Batman: Long Shadows (Review)

Citizen's Grade: O.K.

Part of the "Batman Reborn" story arc, Long Shadows deals with Dick Grayson (a.k.a. Nightwing, and now Batman) taking up the mantle of the Bat and the risks and responsibilities that go with it. The book starts with a flashback to Superman bringing Batman's Cape back to Wayne Manor and giving it to Alfred and Grayson. It's a rather touching moment when Superman asks Alfred if he is alright, and Alfred responds, "No Sir. I am not alright. My son has died." It then shifts to Robin getting himself in trouble with Doctor Phosphorus. Nightwing saves the day driving the Batmobile.....but only Batman should drive the Batmobile, right?

Soon to be on the shelves of Half-Priced Books....

Here are a few Graphic Novels I'll be unloading at Half-Priced Books in the near future. They are not bad, but they either don't fit into what I'm currently collecting or just no longer interest me....Spoiler Alert! The following are reviews.

1001 Arabian Nights: The Adventures of Sinbad, The Eyes of Fire (Citizen's Grade: O.K.). I've always enjoyed Sinbad, the original swashbuckler...this volume was very inspired and historically accurate, with good writing from Dan Wickline and various artists.

When Sinbad is accused of murder, He and his motley crew mush travel to a remote island in search of the Jericho visor, an ancient artifact that may be able to clear his name. But in order to get it, Sinbad must face the beautiful and dangerous Queen Alorana...who has her own plans for Sinbad and his crew.

No other Eastern fictional character; except Aladdin, is as well known as Sinbad. That said, Zenescope's efforts to reproduce Sinbad's adventures falls on deaf ears....society doesn't seem to care about Sinbad at this time. If they are still even publishing issues of 1001 Arabian Nights, I can't find them, although I've read on a few various websites that a movie is in the works for Sinbad, so maybe interest will peak in the future.

The Flash: The Wild Wests (Citizen's Grade: Sucked). I love Wally West as The Flash, but this is the worst story arc of his character I've ever read. After Wally and his wife take their infant twins to a secret location on a distant world to raise them in safety following the events of Rogue War and Infinite Crisis, they begin to notice their children growing at....you guessed it, SuperSpeed. Now they are back in Keystone City, protecting the city as The Flash and trying to raise his super-powered twins, Wally and Linda must face challenges they never have before. Is it right for their children to be in harms way because Wally is the Flash? The Justice League asks that very question....and Wally may not like the answer.

Mark Waid's writing is sub par, the artwork is just O.K. & just sucks in some parts...the worst Flash Graphic Novel...ever!

Hawkgirl by Walter Simonson (Citizen's Grade: Sigh...). Collected in three volumes (The Maw, Hawkman Returns, & Hath-Set), Hawkgirl took over for Hawkman (during DC's One Year Later story arc) after the events of Infinite Crisis. Poor Hawkgirl and Walt Simonson, they didn't even start numbering over, just had her take over at issue #50. Simonson's writing (He's a legend, but this isn't his best work) & the artwork is O.K., but it's just disappointing after Hawkman & Johns.

In The Maw, Hawkgirl is stalked by her bad dreams, personal & professional & superhero life issues, mysterious gang killings she can't solve and it all seems linked to Voudon magic and a supernatural menace that has begun stalking her. In Hawkman Returns, Kendra is reunited with Hawkman after a year apart, only to find that Carter Hall's space adventures have brought unexpected enemies to their doorstep. Blackfire sends a platoon of evil aliens to kill Hawkgirl, and the Hawks combined strength may not be enough to survive. In Hath-Set, the Immortal high priest who originally set in motion the fate of the Hawks returns with a plan to end their endless cycle of death and rebirth once and for all...Kendra must fight for her very soul, racing against time, against the evil Hath Set.

The Trials of Shazam (Citizen's Grade: O.K.). Written by Judd Winick, with artwork by Howard Porter. These two volumes follow the events of Final Crisis into the "new" age of magic. The Wizard Shazam dies fighting The Spectre, and Captain Marvel rebuilds the Rock of Eternity and becomes the new Wizard Shazam....so, of course we need a new Captain Marvel. Now it's up to Freddy Freeman to take he mantle of Shazam, unless an evil sorceress can beat him to it. The volumes follow Freeman as he races against Sabina, as they both try and acquire as much of Shazam's magical might as possible....one for good, one for evil.

