Batman and Robin Vol. 1: Born to Kill -- Mini Review

Published:  July 4th, 2012

Batman and Robin, Vol. 1: Born to Kill (Batman and Robin Vol. II #1)

By: Peter J. Tomasi, Patrick Gleason (Illustrator), & Mick Gray (Illustrator)

DC Comics

ISBN-13:  9781401234874

Batman begins battling evil with his son, Damian, at his side and now realizes that the hardest part of the job may be trying to work together.  As Batman and Robin try to adjust to their new partnership, a figure emerges from Bruce Wayne's past: his name is NoBody, and he's not happy that Batman Incorporated is shining a light on his own shadowy war against evil...

Review

       For those of you unfamiliar with Damian Wayne's back story, here is the short version: Damian is the product of a drug-induced night of passion between Bruce Wayne (aka Batman) and Talia Al Ghul (daughter of the head of the League of Assassins).  When Talia decides it's time for Damian to learn the bat-legacy from his father (who doesn't know he exists), she drops him off in Gotham.  Unsure in his new relationship with his son, who is a miniature assassin and the exact opposite of Batman, they try to forge a connection despite their differences.  In turn, they clash at every possible crossroads between good and evil, black and white.

       Damian is still struggling with who he wants to be, his mother's son or his father's. As someone who has never read a Batman & Robin title before (including Batman and any of the other four Robins before Damian!), but being aware of Damian's origin story etc., I didn't have much confusion about the contention in his relationship with Bruce. I liked that this shows Bruce attempting to bond with Damian in a fatherly way as well, such as buying him a dog (a Great Dane that Damian eventually names Titus), and playing catch in the backyard. But when they're out in the field as B&R, I felt like I wasn't necessarily convinced that Bruce would even allow Damian to work as Robin. It's kind of like he didn't learn his lesson with Jason Todd. Yes, Damian's a trained assassin, but he's still an angry ten-year-old boy and often refuses to follow orders. In the fight scene in this book we get to see the consequences of Damian's borderline reckless behavior and the ways it brings him closer (and yet further in principle somewhat) from his father. The connection with Bruce's own past to the villain, NoBody, was interesting if somewhat contrived to display the dynamic of good vs. evil between father and son. Overall, a decent read. But definitely NOT my favorite of the New 52's so far.

VERDICT:  3/5  Stars

*No money or favors were exchanged for this review.  This book is now available in stores, online, or maybe even at your local library.*

Just Go On Wikipedia Instead...You'll Thank Me Later - Trust Me!

Expected Publication:  February 17th, 2015

Secret Origins Vol. 1 (The New 52)

By: Jeff Lemire, Andrea Sorrentino, Greg Pak, Tony Bedard & Various

DC Comics

ISBN-13:  9781401250492

At last, the SECRET ORIGINS of the World's Greatest Heroes in The New 52 can be revealed!  The beginnings of the most popular characters in the DC Universe are finally told here, in stories that fans have been clamoring for since September 2011.  Included here are the origins of The Last Son of Krypton and Kara Zor-El, Supergirl, plus the first Robin, Dick Grayson.

Written by a host of the industry's brightest talent including Jeff Lemire (Justice League: United), Greg Pak (Batman/Superman), and Tony Bedard (Green Lantern Corps) and painted covers by Lee Bermejo (Joker), this new series is a fantastic way to jump on with the DC Universe!  Collects issues #1-4.

Review

       Major disappointment is all I was really feeling when I finished reading this volume.  You'd think that as someone still slightly overwhelmed about where to start in a vast universe like DC Comics, I'd be grateful for a volume of origin stories.  You'd think that, wouldn't you?  Well, I did too goddammitt and boy, oh boy, was I WRONG.  Because it turns out, I pretty much knew everything these guys had to tell me.  I can point to maybe 2 or 3 of the stories total that gave me anything new that made it worth my while, even a little bit.  There is almost nothing in this book, even as someone pretty much brand new to comics, that I hadn't already gleaned from the USA's pop culture collective/episodes of Smallville/episodes of the Justice League cartoon.  I can honestly say that for a reboot, they sure played it safe.  And the things that were different were just dumb or confusing!

       Let me break it down for you a little further.  There were origins in this book for: Superman, Supergirl, Batman, Dick Grayson/Robin #1/Nightwing, Aquaman, Starfire, Batwoman, Green Lantern/Hal Jordan, Tim Drake/Red Robin, Harley Quinn, Green Arrow, Damian Wayne/Robin #5.  That is a lot of ground to cover in just one volume!  I was kind of excited for this, because I'm unfamiliar with Red Robin, Starfire, Green Lantern and iffy on Harley Quinn.  What I got was shitty artwork, origins mainly regurgitated from past runs (from what other people have said it seems that way, anyhow) and stories that were just boring or made the heroes unsympathetic to me, as a reader.

Superman:  One of the few I actually DID end up liking.  You can tell that even though it wasn't anything really new, the author(s) at least tried with it.  The dual narrative from both of Clark/Kal's mothers was touching and it was a nice little piece, if a bit sappy.

Batman:  Really???  This is what you do with the Dark Knight?  Show some dumb training montages and "over the years" panels, before actually having him don the cowl.  He only gets the idea after seeing a bat fly in front of his Dad's statue.  "Yes father.  I shall become a bat."  He has to be scarier, see, cause the criminals don't fear him.  *Scoffs*

Supergirl:  Okay, blah blah, incident with Kryptonian-a-saurus Rex, parental expectations, time in stasis, etc.  Then when she becomes Supergirl, she saves North Korean astronauts!  Yeah, suuurrreeee.  Talk about freaking random and unnecessary adjustments.

