Review: John Constantine: Hellblazer, Vol. 2

John Constantine: Hellblazer, Vol. 2 by Simon Spurrier
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I have a thing for anti-heroes and magic. So it should be no wonder that I'm a fan of John Constantine. A majority of the time, he's doing the wrong things for the right reasons, and somehow, it usually works out in the end.

This trade paperback, at first, seems like little vignettes of John solving problems that only John can solve. Rescuing a mermaid, trying to explain to the royal stables why a unicorn is really a bad idea, dealing with a group literally worshipping the giant under London... But all of these things have one thing in common - a strange figure calling himself John Constantine seeding the world with stories become real. John needs to figure out who this guy is and how to stop him before not only is the world drawn into chaos but his friends are lost in the process.

Many of the stories could be read individually, but the best narrative is when they're read all together. Simon Spurrier has perfectly encapsulated John Constantine in the stories he's woven. The snarky, brash Brit is does what he can to save innocents but is also willing to sacrifice friends if it means that the world is safe. The secondary characters of his friends were interesting... not as fleshed out to me, but I haven't read the first volume so it's possible that I'd find out more by reading it.

I was very impressed with the way he told the story throughout. There was a small twist at the end that caught me off guard but I could see all of the breadcrumbs that led to it being the only conclusion. He was also very deft at making it clear which royal he was talking about in the second story without actually giving a name. Anyone paying attention to the news over the last couple of years will have caught it and, at least if you're like me, gotten a little chuckle.

The artwork isn't exactly my favorite style - the kind of blurry, fuzzy, chaotic artwork where you don't always see things clearly. Though, to be fair, it is always interesting to look a little closer and see something in the background that you missed the first time. And even though it isn't my favorite style, it DOES fit perfectly with the world of John Constantine.

I'm going to have to pick up the first book just to get a better feel of what I missed. But Simon Spurrier's take on John Constantine is one I'll be happy to read more of.

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Review: JSA: All Stars

JSA: All Stars by Geoff Johns

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



This was a very interesting graphic novel. The Injustice Society attacks the JSA, but they are under the control of a demon called Legacy. The original members of the team - Hawkman, Flash, Wildcat and Green Lantern (or Sentinel) - are taken my the IJS while those that are left, all of whom are legacies to the names they hold, need to figure out how to stop them. Oh... except for Sand. His silicone body has actually been fused into glass. The Spectre appears, telling them that this demon feeds on their psychic pain so they need to go confront the pains of their past.

So far, pretty standard graphic novel set-up. It's when we get to see the characters face their issues that the real brilliance of the graphic novel comes to the fore. For each character, there is color spread taking up 3/4s of the page. The bottom quarter has two paragraphs of information. The first is for the new version of the character and the second is for the originator of the name. Then we see a story about the new character confronting their past in their own way and it is followed by a story involving the old character.

I thought it was very clever of them to set it up in this way. It gave those younger readers (or newer to comics such as myself) a better sense of those that passed the torch. I now had a glimpse of Terry Slone, the original Mr Terrific, where I'd never before known he existed. I got to see the original Hourman bring a murdered in the armed forces to justice and realize that his true power doesn't come from the Miraclo that gives him his strength but from himself. For these glimpses alone, I'd have to say that this is probably my favorite new-read comic this year.

I was also impressed with the artwork. The drawings for the legacies were modern. They fit well with the current timeline that they were exploring. But the drawings for the older comics... it wasn't 100% like the older comics from the 40's and 50's, but it evoked that feeling in me. I felt like I was actually reading two different comic books - one from now and one from my father's childhood. It really kept me in the moment.

The end of the story went back to the traditional pattern of good guys together beating the bad guy and rescuing their friends. It took some special insight to do it (and I don't want to share too much because of spoilers, sweetie), but it felt believable. It's one that I probably wouldn't mind owning. And it makes me want to see if I can get my hands on some of the original JSA stories so I can read a bit more about these originals.



