This a prose novel which is part of the “Goosebumps: Horrorland” book series.
HARD TO RATE
It was hard for me to rate thNot so maniac after all!
This a prose novel which is part of the “Goosebumps: Horrorland” book series.
HARD TO RATE
It was hard for me to rate this book, since the development wasn’t that entertaining, since technically isn’t a horror story but more superhero (or supervillain, actually) action but it’s not that inspired, that honestly, after reading Attack of the Mutant (from original Goosebumps book series) I was expecting an improvement, a revision of the theme, and therefore a better story, that sadly wasn’t the case…
…BUT…
…I found quite interesting that the story uses a narrative style quite similar to Gone Girl, but FOUR years before of the publication of Gone Girl!!! I am not saying that R.L. Stine invented the narrative style with this book, since it may be like The Blair Witch Project which it didn’t invent the “found footage” format, there had been several movies before, but certainly The Blair Witch Project made world popular the format impulsing a lot of new movies like it later. So, Gone Girl made world popular a style that later several authors wrote their own versions, and I found quite interesting that this humble book by R.L. Stine uses a narrative style that basically makes the same kind of impact to the reader, but four years before (without discarding that it could be other examples before).
So, if R.L. Stine was pioneer with a Gone Girl narrative style, why I couldn’t rate better this book? Easy. I hated the Gone Girl narrative style (you can look for my review about it), since I felt ripped off or deceived, like I wasted three weeks of reading. I have to mention that when I watched later the movie adaptation with Ben Affleck and Rosamund Pike, I liked a lot the film, not because the story was any improved, it’s basically a faithfull adaptation giving the same surprises, but for me, it’s different to be deceived or surprised only investing a couple of hours, than three weeks or more.
I won’t get into detail since I don’t want to spoil any of the two books.
COMIC STRIPS OR COMIC BOOKS?
Robby Schwartz has a hobbie of making comic strips (but it’s not clear if they’re really comic strips or actually comic books, which is a different format of the general genre of comics and/or graphic novels) but instead of superheroes, Robby prefers supervillains and all his comics (strips or books?) are about supervillains (I found this quite odd, since Robby complains at some point why he didn’t invent any superhero, since I don’t quite catch what kind of struggle can have those supervillains if there aren’t any superheroes to make a real challenge for them, anyway), and his main supervillain is…
…DR. MANIAC!!!
But there is at least a couple of other villains, The Purple Rage (like some kind of antagonist) and the Scarlet Starlet (some kind of companion), and soon enough it seems that they get into the real world.
Robby has two sibblings, Sam (brother) and Taylor (sister) and a good friend, Brooke, but soon enough they will be targets of his own creations.
The book has a fairly good pacing, but I found the action scenes not much inspired, but I have to give the the names of the superpowered characters are better thought that those used in Attack of the Mutant (but story in the first book was a lot better).
HORRORLAND CROSSOVER
The only thing kinda odd, is that the book is part of a marketing strategy where, after you read the main story, you’ll find a second story where the main characters of each previous book in the Horrorland series are appearing together, trapped in the Horrorland theme park, and while the text tells you what happened so far, if you haven’t read the entire series of Horrorland in order, you won’t get much reading this, if you read the books of this series in random order, like me....more
This a prose novel which is part of the original “Goosebumps” book series
COMIC BOOK WORLD AND REAL LIFE COLLIDING!
SincSurprisingly good story!
This a prose novel which is part of the original “Goosebumps” book series
COMIC BOOK WORLD AND REAL LIFE COLLIDING!
Since I am a comic book collector myself, I found this Goosebumps story quite appealing and even I was surprised that I liked it even more than I’d expected at first.
Bradley “Skipper” Matthews is a comic book collector and even he keeps several of his comic books totally sealed without reading them to avoid losing value (I keep them in protective bas alright but definitely I read them at least once), however the comic book of “The Masked Mutant” is a title that Skipper just can’t not reading it, therefore, each time that the comic book goes out, he read it entirely.
But “The Masked Mutant” is a different comic book since while he is the protagonist of the story, The Masked Mutant (which can manipulate his own molecular structure) isn’t a superhero but actually a supervillain, facing a entire team of superheroes known as “The League of Good Guys” (I have to admit that R.L. Stine could think a little further to come out with cooler names for them) where its leader is The Galloping Gazelle (a Flash-like wannabe).
