JSA #7 DC COMICS
C’mon DC did you really think you could kill off Wildcat, one of the earliest Golden Age heroes (First Appearance Sensation Comics #1 Jan. 1942). A character created by the genius of two of the true greats of the Golden Age, Bill Finger and Irwin Hasen! But yes, you went ahead and did it and I cursed you all of last month. How could you ever expect me to pick up another issue of this title and be kind to it? And yet, it was thrust into my hands with a all knowing nod from the manager. You’ll want to see this. And so I sat down and read it. And then I read it again. Because writer Jeff Lemire and artist Rafael De Latorre channeled the vibe of the 1999 JSA series. Wildcat gets a funeral that he total has earned. A church filled with cameos. True sorrow shown on the faces of all. And the after mass reprocussions of Ted’s death. This is how a comic death should be handled. And while some of the behind the scenes drama I could have done without, I did like the faceoff between the JLA and the JSA. Batman’s rudeness not being tolerated. Superman’s somewhat pompous way of thinking. Made for some really entertaining reading. And the epilogue was a nice boost for the new Kid Eternity and shows us the DC version of the afterlife that has been shown in previous titles. This issue was raised above my expectation and I’m glad. 9 out of 10 Grahams.
ADVENTUREMAN FAMILY TREE #2 IMAGE COMICS
Like pulp magazines? Like the Golden Age of noir? Loving characters like the Shadow, Doc Savage, the Spider? Then you should be reading this title! With the creative team of Matt Fraction, Terry & Rachel Dodson, and Leonardo Olea, this title sneaks you in and out of flashback, has a ensemble cast that fills the inside cover page for goodness sake. And yet, the story keeps you interested and moving forward. And the tale within a tale of young Sally Sweet, Ace Aviatrix is heartwarming and thrilling. ‘Cheese N’ Crackers!’ If you were reading Phillip Jose Farmer books in Jr. High School, you should be here! 9 out of 10 Grahams.
BRAVE & THE BOLD #57 FACSIMILE EDITION DC COMICS
The DC Archivists are at in again. And I can’t help but wonder if this in flux of facsimile editions and reprints is do to the fact that the major comic films need to remind us of what they were capable of doing back in the day? Nevertheless, I am not faulting them for showcasing their glory days. Far from it. And here is another perfect example, as we set the Way Back Machine to October of 1964. A time when DC Comics had multiple ‘try-out’ titles under their masthead. Titles like Showcase and, of course, the Brave and the Bold. This title had had a series of recent successes with characters like Hawkman, the Teen Titans (before they were named the Teen Titans), the Justice League, and most recently Team-Up stories featuring Green Arrow, Martian Manhunter, Aquaman, Hawkman, the Flash, and the Atom. But in issue #57, stand alone charecter Metamorpho, the Element Man made his debut. Presented to us by the amazing Bob Haney and Ramona Fradon, the tale of adventurer Rex Mason who is tricked into searching for the legendary Orb of Ra only to be tricked and turned into the World’s Most Fantastic New Hero. At least thats what it said on the cover. But what no one knew at the time was that Metamorpho would become one of the most popular tertiary characters in the DC universe. Getting his own series for awhile, numerious mini-series, poignant roles in other titles as well as cartoons. Even to this day, as he will be making his first big screen appearance in the new Superman movie. Heartbreaking, goofy, and totally unpredictable Rex Mason’s alter ego is a force to be reckoned with. And here, we get to relive it all. 9 out of 10 Grahams.