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Review: Superman: True Brit

Superman: True Brit by Kim Howard Johnson

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



What if Kal-el had landed in Britain instead of the USA? This book is a hilarious look at that What-if, showing what Superman would have been like if it's followed his parents' motto: WWTNT (What would the neighbors think?) I'd seen this graphic on the shelves at the library for awhile, but hadn't picked it up. Then today, on a whim, I decided "Why not?" And I'm so glad that I did.

The writing is witty (but what would you expect from something co-authored by John Cleese) and there were far too many parts where I needed to stop and explain my laughter to Rich. Seeing the British versions of some of the iconic characters of Superman had me rolling with laughter - Perry White, respected editor, has turned into Peregrine Whyte-Badger, the owner of most of the tabloids in Britain and the King of Sleeze. Lois Lane's counterpart is Louisa Layne-Ferret and rather than the hard-nosed reporter, she is a Page 3 girl and Whyte-Badger's secret agent trying to ferret out information from Colin Clark (aka Superman). I do like the fact that they didn't completely ignore those icons, though. Louisa's cousin, Lois, is a newspaper reporter in Metropolis and comes over to do a story on Superman. When things start to fall apart for Supes at the end of the book, I think she's a large part of the reason why he decides to relocate to America.

The book has a perfect set-up for more comics in this alternate world, seeing several of the British Characters coming to America, all unaware of the others' arrivals. I could imagine a lot of fun with it, honestly.

I'd definitely recommend this to anyone who likes comics and has a sense of humor. Because it will tickle both of those quite nicely (especially when you meet the Bat-Man. ;))



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Review: Destiny: A Chronicle of Deaths Foretold

Destiny: A Chronicle of Deaths Foretold by Alisa Kwitney

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



I love almost anything written in the Sandman world as created by Neil Gaiman. And this is no exception. While it isn't quite as good as the actual Sandman series or Jill Thompson's Little Endless, it is an enjoyable read. The artwork is a bit more surreal than I generally enjoy, but considering the story takes place, in the main, in a post-apocalyptic plague world, it does fit the story very well. I enjoyed watching John Ryder travel through the years, looking for his lady in white. I also felt for Ruth - I couldn't imagine losing my boys, having to bury them. But I do like the redemption that she gets by the end of the book. All in all, it's a good read and another enjoyable view into the world of the Endless.



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Review: Batman: The Dark Knight Returns

Batman: The Dark Knight Returns by Frank Miller

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



As it states in the summary, this really is one of the classics of the graphic novel/superhero world. It's actually this book that is considered the cut off point for the "old" Batman and the "new" Batman. So it's been on my radar for awhile, but I didn't pick it up until last week's library trip. I'm glad, however, that I did. Seeing a world without Batman, followed by his return (and a man of 70 still kicking butt like he does is fantastic). At first, it seemed like the stories told within were independent of each other, beyond Batman's appearance. But by the end, they all seemed to mesh together nicely. This is one of those books that I actually wish I owned because I suspect I'd be reading and rereading it fairly regularly. Especially for the fight between Bats and Supes near the end. And I can't forget the brief appearance of my favorite boy, Ollie Queen (or Green Arrow, as he was known back in the day.)



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Review: JSA Vol. 8: Black Reign

JSA Vol. 8: Black Reign by Geoff Johns

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



This was another random pull from the library book shelves. It was a time that I'd read about in some of the other graphic novels that I'd read, a time when Black Adam brings to him some of the other heroes who were tired of being reactive instead of proactive, including Atom Smasher. Their first order of business is to take back Black Adam's home country, Kahndaq. But the JSA doesn't agree with Black Adam's methods and want to try to bring their errant friends home.

Black Adam is one of my favorite hero/villains so to read a bit more about him was enjoyable. And the more recent stories that I've read about Atom Smasher also made me want to know more about him as well. And this was a good story for both of those. The violence that happened in Kahndaq was a bit... disturbing. But I've kind of gotten used to that.

The best part of the book, however, was at the end. You get to see the future for Atom Smasher and the good things that happen to him. And that makes me feel better for how things ended. I'm really hoping that it's a future that comes to pass.