Skipper has a little sister, Mitzi (that as usual in many R.L. Stine’s stories, she is always pesting his big brother), a friend, Wilson Clark (whom has the unusual hobbie of collecting rubber stamps) and soon enough he meets Libby Zacks (who collects comic books but a different kind of the ones that Skipper usually likes).
Everything is normal in the small town of Riverview Falls, until…
…Skipper finds the secret headquarters of The Masked Mutant, right in the middle of town!
Comic books elements are starting to become part of reality, and while it could a dream come true for any comic book collector, Skipper will discover soon enough that it will become a real nightmare!
I liked a lot the book, having several surprises and twists, where even when you think that the story already ended, that crafty R.L. Stine shocks you one more final time. Maybe my only complain is that there isn't any reason explaining why it's happening this merging between comic books and real life but definitely one of the best Goosebumps books that I’ve read so far (not the best, but definitely between the top list of those that I’ve been able to read so far).
This hardcover edition is a companion guide and artbook to “Invincible” Season 1 animated series” event.
CreaAwesome item to any fan of the series!
This hardcover edition is a companion guide and artbook to “Invincible” Season 1 animated series” event.
Creative Team:
Writer: Marc Sumerak
Foreword: Robert Kirkman (Creator of Invincible comic book and producer of TV animated adaptation)
ONE OF THE TOP 10 BEST AMERICAN ANIMATED SERIES
While the official title of the book is “The Art of…” and therefore you may think that it’s only a visual item to the series and while it isn’t a proper companion guide, certainly this gorgeous hardcover edition, large format, printed in prestige paper in full color, is quite more than just an artbook since it contains a lot of behind-the-scenes information about the whole Season One of the animated adaptation of Invincible.
You have separated sections dedicated to each episode of Season One, with inside comments about what they wanted to accomplish on each of those episodes including color boards…
…along with separated sections with spolights on each of the main characters of the season like Mark Grayson (Invincible), Nolan Grayson (Omni-man), Debbie Grayson, Atom Eve, Cecil, The Guardians of thee Globe, etc… moreover sections about the whole production process of the animated adaptation. Also, separating each major section, you’ll have beautiful landscapes used in the animation.
Of course, in the same way that the animated series is “R-Rated”, you may say that this book is too, since you’ll have here and there, drawings of gore moments of the action used in the season.
But, definitely, this is a priceless collector’s item (and quite useful too!) to any fan of the animated adaptation of the bestseller comic book series.
I bought this in its single comic book issues, but I’ve chosen this TPB edition to be able of making a better ovThe Ultimate Universe lives again!
I bought this in its single comic book issues, but I’ve chosen this TPB edition to be able of making a better overall review.
This TPB edition contains “Ultimate Invasion” #1-4 plus one-shot “Ultimate Universe” #1.” event.
Creative Team:
Writer: Jonathan Hickman
Illustrator: Bryan Hitch
ULTIMATE BRAVE NEW WORLD
The original Ultimate Marvel Universe, back at the beginning of the millenium was one of the best events ever made by Marvel, and even in the whole comic book industry, becoming best-selling titles and even the model for the eventual Marvel Cinematic Universe, like the thing that Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury was before in the comic of The Ultimates.
But as all things, the original Ultimate Marvel Universe came to an end, dying that universe, erasing everything there…
…BUT…
…two characters were able to escape to the destruction of the original Ultimate Marvel Universe…
…one hero…
…one hero turned villain…
…Miles Morales…
…and Reed Richards, and it’s this last one who now known as The Maker, one of the most dangerous villains in the whole Marvel multiverse, was confined in a prison, but he ha done goal in mind…
…getting back the Ultimate Universe, but shaping it at his own desire!
The original Ultimate Marvel Universe was the Earth-1610 but it was no more, therefore, The Maker after making an ingenious escape from his prison (and even inviting Miles Morales to go with him, but that one refused), he travelled to the Earth-6160 to make crafty manipulations here and there, to avoid many heroes to born (like Peter Parker isn’t bitten by a radioactive spider)…
…but even the Maker wasn’t able to stop certain events like Bruce Banner becoming The Hulk, and he doesn’t know where is the frozen body of Captain America…
…however the Tony Stark from there (he wasn’t Iron Man but his dad), discover The Maker’s plans and tried to stop him, but only to be considered as a terrorist by the general population.
And that’s only the prologue! And certainly I didn't spoil all the stuff, plenty more to read!
Because the new Ultimate Marvel Universe is just beginning!
Essential reading if you want to engage into the new Ultimate titles like Ultimate Spider-Man (I am reading this one!), Ultimate X-Men and Ultimate Black Panther, so far, but I am sure that they’ll be more.
