COMIC NOTES

COMIC NOTES: AMID THE CROWDS CHRISTIANS RAISE THE BANNER AT COMIC-CON

Apart from crowds, costumes, coffee and comics, there was something else at Comic-Con - Christians! I saw a flyer for CCAS (that's Christian Comics Arts Society) on the always popular freebies table, so I had to go.

     The guys and girls from CCAS have been going to the Con for the last 12 years, shining the light. They have seen many Christian companies come and go during that time, but have been blessed enough to always get a table, and have continued growing in numbers. It's encouraging to see such talented, humble believers using the gifts God has given them.

     The first of the three panels was entitled, “Spirituality in Comics,” and had an eclectic mix of panelists, including Captain Marvel expert and Alter-Ego writer, P.C Hamerlinck, Cory Edwards (writer/director of Hoodwinked and the upcoming Fraggle Rock: The Movie), Scott Wong (Brethren Entertainment) and Holly Golightly (Broadsword Comics). It was hosted by author Leo Partible. You gotta love the Con - where else would you find a bunch of Christians and a self-declared witch discussing the same topic?

     In the second of his reports from San Diego's Comic-Con, KRIS BATHER meets up with some Christian artists... | more... |

COMIC NOTES: POP CULTURE RULES AT SAN DIEGO'S COMIC-CON

Comic books brought me here. It has always been my dream to visit America. I vividly recall watching the animated Super Powers show on TV as an enthusiastic youngster. To me, America was where Superman, Batman, The Flash and co. lived. Technically, it’s Metropolis, Gotham and Central City but the US of A gave birth to superheroes and effectively created comics as the art form we know and love today. Almost every month it seems there is a pop culture convention somewhere on these shores, but San Diego Comic-Con is the largest. It draws the biggest crowds and most attention from the mainstream press. I have hoped and prayed that one day I’d be in the exclusive number, and here I am.

     Flying from Perth to San Diego meant almost three days in the air, or on the ground waiting to get in the air. No shower, no sleep and no direct sunlight were my rewards. Travelling alone allowed me to befriend others in Tokyo and LA on the way though. I managed to make some friendly, if temporary, travelling companions, which made the distance seem less daunting.

     KRIS BATHER unleashes his 'inner geek' at San Diego's Comic-Con... | more... |

LIVING IN COMMUNITY

The X-Men, Fantastic Four, Justice League, The Avengers, The Outsiders, Teen Titans, Green Lantern Corps. The list goes on and on.

     The team concept is one of the comic industry's best sellers and will undoubtedly continue to be. With extra characters come extra story possibilities due to all the varied interactions and personality clashes. Marvel’s Punisher would be the most obvious anti-team player in comic books. He sees himself as a hero; a man picking up the slack of the paltry legal system, whereas DC’s Batman has often worked with the Gotham City Police Department. The Punisher sees himself as the only man worthy to dispense justice. All of his rage and frustration spews forth from his fists and gun barrels. Batman knows that in order to dispense true justice, his methods and motivations must be in direct contrast to the odd assortment of criminals he fights.

     KRIS BATHER takes a look at what comics have to tell us about community... | more... |

THE POWER OF PURPOSE

In the JLA mini-series, A Midsummer's Nightmare, the evil Dr Destiny puts Superman and co. in a coma-like state, while their dream selves live in an alternate universe where they are clearly not superheroes. They are - normal. Aquaman is not the King of Atlantis in this world, but on the board of a seafood conglomerate. Wonder Woman is not a proud ambassador for peace, but a school teacher. Earth's greatest heroes are mundane and powerless. Of course, they still have strange dreams reminding them of what their life is supposed to be like. Dr Destiny knew that taking away the League's true power and identity would effectively nurture them. You rob someone of a purpose, and you rob them of their power, or, at least, a reason to use their power responsibly.

     It's an interesting theme, one which writer Mark Waid re-visited in his “ID” story arc. The Cathexis, a pair of sixth-dimensional scientists, visit earth and tell the Justice League that they are searching for a dangerous sentient energy known as ID, created to transform desire in to reality. It turns out the Cathexis were liars and as a result, people all over the world see their wildest fantasies became a new, chaotic reality. The alien pair also manage to separate the League members from their secret identities, thus Superman becomes two beings - mild mannered, and powerless Clark Kent, and the Kryptonian Kal-El. Bruce Wayne's parents were now never killed, and he becomes the careless playboy he pretended to be. He's greedy, short tempered and generally hates the world. His true purpose, and desire to better himself, never existed.

