Review- BATMAN: THE STRANGE DEATHS OF BATMAN

BATMAN: THE STRANGE DEATHS OF BATMAN (DC, First Printing, 2009; Softcover)

Collects Detective Comics #347, World's Finest Comics #184, 269, Brave And The Bold #115, Batman #291-294, and selections from Batman Chronicles #8 and Nightwing #52 (cover dates January, 1966- February, 2001)

Writers: Gardner Fox, Cary Bates, Bob Haney, David W. Reed, Gerry Conway, John Stanisci, and Chuck Dixon

Artists: Carmine Infantino, Joe Giella, Curt Swan, Jack Abel, Jim Aparo, John Calnan, Tex Blaisdell, Rich Buckler, Frank McLaughlin, Sal Buscema, John Stanisci, Greg Land, and Drew Geraci

This is one of those scattershot collections that don't appeal to me. I dislike the idea of books that jump all over the place in terms of original publication date. I passed on this book when it came out. Years went by and I was at my local library with my kids and they had this book in the graphic novel section, so why not, I thought? It has some vintage stories and the price is right: free.

I will never understand DC's collected editions department or the methodology used in the way that they put their books together. This is collection of issues where Batman apparently “dies”, and it is a pretty flimsy thread to use to pull a bunch of random issues from different decades together. This is the type of trade paperback that Marvel used to do in the '90s, before they figured out that people want complete runs of titles collected. I can't imagine anyone demanding a collection like this, nor can I imagine this being the type of collection that a mainstream bookstore buyer would pick up. It seems that the only folks who buy collected editions of vintage material are the completists, and they only buy books like this because it is the only game in town to see vintage material in “high def”.

If you read it as a random sampling of issues then you will have fun. The Brave And The Bold #115 was great, as Aparo was the best thing since Neal Adams. The four part Where Were You On The Night Batman Was Killed? storyline is the highlight of the book, a real whodunit featuring a who's who of Batman's rogues' gallery. Great stuff, and it makes DC's unwillingness to properly collect their material even more frustrating. Like I said, if you take it as a random collection of comics it will result in a fun read. If you want a solid run in between two covers then the different art and coloring styles will prove unsatisfying.

Junk Food For Thought rating: 4.25 out of 5.

The OCD zone- The cheap paper that DC uses makes their books weigh as much as a pack of cigarettes.

Linework and Color restoration: The linework is excellent, with no noticeable dropouts on the two issues that I did side by side comparisons with. The original color palette is faithffully maintained and errors present in the original comics, such as the Joker's teeth being blotted out by the printing press and colored red, are corrected.

Paper stock: DC uses cheap mando pulp paper in their collections of classic material during this era. It is ridiculous and feels cheap.

Binding: Perfect bound trade paperback. It should be noted that this is a library copy and is still kicking.

Cardstock cover notes: Laminated cardstock cover that has weathered endless handling over the years and still looks okay. Library books are like science experiments to us OCD types. We would never handle our books this many times, so it is neat to see how a book read dozens of times holds up.

Review- THE BATMAN CHRONICLES VOL. 11

THE BATMAN CHRONICLES VOL. 11 (DC, 2012; Softcover)

Note: Book actually released in 2013

Collects Batman #20, 21, and the Batman stories from Detective Comics #82-85 and World’s Finest Comics #12 (cover dates December, 1943- March, 1944)

Writers: Don Cameron, Bill Finger, Jack Schiff, Alvin Schwartz, Joe Greene, and Mort Weisinger

Artists: Jack Burnley, Ray Burnley, Bob Kane, Jerry Robinson, George Roussos, and Dick Sprang

Golden Age Batman is the best. DC kicked Timely's (or Marvel as they will one day be known) posterior region during the 1940s. The writing and artwork in this book is way better than what was found in most other titles of the day. Continuity wasn't a consideration and yet there are minor references to past adventures. Batman and Robin are continually defined and redefined as characters, with regular readers becoming aware of their motives and beliefs.

