Review- DEADMAN: BOOK FIVE

DEADMAN: BOOK FIVE (DC, First Printing, 2014; Softcover)

Collects Challengers Of The Unknown #85-87, Deadman #1-4, and the Deadman story from Secret Origins #15 (cover dates March, 1978- June, 1987)

Writers: Gerry Conway, Carla Conway, and Andrew Helfer

Artists: Keith Giffen, John Cerlardo, Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez, Kevin Maguire, and Dick Giordano with covers by Rich Buckler, Jack Abel, Frank Giacoia, Alex Saviuk, Dick Giordano, Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez, John Byrne, and Ed Hannigan

If you are still hanging around for the fifth book in any given line then you are likely a completist, which is fine because only a completist would be interested in reading the material collected in this book. That is exactly where this line of books has failed, though. DC omitted so many Deadman appearances that it makes this line feel like a wasted opportunity, as this will appeal to neither the completists, the casual reader, nor the mainstream bookstore buyer.

Rounding up some of Deadman's pre-Crisis On Infinite Earths appearances, Deadman: Book Five is an okay read. That is the book's biggest problem: it is just okay. It is very middle of the road in terms of writing and artwork, although Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez turns in some fine work on the four issue mini-series. Things never seem to get out of third gear though.

The book starts out in a jarring manner, as you come in during the middle of a Challengers Of The Unknown story guest-starring Deadman and Swamp Thing. Leave it to DC to omit part one of a four part storyline. The Deadman mini-series from the '80s is good, but let's face it. It's Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez's artwork that carries it. The story in and of itself is mediocre. The book ends with a ret-con filled retelling of Deadman's origin from Secret Origins #15. This was an attempt to make it more streamlined for new readers.

So this line is done, although the omissions make it an unsatisfying accomplishment. Oh well. This is DC. They will never right this wrong, so fans will have to take whatever they can get.

Junk Food For Thought rating: 3.5 out of 5.

The OCD zone- DC omitted tons of Deadman appearances from this era.

Linework and Color restoration: The original color palette is faithfully maintained, although the color blends are done as gradients on occasion. They stick out like a sore thumb to the trained eye. Linework looks decent enough.

Paper stock: Good weight glossy coated stock. Glossy paper is not optimal for comic books with flat coloring but I will take this over the cheap paper DC usually passes off on folks in their books of classic material.

Binding: Perfect bound trade paperback.

Cardstock cover notes: Laminated cardstock cover.

Review- DC UNIVERSE PRESENTS VOL. 1: DEADMAN & CHALLENGERS OF THE UNKNOWN

DC UNIVERSE PRESENTS VOL. 1: DEADMAN & CHALLENGERS OF THE UNKNOWN (DC, 2012; Softcover)

Collects DC Universe Presents Nos. 1-8 (cover dates November, 2011- June, 2012)

Writers: Paul Jenkins (Deadman), Dan DiDio and Jerry Ordway (Challengers of the Unknown)

Artists: Bernard Chang (Deadman) and Jerry Ordway (Challengers of the Unknown)

This is my third foray into DC's New 52, and I have to say that I enjoyed it immensely. I am familiar with Deadman, less so with the Challengers of the Unknown. It was interesting to compare and contrast these soft reboots since I am knowledgeable about one and not the other. (I recently picked up both Challengers of the Unknown Archives but Godzilla knows when I'll get around to reading them.)

Deadman's origin makes more sense here than the original Silver Age version, although it lacks the energy and spontaneity. It also lacks Neal Adams. Ha! Paul Jenkins does a solid enough revision, ironing out details while almost completely ignoring the whole League of Assassins aspect to his original origin. It was a bit silly in all honesty. Boston Brand's identity gets far less use here than it did in the original series, and he also seems less alienated and less mentally unstable because of that.

One huge difference in the story is that Rama Kushna assigns Deadman people to possess and live their life until he learns his lesson and is allowed to move on as opposed to him randomly possessing people while trying to find his killer. Something isn't kosher with this arrangement, and it is here that we find out what this new Deadman is really made of. Bernard Chang's artwork is very good but I find the soft color palette strips it of its energy.

Like I stated above, I own both Archives of Challengers of the Unknown and look forward to reading them someday. For this portion of the books (issues 6-8) we get former DC head honcho Dan DiDio collaborating with DC stalwart Jerry Ordway. I've always been a fan of Ordway's but thought that he was semi-retired. The truth is that he recently went public with the fact that while he has been under exclusive contract with DC, DC has chosen not to give him any work, which means that he starves. If DC doesn't want him they should cut him loose. I'm sure that Marvel would love to have an artist who can draw in the classic comic book vein on staff.