     KRIS BATHER takes a look at what we can learn from the importance of purpose in the lives of comic book heroes... | more... |

COMICS AND THE CROSS

In comics, death is a supporting character. Both Marvel and DC have characters that share that name, but I'm not referring to a fictional creation. Rather I'm talking about the cold, hard reality of drawing your last breath. Death has been there since the beginning of the medium, when millions died, unknowingly giving birth to the first superhero.

     The entire planet of Krypton was destroyed due to its highly unstable core. Only the scientist Jor-El could foresee this but could not convince his world's leaders to believe him. (Maybe he should've used Proverbs 16:18; “Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.”) Jor-El could do nothing, so he and his wife Lara chose to at least give their only son a chance at life. They put him in an experimental capsule and shot him at earth, a planet with similar properties to Krypton. Kal-El landed in Smallville, was raised by the Kents and eventually grew to become Superman.

     In the first of a new column discussing comics, KRIS BATHER takes a look at the parallels between the origins of superheroes and the one, real hero, Jesus Christ... | more... |

PREVIOUS REVIEWS:

FLASH GORDON'S RETURN WON'T DISAPPOINT

Flash Gordon has had more facelifts than an ageing starlet. The sci-fi character was created by Alex Raymond in 1934 as a newspaper strip hero to compete with Buck Rogers. However, good old Flash has fared much better. Most would be familiar with the character from the awesome 1980 film (sing it with me, “FLASH! AHAAA!), the late 80s Defenders of the Earth cartoon, or last year's poorly received TV series. However, far too many people confuse the character with DC Comics' Flash (the guy that runs really fast), much to the chagrin of fanboys everywhere.

     Ardden Entertainment is the newest publisher in the comic book biz, with Flash Gordon being their sole release. After a #0 issue launched at the New York Comic-Con, we have the official debut of the blond adventurer's latest re-imagining.

     KRIS BATHER takes a look at the latest incarnation of an old favorite... | more... |

DRAGON PRINCE TAKES A BACK TO BASICS APPROACH

Starting any comic with a wounded crimson dragon being attacked by gun wielding motorcyclists in an ancient rice field is certainly attention grabbing. Writer Ron Marz (Green Lantern, Witchblade) is no stranger to worlds which couple mysticism with heroism, and here he distinguishes himself from the pack yet again by offering another creator-owned adventure.

     We soon learn that the man versus dragon battle is being relayed by a single mother to her young son, Aaron. The boy seems vaguely interested in such bed-time tales, until the next day at school, when his regular bullying gets him all riled up, triggering a transformation within him in which he vomits fire and turns pale green. How embarrassing.

     KRIS BATHER says Dragon Prince is an "oasis" for those looking for a break from the edgy... | more... |

ANOTHER STAR WARS ADDITION BUT STARKILLER'S STORY DESERVES BETTER

With all the hype the Force Unleashed game has been getting - which from what I've seen so far, it certainly deserves - this comic tie-in has slipped under the Star Wars radar.

     Of course, it was always going to be an uphill battle, with the frenzy surrounding the upcoming LucasArts release, so it's no surprise that this OGN (original graphic novel) appears to be the forgotten sibling in the game's shadow. After reading this story I've come to realise that sadly, it can't compete with a lot of the other comics out there either.

     It certainly doesn't help that it can't even be found on the official Star Wars site, and that both Dark Horse and Amazon list the book as 104 pages, while it actually goes up to 126. That's enough to make any SW loyalist about as confused as Jar Jar Binks at poker.

     KRIS BATHER takes a look at Star Wars: The Force Unleashed... | more... |

DOWNSIZED SUPERHEROES LIGHTEN THE MOOD

DC's current gallery of books is hardcore, with more convoluted stories than usual. Final Crisis and it's truck load of tie-in issues has our heroes facing their darkest day (apparently), and with Batman RIP (the Dark Knight's existence has seemingly come to an unexpected end), the DC Universe is not the simplest or happiest world to visit.

     However, they still know how to entertain and in recent months DC have given me much more mirth than usual, thanks in part to Tiny Titans, a simple book with short tales, chock-full of fanboy in-jokes. It always puts a smile on my face. Now there's this Superman/Batman two-parter. I don't think I've laughed out loud so much in a single issue. A pleasant change from last month's issue #50 which presented a far-out tale where the parents of our titular heroes may have met decades ago, this story is just plain fun, with no need for previous knowledge.