This is the comic book issue #8 of the event “Batman: White Knight”, which it will be a miniseries of 8 issueBatman: White Knight comes to an end!
This is the comic book issue #8 of the event “Batman: White Knight”, which it will be a miniseries of 8 issues.
Creative Team:
Writer & Illustrator: Sean Murphy
Colorist: Matt Hollingsworth
Letterer: Todd Klein
ONE BIG EPILOGUE
Joker might have been responsible for terrorizing Gotham, but you weren’t necessarily making it better.
Due Batman: White Knight has been such a rush during the previous months, I expected something better for the final issue…
…since it was like an “automatic pilot” issue, where everything runs as expected according to how the story was left in the seventh issue…
…also it was dissapointing that the conclussion was forced to get back to the status quo, at least about The Joker…
…but I have to admit that there were some good changes in how the things were being done in Gotham City from now on (in this parallel universe)…
…and certainly, due stuff exposed in previous issues and a key sentence here, you can figure it out about what will be about, the next volume…
…since I am sure that Sean Murphy (the author) will return to his great new Batman universe, that I read that it will be included into the incoming DC Black Label line of stories.
Don’t get me wrong, since Batman: White Knight is without a doubt one of the best things that you can read about Batman.
My complain isn’t about the whole storyline, but about the necessity of this eighth issue that I think it could be fit (with some editing) and making the miniseries in a seven-issue thing.
Merged review:
Batman: White Knight comes to an end!
This is the comic book issue #8 of the event “Batman: White Knight”, which it will be a miniseries of 8 issues.
Creative Team:
Writer & Illustrator: Sean Murphy
Colorist: Matt Hollingsworth
Letterer: Todd Klein
ONE BIG EPILOGUE
Joker might have been responsible for terrorizing Gotham, but you weren’t necessarily making it better.
Due Batman: White Knight has been such a rush during the previous months, I expected something better for the final issue…
…since it was like an “automatic pilot” issue, where everything runs as expected according to how the story was left in the seventh issue…
…also it was dissapointing that the conclussion was forced to get back to the status quo, at least about The Joker…
…but I have to admit that there were some good changes in how the things were being done in Gotham City from now on (in this parallel universe)…
…and certainly, due stuff exposed in previous issues and a key sentence here, you can figure it out about what will be about, the next volume…
…since I am sure that Sean Murphy (the author) will return to his great new Batman universe, that I read that it will be included into the incoming DC Black Label line of stories.
Don’t get me wrong, since Batman: White Knight is without a doubt one of the best things that you can read about Batman.
My complain isn’t about the whole storyline, but about the necessity of this eighth issue that I think it could be fit (with some editing) and making the miniseries in a seven-issue thing....more
This is one-shot comic book title “Hellfire Gala” which is the beginning of a major comic book event about the X-Men univNothing will be the same!
This is one-shot comic book title “Hellfire Gala” which is the beginning of a major comic book event about the X-Men universe called “Fall of X”.
Creative Team:
Writer: Gerry Dugan
Illustrators: Adam Kubert, Luciano Vecchio, Matteo Lolli, Russell Dauterman, Javier Pina, R.B. Silva, Joshua Cassara, Kris Anka & Pepe Larraz
Colorists: Rain Beredo, Ceci De La Cruz, Matthew Wilson, Erick Arciniega & Marte Gracia
Letterer: Virtual Calligraphy
Cover: Phil Noto
LET’S PARTY!
First of all, I can’t remember a single comic with such large group of creative team, in a TPB couldn’t be such unusual but in one single comic book (even one which is a bit longer than your regular comic book issue(78 pages)) is quite…
…astonishing!
Second of all, it’s quite difficult to explain why this comic is so good and so relevant without falling in spoilers, but don’t worry since I won’t tell you any spoiler…
…just trust me that if you’re fan of The X-Men, you need to read this comic book and hopefully without any spoiler that it could ruin you the large bunch of surprises.
The X-Men universe won’t be the same after this single comic book.
The Hellfire Gala is an elegant party set in Krakoa (an island which is the new mutant nation having cutting-edge technology in teleporting, medicine, etc…) where all the VIP guests (X-Men, Avengers, important mutants and non-mutants) assist to vote and to elect the new roster of The X-Men. There has been other Hellfire Galas before and I don’t know how interesting were the previous ones…
…but you won’t want to miss this one!!!