I am always amused by fans who have never read the early stuff claiming that Frank Miller's dark and gritty run are true to the original essence of Batman. While it is true that some of the earliest stories were hard-boiled, pulp inspired tales where Batman killed, that was quickly phased out by the same folks who created the character. If anything, this stuff is more similar in tone to the 1966 TV series. I have been watching it quite a bit of late, having bit the bullet and bought the deluxe Blu-Ray box set. The style of the third party narratives and quips from that series are indeed found right here in the pages of the comics. Fanboys* can cling to their notion that bastardized Neal Adams Batman (READ: Frank Miller) is the true essence of the character, but I will debate that to my dying day. The most prevalent representation of the character is the bleak, morose curmudgeon we see today, but that is not necessarily the correct characterization of the character from his early days.

*Term used in the original pejorative.

Shades of Burgess Meredith!

Batman's early rogues gallery is present, with the Joker and the Penguin being front and center. We also see one of the earliest changes, when Alfred goes from a portly Limey with a secret desire to be a detective to the seemingly taller, vastly thinner, and well spoken butler that would go on to appear in the television series. These comics are all fantastic reads.

This is likely the last volume in this line, as DC scuttled plans for a Superman Chronicles Vol. 11 and have cancelled a number of other solicited volumes in the line, which sucks. I avoided the Archives because of the way that they collected the material by individual title rather than chronological by appearance. I could pick up some of them but a few of them are out of print and going for a couple hundred bucks each, more than I am willing to pay. So I will sit back and wait for DC to pump out Golden Age Batman Omniboo or maybe even resurrect this line down the road. I am patient. Godzilla knows I have more than enough reading material to tide me over until if or when it happens. And if it doesn't, my homeskillet Ferjo Byroy owns all of the Archives and has offered to loan them to me to read, so once I catch up on my reading in 2038 I can just borrow his.

Junk Food For Thought rating: 5 out of 5.

The OCD zone- The material is presented in standard trade paperback trim size, meaning that the artwork is slightly shrunk down from the original publications. Golden Age comics were wider than modern comic books.

Linework and Color restoration: Hit and miss. Some linework looks great, other issues not so much. The original color palette is largely maintained although there are liberties taken here and there. I'd say it's 90-95% faithful to the scans of the original issues that I have done side by side comparisons with.

Paper stock: The pulp paper used in this book is thinner than the stock used in the original comics. It holds the color well and offers zero glare, but it would be nice if it were much thicker. This is Charmin toilet paper that will undoubtedly yellow with time.

Binding: Perfect bound trade paperback.

Cardstock cover notes: Thick waxlike lamination.

 

Review- THE FLASH CHRONICLES VOL. 3 TP

THE FLASH CHRONICLES VOL. 3 (DC, 2012; Softcover)

Collects The Flash Nos. 113-118 (cover dates July, 1960- February, 1961)

Writer: John Broome

Artist: Pencils by Carmine Infantino, Inks by Joe Giella or Murphy Anderson

Aside from the Super Friends cartoon series, I don't know much about The Flash. I didn't read any Flash comics as a kid, and aside from these Chronicles trade paperbacks, I haven't read many as an adult, so this is all new to me. I read this to my 7 year old son and he really enjoyed these as well. I wish that modern DC Comics were appropriate for my son but they are not. And yes, I know that they have all ages lines, but my son knows that those aren't “the real ones” as he motions to the “real” comics across the aisle.

The zany faux science of Silver Age DC is on display here, with things being fun so long as you don't overthink them. While I enjoyed every story, the ones with Captain Cold and Captain Boomerang were my favorites. I really enjoyed Carmine Infantino's artwork here.

In an era where pretty much all superhero comics are dark and gritty and “realistic” it was refreshing to read lighthearted escapist fun comic books like this. I know, I know, cynical fanboys (term used in the original pejorative) would call me a nostalgic obsessive, but riddle me this then: If these corny old comics suck so bad then why do folks keep coming back to them? Why are these the reference points?

I look forward to giving this book to my son when I double dip and buy The Flash Omnibus Vol. 1 this fall. I just hope that DC doesn't screw the book up like they usually do.

Junk Food For Thought rating: 5 out of 5.

The OCD zone- These Chronicles books are an inexpensive way to acclimate oneself to historically significant DC Comics. Unfortunately they seem to have dwindled to a trickle, with the line seemingly dead in the water.

DVD-style Extras included in this book: None.

Linework and Color restoration rating: 4.5 out of 5. The interiors of each issue look great, while the covers are spotty. The original color palette is maintained for the most part.