     KRIS BATHER has a laugh with DC's latest... | more... |

MECHA MANGA BIBLE HEROES PROVIDES A NEW LOOK AT SOME FAMILIAR STORIES

It’s almost as good an idea as talking apes that fight crime: you take the Bible’s most well known stories, and replace familiar characters with mechanized robots. Because of such an intriguing concept, Mecha Manga Bible Heroes has received a fair bit of attention from the mainstream press, who would normally ignore anything with the words 'Christian', or 'comic book', involved. The beauty of MMBH is that it has the potential to allow children tired of the same old Sunday school approach to fall in love with these tales, perhaps for the first time, and I can assure a lot of adults out there that there’s something in here for you too.

     The first issue is a 36 pager and the bulk of the issue focuses on the retelling of the popular David vs Goliath Old Testament battle. Tom Hall and Joey Endres have adapted the story well, and made it kid-friendly, ditching any obvious signs of decapitation in favour of a fast paced narrative and some great physical humour. For those hard nosed fanboys, this may not replace your love of spandex adventurers, with its simplified plot, and pencils, but it’s a great ministry tool and a fun family read.

     KRIS BATHER takes a look at the first issue of Mecha Manga Bible Heroes... | more... |

REVISITING CLASSIC FANTASY THEMES MAKES MICE TEMPLAR A SATISFYING EXPERIENCE

I’ve been following this series since it began. It doesn’t have the traits of my usual picks - that is, no spandex, or space ships, or surprising resurrections. It doesn’t even have any secret identities! But what Mice Templar does offer is great story telling, and that’s enough to make it stand out from the superheroes crowding the racks.

     Writer Bryan J.L Glass (Magician: Apprentice) and artist Mike Avon Oeming (Powers) are crafting this series in to the next great epic in sequential art. I’d compare it to Lord of the Rings since it deals with a dirty fantasy world rich in textured history, but it can also win favour with the Narnia crowd in the way it wraps deceptively cute anthropomorphic adventures in a cloak of adult themes. It would undoubtedly be a more engrossing experience reading the complete series, once finished, in collected form, but thankfully each issue has a handy reminder of what’s come before to refresh the memory. Since this is a bi-monthly series, this addition is particularly welcome and the casual reader should find enough with any issue to be hooked immediately.

     KRIS BATHER reviews Mouse Templar #5... | more... |

ATOMIC ROBO WILL "RENEW YOUR LOVE" FOR COMICS

Atomic Robo made an impression on the comics scene last year the same way he does in this story; packed with action and pleasant surprises. From new publisher, Red 5 ( who seem to be picking their projects wisely), this series is the ideal gateway title.

     If you’ve been away from comics for a while with all the soap opera spandex stories, or the ever-increasing adult tales wrapped in seemingly childlike packages, then you need to do yourself a favour. You need to buy Atomic Robo Volume 1. It will renew your love for the medium and give you faith in its future. Books that are simply fun and that can be shared with the whole family are a rarity on today’s stands. Robo is a new creation, yet he brings together the best bits of pulp adventurers as well as the fun of early Savage Dragon and the 'actiony' wit of Hellboy (the movie version).

     KRIS BATHER looks at Atomic Robo... | more... |

STATION CONTINUES SCI-FI TRADITION

Space is a great setting for stories beyond straight sci-fi. Films like the original Alien, Solaris and last year’s Sunshine showed us that it isn’t always extra-terrestrials that are the greatest threat. Paranoia and claustrophobia can play their part in creating terror too. With astronauts cut off from their loved ones and the strange sensation of zero gravity, normality is thrown out the window.

    Boom Studios’ Station continues this tradition. The first issue of a four part monthly series kicks things off with a bang. Well, not a bang really, but an immediate sense of desperation.

     The international space station is a gleaming example of scientific advancement and a unified humanity. That is until the latest batch of multinational astronauts take up residence in its cramped quarters.

     KRIS BATHER takes a look at a new sci-fi comic that takes up where films like last year's thriller, Sunshine, left off... | more... |

BACK TO THE BEGINNING IN MARVEL'S ULTIMATE ORIGINS

It was a wonderful treat to fanboys such as myself to see Iron Man’s box-office success. Not only because it gave the general public awareness of another classic comics character, and faithfully so, but also because of its hidden final scene. In case you didn’t know, Samuel L. Jackson made comics readers hearts jump with glee in a cameo with the excellent Robert Downey Jr. I won’t spoil it for you, but if you wait after the end credits you’ll see it for yourself.

     This issue attempts to do the same, but on a grander scale. Marvel wasn’t the first comics publisher to unite their characters in the same world. That honour goes to DC’s 1940’s Justice Society which gathered several of their popular characters together under one title, giving fans more bang for their buck. Marvel are the best at this kind of unity however. They have more superhero (and villain) teams, and guest stars than you can count.