One topic is that Ms. Marvel (Kamala Khan) is revealed as mutant, and since she was already an inhuman, it’s quite unusual to be both (not to mention that she died and due being mutant now, she is able to be ressurrected thanks to the uncanny new mutant technology). Cyclops and Emma Frost are quite interested that Kamala being widely recognized as mutant, while Kamala herself is still dealing with the news (being a mutant and being recently deceased).
This Hellfire Gala is where “The Fall of X” begins and I can’t tell you how, but indeed you can trust me that the X-Men universe won’t be the same and this incoming comic book event will be quite relevant to read.
If you’re gonna read this one, brace yourselves, it will be a bumpy ride. This isn't for the faint of heart.
This is the TPB collecting the issues #1-8 of the comic book event “Batman: Beyond the White Knight” plus the two-parter of “BatmIt’s Beyond Time!
This is the TPB collecting the issues #1-8 of the comic book event “Batman: Beyond the White Knight” plus the two-parter of “Batman: White Knight presents Red Hood”.
Creative Team:
Writer & Illustrator: Sean Murphy
Writer for Red Hood two-parter: Clay McCormack & Sean Murphy
Illustrators for Red Hood two-parter: Simone Di Meo & George Kambadais
Colorist: Dave Stewart
Colorists for Red Hood two-parter: Dave Stewart & Simone Di Meo
Letterer: Andworld Design
STILL A MASTERPIECE BUT…
While this third entry of the White Knight is still a masterpiece compared with many other stuff in the comic book market, and as you could see I gave it a full 5-stars rate, it’s the one that I found more stuff to critize or that I’d like to be handled differently.
This is where Batman Beyond (the Murphyverse version) enters and I was expecting that Terry McGinnis would shine to the top but the story (including the complementary two-parter) keeps wasting time on Jason Todd and frankly that doesn’t add anything of value to the main story, even you can take out Jason Todd of the equation and basically you get the same story.
On the side-story book about Harley Quinn, set between Curse and Beyond, Bruce Wayne shows that not matter he was on prison, he still keeps tabs on anything relevant happening on Gotham City, however, here Bruce Wayne is totally ignorant that Derek Powers took over Wayne Enterprise and even rename it, along with not knowing about how the lives of his “family” were doing all this time, and I felt that it was like a continuity issue, since not matter he asked that nobody would visit him anymore at the prison, he is Batman after all, and Batman always knows what is happening in Gotham City.
Derek Powers is one of the best managed characters in the story, but I didn’t need that he’d become Blight, while logical to the evolution of the character, he was more interesting and intimidating as a ruthless and smart CEO than a radioactive monster.
Duke Thomas took the mantle of Robin and while it was an idea of Sean Murphy since the first book that he didn’t implement then, I think that now in the third book where the character is way old, it’s kinda weird to be a Robin, in my humble opinion and it’s not like he is cooler just because becoming a Robin, since Duke Thomas is a cool character on his own.
And while Jackie, Harley and Jack’s daugher has a prominent role in the story, Bryce is left aside not doing anything relevant here.
WELCOME TO THE FUTURE
Bruce Wayne has been on prison for like 10 years and now the GTO is keeping the peace using police state protocols even causing a separation from the GCPD, putting Commander Dick Grayson and Commisioner Barbara Gordon in opposite sides of how to uphold the law, there wasn’t a Batman for all that time…
…and now Gotham City will have TWO!!!
Terry McGinnis is being manipulated by Derek Powers to find a special Bat-suit, the “Beyond” suit, that Powers need for “The Project”, and once Bruce Wayne found out that what was his company now it’s managed by Powers, he got out from prison using another Bat-suit (one that uses low-tech and not electronics becoming kinda invisible for the city’s futuristic sensors).
However, Bruce Wayne won’t be alone…
…since a microchip on his brain will bring it a holographic Jack Napier!!!
That it will be quite useful in this now high-tech Gotham City, since this new Jack is having one heck of hacking habilities.
In the middle of that, Harley’s daughter, Jackie found out the truth of how Jack died and she goes in a teenage rampage that it will be stopped soon enough by Derek Powers, manipulating her for his own agenda.
And Sean Murphy already set key elements for the fourth entry of this White Knght saga, expanding the Batman universe to the rest of DC universe but in Murphyverse style.
This is the TPB collecting the issues #1-6 of the comic book event “Batman: White Knight presents Harley Quinn” plus the one-shot of Noir Puddin’!
