JSA #5 DC COMICS
Writer Jeff Lemire’s story has, after five issues, proved to be rather hit or miss. I’m not sure if starting off a new series with a spy amoungst them and a general break down of the team is a great introduction. The older heroes seem to be rather useless and the newer members are a bunch of over emotional teenagers (even though they are way past the age bracket). However, we do get some interesting secondary characters and cameos. This chapter proves that the Injustice Society are just as childish and unorganized as the JSA. Which isn’t a good thing if you’re dealing with Hell and revisiting Ragnarok. But even as things are confusing, Diego Olortegui’s artwork (especially his backrounds!) are really good. This strikes me as possibly a good third story arc instead of a first. This title is a bit of a roller coaster ride for a heroic team that has been around since the 1940’s. 7 out of 10 Grahams.
BRAVE AND THE BOLD #30 FACSIMILE EDITION DC COMICS
Does anyone even remember that the Justice League started out as a few try-out issues in Brave and the Bold. Comics like Brave and the Bold, Showcase, and Mystery In Space acted as a wonderful way to try out new concepts and see if they stuck. This was the last of three JLA issues with a note in the final panel that the group could return if the fans wrote in and demanded it. And they even gave out the address to write to! This issue we get to be introduced to the power stealing android, Amazo. And we are reminded of just how insane things were back then. Green Lantern escapes by inhailing Chlorine Gas! Main characters like Batman, Superman, Aquaman, and Green Lantern guarding one animal out of hundreds. Superman flying off to guard one whale? What about all the other whales? Batman heading to Africa to guard one elephant? These were times when we didn’t have to over think the story. Even if that story was written by the legendary Gardner F. Fox! With Mike Sekowsky on pencils and inks by Bernard Sachs. And how about those science fact pages! But most importantly was the JLA Mail Room page where the creme de la creme of comic fans were already crabbing that their favorite heroes weren’t included. Green Arrow, Robin, Adam Strange all were noted as possible members. A brief history lesson needed to be addressed about the similar Justice Society of America. And questions about whether DC had back issues to sell. (This last one was a frequently asked questions through several decades). One interesting letter came from Larry Maher of Arlington VA. who proposed the idea of a junior JLA featuring Robin, Speedy, Kid Flash, and Kid From Atlantis (Larry had apparently forgot the name of Aqualad). Does that sound familiar? It should as twenty-four issues later the Brave and the Bold introduced the Teen Titans! This is a perfect example of why the ‘Good Ole Days’ of comics where so memorable! that’s for the memories! 10 out of 10 Grahams.
MOTHRA, QUEEN OF THE MONSTERS #1 IDW PUBLISHING
With all the failed attempts of IDW’s current Godzilla titles, I will admit that I was not expecting much from this offshoot. Plus, I have always had twisted feelings toward Mothra. In the original Toho movies, Mothra always seemed to show up old and on her last leg. It was her job to be the distraction and get killed in the process. Once she died, the twin fairy girls would show up and hatch an egg with a new catterpillar Mothra (sometimes two!) But I will admit that Sophie Campbell’s story has some promise. And right off the bat, Mothra dies fighting some kaiju called Antra (if you guessed giant ant, you are a winner. But this time, kaiju like Godzilla and Anguirus aren’t their to avenge her. Now, throw in one ticked off sister, one newly discovered lost sister, a little bit of mystic time travel, and a brief cameo by Anguirus and what could possibly be Gorosaurus and you have an interesting story. Artists Sophie Campbell and Matt Frank’s trippy 1960’s hippie poster art is different. And even though it’s not much of a comparison, I’d rather read this than some of the current Godzilla titles. 7 out of 10 Grahams.
DC FINEST PLASTIC MAN THE ORIGIN OF PLASTIC MAN TPB
The good folks at DC Finest does it again. After showing off tales of the Legion, Aquaman, and the Doom Patrol, they dig deep and show off one of the goofiest yet lovable characters DC inherited from another comic publisher. Quality Comics was founded in 1937 by the astonishing Everett M. “Busy” Arnold and produced comics for 19 years. Among some of their titles were antholgy title such as Smash Comics featuring The Ray, Bozo the Iron Man, and The Jester. Military (later Modern Comics) featuring The Blackhawks and the Death Patrol. And, of course, Police Comics featuring Plastic Man, Phantom Lady, and the Spirit. Jack Cole’s story and art straddled the thin line between superheroic and comic. Criminal Ell O’Brien is shot and left for dead after getting a chemical acid in his bullet wounds. But instead of dying he finds that he is now able to stretch, inflate, disquise himself as anyone or anything and decides to fight crime. Along with his sidekick Wopozy Winks, the pair get into all sorts of weirdness from a gold digging woman made of granite, black markets in submarines, to criminal circuses and dude ranches. And yet for all the silliness, Jack Cole’s art is simply awe-inspiring! The true test however is that Plastic Man is not only still around as one of DC more popular characters but that at one point or another he had his own cartoon as well as a live action Saturday morning tv show but also was one of the first guest cameos in the original Super Friends cartoon. I simply cannot get enough. 10 out of 10 Grahams.