Dick Grayson/Robin #1/Nightwing:  Very slight, but I didn't mind this really as I didn't know much about him beforehand.  I would've liked something more interesting, but it wasn't a detriment to the character.  I had just read Nightwing Vol. 1 though, and this was a nice sidenote to it.  Practically obsolete though, after the 0 issue.

Aquaman:  Once again, 'A' for effort, but obsolete after the 0 issue I just had the pleasure of reading.  They are really similar, in a way that does nothing to recommend this one.  Just go read the Aquaman volumes instead, you really can get by without the origin.

Starfire:  A character I knew nothing about, other than her Teen Titans membership, and I feel like I still know nothing about her.  For instance, was she the big sister or the little sister?  This was really confusing and she came across a bit stupid as well.  Whatever.

Batwoman:  Nothing against Kate Kane, this was just something to get through for me.  I wasn't really all that interested in it, as I didn't care for Batwoman Vol. 1 when I read it.  I did like seeing how she met her police officer girlfriend though.

Green Lantern/Hal Jordan:  This I actually liked.  Probably because I was confused as Hell when I read the Vol. 1 of his New 52 story arc.  I went in knowing nothing about Hal or the Lantern Corps, and they didn't even pretend to reboot that one - they just continued straight from a past run.  This actually gave me his background, some motivation and showed me his Lantern training.  One of very few reasons I'm glad I read this.

Tim Drake/Red Robin:  What. A. Little. Bastard.  He goes out of his way to find out who Batman is, baits him using Penguin, gets his parents in witness protection and all he can think about is how great he'll be as Robin!  It's not like he had any real reason to want to be a crime-fighter either, other than a young boy's fascination.  Came across as a selfish prick.

Harley Quinn:  It was interesting to get a look into Harley's demented mind and see how she got so immersed into the Arkham side of Gotham.  I liked the artwork in this one too, and it's one of two (the other being Aquaman) that I can genuinely say that for.  Plus, telling your story to a captive audience that you blow up afterwards is such a Harley maneuver! :D

Green Arrow:  Really?  Now they're putting Diggle in the comics?  Talk about a desperate bid to cash in on the CW's tv show.  Mostly just boring though.  I'd have liked to see a more focused story, with it choosing either the island or just after, with more detailed flashbacks used to good effect.  Nothing I haven't seen before and they might as well have just called Naomi Singh by her real name, Felicity Smoak.  Seriously, why even try to hide it at that point?

Damian Wayne/Robin #5:  I don't know why they even bothered with this one.  This isn't even canon to the current run of Batman for the New 52, at least with how Damian becomes Robin.  In this, Dick is taking over for Bruce, who just died, as Batman.  Damian is just becoming Robin, and never even worked with Bruce.  This is confusing, because there is a WHOLE comic dedicated to the two of them as Batman and Robin for the New 52!!!  It makes no damn sense in the context of their 'rebooted' universe.

Overall, I don't know why I even bothered.  If I didn't know better, I'd probably let this talk me out of reading any of these characters' individual comics.  I do know it for sure hasn't made me want to read Red Robin or Starfire, who came across the worst in my opinion.  Also, this doesn't make me hopeful for Green Arrow, who I love.  I will be picking up Harley Quinn though, so there's that.  I also feel a bit more prepared to read more Green Lantern comics, without reading the last five to ten years worth of stuff to catch up.  I would NOT recommend this particular volume, except as a curiosity maybe.  Check it out of the library though, for the love of God.  Don't pay for the boring stories/shitty artwork contained herein.  You have been warned.

VERDICT:  2/5  Stars

*I received this book from DC Comics, on NetGalley.  No favors or money were exchanged for this review.  This book was published on February 17th, 2015.*

Where Have All the Heroes Gone?

Published: November 11th, 2009

Wolverine: Old Man Logan

By: Mark Millar & Steve McNiven

Marvel Comics

ISBN-13:  9780785131595

Nobody knows what happened on the night the heroes fell.  All we know is that they disappeared and evil triumphed and the bad guys have been calling the shots ever since.  What happened to Wolverine is the biggest mystery of all.  For 50 years, no one has heard hide nor hair from him...and in his place stands an old man called Logan.  A man concerned only by his family.  A man pushed to the brink by the Hulk Gang.  A man forced to help an old friend -- the blind archer, Hawkeye -- to drive three thousand miles to secure his family's safety.  Get ready for the ride of your life, Logan!

Review

       The synopsis basically explains everything you need to know to be able to dive into this particular story arc.  It's been 50 years since all the supervillains finally figured out that by teaming up, they could get rid of the heroes and take over completely.  Wolverine is now just known as Logan and has let himself just become an old man, caring for his family in a harsh new world.  The Hulk Gang (Bruce Banner's inbred, cannibalistic descendants) runs what used to be California and they come calling when Logan falls behind on the rent.  After beating the Hell out of him, they demand double next month or they'll kill his wife and kids.  Then Hawkeye, also an old man (and blind to boot), shows up looking for a cross-country driver.  The money he's offering could set up Logan's family for quite awhile, so he accepts.  But he refuses to do anything but drive, as he hasn't used his claws in 50 years - since the tragic night when Wolverine disappeared from public life.  Can Logan manage to save his family and will he ever be able to get over the horrors he lived through the night the heroes died?