This is the TPB collecting the issues #1-6 of the comic book event “Batman: White Knight presents Harley Quinn” plus the one-shot of “Harley Quinn: Black + White + Red”. This is set to be read after “Batman: Curse of the White Knight” but before of “Batman: Beyond the White Knigth”.
Creative Team:
Main Writer: Katana Collins
Consultant Writer: Sean Murphy
Illustrator: Matteo Scalera
Colorist: Dave Stewart
Letterer: Andworld Design
Covers: Sean Murphy (artist) & Matt Hollingsworth (colors)
QUALITY PREVAILS!
I was worried about this spin-off of Batman: White Knight since it wasn’t a project done entirely by Sean Murphy as in the case of the main trilogy (so far) of White Knigth, because it was clear that this saga had been something quite personal by Sean Murphy in writing and artwork…
…BUT…
…I am truly glad of telling you that this TPB is the same as good as the main trilogy, where Katana Collins developed an engaging case to be solved by Dr. Harleen Quinzel; and Matteo Scalera presents an art style quite similar to the one of Seam Murphy, but adding an aquarel-like original finishing.
Therefore, this spin-off is the same as relevant to be read as the main trilogy, and it’s enjoyed the same as much.
GOLDEN AGE STARS FALLING
Two years after the events of Batman: Curse of the White Knight, Gotham City is safer as never before thanks to the GTO, but also because Azrael killed a lot of the main super criminals during his chaos spree, it’s when a mysterious character only known as The Producer is planning to fill the now empty spots of villainy with new rising criminals, and his first project is Starlet, a female murderer with the fetiche of killing golden age movie stars in melodramatic ways.
The FBI is involved and its criminal profiler, special agent Dr. Hector Quimby, is quite interested to get the consulting of Harleen Quinzel for the murders (along with the assistance of the GTO (mainly Duke)).
Harley isn’t too thrilled to get involved in the case (worrying about opening old wounds) but the pay will be useful since now she is mother of Jack Napier’s twins (Jackie & Bryce (named after (obviously Jack Napier) but also Bruce Wayne (the two main men in her life))).
Harley is struggling with her role of mother that she knows that she wasn’t cut to be a mom, but still she does her best to assume the role (along with the priceless assistance of her beloved hyenas).
In the case will be a golden age movie star that any Batman Animated fan will be thrilled to watched involved.
Harley soon enough will find out that this case is too close to her fellow partner FBI agent Dr. Quimby (for several reasons) doubting if she can trust him or not…
…and in a Gotham City without the protection of Batman, it seems that it will be up to Harley Quinn to do her best to face this new criminal menace.
This is the TPB collecting the issues #1-8 of the comic book event “Batman: Curse of the White Knight” plus the one-shot oThe Murphyverse expands!
This is the TPB collecting the issues #1-8 of the comic book event “Batman: Curse of the White Knight” plus the one-shot of “Batman: White Knight presents Von Freeze”.
Creative Team:
Writer & Illustrator: Sean Murphy
Illustrator for Von Freeze one-shot: Klaus Johnson
Colorist: Matt Hollingsworth
Letterer: Andworld Design
THE LIGHTNING STRIKES TWICE!!!
After the huge success of The White Knight by Sean Murphy, opening the path to the new line of DC Black Label and fans talking about a “Murphyverse”, it was only logical to have a sequel and due the first one was so good, it was understandable if the second one wasn’t that good…
…BUT…
…it was the same as good!
Sean Murphy showed in the first White Knight his love for Batman, the Animated Series and Batman ‘89, still keeping that, in this second volume of the saga, he showed his influences of the rest of 90’s Batman films but also the 90’s comic book event of Batman: Knightfall, clearly showing his modern influences about Batman, making him a banner in a new generation of writers/artists for the universe of Batman.
Which one is better? Well, I think that’s losing time and enjoy both stories, since it’s like saying that “Empire Strikes Back” is better than “A New Hope” but you can’t have “Empire” without “New Hope”, you need one for the existence of the other, and while it’s clear that the whole Jack Napier thing in the first White Knight was managed awesome and you could say that the new antagonist isn’t that well psychologically developed, the bets in the second story are higher, Sean Murphy isn’t afraid of doing what’s needed for the whole picture of the story, taking true advantage that he has his own comic book universe, and the status quo in the Murphyverse is shaken so much that you have to recognize that Curse of the White Knight is as enjoyable and well written than the first entry of this modern masterpiece of the comic book industry.