     KRIS BATHER says Ultimate Origins may not suit newcomers but is one for long term fans... | more... |

SUPERMAN MEETS AN OLD FOE

This is a glorious time for comics’ oldest superhero title. Writer Geoff Johns can do no wrong with these timeless characters, or should that be, franchises? Issue 866 is part one of a new story arc, aptly titled, Braniac, and that should tell you all you need to know.

     Well, just in case, here’s a bit more info. Braniac is one of Superman’s oldest villains, and like the rest has gone many changes of powers, identities and costumes throughout the decades since his 1958 debut. He has appeared in the TV series, Smallville and also in various animated shows such as the recent Justice League Unlimited and Legion of Super-Heroes. Essentially, however, the current version is a green-skinned being from the planet Colu with powers including telepathy, extreme intellect and the ability to transplant his consciousness into other hosts.

     KRIS BATHER enjoys catching up with an old favorite... | more... |

THE 'BOY' WONDER RETURNS

Most people would only be familiar with Robin as the kid sidekick from the travesty that was the 1960s Batman TV show. However, the comics truth is thankfully a lot deeper. There have been three different Robins over the years since the original’s first appearance in 1940’s Detective Comics #38. It is this Robin, Dick Grayson, that most people would be familiar with. Throughout the decades Grayson grew as a character and as a man, and eventually stepped out of the Dark Knight’s shadow to become the solo hero Nightwing. Along came the leadership role of the Teen Titans, a new costume, a new city to defend and, of course, his own self-named title.

     The 80s was the time of excess in comic books as well, with superheroes delving ever deeper into mature themes, mostly lead by Frank Miller’s Daredevil run. The Boy Wonder did not remain unscathed either, or rather his replacement didn’t. Jason Todd was a street kid and the second boy to continue the Robin tradition.

     KRIS BATHER takes a look at Robin #174... | more... |

JUSTICE LEAGUE'S "OLD FRIENDS" RETURN FOR SOME NEW ACTION

I love the Justice League. Over the last 15 years in which I’ve been an avid comics reader, it has always been the one title that has consistently offered stories and characters on an epic scale.

     It was Grant Morrison that gave DC’s long-running title a shot of adrenaline in the early 90s with a sense of grandeur as these legends, and pop culture icons, fought side-by-side against everything the crazy Scot could throw at them. His relaunch brought back DC’s Trinity (Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman) and various other fan favourites together in one book and launched the writer into his current status as critical and commercial darling.

     Novelist Brad Meltzer recently took the reins of the current series after his astonishing Identity Crisis mini-series that made these heroes look at their lives a lot more solemnly. Dwayne McDuffie has written the last few issues since Meltzer’s (hopefully) temporary absence and has done a stellar job.

     KRIS BATHER peruses the Justice League's latest adventures... | more... |

ACTION COMICS' ANNUAL "WORTH THE WAIT"

Action Comics has a rich history. Superman debuted in its pages in 1938 and virtually created the entire comic book industry as we know it today. As with any character that has lasted so long the Man of Steel has had his ups and downs, but the last few months have been kind.

     DC Comics’ golden boy, Geoff Johns, continues to stamp his childlike wonder and awareness of superhero history onto this title. It is just one monthly book that the Last Son of Krypton appears in regularly, and as the name suggests, focuses on action. The six part story with the future set Legion of Super-Heroes has just wrapped as has the Last Son, concluded in this extra-sized annual. Those familiar with the first two Christopher Reeve Superman films will find much to enjoy here. That is partly due to Johns’ writing partner on this story arc - his one-time boss, and director of Superman: The Movie, Richard Donner.

     KRIS BATHER is impressed by what he sees in Action Comics' Annual... | more... |

IRON MAN KICKS GOALS - AND NOT JUST AT THE BOX OFFICE!

Ol' Shellhead's box office haul at the cinemas means that everyone now knows who he is. And that's a good thing. Of all of Marvel's ever-expanding stable of characters Tony Stark's metallic alter ego has always just slipped through the public consciousness, despite numerous cartoon adventures through the years since his 1963 debut in Tales of Suspense #39.

     Thanks to director Jon Favreau's insistence on casting Robert Downey Jr and staying true to the source material, Iron Man is now cooler than he's ever been, and Marvel is wisely making the most of the spotlight. Invincible Iron Man has just been launched as his second ongoing title and director Favreau, in conjunction with artist Adi Granov - whose designs inspired the look of the movie costume, have teamed up again on this four issue mini-series. Both new series have already sold out, with second printings available next month.

     KRIS BATHER finds Iron Man's graphics superb... | more... |