       I mostly LOVED it!  It made sense that out of everyone, Wolverine and Hulk would be two of the only "heroes" left standing when all the others had been assassinated.  I love that Logan has decided to put away the Wolverine, but still hasn't completely lost that part of himself just yet (the awesome panel near the beginning where he imagines ripping apart his Hulk landlord demonstrates just that).  We get to see a completely different side of Logan than normal and the westernized feel of the artwork and the storyline (man goes on journey to save family from destitution/death by evil landlord[s]) definitely lends a dystopian feel to things.  I liked that Hawkeye had gone through a lot of the same things, but led a completely different life.  Blind, three-times married/divorced and ornery as ever, Hawkeye calls out Logan constantly for hanging up his claws.  But they come to mutual understanding, when Logan finally tells him what horrific things happened on that night 50 years ago.  As someone who has never read a Captain America comic, the thing with Red Skull and his trophy room still sent shivers down my spine.  Also, the scene with the Iron Man suit was perfect.

       My main problem, the one thing that really kept this from being perfect for me, was the motivations of the Hulk and the ending that they led to.  I thought it was a very weak, "bwahahaha" type of characterization and kind of disappointing.  Seeing Hulk be just plain insane would be one thing, but the over-the-top, backwoods hillbilly tint didn't really make all that much sense.  Bruce Banner, the counterpart of the Hulk, was a very educated man and I never really bought that he would've married/mated with his first cousin, Jenny (She-Hulk).  He would've known the kind of genetic problems that would cause in his bloodline.  And the rationale?  She was the only one who could keep up in bed...um...okay then.  I guess in the context of true insanity, anything can be explained away, but it just didn't really ring true to me.  I did enjoy the end though, with Logan walking into the sunset holding Baby Bruce Banner Jr. on his back, ready to start fighting again.  Overall, a mostly fantastic comic book and a great alternate universe story, with some mostly overlooked weak spots.  I highly recommend it.  And boy oh boy, is it hella gory!

VERDICT:  4/5  Stars

*No money or favors were exchanged for this review.  This book is now available in stores, online, or maybe even at your local library.*

Movie Review - Justice League: War

DVD Release Date:  February 4th, 2014

Actors: Alan Tudyk, Jason O'Mara, Michelle Monaghan, Shemar Moore, Sean Astin, Christopher Gorham

Director: Jay Oliva

Writer: Heath Corson

Producer: James Tucker

Run Time: 79 Minutes

Review

I think that my opinion is somewhere between the party line and the outsider, when it comes to what other fans seem to think. Here it goes: I flat out liked it, as a whole. As someone who has just recently (within the last three years or so) gotten into the DC Universe, including the various animated series and the comics [mostly new 52 stuff], I can't say I'm a die-hard fan. But I have always loved superheroes and the different journeys that they can take us mere mortals on. I have been recently watching the JL and JLU animated series - marathoning them to be more truthful. And while I appreciate other fans' take on Kevin Conroy (Batman), Susan Eisenberg (Wonder Woman) and Tim Daly/George Newbern (Superman) being the definitive voice cast, I feel like the new voices are a nice change for a new direction in the storytelling.

Jason O'Mara as Batman - I love the serious, gritty voice acting on his part and the slight humorous edge they seem to be trying to convey with the animation in this one (though his face does seem almost overly surprised at times). I always thought Batman had a wry sense of humor about things. To me, O'Mara fits in with the new casting and is a worthy successor to Conroy.

Alan Tudyk as Superman & Michelle Monaghan as Wonder Woman - I'm grouping these two together, because it seemed like that's kind of what this movie did too. I loved the flirtations between the two of them and how obviously fish-out-of-water they were on Earth compared to the rest of the JL. That said, as other reviewers have pointed out, this film didn't quite succeed in making them three-dimensional characters. And Wonder Woman was overly Thor-ed in terms of characterization. Yes, puny mortals and all that. We get it. The whole thing with the ice cream truck made me chuckle, but it also made me shake my head in bemusement. THAT'S what you choose to do with one of the ONLY spotlight scenes for WW in the entire film, DC? Okay then...I found myself hoping that in "Throne of Atlantis" we get to see more humanizing aspects of our goddess and alien JL members. The voice acting itself, while solid, was nothing overly special or memorable.

Justin Kirk as Green Lantern - Wow, they came on kind of strong with the whole 'Hal is an arrogant prick' thing in this one. I liked the voice acting and the smarmy personality, to a degree. But as someone mostly unfamiliar with Hal (more familiar with Jon Stewart, actually), it got kind of off-putting. I did like the push-pull dynamic between him and Batman. Also, the interactions with Flash allowed me to see a glimmer of their friendship, which is something I really liked in JL: Flashpoint Paradox. Kind of interested to see what Nathan Fillion, who I really like as an actor, does with the role in TOA.

Christopher Gorham as The Flash - Got probably the least amount of screen time out of all of them, but was likeable enough. Curious to see if he'll get his own solo film, due to the popularity of the new CW show or if they'll keep riding the Batman/Superman train till it derails.