Paper rating: 3.75 out of 5. Pros- This lightweight uncoated stock mando paper closely replicates the paper found in the original comic books. It is cheap and helps keep costs down. Cons- This paper closely replicates the paper found in the original comic books and will yellow in time. The earliest Batman Chronicles books have already started to yellow on the top, so I have little to no reason to believe that this paper won't. Another con is that the MSRP of this book is no different than books of similar page counts with better paper.

Binding rating: 4 out of 5. Perfect bound trade paperback.

Cardstock cover coating rating: 5 out of 5. Thick laminated cardstock, a marked improvement over the screen printed spot varnished chalky feeling atrocity that was Volume 2.

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Review- THE SUPERMAN CHRONICLES VOL. 10

THE SUPERMAN CHRONICLES VOL. 10 (DC, 2012; Softcover)

Collects Superman Nos. 18, 19 and the Superman stories from Action Comics Nos. 53-55 and World’s Finest Comics No. 7 (cover dates Fall- December, 1942)

Writer: Jerry Siegal

Artists: Leo Nowak, John Sikela, Ed Dobrotka, George Roussos, Jack Burnley, and Joe Shuster

Golden Age comics are like alcohol: fun in moderation, but too much at one time causes one to feel disoriented, confused, and/or puke. I plowed through this book in short order and found that charm of these “simpler” times can wear thin. The stories are formulaic, predictable, and increasingly cheesy. The Superman Paramount serials were released during this time, and Superman, Matinee Idol (from Superman No. 19), which is a self-referencing story, is terrible. Another godawful story is Superman's Amazing Adventure (also issue 19) where Lois Lane and Clark Kent are trapped under a pile of boulders and then it turns out on the last page that the entire story is a dream sequence. Lame. Pretty much every story in issue 19 is silly and whimsical, and I can only hope that this isn't the direction that the series goes in from here on out. 

This book is not without its charms, though. There is tons of inappropriate fun here. Superman is still something of a bully. He uses windows instead of crashing through walls, an improvement over the rampant property damage in previous issues. Superman is still not technically flying yet. He is still doing his huge leaps. 

Yes, Superman punches an owl. PETA would be all over this shit today.

World War II was going on at this time, and unlike the superheroes over at Timely Comics (Marvel during this era), Superman largely stays out of the fray. There's a few references here and there, but unlike Captain America, the Human Torch, and the Sub-Mariner, he does not engage in fisticuffs with Fifth Columnists or the Axis Powers themselves. 

The artwork and writing are still well above average for the era. I've said it before, but I'll say it again for those just tuning in: DC made the finest comic books in the 1940s.This was a fun read all in all, and I am in for Volume 11, due later this year. I would recommend that you read Golden Age comics in small doses, no more than 2-3 stories/ issues a day. Please enjoy Golden Age comic books responsibly.

Junk Food For Thought rating: 4.5 out of 5.

The OCD zone- DC has switched printers to the same company that Marvel uses for these books, and the improvement in quality shows with better paper and better cardstock covers.

Linework restoration rating: 4 out of 5. This book has such a mixed bag of restoration. Some issues look flawless, with the linework being crisp and clear. Others look like muddy, poorly scanned messes. Most pages look decent, so I'll give this a 4. Some issues would get a 5, while others get a 3. Dare I get so anal with my restoration critique that I start going issue by issue? 

An example of one of the rougher restoration jobs.

Color restoration rating: 4.5 out of 5. The original color palette is maintained throughout the book. These books are such a treat to read when compared to the horribly printed original issues. One doesn't have to look to hard to find scans of all of these issues online. The off-register printing and color bleed are terrible on the original issues.

Things aren't entirely perfect with the re-coloring, though. There are gradient shadings here and there, but they seem to be done with greater care. The blends are softer. Nobody in their right mind would even notice this stuff. I, unfortunately for DC, am not in my right mind.

Paper rating: 3.75 out of 5. The paper used in this book is slightly thicker than the cheap pulp/mando paper used in previous volumes. It has a nicer feel and also seems to hold the colors better.

Binding rating: 4 out of 5. Glued binding is the norm for softcovers.

Cardstock cover coating rating: 5 out of 5. DC has switched printers to the same company that Marvel uses for these books and, as such, their covers now boast the same thick, waxy coating that Marvel's cardstock covers have. Bliss!