KNIGHTFALL REIMAGINED
The Joker is back in prison and Jack Napier is inside of clown’s mind again, however Jack Napier did so much and exposed so much in the first entry of the story that Gotham City can’t be the same anymore…
…and that’s something that the rich elite can’t afford so The Napier Initiative needs to be stopped and if Batma doesn’t cooperate…
…well, he will need to be stopped too!
ENTER: AZRAEL aka Jean-Paul Valley
However, Sean Murphy reimagined this and offers a better solution to the eternal problem of Knigthfall…
…why Bruce Wayne chose a total stranger like Jean-Paul Valley as his successor over better choices like Dick Grayson?
And Sean Murphy did it quite easy, since the idea of a new Batman isn’t taken by Bruce Wayne but the very rich elite that needed a better pawn to keep Gotham City under their leash.
However, that it will the peak of the iceberh since the very existence of Jean-Paul Valley means to Bruce Wayne more than he ever imagined since in this reimagination, Jean-Paul Valley isn’t a stranger to the legacy of Gotham City!
Bruce Wayne, Harleen Quinzel, Jack Napier, James Gordon, Barbara Gordon and the entire Gotham City won’t be the same after the shaking events of this monumental story.
Also, you’ll get in this TPB a great chapter about the past of Victor Fries’ father under the regime of the Nazi Third Reich.
This softcover TPB edition collects “Godzilla vs. Mighty Morphin Power Rangers” #1-5.
Creative Team:
Writer: Cullen Bunn
Illustrator:It’s kaiju time!
This softcover TPB edition collects “Godzilla vs. Mighty Morphin Power Rangers” #1-5.
Creative Team:
Writer: Cullen Bunn
Illustrator: Freddie E. Williams II
LOST IN TRANSLATION
Before I have read several Power Rangers comic book stories but so far, it has been thanks that my brother lent me his comic books, but this one is my first Power Rangers material that I bought for my own comic book collection.
I am fan of Godzilla since I was a kid and recently I became Power Rangers fan, so it was logical to get this story involving both franchises.
I think that while Godzilla is well managed in the story, you lose some impact of it since it’s a comic book and not a live-action film where you can hear his roar and watching moving the monster, because since it’s a kaiju that you don’t know what he is really thinking or hearing his thoughts, watching him in a comic book is quite less impacting.
A WORLD WITHOUT POWER RANGERS…BUT…
Rita Repulsa, archnemesis of the Power Rangers got a gemstone called the “Multiversal Focus”, letting her to go to any alternate reality that she wants, and obviously she is seeking for an universe without the existence of the Power Rangers…
…BUT...
…she got a world where Godzilla exists!
I don’t know you, but I would prefer to stay in the universe where she only has to deal with Power Rangers and not with the King of Monsters!
In the story, the creative team cleverly uses the Xilliens that they are an enemy alien race featured in the Japanese live-action film Godzilla: Final Wars and it’s indeed a great idea, since they are an alien race able to conjure kaijus to cause havok for their world conquering goals.
However, the Xilliens can’t control what the kaijus would do, and that’s something that Rita Repulsa finds quite inneficient once she makes a forced alliance, since obviously her monsters, small or big, always are under her control.
Obviously at the beginning of the story, it’s the usual crossover clash where heroes don’t know each other, so the Power Rangers asume that Godzilla was just another enemy monster to beat, and Godzilla thinks that the Power Rangers’ Zords are just other kaijus to smash.
Usually I don’t make review of a comic book sSuperman saves Costa Rica!!!
Creative Team
Writer: Mark Waid
Illustrator: Dan Mora
COSTARRICAN ARTIST
Usually I don’t make review of a comic book single issue unless it’s a self-contained story but not matter that this particular issue is part of a larger story arc, I wanted to make a review since it’s drawn by a comic book illustrator born in Costa Rica, which is also my native country, but also, in this comic book issue…
…SUPERMAN SAVES COSTA RICA!…
…since in a part of the developed story here, Superman along with a trainee hero, they go to Costa Rica, specifically to the Arenal Volcano in San Carlos, and stopped an eruption.
This event in the comic book issue was national news in my country where in two of the three major newspapers, appeared a full page article about it and even in one of them, there was a mention in the front page.
You may think that it’s something silly, but honestly, it’s not often when a super-hero, and not any super-hero, but Superman, the Man of Steel, appears in a Costarrican location, making a super rescue.
Mark Waid is the writer and Dan Mora was responsible to the art and Waid let him to choose which volcano to portrait in the issue, and obviously since Dan Mora is from Costa Rica, didn’t hesitate to choose a volcano from my country. There are other known volcanoes, even Poas Volcano is the same as relevant but Dan Mora explained in one of the newspaper articles that he chosen Arenal Volcano since it was visually more recognizable.