Shemar Moore as Cyborg - Completely unfamiliar with him before this movie. I knew he was part of the new Justice League and is (supposedly) going to have his own, live action film. I can honestly say that this character was the most likeable in the film. The connections to Billy Batson and even the Flash, through his scientist Father, before he got his powers made me curious. The scenes between him and Doctor Stone, that first fight scene with Darkseid's minions and the overall advantages to which they utilized Vic was really well conceived. In what is supposed to be the Justice League's origin, it's also a showcase of Vic Stone's metamorphosis from every-man to superheroe and how alone that makes him feel. The JL gives him a place to belong and a purpose for his life, after his football dream is obviously over. Obviously cliched in terms of story, but done with so much heart that I couldn't NOT like it! Plus, the whole interaction with Billy, which leads me to...

Sean Astin as Shazam & Zach Callison as Billy Batson - The New 52 origins for Shazam are a lot more relatable that his original, perfect and priggish personality. In this he's a street-wise, tough orphan who has been wrung out through the foster-care system and back. He is still untrusting and a little thief, even now that he's in a home where he can semi-relax. The only thing I wish is that we could have seen Billy get his powers, instead of him already having them. Also, do the other kids in his foster home know about the powers? In the comics they are in on the whole thing. But I get that due to time constraints they couldn't tell two origin stories in depth (and I'm glad they chose Vic, to be honest). To Billy, Vic Stone was a hero when he was just a football player. When he becomes Cyborg, he has this immature, overly musclebound magical guy named 'Shazam' chanting "Vic-tory!" in his ear and cheering him on. I don't think it really sets in for Cyborg that anyone can be a superhero until he finds out Shazam's identity. There are a couple great moments between the two of them near the end of the film. I also laughed when Wonder Woman commented on his acting immature and Billy's suggestion for a JL name and the others' reactions. It was a good choice to have different voice actors for the adult hero and the child alter-ego and both did a really great job, in my opinion. I just hope Billy isn't shoved aside for Arthur in the next film. I'd like to see him continue to be part of the League as well.

Darkseid - I was surprised they pulled out the big gun for something that was mainly an "origin" of the League. Also, the conflict just seemed a little overblown for how quickly it got resolved. I would have liked to see a different villain, on a grander scale. But the New 52 is what it is, and generally that's enough for me. Just didn't translate super great in terms of visuals in my opinion.

Overall, the animation in this was better for me than it was in the popular animated "Justice League: Flashpoint Paradox." I am especially glad to see that they've redesigned Aquaman for the next film. My brother, whom I watched both movies with, commented that Aquaman looked like he had a block for a head in JL:FP - and I agreed. Some people didn't like the design for Diana in this one, but I like that even while being an ass-kicker she still looked feminine (I can't stand the New 52 comic designs for WW and thankfully this didn't adhere to them). Probably the actual animation I liked the least, was the design for Batman. Like I said earlier in the review, I felt like the default face for him was a perpetual "O" mouth in surprise and he just seemed kind of underdeveloped in terms of detail. The visual representation on him wasn't so great for me. Not my favorite film, but I can honestly say I highly enjoyed it and I like the direction they are taking things in with this New 52 business and the new voice cast. Now, if only the Throne of Atlantis is as good as the trailer makes it look...

Aquaman, Vol. 1: The Trench

Published:  September 11th, 2012

Aquaman, Vol. 1: The Trench (Aquaman Vol. VII #1)

By: Geoff Johns, Ivan Reis (Illustrator), & Joe Prado (Illustrator)

DC Comics

ISBN-13:  9781401235512

The King of the Seven Seas Aquaman returns to his very own ongoing series for the first time in years at the hands of DC Entertainment Chief Creative Office Geoff Johns, who reteams with Green Lantern collaborator artist Ivan Reis!  Between proving himself to a world that sees him as a joke, Aquaman and his bride Mera face off against a long buried terror from the depths of the ocean!

Review

       So, before this I had never read an Aquaman comic book.  My only real big or small screen interaction with him was when A.C. Curry showed up in a couple episodes of "Smallville."  He seemed fairly likeable, if a little too obsessed with being kind to the environment (i.e. the ocean).  I did know that to most people Aquaman is a gigantic joke.  People like to dismiss him, because most of his powers are only usable in the Ocean/water.  They think he's useless when on land.  This comic book, a part of the New 52 relaunch of DC from a couple years ago, doesn't so much reboot the legend of Aquaman as it does revamp him a little bit.  We get to see the struggle of being a superhero and wanting to use your powers to help people, when they don't want you around.  The people Aquaman helps ridicule him, even after he saves their lives.  They don't appreciate his honor or his impressive powers.  Nothing he does is good enough to get rid of the stigma he faces with overwhelming public scorn geared towards him.

       The story, with the unknown sea monsters (they looked kind of like piranhas and were found to be some kind of ancient, weird offshoot of them) attacking Arthur's town, opened his situation to the reader and allowed me to jump in with ease.  We're also introduced to Mera, an Atlantean mermaid who was sent to kill Aquaman by Atlanteans who distrusted him, and fell in love with him instead.  Mera is a serious bad-ass, with the power to control ALL water (fire hydrants, water under the ground, in people's bodies, etc.).  Not to mention, she doesn't have quite the fondness for humans that Arthur does, at least not yet.  There is a great episode with her going out to buy a can of dog food and ending up arrested and causing havoc.  This volume leaves off on a cliffhanger of a greater mystery: why did Atlantis retreat underwater?  I liked the artwork, the story was really fun, and I'm interested in reading the next volume to see what's going to happen with the whole Atlantis thing.  I count this one as a win, especially since I'm sure a lot of these New 52 titles are going to be a hit or miss proposition.