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Review: JSA Vol. 2: Darkness Falls

JSA Vol. 2: Darkness Falls by David S. Goyer

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



As is my wont, I was perusing the graphic novel shelves at my local library when I came across this one. I've been randomly working my way through various DC characters and right now, I'm enjoying quite a bit of the JSA.

I'm not sure where in the continuity this particular volume falls. But, like much of my reading, I've found that I don't much care. It's still a very enjoyable read that expands my knowledge of several more of my favorite characters.

This particular volume has two fairly distinct stories: Obsidian's fall into madness, followed by the fate of the universe being held in the JSA's hands. The two stories were linked through Al Rothstein, or Atom Smasher. And it is a wonderful set of stories.

The artwork was, as always, wonderful. And the writing was also top notch. I loved exploring the character of Atom Smasher and finding out more about Star Spangled Kid. Seeing the pain in Alan Scott (formerly Green Lantern, now going by Sentinel) was heartbreaking. And the resolution found at the end to deal with an almost omniscient character was pure brilliance. It was one of the better JSA stories that I've read.



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Review: Justice Society of America: Thy Kingdom Come, Part III

Justice Society of America: Thy Kingdom Come, Part III by Geoff Johns

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



Please see my review for the entire Thy Kingdom Come series on the first volume, which can be found here.



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Review: Justice Society of America: Thy Kingdom Come Part II SC

Justice Society of America: Thy Kingdom Come Part II SC by Geoff Johns

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



Please see my review for the entire Thy Kingdom Come series on the first volume, which can be found here.



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Review: Justice Society of America: Thy Kingdom Come, Part 1

Justice Society of America: Thy Kingdom Come, Part 1 by Geoff Johns

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



I don't remember specifics for each book, so I'm combining a review for all 3 of the parts of Thy Kingdom Come into one review.

When a much older Superman is pulled through a black hole created by Starman, he tells the story of his world gone wrong. He is from an alternate world, Earth 22, and didn't manage to save the people that lived there. His fear, based on some of the things that the members of the JSA had told him, was that this earth would soon be following in the footsteps of his own home planet. And he's willing to help the JSA try to make this happen.

But when the nature of that threat arrives - an old god by the name of Gog from the Third World - the team becomes split. Gog seems to be making things better. He cures Starman's madness. He fixes Damage's scarred face. He restores Dr Midnight's sight. But not everyone is as trusting of this seemingly benevolent god. Will Gog be what tears the team apart?

This is a series that I'd seen in the back of several of the graphics that I'd gotten recently and I thought that now would be the time for me to check them out, especially when I saw the second volume on my library shelves. The other two volumes arrived at my branch of the library last Saturday and I dived into them, curious what the story was going to be about.

And it was a good story. Not my favorite by a long shot (that still goes to the Green Arrow graphic novel, Quiver) but a fairly solid story. The only thing that I had to quibble with is that the message seemed a bit heavy handed at times. But seeing the various members of the JSA struggle with the choice of whether they should believe in Gog or not was well worth the message that was being passed along. I felt sorriest for Citizen Steel, who couldn't even hold his family because of the powers he received. Especially when Gog helped every other person but ignored him. Yet, for the longest time, he kept the faith in Gog stronger than anyone but Damage.

I think the authors did a wonderful job in depicting the various characters from the DC Universe, making us care about those that were new to our world, and giving enough information about the heroes that new readers wouldn't be completely lost. If you're wanting to get started in the world of reading Graphic Novels, then Thy Kingdom Come may not be a bad place to start. Yes, you'll probably want to go out and read a ton of other comics that had come before, but I don't think this will detract in the least.



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Review: Batman: A Death in the Family

Batman: A Death in the Family by Jim Starlin

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



This story is one of the most controversial in the whole Batman mythos, being the one where Jason Todd (the second Robin) is murdered by the Joker. I known of this history and had seen it in animated form (in the direct-to-video Batman: Under the Red Hood) but I'd never actually read the story. I decided that it was time to rectify that and read it. I picked it up from my library today and finished it within a couple hours.