Buy THE SUPERMAN CHRONICLES VOL. 10 TPB at InStockTrades!

Review- THE SUPERMAN CHRONICLES VOL. 9

THE SUPERMAN CHRONICLES VOL. 9 (DC, 2011; Softcover)

Collects Superman Nos. 16, 17, and the Superman stories from Action Comics Nos. 48-52, and World’s Finest Comics No. 6 (cover dates May- August, 1942)

Writer: Jerry Siegel

Artists: John Sikela, Fred Ray, Ed Dobrotka, Leo Nowak, and Joe Shuster

Golden Age Superman rules! I love comic books from this era, and nobody did them better than DC did. I love the old cars, the old fashions, the old slang, and the might makes right attitude that Superman had. It's completely inappropriate here in the second decade of the 21^st century, but I love it nonetheless.

That Clark Kent knows how to put Lois Lane in her place. .

Superman is essentially a bully here, pushing people around. Only a super-powered Lex Luthor and Metalo give Superman a run for his money. The rest of the time Clark Kent just tries to convince Lois Lane that he is not Superman, and when he is Superman he is busy crashing through walls instead of using doors or windows.

Shades of Alex Raymond's Flash Gordon!

A few elements that came to define the character are presented here for the first time. Unless I'm mistaken, the first time that Superman utters the iconic phrase “Up- up- and away!” occurs in this book. I don't recall him saying it in the comics before, and I even tried Google-ing it, to no avail. 

Superman still isn't flying per se', just doing extremely high leaps that are looking more and more like flight. Unlike you new jack Superman fans, my Superman doesn't fly. 

This is not the first time that Superman has used his powers for breaking and entering or rifling through confidential files.

Another mainstay, the Fortress of Solitude, makes it's first appearance in issue 17. Superman visits his then-currently under construction mountain fortress hideaway. It is not actually called the Fortress of Solitude here, nor is it made of crystal...or located in the Arctic.

Junk Food For Thought rating: 5 out of 5. 

The OCD zone- The nice thing about these Chronicles is that they are value priced collections of vintage material. Think of them as 2/5 thickness full color phone books.

The cover image has some of the most godawful pixelation that I've ever seen. DC needs to stop letting the interns work on their collected editions. This is getting embarrassing.

Linework restoration rating: 4 out of 5. This is some uneven restoration. Some issues look great, most are serviceable, while others look godawful.

Color restoration rating: 4 out of 5. The color palette is faithful to the original publication...to a point. Some color choices here are just plain stupid, not just CMYK percentage miscalculations. In Action Comics No. 61, most of the colors are as faithful as possible. The desk on page 3 is miscolored pink instead of brown...four times on the same page. Things like that make no sense, especially when every other color on the page is done correctly. I am not certain if this is an isolated incident, or if there are mistakes like this all over the book. I compared this book to scans of the original comics online. Scans that I got...when they fell off a truck. Yeah, a truck. That's the ticket.

There also occasional gradient shadings, which annoys the piss out of me. It's just cheap, lazy coloring. The colorist responsible for the work let the computer fill in the shading rather than doing it by “hand” on computer. Their way is faster and cheaper but it sticks out like a sore thumb to me. Your mileage may vary.

Paper rating: 3 out of 5. The mando/pulp paper has zero glare and is very easy on the eyes. I have first printings of all of these Chronicles, and the older ones are already beginning to yellow. This is horrible, the worst aspect of old comics brought into the realm of collected editions. DC fans tend to be overly nostalgic in terms of presentation, wanting the paper in collected editions to be every bit as crappy as that found in the original publication. Thanks, but no thanks.

Binding rating: 4 out of 5. DC softcovers tend to have decent glued binding.

Cardstock cover coating rating: 3 out of 5. (*shudders*) The white has that weird, almost uncoated frosted glass feeling to it. Worse still, it easily scuffed, with minor imperfections evident even when handled gingerly for a single reading. The portions that have color (i.e. the character image and text) have a thin, rubbery screen coating. It just feels weird and unpleasant.