VERDICT:  4/5 Stars

**No money or favors were exchanged for this review.  This book is now available in stores, online, or maybe even at your local library.**

Injustice: Gods Among Us, Vol. 1 (Injustice: Gods Among Us, Year One Series)

Published:  November 19th, 2013

Injustice: Gods Among Us, Vol. 1 (Injustice: Gods Among Us, Year One Series)

By: Tom Taylor, Jheremy Raapack (Illustrations), Various (Illustrations)

DC Comics

ISBN-13:  9781401245009

From the makers of Mortal Kombat comes the critically acclaimed prequel comic to the smash hit fighting game, Injustice: Gods Among Us!

Things in the DC Universe have changed after Superman is tricked into destroying the one thing he loves the most.  Now unwilling to let crime go unpunished, the heroes of our world must choose if they are with Superman or against him.  But not every country will submit to his new world order and neither will Superman's greatest threat -- Batman!

Collects #s 1-6 of Injustice.

Review

       So, I am more of a casual comic nerd than anything else.  I have my favorites, just like anyone who gets drawn in by comics.  In general, I make it a point to read off the wall rando stuff like Panthaa or Vampirella just for the hell of it.  But my must-reads are Hellboy (Dark Horse comics) and Green Arrow (DC Comics), usually.  The rest of the DC Comics characters I could usually do without, although I have a casual interest in them.  I had been curious about the game (I'm a fan of the original Sega Genesis Mortal Kombat games - yes, I'm old!) and finally played some single-battle mode with my brother.  I'll stick to my Genesis gaming-wise, as there are too many damn buttons for an X-Box 360 fighting game.  The story still intrigued me though as a fan of anything to do with alternate universes, so when I was in Comic City the other day I bought this Volume to see what the hype is about.  I definitely understand now!

       

       God, what can I say about the artwork and the story that hasn't already been said?  It starts with Superman finding out he's going to be a father and asking Batman to be the baby's Godfather.  Than the Joker targets Superman (wanting to win for a change, instead of losing to Bats again) and basically tricks him into killing Lois (and the unborn baby) and blowing up the entire city of Metropolis.  So Supes loses his city, his wife and his child all in one fell swoop.  Mad with grief, he decides that the superheroes in the world should use their powers to force the humans to stop their wars - an enforcement of peace on earth and all that jazz.  So he goes out and starts enforcing.  Batman is against Superman's tactics (which veer into "violence for the greater good").  He manages to convince some of the other heroes to join with him and oppose Superman.  But who can really oppose a man with godlike powers, with others that are the same backing him up?

       

       It's got questions of morality, and focuses a lot on making the right decisions, i.e. when to interfere and when not to.  Batman understands that even without the fighting/weapons, the conflicts still exist and aren't truly resolved.  It surprised me to see Wonder Woman (aka Diana) as Superman's right-hand man and top enforcer.  The Amazons sent her there as an emissary of peace and she's fighting bloody battles.  I particularly like the interactions between her and Ares, God of War, who she impales and taunts harshly.  The scenes with Aquaman and Arkham Asylum reiterate the fact that no one is safe from Superman's self-imposed reign of peace/terror (depending on your views).  Batman protecting the villains wasn't surprising in and of itself, as he doesn't believe in being judge/jury/executioner like Supes does.  It creates some scenes of comic gold, especially between Harley Quinn and Green Arrow, who are thrown together when he agrees to protect her from death via Superman.  The artwork is absolutely gorgeous, with every one of the characters coming across as flawed and human.  I especially liked the sequence with The Flash, where he's running on that Australian road, thinking about a kid that was playing superhero that got paralyzed because of Superman's tactics/orders - and his compliance.  It's an amazing moment of self-introspection and probably one the things that stayed with me most after I finished reading.

       

       There are three main character deaths in this (four if you count Jimmy Olsen) and they definitely won't be the last if it continues the way it started.  And I really hope that it does.  It's a brave new world, with Superman as the antagonist (which doesn't necessarily translate to "bad guy") and Batman as the protagonist.  There is particularly interesting, if albeit a little preachy, scene with Catwoman and Batman visitng the President and telling him that he has to do better, for the people that voted him in.  I think that's something that speaks to the general feelings of the American public, in our actual world we live in right now.  The cliffhanger left me reeling, but hopeful for another truly interesting comic volume.  One that makes me think, gives my eyes beautiful artwork to feast upon, has beautiful and funny dialogue and it just plain fun.  I highly recommend this to people who love comics, a good story, and just long for something different! :D

VERDICT:  5/5 Stars

One Of My Favorite Scenes

**No money or favors were exchanged for this review.  This book is now available in stores, online, or maybe even at your local library.**

V is For Villain and A is For A-Hole

Expected Publication:  May 20th, 2014

V Is For Villain

By: Peter Moore

Disney-Hyperion

ISBN-13:  9781423157496

Brad Baron is used to looking lame compared to his older brother, Blake.  Though Brad's basically a genius, Blake is a superhero in the elite Justice Force.  And Brad doesn't measure up at his high school, either, where powers like super-strength and flying are the norm.  So when Brad makes friends who are more into political action than weight-lifting, he's happy to join a new crew - especially since it means spending more time with Layla, a girl who may or may not have a totally illegal, totally secret super-power.  And with her help, Brad begins to hone a dangerous new power of her own.

But when they're pulled into a web of nefarious criminals, high-stakes battles, and startling family secrets, Brad must choose which side he's on.  And once he does there's no turning back.

Perfect for fans of The Avengers, Iron Man, and classic comic books, V Is For Villain reveals that it's good to be bad.

