldn’t be the worst, but THUNK THUNK THUNK THUNK THUNK THUNK THUNK THUN-
PLEASE STAND BY--SORRY FOR THE INCOVIENCE, OUR HOST IS PREOCCUPIED WITH A GUEST.
Hey, sorry about that…take it all back about the not drinking thing--go ahead and drink all you want, Thors! And this is in no way because of all those times a Thor just showed up and hit me in the head with a hammer! No siree!
Can I sleep with a concussion? I don’t think I’m supposed to, but I’m really sleepy now...
Proofs, co-edits & common sense provided by Sleazy G
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