Well, there’s no specific comic reviews for two reasons. One, it was the holidays, and as tempting as new comics are, a cozy couch is all the more alluring. Two, my job moved a little ways away from the comic store, so I’m still adjusting to the new route.

But that doesn’t mean there aren’t goodies, like what I did get for Christmas. Top among my list was Stephen King’s The Dark Tower: The Gunslinger Born hardcover. I had the good fortune of getting this just as my dad was going through the Dark Tower series for the first time. To give you an idea of the span of the Dark Tower, it was published right around the time I was born, I started it in high school and I finished it my junior or senior year of college. Even more so than Harry Potter, The Dark Tower was a big part of my life, and returning to that world was a great experience.

But does the Gunslinger deliver? There’s an unfortunate amount of hype and rave reviews surronding the work. First, if you’re interested in great comic book art, this one isn’t to be miss - Jae Lee and Richard Isanove are two of the best. And the writers - Peter David and Robin Furth - are just as good. But even with one of the most beloved modern comic writers and Stephen King’s personal assistant, the Dark Tower is a hard act to follow. Yes, the story and characters are top notch, but the dialogue, composed of the semi-Western, semi-Shakespearean lingo of New Canaan, is something of a hurdle. It’s not bad writing, but it screws with the pacing, as they lack King’s almost lyrical prose which makes this world truly sing. But this doesn’t really matter - the pathos, especially in the last page, is exceptionally effective in depiciting Roland’s all-consuming transition from boy to bad-ass.

I also got Alex Ross’ Justice, but haven’t started it on the account of it was volume 2 instead of volume 1. But the cover looks really cool, and I’m excited about any line-up that includes Captain Cold.

On the related media side, I also received - and watched - Superman: Doomsday. This retelling of “The Death of Superman” by Bruce Timm really hit the right cords for me - in many ways it was the most exciting Superman feature I’ve seen in a while. The voice acting was really good as well, recasting Adam Baldwin as Supes, Anne Heche as Lois, and an exceptionally awesome James Marsters as Lex Luthor.  But a word of caution to comic book geeks - don’t expect a blow-by-blow retelling of “The Death of Superman.” Superboy, Eradicator, Cyborg Superman and Steel are all absent, and much of the story following Superman’s iconic death has been completely retooled. There are some advantages - Doomsday is introduced as a doomsday weapon on a rampage instead of a really big guy who randomly kills Superman, and the absence of Pa Kent from the support cast leads to a touching first meeting between Lois and Ma Kent. The DVD also bears a PG-13 rating, and the producers go a bit overboard with the violence. It’s not dripping with gore, but one you’ve seen Doomsday crush one guy, you’ve basically seen it enough - you don’t need to see AGAIN and AGAIN. On the plus side, there’s a lengthy documentary detailing the actual Death of Superman and its impact on comic for anyone missing out on the original. You also get a sneak peek at the next DC Animated feature - The Justice League: The New Frontier.

And lastly, I’ve been hooked on Justice League Unlimited Season 1 since I first got the DVD. There’s no greater high for a comic fan then to see Green Arrow, Black Canary, the Question, Jonah Hex, and tons and tons of others in action. I haven’t really finished watching through all 26 episodes or the special features, but the one feature I did watch - on Bruce Timm and company’s geek-out in casting this season full of superhero guest stars - further succeeded in cementing Bruce Timm on my favorite list of comic creators.

Now for what’s out this week in comic book store.

The only real big thing out this week on the Marvel side is yet again Messiah Complex in Uncanny X-Men #494. There was a pretty big shocker for the traitorous X-member last time, as it was none other than Bishop! This is pretty weird, considering Bishop first appeared rambling about a traitor he believed to be Gambit. And even though Gambit has found himself on the Marauder’s side of the conflict (through no fault of his own, a lot of manipulation from Mr. Sinister, and some bad storytelling), it’s ironic that Bishop just might be the traitor to be feared this time. This issue reveals his motivation and plans - does anyone else smell a time paradox in the works already?

I’ll definitely be checking out Countdown to Mystery #4 to see more of the best presentation of Dr. Fate in ages. The self-pitying, self-analyzing Kent V. Nelson doesn’t exactly sound like a winner at first, but veteran comic writer Steve Gerber makes him one of the best new heroes by far. I’m also a little anxious to see what Eclipso does next, but story upon story of the DC villainess corrupting heroes is starting to grow tedious.

And finally, buried under crossover after crossover, Teen Titans: Year One looks absolutely great. The visual style - seen here -  is just great, and having Amy Wolfman, daughter of Teen Titans mega-writer Marv, is a great twist. Having already seen Amy strut her stuff in the Teen Titans animated series, I’m really looking forward to this hopefully refreshing look at freshman superhero antics.

That’s it for this week - check back next to see how everything panned out.

If you liked that, try...

1. Comic Book Rundown: Warlock, Winter and Winick
2. Comic Rundown: The New Frontier
3. Comic Rundown: A New Day for Nova
4. Comic Rundown: Graveyard Skrull
5. Comic Rundown: Space, Sorcery and Half-Skrulls

2 Comments »

1. 
   Shawn M.
   January 2, 2008 at 2:34 am

   Superman: Doomsday was a great movie, and I preferred it far greater than the comic version of “Death of Superman” from so many years ago. I wasn’t too crazy about recasting the voice actors, as I felt the previous crew on the series did a fine job. But then again, I’m a huge fan of Adam Baldwin, so that’s sort of a dilemma, ‘eh?

   Bishop’s a traitor now? Ugh.

   And “ugh” at Marvel in general. I don’t know if it’s Joey Q’s fault or what, but I’ve been seriously turned off over most stuff they’ve put out recently. The books have ceased to be fun to read. More and more, I’m picking up DC books and really enjoying them, especially the new Black Canary and Green Arrow series.

   [Reply]

2. 
   Richard
   January 2, 2008 at 11:51 am

   I agree - Doomsday did a really good job of steam-lining the whole storyline, but from what I heard, some fans were disappointed it didn’t bear more resemblance to the comic books.

   If you like Adam Baldwin, I’d really recommend Justice League Unlimited. He supplies tons of voices - including Jonah Hex and Rick Flag. Plus, a lot of other Firefly alums, like Gina Torres, Nathan Fillion and Summer Glau, have character voices too.

   I’m ughh at both Marvel and DC. On the DC side, I like Countdown to Mystery and I love Salvation Run, but I hate that I have to endure a whole another “Final Crisis” this summer. Wasn’t one enough? Plus, I hate how Countdown: Arena is trashing a lot of Elseworlds. Then on the Marvel side, I like New Warriors and Nova, but I’m pretty jittery about the Skrull storyline, and crossing my fingers Brian Michael Bendis can pull it off.

   [Reply]

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