Winick does a good job writing and Howard Porter is a great artist, but I've just given up on the Shazam Franchise. Years of legal rights over the Captain Marvel name between DC Comics and Marvel Comics (who put out some crappy work with their Capt. Marvel every few years so that DC can't claim the name by expiration) have bummed me out on the Champion of Magic.

Batman: Under the Red Hood (Review)

Citizen's Grade: Impressive.

This animated movie; based on Judd Winick's Batman: Under the Hood Graphic Novel, is probably the best animated movie I've seen DC Comics/Warner Bros. put out yet! The script; written by Winick, is very good and "adult-themed", the action is fantastic....and for someone not familiar with the story (of either Jason Todd's death or the Under the Hood storyline), as was the friend who watched the movie with me....it explains all the background you need to enjoy the plot and get into the movie.

Batman: Under The Hood (Review)

Citizen's Grade: Impressive.

Before the Animated Movie "Under the Red Hood" (the same story, but with a slightly different title) is released in a couple months, I thought I'd give a review of the book. Originally released in two volumes, Batman: Under the Hood is dynamite!

A figure from the Caped Crusader's past unexpectedly returns, forcing him to revisit the most tragic event of his crime-fighting career. The psychotic, disfigured Black Mask has seized control of Gotham City's criminal underworld, but his rule is challenged by the mysterious Red Hood, who has hijacked a crate full of 100 pounds of Kryptonite.

"O.K." Superman..... (Review)

Citizen's Grade: O.K.

Let me start off by saying that the following Superman Graphic Novels are not bad! They are just not as "Impressive" as the others, so I've grouped them all together here....some of the artwork is stellar, the best being Talent Caldwell's in Superman: Godfall (it looks so much like Michael Turner's artwork, it's hard to tell the difference!). The best writing would be Brian Azzarello's in Superman: For Tomorrow.

The Green Arrow Series (Review)

Citizen's Grade: Impressive.

Some of you not familiar with comics, or the Green Arrow character, may ask yourselves....what is so appealing about an angry liberal running around rooftops in Robin Hood tights shooting arrows at villains? Well, Oliver Queen (a.k.a., Green Arrow) is like most men in the world today. Really? Yes! He is an expert at one thing, and a complete failure at almost everything else. Pessimistic? No, just "keeping it real".

Oliver Queen was a billionaire playboy, hopping from yacht to yacht, and woman to woman when the ship he was on crashed on a deserted island (or so he thought). To survive, he had to become an expert using the only hunting weapon available to him, a makeshift bow. Honing his skills on the island, after being rescued he returned to Star City and became the Green Arrow (read Green Arrow: Year One for the entire story).

Green Arrow & Black Canary by Judd Winick (Review)

Citizen's Grade: O.K.

The relaunch of Green Arrow as Green Arrow & Black Canary had me somewhat worried. I was suspicious that their marriage would wreck the great storytelling of Green Arrow as the "shoot from hip", liberal "man's man". I was afraid he may become the conservative, play it safe husband-type. I WAS WRONG!, and I'm happy to say it. Judd Winick's work on GA & BC was collected in three volumes: The Wedding Album, Family Matters, & A League of Their Own.

Green Lantern: Brother's Keeper (Review)

Citizen's Grade: O.K.

GL: Brother's Keeper is a volume from the previous Green Lantern series, starring Kyle Rayner as Green Lantern. Written by Judd Winick, art by various....it tells a very needed tale of discrimination against homosexuals. There are other side stories going on in the volume as well, but the focus is on Kyle's assistant Terry Berg who is savagely attacked and put into a coma because of his sexuality.

Kyle; both as a person and as a superhero, has to deal with the gambit of emotions (from sadness to anger) trying to deal with the attack and why it happened. Written with the thought of Matthew Shepherd on his mind, Judd Winick tells a great story that hopefully got everyone who read it thinking.

I recommend this to anyone who reads.....not because it's the best graphic novel, but because (as Winick often does in his writing) it transcends comics into real-life issues.