I'm honestly still not sure how I feel about the comic as a whole. I've been reading so many comics from the mid-to-late 90s and beyond that the dot style coloring is a huge throw-back for me. And the story itself doesn't have the same... realism?... I guess that's the best word... for me as the later ones do. Still, it was a decent story for it's time, where Batman was moving into the grittier stories that are common now. It's just looking back at it now that it feels almost contrived. It also reminds me, in a lot of ways, of the reboot that Donna Troy went through. But the picture of Batman holding a battered and bleeding Jason Todd (in Robin costume) is still one of the most powerful images I've seen in the world of Batman.

So I'd say "Check it out." It's not a bad book, by any stretch of the imagination. And it is a very important part of the Batman history.



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Review: Batman: The Long Halloween

Batman: The Long Halloween by Jeph Loeb

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



The story opens at the wedding reception of Carmine "The Roman" Falcone's nephew. Both Batman and Catwoman break in - Batman to try to find something that will help convict The Roman of one of the many mob-connected crimes that he'd committed and Catwoman to find something nice to sell. Batman comes out with a ledger with information on various members of the Falcone family, passing it along to Commissioner Gordon and DA Harvey Dent. This opens up a possibility for things that are to come.

Starting with Halloween, members of the Falcone operation/family start being killed on holidays, starting with the newly married nephew. This new serial killer is dubbed Holiday by the people of Gotham and the question of who Holiday is is debated among Falcone, his biggest competitor, Maroni and the trilogy of Batman, Gordon and Dent. By the end of the story, the person claiming responsibility for the murders is caught. But it's not quite the end of the story. Because things aren't always what they seem.

I really enjoyed this story a lot. It did something that never happens - completely surprised me at the ending. While I was reading the story, I suspected that the person claiming responsibility was Holiday. But when the twist came at the end... I'd never seen it coming. But it was perfect.

I also really enjoyed it because it told the story of how Two-Face came to be. Two-Face is one of the two Batman villains that I really feel sorry for. Dent was a good man, trying his best to get the criminals off the street. And that part of him has to be in there somewhere, otherwise the duality wouldn't exist. Getting to see this version of how Dent became Two-Face was an interesting thing to read.

It's definitely not a book for kids - but then again, I don't think that any of Batman's stories from the 80's on are. But it's one of the best of the various Batman stories.



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Review: Batman: Cataclysm

Batman: Cataclysm by Chuck Dixon

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



Gotham has just made it through a horrid plague. But Mother Nature refuses to give Batman's home city a break, hitting them with a devastating 7.8 earthquake. Much of the city is in ruins (though all of Wayne Industries holdings - minus Wayne Manor - have held their integrity thanks to Bruce Wayne's forethought. The graphic novel follows Batman, Barbara Gordon, Nightwing and Robin as they do what they can -sometimes together, sometimes along - for the people of the Gotham.

Partway through the story, once we know our heroes are all safe (Batman was in the bat cave when the earthquake hit and much of it - and Wayne Manor above it - collapsed), a villain comes forward to claim responsibility for this disaster. He sends word that he'll cause another earthquake - a 9.6 - if the city doesn't pay him a million dollars. So along with trying to keep as many Gothamites safe as possible, the Bat family needs to try to find this supposed Quakemaster.

I really enjoyed this story. I love seeing people band together to help one another when disaster hits their world. Not every story has a happy ending, but that fits reality. Not everyone ends up being saved and one in particular brought tears to my eyes.

There was only one blurp that bugged me a bit. Tim Drake, the newest Robin, has been in Europe and arrives home just after the earthquake hits. He makes his way into Gotham and, after briefly seeing Alfred, heads next door to his own home to make sure that his father is alright. Then, a chapter or two later, he is helping the people of Gotham and wondering if his family is ok, but not feeling that he can get away from his duties to the people of Gotham to find out.