Review

     This book reminded me of a cross between the Disney film, Sky High, and a recent superhero read called Steelheart by Brandon Sanderson.  It has elements of YA angst, with the majority of the novel being set in a superhero school and the classes being split into those with powers and those without them (or with entirely useless or barely there ones).  The Disney edge about it is that the novel centers around the Baron family, is which Blake has all the powers and works on a team, as a real-life superhero.  His younger brother Brad is ordinary and viewed as an embarrassment to the family, a freak accident of nature.  The Steelheart thing about this book, is that the entire world knows about the superheroes.  They are the celebrities of this world and are followed constantly for coverage of their heroic exploits.  

     Brad is the protagonist of this novel and we spend the whole thing in his head, trying right along with him to decide if the superheroes really are the good guys and if he should become a villain instead.  We definitely get Brad's end of the spectrum quite a bit more, with him almost being paralyzed at the start of the book after being tackled by one of the powered kids too hard.  After mouthing off to his teachers one too many times, Brad is switched over to the A Program, and falls in with a group of kids who call themselves A-Holes.  The real reason Brad is interested in becoming villain though, is to hack into his geneticist mother's computers, and look at his gene mapping.  He wants to know why Brad has powers and he doesn't, when genetically speaking he should.  But digging deeper into his own past brings to the forefront a horrifying secret about the involvement of the government in the existence of super powers in the world - and just who the real heroes and villains are after all.

     I really enjoyed reading this one.  I felt that the characters were well developed, especially Brad and Layla, who were both really trying to think things through and have a sound reasoning for going to "the dark side."  Also, the whole superpower thing with Brad made for an interesting ride.  I wasn't expecting Moore to give him a secret one that he never knew he had.  It did make for a connection with Layla on a completely different level and still allowed Brad to be a societal outcast, albeit in a different way.  I liked the rest of the crew too, but felt like they were little kids playing dress up and sure enough, as soon as shit got real they all bailed out.  Blake was a superb caricature of the smug, self-involved, dumb brute hero character that's common in comics - that is, until he wasn't.  I loved the way Moore lulls you into thinking everyone is something different than really are and rips you apart with revelations.  My only complaint is that while the big reveal about Brad and Blake's respective powers at the end made sense, it was pretty cliched and really damn "muhahaha" in tone.  Other than that, I truly enjoyed this book and would highly recommend it to fans of comics and superheroes.  It struck the right balance most of the time between humor, action and philosophical musings.

VERDICT:  4/5  Stars

*I received this book as part of Around the World ARC Tours, run by the lovely Princess Bookie.  No favors or money were exchanged for this review.  This book's expected publication date is May 20th, 2014.*

Faster Than a Speeding Bullet

Published:  September 24th, 2013

Steelheart (The Reckoners #1)

By: Brandon Sanderson

Delacorte

ISBN-13:  9780385743563

There are no heroes.

Ten years ago, Calamity came.  It was a burst in the sky that gave ordinary men and women extraordinary powers.  The awed public started calling them Epics.

But Epics are no friend of man.  With incredible gifts came the desire to rule.  And to rule man you must crush his wills.

Nobody fights the Epics...nobody but the Reckoners.  A shadowy group of ordinary humans, they spend their lives studying Epics, finding their weaknesses, and then assassinating them.

And David wants in.  He wants Steelheart -- the Epic who is said to be invincible.  The Epic who killed David's father.  For years, like the Reckoners, David's been studying, and planning -- and he had something they need.  Not an object, but an experience.

He's seen Steelheart bleed.  And he wants revenge.

Review

     David still remembers every detail of the day his father died.  He was a man who believed in superheroes and the good that they could accomplish.  He was excited when people began to gain special powers.  But then Steelheart, an "Epic" in their area murdered David's Dad in cold blood - but not until after he managed to wound Steelheart.  Massacring everyone in the bank vault, except for David who escaped, Steelheart has gone on to take over the entire city and everything in it.  David has spent the last decade studying Steelheart in the hopes of revenge and when the Reckoners, a group that takes down Epics, comes to town he thinks the time has finally arrived.  But how can he figure exactly what drew Steelheart's blood the first time, get rid of all his main henchmen and fellow Epics, before finally striking the fatal blow to the man himself?  And who is the traitor amidst the Reckoners, on the verge of destroying the entire rebellion?

     I read two books by Brandon Sanderson this year: The Rithmatist and Steelheart.  The first one, Rithmatist, reminded me of Yu-Gi-Oh! and Pokemon kind of, only with chalk figures/demons instead of digitized monsters and little animals to duel others with.  I appreciated a lot of things about that book, not the least of which was complex world building and some great characters.  I really appreciated and liked it, even enjoyed it, but I didn't fall in love with it.  Steelheart however, is a completely different story!  I have always had a fascination with superheroes ever since I was a child.  I was never really into the cartoons, but I did enjoy the comics and live action films.  Well, this book takes on a whole other side of the normal superhero spin.  What if the people who gained these powers didn't choose to do good things with them and instead decided to take over the world?  Thus a race of supervillains - or at the very least super-assholes - is born!

