So far I haven't read that many comics recently. I've been busy reading and writing and stuff like that. But there are still a few:
Injustice Gods Among Us Vol 1: This is based on the hit(?) video game that I've never played because I don't own a PS4, PS3, XBox One or XBox 360 and fighting games annoy me anyway because I don't feel like exhausting mental space learning combos. I remember back in the 90s I rented a similar game for the SNES and I always liked playing the Flash because I could remember one of his combos. Anyway, I guess this comic is a prequel to the game. Basically the Joker decides that he's lost enough to Batman that he's going to move on to Superman. By creating a scenario where Superman accidentally kills Lois Lane (and her unborn child) the Joker plays perhaps his biggest joke on the whole world because this unleashes Superman, who decides that he will put a stop to crime everywhere. Which brings him into conflict with Batman. This is just the first 6 issues or so of a series that's been running for like 2 years now. Anyway, it's not exactly a new concept for Superman to decide to become more proactive, see Red Son and For Tomorrow for examples that I've read. Anyway, it's just a Marvel-ish way of getting the heroes to whale on each other, which is the point of the game. (2.5/5)
Captain America: Escape from Dimension Z: I reviewed the first part of this story probably around the start of the year. Fourth of July they put the rest of the series on sale so I finally got around to reading it. Basically in the first 5 issues Captain America was transported to "Dimension Z" a dimension ruled by the evil Zola. He adopted a baby as his son and like 10 years went by. And then these 5 issues are pretty much all one day. Most of it Cap is whining about how hurt he is. It's all pretty much, "I'm dying! But I've got to save my son!" Which he really doesn't. A major character is "killed" and really as it turns out this whole thing was a setup to get rid of Steve Rogers...again. Has any major superhero died or been retired, etc. than Steve Rogers? Yeesh. So...not so good. (2/5)
Superman: Last Son of Krypton: This was co-written by Richard Donner, the guy who made the 1978 movie and most of Superman II, so this isn't really an in-continuity story. Basically Superman finds a little kid who happens to be Kryptonian. And then General Zod shows up. Mayhem ensues. It was pretty good, though I will please Tony Laplume by saying it's not as good as Grant Morrison's All-Star Superman series, which this seems to share some DNA with in how they both try to work in a lot of different elements of the Superman mythology. Still it's probably better than Man of Steel. (3/5)
Batman & Son: The plot starts off largely the same as the recent animated movie. Talia al-Guhl, the daughter of the evil Ra's al-Guhl has made a "genetically perfect" son with Batman. She dumps the kid named Damian on Batman for a few days, during which Damian tries to kill current Robin Tim Drake and usurp his place. The end is vastly different than the movie and is somewhat unsatisfying. One thing to note is that the "new edition" I bought includes Batman: The Black Glove which I'd already read and was previously also a trade paperback. Which was kind of a gyp except I got it on sale for $2.99 so I suppose the 4 issues that make up the Batman & Son arc were worth that. (3/5)
4 comments:
I wonder what the appeal is to see heroes battling each other? I suppose it satisfies that "who would win in a fight" debate everyone has. Still, it seems like that plot gets recycled pretty often.
"Superman: Last Son Of Krypton" is certainly more catchy, if false, than "Superman: One of Three And Maybe Many More Guys Left Over From Krypton." Did I miss a comic with Superbaby? Because that baby should have superpowers. Hilarity ensues! Has anyone ever done "Three Justice Leaguers And A Baby?" Superman, Batman, and Green Lantern get left at the Fortress of Solitude with Wonder Woman's baby, each wondering who is the real father as they await her return from... somewhere Amazons go after sleeping with three superheroes in roughly the same month? NOTE THAT I AM NOT JUDGING WONDER WOMAN.
These comics look pretty ho hum based on your review.
"Last Son of Krypton" and the run that followed it were being published at the same time as All Star Superman. Particularly when they were both doing Bizarro I found it weirdly coincidental. But Johns and Morrison were and are DC's best writers. They no doubt knew what they were doing. And they were doing some of the best Superman material ever regardless.
Sounds interesting. I suppose it gets tough to write for characters that have been around for so long. They could be rehashing stuff and not even be aware if it. That's probably where I'd be after writing 12 issues of a comic.
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