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Review- The Batman Chronicles Vol. 10

THE BATMAN CHRONICLES VOL. 10 (DC, 2010; Softcover)

Collects Batman Nos. 18, 19 and selections from Detective Comics Nos. 78-81 and World’s Finest Comics No. 11 (cover dates August- November, 1943)

Writers: Bill Finger and Joe Samachson

Artists: Bob Kane (penciler), Jerry Robinson (pencils and/or inker), Dick Sprang (pencils/inks), George Roussos (inks)

I love The Chronicles line of trade paperbacks. I would never have been able to afford delving into the history of DC Comics if not for this line of books. Sure, there are Archives of this material, but I simply cannot afford taking on three more lines to get this material in that format. I also dislike how DC split the three titles collected here in three lines rather than one line like they do here. The way that they are presented here makes for a more comprehensive read and makes my completist OCD turn green.

Golden Age Batman is so much fun to read. I enjoy the fashions and car styles of this time. My favorite story in this book is the one with Rob Callender, a Time Thief from the year 2043. What was 100 years in the future at the time of original publication is now a mere 31 years away. I sat there and thought what people in 1943 would think of 2012. I think that they'd be blown away in many ways (the way that we communicate and entertain ourselves), and disappointed in others (you mean that you sold out all of the rights that we bled for, and you fight amongst yourselves while the fat cats get fatter?). 

The OCD zone- The restoration is pretty bad in the bulk of the Detective Comics issues in this book, the result of DC's crude restoration methods in the days before 1200dpi scanning. DC uses old film, and sometimes it's not always in great shape. The majority of this book looks great, but there are a few stories where it is just off. It's a pity that DC doesn't do what Marvel does and go back and remaster their stuff when advances in technology allow for improvements. DC is still using VHS restoration in the Blu-Ray era.

Review: The Flash Chronicles Vol. 2

THE FLASH CHRONICLES VOL. 2 (DC, 2010; Softcover)

Collects The Flash Nos. 107-112 (cover dates July, 1959- May, 1960)

Wonderful! I was never much of a DC guy growing up, aside from watching the Super Friends cartoon and '60s Batman TV show (on reruns). I love The Chronicles line of trade paperbacks because they start at the beginning, offer a comprehensive presentation of a character's history by publication date, and are cheap. I would even consider an upgrade to an Omnibus for this title if DC were to offer one in the same format as the Green Lantern one.

I didn't really care for most of Vol. 1 of The Flash. The faulty, cheesy DC science rubbed me the wrong way. It wasn't until the last story in the book (Issue 106) that things seemed to hit their stride with the introduction of Gorilla Grodd. This volumes starts out extremely strong, with several rematches with Gorilla Grodd. He is quickly established as the Flash's arch nemesis. I have no idea whether or not this continues to be the case, as these two Chronicles trades are the only Flash comic books that I have ever read. My favorite story in this book is Issue 107's Return of the Super-Gorilla, in which Gorilla Grodd tricks the Bird-People who live on the floating islands beneath the Earth's crust into fighting Flash. I love the charm and innocence of this era of comic books. It's so much fun to read these things. The best part of this story is how the Bird People had drills which could puncture the Earth's crust, even though they had never been to the surface world or were even aware that there was life up there. Classic!

The quality of the writing (John Broome) and artwork (Carmine Infantino) is greatly improved in these issues as well. My only prior exposure to Infantino's work was his abysmal pencils in Marvel's Star Wars series circa 1978. His craft had seriously deteriorated when compared to this stuff. The only fault that I found with this book is the whole Kid Flash character, which is totally lame and stupid, the type of stuff that made me stay away from DC when I was growing up. I am definitely interested in a Vol. 3, if and when it comes out.

Junk Food For Thought

IRON MAN: IRON MONGER (Marvel, 2010)

Collects Iron Man Nos. 193-200 (cover dates April- November, 1985)

Denny O'Neil is an exceptionally good comic book writer. This stuff holds up very well a quarter century after it's original publication. The only issue in this book that I bought off of the stands was #197 because it was a Secret Wars II tie-in. I really feel like I missed the boat not buying this title on a regular basis back in the day, but I can make up for it by reading these issues today.

It was a treat to see a D-lister like Doctor Demonicus (from the Shogun Warriors series from the '70s) and his giant, "mutated" green lizard (read: Godzilla, mutated just enough to avoid getting sued). All in all, this was a great read with decent artwork by various artists in a nice hardcover package complete with sewn binding.