     Except if things were that easy, than war and peace would be the simplest concepts on the Earth and half the crap in our history wouldn't be as drawn out and gory as it is.  Killing a human being, even one with unnatural powers, is a slippery moral slope with very little high ground.  You are still a murderer, even if your victim is a despot responsible for the deaths of many.  Is killing Steelheart the right thing?  Many cities are in complete chaos but the one he controls is fairly well run and organized.  People have some semblance of a life outside survival in its most basic state.  So to kill, or not to kill?  That is the question.  Also, not every Epic is evil and not every Reckoner is good.  Who is what in the grand scheme of things?  This book is a complete action, thrill a minute kind of book though.  The twists and turns will keep you guessing, until the ending which leaves you with a cliffhanger that will make you want to bust down Sanderson's door for an ARC of #2!  I'm not going to say anymore so as not to spoil, but suffice it to say that this isn't your average superhero paint by numbers, adventure story.  Great characters, plot and flow.  Truly enjoyed this one and I highly recommend it too! :)

VERDICT:  5/5  Stars

**No money or favors were exchanged for this review.  This book is now available in stores, online, or maybe even at your local library.**

Supernova Blog Tour - Excerpt and Giveaway!!!

Release date: October 4th 2013

Self-Published

Purchase: Amazon 

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18075975-supernova

BOOK DESCRIPTION:

On Cleo’s first day at St. Aloysius Gonzaga Academy, things get pretty weird pretty fast. After being confronted by a strangely hostile boy, she meets two girls and instantly bonds with them. Before long danger threatens the entire student body, in the form of a soul eating possessor fae. When her brother is savagely beaten and left in a coma, the girls decide to use their fae powers to become superheroes and stop the possessions. 

They quickly learn things are a lot more complicated than they had ever imagined. A government plot that had begun when they were infants endangers them all, and a demented former soldier bent on revenge is after them. The line between friend and foe has become so blurry, Cleo has no idea who she can trust. Will their superhero plot help them save the day, or just get them killed?

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Elizabeth has a near crippling Facebook addiction, dwarfed only by her need for Dr. Pepper. A self-proclaimed techno geek, she loves cell phones, computers, tablets and all things technological. The internet has to be the greatest invention since the wheel, in her opinion. She lives in a quiet subdivision with her husband, one-year-old son, three cats, and far too many electronics. It’s quite possible she has some raccoon in her DNA, because she loves glitter and anything that sparkles. She enjoys making jewelry and costumes. Halloween is her favorite holiday since it’s the one day of the year that you can be whatever you want. But her first love will always be writing. Otherwise, hearing voices in her head would make her feel schizophrenic.

somesharpwords.blogspot.com | twitter.com/SomeSharpWords

Excerpt From Supernova

     Someone slammed into my shoulder, making me stumble into my brother. I whipped around, my hair flying around my head as I lost control of my power. Logan stood there, a wicked grin tilting up one corner of his mouth. I considered letting a little of my explosive power loose, but I’d be on a slippery slope if I did. I knew from past experience that I must be starting to glow by now, but the other students seemed to be filing past without noticing. With more willpower than I thought I possessed, I reined myself in. Once the fires were quenched, I realized what a bad idea it would have been to let them out. I glanced around, but the only people who seemed to have noticed were Violet and Antonio.

     “What exactly is going on?” Violet asked. She narrowed her eyes as she studied me. “I…felt something. And I think you glowed.”  

     I wanted to tell her nothing had happened aside from a confrontation with a jerk, but Logan wasn’t done being a grade-A bully.

     Logan got really close, almost in my face. “Fae.” He spat the word like it was distasteful. “And a good girl I’d bet.” He packed so much malice into the words, I felt offended, despite the fact that I really was a good girl.

     My brother’s strong fingers wrapped around my upper arm, pulling me back. As I took one reluctant step away from the boy who’d been trying so desperately to rile me up, my hand raised, my fingers clenched tightly in a fist I was moments from throwing. And if I lost control of myself, even for a moment, I could turn the school into a fiery inferno. I took a deep breath to calm myself as I glanced around at the students who had no idea how close they had been to disaster.

     Something odd was going on here. Why weren’t the humans noticing us using magic in the middle of the hall? They should be freaking out, stampeding out the doors and reporting the freaks to the government by now. Instead they just hurried about their lives, chattering about inconsequential things as if they were life and death. I suppose to them, it was. But it was hard to imagine a formal dance as the most important event of the year when you’re standing toe to toe with a boy who wanted to hurt you simply because you were there.

     “You reek of good.” Logan was cloaked in darkness as he spoke, shadows rolling around him like smoke. Horns curved forward out of the dark hair on top of his head, the tips curving up to his hairline. I glanced around again but the students continued to flow around us as if they didn’t see anything. Maybe they couldn’t.

     My brother coughed and I could feel a surge of energy in him, a strange sixth sense we shared. I grabbed his wrist before he did something as stupid, as I tried not to do the same. I glanced around again, still expecting everyone to be standing and staring at us. Aside from a few scattered stragglers, we were alone in the hall. A boy with dark curls rounded the corner, rushing to Logan’s side. He grabbed his arm and gave him a shake.

     “Dude, back off.”

     Logan snarled at him, and the shorter boy’s eyes glowed red, moving as if the irises were made of liquid. With his jaw set, Logan stepped backwards away from me.

     “Is this entire school made up of fae?” I asked, spinning to face forward with my hands thrown up in the air. Too late I remembered Violet walking along beside us, oblivious to the fae world.

     She took the weirdness in stride. “Not entirely, but we seem to have more than our fair share. I think all the teachers are, and a good chunk of the staff too.”

     Or maybe not so oblivious. I didn’t realize I had stopped until she turned to face me.

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Hell Yeah, Bring It On!