Dan Mora in this run of Batman / Superman: World’s Finest had include even Costarrican coffee in scenes where Bruce Wayne is visiting some Gotham City coffee shop.
Dan Mora is already a top name in the comic book industry, he won the Russ Manning Promising Newcomer Award at San Diego Comic-Con's Eisner Awards.
Dan Mora has been working with DC Comics and Marvel Comics on several major titles as inner work penciller along of being a fan-favorite cover artist too.
Dan Mora has been working with Boom Studios in titles such as Buffy, the Vampire Slayer and Mighty Morphin Power Rangers (where he co-created the Pink Slayer) and also he is co-creator of Klaus along with Grant Morrison.
Dan Mora since he works from Costa Rica, he attends some comic book events here, and I’ve been lucky to get signed all stuff that I’ve been able to buy of his work, including this very comic book issue. My brother knows him personally better than me, since my brother works in one of the comic book stores organizing events, but I was able to chat with him once and I can tell you that he is a wonderful human being.
NOW ABOUT THIS COMIC BOOK
In this issue (which is the second part of a story arc titled “Strange Visitor”), you have Boy Thunder, the sole survivor of a doomed parallel Earth, where superheroes there only exist on comics, TV and movies, and he was the only superpowered persone there, and now he is being trained by Superman and Batman.
I think that this character is very much like Superboy Prime and since Wonder Girl has a bad feeling about him, I wouldn’t be surprised if Boy Thunder ends very much like Superboy Prime, but next issues of this story arc will tell.
The Teen Titans has been participating in the training along with choosing his super-hero name.
Superman, Supergirl, Batman and Robin have been close to the training of Boy Thunder.
Right after saving Costa Rica from a volcano eruption, Batman calls Superman and Boy Thunder to give assistance at Gotham City since it’s suffering a city-wide attack from the villain known as The Key.
The comic book issue is quite exciting, with an incredible roster of heroes and villains (some of them I am not mentioning to avoid spoilers) and certainly I am truly glad of being able to get it.
This harcover TPB edition contains “Batman ‘89” #1 - 6.
Creative Team
Writer: Sam Hamm
Illustrator: Roberto Quiñones
BATMANIA
BaBatmania is back!!!
This harcover TPB edition contains “Batman ‘89” #1 - 6.
Creative Team
Writer: Sam Hamm
Illustrator: Roberto Quiñones
BATMANIA
Batman from 1989 was a pop culture revolution that year, people made lines to buy a t-shirt with Batman logo and certainly was the most popular movie then. People read articles in newspapers, months before its premiere, telling about the development of the film.
Polemic risen about if Michael Keaton should portrait Batman…
…and then the movie opened…
…and the polemic died and a pop culture icon was born.
I was lucky to watch that movie at theaters twice in a week. A friend got me from USA, the original soundtrack in cassette (yes, I still have it) and eventually I got the 90s Batman’s film collection first on DVD and later on blu-ray.
When I bought this TPB I thought that it was a following from the first film only, but it resulted that Batman Returns also ocurred, so the graphic novel is set after the events of the first two films giving an alternative continuation keeping Michael Keaton as Batman and Billy Dee Williams as Harvey Dent/Two-Face.
In the case of Pat Hingle’s James Gordon, you’ll find a dramatic change, showing a haircut and moustache to make him to look more like a comic book James Gordon. I would preferred having him to look more like in the live-action films, after all, the whole idea reading this kind of comic book projects is to watch the characters to look like their movie counterparts.
HOLY ROADS NOT TAKEN, BATMAN!
A real treat for this story is having Sam Hamm as writer since he was the screenwriter of precisely the first two Batman films, and he wrote this graphic novel adapting ideas that he discussed with the very Tim Burton and those ideas could be indeed a third movie if Tim Burton would remain as director, so this TPB is a priceless chance to read what may looked like.
In this story is introduced an adult Barbara Gordon who is a GCPD Sergeant Detective (that at least in my opinion she has the lookalike of Sean Young (who was initially casted as Vicky Vale for the first movie but she had to quit due an accident while filming an early scene)) but it seems that the thought model for the character was Winona Ryder. I don’t know, the drawing for me still it looks like more like Sean Young.