Otherwise, it was a wonderful book that I would recommend to anyone who enjoys a bit of hopefulness in their Batman stories.



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Review: Justice League: Cry for Justice

Justice League: Cry for Justice by James Dale Robinson

My rating: 2 of 5 stars



This was one of the few graphic novels that I've read recently that I really didn't care for. It wasn't horrid, but it wasn't memorable either. And for me, that's one of the worst things I can say about a book. If it's something that I hadn't read in awhile, that would be one thing. But it was just over a week ago that I read it, so it should be in my mind a little more. I thought the concept was an interesting one - looking at the difference between revenge and justice. But the characters were so OUT of character that I felt like I was reading heroes from a different multiverse. It just didn't work well for me.



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Review: Batman: The Cult

Batman: The Cult by Jim Starlin

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



When a strange cult rises within the ranks of the homeless and hopeless, Gotham becomes (if possible) less safe than it was before. Particularly for those in the public life. Batman suspects that Decon Blackfire, the enigmatic leader of the cult, is up to more than just gaining followers, but will he be able to find out what Blackfire's real goal is? Or will he, too, fall under Blackfire's sway?

My Thoughts: While this isn't the darkest Batman that I've read, it is up there in terms of darkness. It opens with Batman in the hands of the cult, chained and beaten, while they attempt to brainwash him to Decon Blackfire's message. The assassination attempts (including the one against Commissioner Gordon) are shown on screen. The madness at the end of the book is chilling. Yet, for all of that, it is a good story. The writing is evocative and the artwork fits the story perfectly. While it's not a story that I'll be rereading, it is one that I am glad that I read. Because it shows just what could happen under a truly charismatic cult leader.



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Review: The Flash: Rebirth

The Flash: Rebirth by Geoff Johns

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



23 years before, Barry Allen (also known as the Flash) disappeared into the Speed Force in order to save the multiverse. And when the Final Crisis came about, he returned. But Allen isn't sure why he's back or how the Speed Force let him go. When something happens to the other speedsters, Allen finally finds out the reason for his return to the world - and the malevolent nemesis that was behind it and many of the tragedies that Barry had lived through in his life.

My Thoughts: I've always enjoyed reading about Flash. He's a DC character that I didn't know much about, beyond the fact that there were many that have carried the name of the Flash throughout the years. I'd recently read Final Crisis and I saw Barry's return in those pages. So when I saw Flash: Rebirth and knew that it was Barry Allen's story, I had to pick it up to read. And I'm glad I did. Like many of the other graphic novels that I've read, I got to learn more about the characters that I loved and be introduced to several more that I learned to love. The story was great and it opened up the DC world even more with the secret of the Speed Force and Barry Allen's history.



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Review: Justice League Elite: Volume 2

Justice League Elite: Volume 2 by Joe Kelly

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



Several members of the Justice League were tired of being reactive to threats to the human race. They wanted to be proactive instead. So they, along with others that weren't quite so noble, combined to make the Justice League Elite. But they are being eaten away from within. Someone is a traitor, and someone else isn't quite who they say they are. Will the JLE survive the trouble from within?

My Thoughts: I was in the mood for more graphic novels and found this one while I was searching. Of course, my library didn't have the first volume, but that never seems to stop me. I wasn't really sure what to expect of this one, but it had Green Arrow (my favorite superhero) so I knew I'd enjoy it for that, if nothing else. And I did end up enjoying it quite a bit. I was only familiar with a couple of the characters before I'd read this one - Flash and Green Arrow. But many of the other characters - particularly Manitou Raven - were ones that I found myself really enjoying learning about. I'm going to see if my library system has the first book so I can check it out, as well as see if there are more books in that series. But I love reading anything DC related, so it shouldn't be a surprise that I've enjoyed it.



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Review: 52, Vol. 4

52, Vol. 4 by Geoff Johns

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



(This review is for 52, Vol 1-4. I couldn't separate them out in my mind.