 

Published:  October 16th, 2012

Hell Yeah!  Volume 1: Last Days On Earth



By: Joe Keatinge and Andre Szymanowicz (Illustrator)

Image Comics

ISBN-13:  9781607066071

 

Today is the worst day of Benjamin Day's life. He's the poster child for the first generation raised in a world where superheroes exist, but he wants nothing to do with super-anything. When versions of himself from throughout the multiverse show up dead, this one-man crisis of infinite selves tears open twenty-year-old secrets. Ben's now forced into the super-society he's long denied. Eisner award-winner and writer Joe Keatinge and illustrator Andre Szymanowicz team to bring the comic described by Third Eye Comics' Steve Anderson as "Watchmen for the Kick-Ass Generation." Features an introduction by the acclaimed creator of Madman and iZOMBIE, Michael Allred.

 

Review

 

     Benjamin Day has grown up in a world where superheroes and villains are a reality.  All he wants is to lead a normal existence as a regular guy/college student.  But when he goes out with his best friend and is hijacked by the band they saw play, things turn really weird.  One of the girls in the band has dated Ben - just in an alternate universe!  That Ben Day was murdered and someone is killing off all of Ben's alternate reality counterparts.  Can he help figure out why and stop the killer before he's next?  And is the answer closer to home than Ben ever could have imagined?

     So, this comic had lots of my favorite things in it - alternate dimensions, parallel selves and the like.  I adore things like that in a book, comic or not.  Ben Day is seemingly nothing special and while nothing was ever concretely nailed down as to why he's so special, there were some hints.  It was basically his origin story and that's a concept that I am familiar with and when done right, it's what I enjoy the most about comics in general (especially superhero ones).  The people coming through from other dimensions, all looking for Ben Day, created some hilarious situations and some rather horrifying ones too.  My favorite character besides Ben was actually one of the superheroes from another dimension, a woman who is on a mission to find and kill Ben (being away from her wife and kids to do it).  She was a bad-ass with a seemingly harsh view of things.  But there were moments, especially with her fellow superheroes, that you could see something more.  The change in Ben by the end of the comic was an interesting one and with the way things ended I'm eager to see where the author takes the story.  I did enjoy the artwork, but while it was good I did feel like it was a little too classic comic mashed together with a noir-esque graphic novel.  It was a little stylistically confused to my eyes, but what do I know?  All in all, a good origin story and I would recommend it to fans of superhero comics looking for a new mythology to deconstruct and analyze.  A good read that I don't regret spending time with, if a little incoherent at times.

 

VERDICT:  4.25/5  Stars

 

*I received an Advanced Reading E-book Copy from the publisher, via NetGalley. No money or favors were exchanged for this review. This book was published October 16th, 2012.*

Looking Beneath the Surface

Published: September 3rd, 2012

How to Date a Henchman

By: Mari Fee

Carina Press

ISBN-13: B008JK0MV0

Gina Hall is a college dropout with big dreams. Working as the receptionist at EnClo Corp isn't one of them, but she needs the paycheck, and she amuses herself by speculating what the mysterious company actually does. She's even more intrigued when the owner arrives, bringing with him a very attractive man named Burke.

Burke's job is more deadly than dead-end: as head henchman for Gina's boss, aka supervillain Static, he makes sure his boss doesn't end up in jail—or worse. But Static's latest scheme is way more legitimate than either of them are used to. This time they have a real office—with a smart, sexy receptionist.

Unfortunately, Gina isn't the only one curious about EnClo Corp's business. When a superhero starts sniffing around, he proves to be less than heroic, and the lines between good and evil blur. Only Gina and Burke can foil his investigation...provided they can keep their hands off each other long enough to save the day.

Review

   Gina Hall is a small-town, Canadian girl who is working as a receptionist at the mysterious Enclo Corp - so mysterious that she still doesn't know what they do and she's been working there for months!  All she wants is for something exciting to happen in her life, or to possibly see a superhero.  But since Canada passed anti-vigilante legislature unlike the U.S., that is highly unlikely.  So she just reads about Glimmer and his arch-nemesis Static.  When Mr. Sparks (the company's owner) and his right hand man Burke arrive, the shit starts to really hit the fan.  It turns out that Enclo Corp is a front for supervillain Static a.k.a "Mr. Sparks" and his latest scheme, which involves using his brain to gain more power in the international market.  Of course, this causes Glimmer to follow him to Canada in the hopes of foiling his 'nefarious' plans.  But is everything really is black and white as it seems?  Who is really the villain when it comes down to it?  And how on Earth will everything turn out, especially with Gina and Burke's explosive chemistry and Gina being shoved into the middle of the supers' fighting?  I thought this sounded interesting and I love books about superheroes/villains. Usually I don't read novellas, but this one is on the long end clocking in at 76 pages or thereabouts.  So I figured I would give it a go.  I was pleasantly surprised at how well the characterizations were done, the plot was fleshed out and how little of it was focused on the sexual aspect of the romance (usually when a story is this short and a romance, there's at least one or two sex scenes).  Mari Fee managed to write a compelling story about the shades of grey involved in right and wrong, a cute romance, the tribulations of super powers and it was funny too.  If you're a fan of comic books or superheroes in general, I'd recommend this one.  It's a quick, fun read and definitely time well spent.  

VERDICT:  4.75/5  Stars

*I received an Advanced Reading E-book Copy from the publisher, via NetGalley. No money or favors were exchanged for this review. This book was published September 3rd, 2012.*