Also, you have Robin, but it’s a new character named Drake Winston and drawn to look like a young Marlon Wayans. I think that if they were creating a new Robin, they should think in a whole different name (like Miles Morales in the case of Marvel’s Spider-Man). Tim Drake is the comics’ third Robin and even he was created in 1989. I don’t know, maybe, just maybe, it was initially a joint project, but since Robin didn’t get to appear in the first Tim Burton film at the final cut, the two ideas took different paths.
At the end, this TPB is highly recommend to all fans of Batman films since it’s a priceless opportunity to read an elseworld scenario of how may looked like a third Batman film if Michael Keaton and Tim Burton would remain for a third entry in the film saga.
This harcover TPB edition contains “Superman ‘78” #1 - 6.
Creative Team:
Writer: Robert Venditti
IllustratoYou’ll believe that a man can fly…again!!!
This harcover TPB edition contains “Superman ‘78” #1 - 6.
Creative Team:
Writer: Robert Venditti
Illustrator: Wilfredo Torres
MY FAVORITE MOVIE
Good stories are never behind you, Jimmy! They’re out front!
Superman the movie is the film that I watched always on my birthday (at least always since I got it on DVD and later on Blu-ray) and definitely is the movie that impacted me as a child since I was lucky of being able to watch it on theater when I was like 6 years old, and since I was a kid in an age where there weren’t much special effects movies around, my experience wasn’t to watch an actor performing a role in the middle of a fx scene, oh no, when I watch Superman for the first time in live-action, I was convinced that I was watching a man flying able to catch with ONE HAND a freakin’ helicopter while having rescued a woman with the other hand…
…for a 6 years old, you can’t give him something better than that.
I kept loving the movie during my childhood, and when I became adult I was able to appreciate his final speech to the prison warden showing a priceless moment of humility, which is Superman’s best trademark.
After all that, it was obvious that I was going to read this TPB.
The events are after of Superman the movie but taking a different path where next adventure of Superman isn’t battling against thee three super-villains from Kryptong but facing the menace of Brainiac which is cool since he’s one of the major villains of Superman but still lack of a live-action appearance in theatric films (not matter of having appeared on TV at least in Smallville and Krypton)…
…and while I enjoyed a lot the story in this TPB…
…I would love even more, if this concept of introducing Brainiac to the Christopher Reeve’s Superman could be made after the events of Superman II and instead of Superman III (since after all that film was about a super computer anyway) but also doing what it was originally meant where Helen Slater’s Supergirl would be introduced in the third film of Superman original saga…
…Christopher Reeve and Helen Slater together in the same movie…
…could be the only thing to be better than the first two movies of Superman,… still the story is cool and interesting and a fair divergent road after the first film of Superman.
However the artwork could be way better (at least it wasn’t something that I particularly liked) since while the characters are drawn showing recognizable enough facial features of the live-action actors, still looks like a tie-in comic book adaptation from the 80s or 90s, that it could be acceptable in those decades but in the new millenium one is used to have better artwork in this kind of tie-in illustrated adaptations.
BRAINS V. STRENGHT: DAWN OF DOUBLE MORALITY
Harm’s way is what I do.
I always find ridiculous that people never doubt that Lex Luthor or Brainiac are certainly super-smart but Superman is only about strength and physical power…
…sorry but Superman has the scientific acumen and the knowledge of dozens of worlds in the 28 known galaxies…
…in the movie he was educated while he was traveling as a baby aboard of the rocket ship and even if that all information kept dormant while he was a kid and teenager, certainly all that knowledge was re-activated during his 12 years on the Fortress of Solitude preparing him for his adult life.
I don’t know compared to Brainiac, but easily Superman should be far better instructed than Lex Luthor. Even Luthor not matter he was kept telling about brains over strenght, he admited that only he was able to have smart talks with Superman.
However, writers kept showing other characters like Brainiac and Lex Luthor (and here, there is another surprise character) that they are the smart ones and not Superman. I guess that people can’t deal with someone who can be as good in the physical area than in the brains area…
…but amusingly that seems to apply only with Superman since it seems that nobody finds objectionable that situation with Batman, since everybody loves that the Dark Knight is as intelligent than an Olympic-level athlete but when it’s about Superman is like people is terrified of that scenario. (and don't get mistaken, I am fan of Batman too (I have a shelf with action figures of Superman and Batman) but I can't ignore the irony about it)
At the end, not matter that I could love to have Helen Slater’s Supergirl in the story and also I would prefer a better illustrator for the comic, I definitely recommend this TPB to any fan of the Christopher Reeve’s film run of Superman....more
Loading...