The Challengers are a reality show, and these “Unknowns” journey to the Himalayas for their new season. One of their team members, Clay, has a talisman which opens up a hidden city in the mountains. Without giving any more away, they end up finding out what makes all of this mystical stuff tick. There's so much potential with this creative team, but so far there's been no further issues solicited with these characters in them. My knowledge of the original series is pretty much non-existent, but I'm pretty sure that it wasn't a reality show that brought them together. Purists are probably outraged by this reboot, but as a new fan reading a new-to-me concept, it worked, and worked well.

I hope to see more New 52 Deadman and Challengers of the Unknown in the future.

Junk Food For Thought rating: 4.25 out of 5.

The OCD zone- DC has recently upped the quality of their trade paperbacks, which I will cover in greater detail below.

Paper rating: 5 out of 5. This book has a decent weight coated stock paper which is perfect for material with modern computer coloring.

Binding rating: 4 out of 5. Like nearly all softcovers, this has glued binding. Calm down.

Cardstock cover coating rating: 5 out of 5. DC has been using the same laminated cardstock covers that Marvel has since they launched the New 52 line of trades.

Buy DC UNIVERSE PRESENTS VOL. 1: DEADMAN & CHALLENGERS OF THE UNKNOWN at InStockTrades!

Review- DEADMAN: BOOK TWO

DEADMAN: BOOK TWO (DC, 2012; Softcover)

Collects The Brave and the Bold Nos. 79, 86, Challengers of the Unknown No. 74, and selections from Aquaman Nos. 50-52, and Strange Adventures Nos. 214-216 (cover dates September, 1968- July, 1970)

Writers: Bob Haney (The Brave and the Bold), Neal Adams (Strange Adventures 215, 216, and Aquaman), Robert Kanigher (Strange Adventures 214), and Denny O'Neil (Challengers of the Unknown)

Artists: Neal Adams and George Tuska (penciler on Challengers of the Unknown only)

This is flippin' awesome. Deadman totally rocks. Deadman finds his killer, the Hook, and it was an anticlimactic precursor to Adams' Ra's al Ghul Batman storyline. Sensei and the Society of Assassins are basically the League of Assassins with cheesier motives. Adams ushers in character development, something sorely lacking in many DC titles of this era. Boston Brand's desperation and alienation reach a breaking point, and he possesses a guy and does something really creepy off panel. I'm surprised that that scene made it past the Comics Code Authority. 

Deadman meets Rama Kushna, and his brash, arrogant manner proves to be his undoing. He has found his killer and was free to pass on to the afterlife but instead chooses to stay a living dead man and fight evil. Corny but very cool.

George Tuska's artwork on Challengers of the Unknown is incredible, worlds better than his '70s Avengers run. This was my first exposure to the Challengers, and I thought that the concept was intriguing enough. A quick search shows that there are two DC Archives, an Omnibus (which covers the same material) and 2 Showcase Presents phonebooks. If it deals with the macabre as often as it does in this issue then I have found yet another thing to try and acquire. Why are there so many sweet ass comic books from all eras? Why? Why!?!!

Junk Food For Thought rating: 5 out of 5.

The OCD zone- A nice trade paperback collection.

Linework restoration rating: 5 out of 5. The film for this stuff is in damn good shape, with one or two spots of linework dropped throughout the entire book. Acceptable enough for a 5. It looks like Adams possibly re-inked a panel or two.

Color restoration rating: 4 out of 5. While faithful to the original color palette, the cheesy gradient shades lowered it a full point. It's annoying when they cut corners like this. The argument usually falls into several camps: The first being folks like me who want things presented as authentically as possible in a “high definition” collected edition format. Another is the “I can't tell the difference” crowd, who have lower standards for restoration overall but likely make up the bulk of the audience for these books, and finally, the “You should be happy that DC lets you buy this stuff. Buy it and like it.” This is the most annoying bunch, as they apologize and make excuses for DC's numerous shortcomings. I totally get that my preferred approach to restoration is the most time consuming and labor extensive (as well as the most expensive), but if they do it once then they should just do it right. We have the technology. There are no more excuses.

Paper rating: 4 out of 5. This has a decent weight coated stock. It is a tad too glossy for this material but is still worlds better than the toilet paper DC used to put in their trade paperbacks of vintage material.

Binding rating: 4 out of 5. Glued binding. Nothing to get yourself worked up over for a softcover.

Cardstock cover coating rating: 5 out of 5. DC's lamination on their cardstock covers is now as high quality as Marvel's.