AREA 10 (Vertigo/ DC, 2010) 

This is a graphic novel in the TRUE sense of the word, meaning that it is a comic book originally published in book format, hence the term graphic novel. People often mistakenly refer to trade paperbacks as 'graphic novels'. Watchmen and Walking Dead are great graphic novels. No, they are trade paperbacks. They compile comic books that were originally published in a single magazine format, and then reprinted/ compiled into a book format. There is a big difference, and it drives me nuts when people throw the term graphic novel around like that.

The format of this book is odd but neat. It's a hardcover smaller than a standard comic book but larger than a digest, in black and white on heavy pulp paper, 176 pages of story. Something like this could well be the comic book format of the future if all monthly comics were to stop being published.

The story by Christos N. Gage is very good, and while it is labeled as a Crime comic, it is in truth a hybrid between that genre and Horror. An edge of your seat page turner, there is only one scene towards the end that made them lose me. *S-P-O-I-L-E-R A-L-E-R-T* There is no way that the guy would take a drill to his head in order to fight the killer. No way. The rest of this book was pretty believable, but that part lost me. *END SPOILER* Recommended reading for fans of the genres listed above, this will also be available in softcover next year for the more budget conscious reader.

Swamp Thing Nos. 91-96 (DC, cover dates January- June, 1990)

The very first Direct Market retailer, or "real" comic book store that I ever went to was the Book Bin in Lincoln Park, MI. They were getting out of the comic business after 30 or so years, and were blowing out their stock for next to nothing. Even though the store had been picked over with a fine tooth comb, there were still plenty of cheap reads to be had. A quick history lesson for the 'civilians' out there. The Direct Market more or less got it's start because retailers wanted to be able to get pristine copies from the distributor to sell as back issues later on. They ordered many extra copies for this very reason. The Book Bin was in on this game for many, many years. The first time that I went in there was 1983, and there were already rows of back issues. I also recall playing the Tron video game there circa 1983 to the tune of Hungry Like the Wolf on the radio in the store. Why I remember that, I couldn't tell you. In any case, I got all of these issues for $1.00. The line of trades that DC was putting out ended with issue 81, and I was curious how things had turned out. These are decent, but the quality definitely ebbs in the writing department. Alfredo P. Alcala inks the title, and the artwork is still decent, but the story just seems to meander along. Still, this was a dollar well spent.

THE SUPERMAN CHRONICLES VOL. 8 (DC, 2010)

Collects Superman Nos. 14, 15 and material from Action Comics Nos. 44-47 (cover dates January- April, 1942)

Golden Age Superman rocks! I don't like to throw the word 'great' around often, or use it lightly, because when something is GREAT that to me means that it is something superior, the best, etc. The Superman and Action Comics issues collected in this book are, in fact, GREAT. Great writing by Jerry Siegel, great artwork by Leo Nowak, Paul Cassidy and John Sikela, great villains in Krazinski (a composer who lulls audiences asleep with his music while his gang robs them), The Lightning Master, The Domino, Lex Luthor...everything is just great.

I hate to sound like I am gushing, but really, this stuff just hits all of the sweet spots for this era. The stories still hold up in a very charming, dated way. I truly appreciate the Chronicles line of trades because I have never read this stuff before, and I cannot afford yet another line of $50 hardcovers.

Many of the things that made Superman seem so sucky to me when I was 10-11 years old are becoming more and more apparent. His super hearing, telescopic vision, x-ray vision, invulnerability, super-duper speed, etc., are all becoming more pronounced during this era than they were in the earlier issues. I loved these stories in spite of this corniness. I also loved the way that he keeps gaining more and more powers, such as the ability to modify his voice to sound like other people. He catches bullets in nearly every story, ditto his nonsensical smashing through walls. I'm not kidding, there could be a window five feet away and this lunkhead will choose to smash through the wall, damaging property.