52 is the story of what happens between the end of Infinite Crisis (after which Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman disappeared for a year) and Year One, where there was a bit of a reboot/change in the status quo. The story revolves around... well, almost all of the characters you've ever cared to hear about in the DC Universe. There are many storylines that weave themselves together into a wonderful whole - Booster Gold and Skeets trying to figure out why history is changing and having some pretty bad things happen to them through out; Black Adam finally finding peace with a woman he loves, only to have that peace ripped from him by people who refuse to believe that he could have changed; Renee' Montoya, former cop whose life has been spinning out of control, meeting the mysterious Question and having her life change tremendously; Adam Strange, Beast Man and Starfire being stranded in space, desperate to try to find a way home; Steel and his niece, Natasha, standing on opposite sides of a battle instigated by Lex Luthor, Not to mention all the other super-heroes who are trying to make sense of a world without the big three. This is a truly epic story that any fan of the DC super-heroes should check out.

My Thoughts: I'd heard a lot of things about 52 while I'd been reading some of the other graphic novels that came across my desk. And almost unanimously, it was said to be one of the best. Most recently, while reading Gotham Central, I heard about it again when told that Renee' Montoya has a large part in the storyline that spanned 52 issues in one year. So I requested them from the library.

Unlike other times when I've gotten books, I waited until I had all four volumes before I started reading. And I'm glad that I did, since I stayed up until the wee hours of the morning - when my eyes could barely stay open - turning pages to find out what was going to happen next. It was truly a world-encompassing story and gave me fantastic introductions to some characters I'd never heard of before, and yet found myself loving. The story was full of surprises, the plot was very tightly written (especially for a series with the kind of time crunch these authors were on - for those unfamiliar with the world of comics, they are usually released in 16 page monthly books. This year-long series was released in 16 page weekly books.). I found myself crying a few times through-out the story, which has always been one of my indicators that a story is good. If it can give me strong emotion, then it's one that was good. And this is one of the few that I want to own, not just have to borrow from the library. I was seriously blown away by all four of these books and the complete story in general.



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Review: Gotham Central Vol. 4: The Quick and the Dead

Gotham Central Vol. 4: The Quick and the Dead by Greg Rucka

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



The fourth of the series, this book starts out with the Commissioner taking down the Bat-signal. Batman is now going to be among the wanted rather than someone the police go to when they need help taking down the biggest bads. It explores how GCP are trying to deal with this change. The second story involves a corrupt CSI that has a habit of taking things from crime scenes to sell and line his own pockets. This time, what he steals could cause an officer to lose his job. The final story is the longest of the three and gives us a glimpse into Star City as well, thanks to a Silence of the Lambs-like need to get the help from a madman that's locked up there.

The stories were interesting, but they didn't strike me as strongly as the previous books in the series. Still, getting a chance to learn more about the GCP's MCU was great. It primarily focused on Montoya and Allen, but they're a couple of my favorites, so that was a good thing for me.

I'm interested in getting vol 5, but my library doesn't have it currently. So... maybe sometime in the future.



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Review: Gotham Central Vol. 3: Unresolved Targets

Gotham Central Vol. 3: Unresolved Targets by Ed Brubaker

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



This book covers two stories - one involving the Joker and the other involving the Mad Hatter. Both are incredibly engaging stories with a bunch of nuances that have you reading carefully.

The first half of the book follows the MCU as they search for the Joker because of his latest madness - the high-profile killings of some of Gotham's most important people. After the first couple of deaths, he sets up an elaborate trap to keep the MCU looking around in the wrong places while he turns himself in. It's a harsh story, leading to a death in the end. But it's a good one.

The second half brings former Detective Bullock back to the case that has haunted him for a long time. While not officially on the case, he steps into the MCU's case to supposedly try to help them. But it turns out that Bullock is completely blinded to the true story that emerges, instead being convinced of the truth that he wants to be there.

I don't know why, but these two stories didn't strike me as strongly as the first two graphic novels. The story wasn't bad, but it didn't quite give me the thrill in reading it as I'd gotten with the others. Still, it is a good read if you don't expect it to be as strong as the first two.



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