In Concerts of Doom (from Superman No. 14), Krazinski loses Superman in a car chase. Being the heroic guy that he is, Superman breaks into the Auto License Bureau, where he illegally obtains Krazinski's address from his license plate number. Hilarious. In  The Invention Thief  (same issue), a young inventor is swindled out of his creation by a savvy businessman. This honest entrepreneur is portrayed to be the villain here, when it was in truth the fault of the inventor for not securing the proper patents or hiring a lawyer himself. Superman, ever the bully, refuses to put out a fire that was raging in the businessman's mansion until he signs over the rights to the invention back to that dimwit creator. The knucklehead probably traded his invention for a sack of magic beans after this story...who knows? In Saboteurs of Napkan (from Superman No. 15), Superman single-handedly defeats the Napkanese (read: Japanese) plot to overthrow the United States. Superman in Oxnalia, also from the same issue, finds Superman fighting the Oxnalians (read: Germans) who are under the command of Razkal (Hitler). Superman utters famous phrases like 'Up...Up...and Away", as well as lesser known ones like 'Papa Spank'.

All in all, an entertaining and sometimes hilarious read that you can't go wrong with, clocking in at 168 pages for a list price of 15 bucks.

EXCALIBUR VISIONARIES: WARREN ELLIS VOL. 1 (Marvel, 2010)

Collects Excalibur Nos. 83-90 and material from X-Men Prime (cover dates November, 1994- October, 1995)

Warren Ellis' writing is solid and holds up for the most part, while the artwork ranges from passable to laughably bad. The '90s had some of the ugliest artwork, ever. The then-revolutionary Malibu digital color enhancements look dated, but that is forgivable. I just appreciate modern coloring techniques even more now, and it's truly amazing to think how far technology has come in such a short period of time. This is a nice collection and a good read.

EXCALIBUR VISIONARIES: WARREN ELLIS VOL. 2 (Marvel, 2010)

Collects Excalibur Nos. 91-95, Starjammers Nos. 1-4 and X-Man No. 12 (cover dates October, 1995- March, 1996)

Wow, what a decline in quality from Volume 1! Things go south fast in all areas, writing, artwork...even the lettering and colors, for crying out loud. X-Man is THE worst concept ever introduced in the world of comics, and the other retardedly named characters, like Threnody, are equally dumb. Needless to say that I will not be picking up Vol. 3.

BLACK TERROR VOL. 2 (Dynamite, 2010)

Collects Black Terror Nos. 5-9 (cover dates November, 2009- March, 2010)

I was ready to chuck this whole line for a minute there. I was blue about the ever expanding hardcover and trade paperback lines from the various publishers, blue about my limited funds for all of these books, blue about the sheer glut of comic books out there. I almost allowed this to kill this line for me. I sat down and read this, with my mind already made up that I was done with it, and you know what? This was a fine read. I suppose that I will be sticking with the Project Superpowers line for a while longer. They only put out trades a few times a year, so I'll try and figure out some other corner to cut.

CROSSED VOL. 1 (Avatar, 2010)

Collects Crossed Nos. 0-9 (September, 2008- February, 2010)

Wow, this was truly stunning. I don't mean stunning in the adjective sense of the word, but stunning in the verb sense of the word. If this book doesn't offend, shock, or repulse you on a consistent basis, then you are a very, very sick person. Crossed crosses every single line of decency with the exception of child pornography, but there is a sequel currently being published, so give them time. Garth Ennis' writing is whacked, but it's really the beautiful artwork by Jacen Burrows that takes the cake. It's so clean and polished that it invites you to stare and linger even when you don't want to. If this ever gets made into a movie, it'll be NC-17 at least. I am disappointed in myself for enjoying a depraved work as this so much. It haunts you, even weeks after reading it. I want to read it again and again. If Saw seems too 'Disney' for your tastes, then give Crossed a try...you will be sorry!

SANDMAN MYSTERY THEATRE VOL. 8: THE BLACKHAWK AND THE RETURN OF THE SCARLET GHOST (Vertigo/ DC, 2010)

Collects Sandman Mystery Theatre Nos. 45-52 (cover dates December, 1996- July, 1997)
I am happy to see this line of trades continue. 2, maybe 3 more, and we'll have the entire series compiled in trade paperback format. Good reads one and all.

IRON MAN: ARMOR WARS II (Marvel, 2010)

Collects Iron Man Nos. 258-266 (cover dates July, 1990- March, 1991)

Really well done comic books by John Byrne (writer) and John Romita, Jr. (penciler). These issues still hold up 20 years after they were originally published. I think that when the Essential Iron Man line of black and white phone books hits the late 1970s then I will start picking them up. Everything that I have read from 1979-on (via trade paperback) has been extremely enjoyable.