I Reads You Review: BATMAN ETERNAL #1

BATMAN ETERNAL #1
DC COMICS – @DCComics

STORY/SCRIPT: Scott Snyder and James Tynion IV with Ray Fawkes, John Layman, and Tim Seeley
ART: Jason Fabok
COLORS: Brad Anderson
LETTERS: Nick J. Napolitano
COVER: Jason Fabok with Tomeu Morey
VARIANT COVER: Andy Kubert and Jonathan Glapion with Brad Anderson
32pp, Color, $2.99 U.S. (June 2014)

Rated “T” for “Teen”

Batman created by Bob Kane with Bill Finger

Although we are already a few issues in, I just obtained a copy of Batman Eternal #1.  DC Entertainment and Warner Bros. have begun the celebration of the 75th anniversary of the debut of Batman (in Detective Comics #27: cover dated May 1939).  Part of DC Comics’ year-long celebration is the launch of Batman Eternal, a new, year-long, weekly comic book series, which will apparently consist of 60 issues.

Scott Snyder, the writer of the ongoing Batman comic book series, is Batman Eternal’s lead writer with James Tynion IV.  The series’ other writers are Ray Fawkes, Tim Seeley, and John Layman; Layman’s work will appear early in the series, before Kyle Higgins replaces him.  The art at the beginning of Batman Eternal will be provided by Jason Fabok.  Batman Eternal will apparently feature an “immense cast” (according to the “DC Comics All Access” column) and will focus on Batman’s relationship with his allies and with Gotham City (“his city”)

Early in Batman Eternal #1, we meet Jason Bard.  Bard is a young police lieutenant who is transferring to the Gotham City Police Department from Detroit.  He arrives in Gotham, where he gets a welcome from Harvey Bullock.  Meanwhile, Batman and police Commissioner James “Jim” Gordon are on the trail of Professor Pyg.  Then, everything starts to go bad.

I enjoyed reading Batman Eternal #1.  It’s interesting, though not the most interesting Batman comic book of the moment, but it could be.  There is potential here, especially because of the way this first issue begins and ends.  I can say that I am impressed with the art by Jason Fabok.  He has an old-school style, in which he uses his inking to create depth, texture, and feathering – three elements many current comic book artists have given over to the people that color comic book art.

For the time being, I plan to keep following Batman Eternal.

B+

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux


The text is copyright © 2014 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this site for syndication rights and fees.

I Reads You Review: Batman #28

BATMAN #28
DC COMICS – @DCComics

WRITER: Scott Snyder and James Tynion IV
PENCILS: Dustin Nguyen
INKS: Derek Fridolfs
COLORS: John Kalisz
LETTERS: Sal Cipriano
COVER: Dustin Nguyen
VARIANT COVER: Howard Chaykin and Jesus Aburto
32pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (April 2014)

Batman created by Bob Kane with Bill Finger

DC Entertainment and Warner Bros. have begun the celebration of the 75th anniversary of the debut of Batman (in Detective Comics: cover dated May 1939).  Part of DC Comics’ year-long celebration is the launch of the new, year-long, weekly comic book series, Batman Eternal.  The series launches on April 9, 2014 and will apparently consist of 60 issues.

Batman Eternal will feature Batman, his allies, and Gotham City, and will be written by Scott Snyder, James Tynion IV, Ray Fawkes, Kyle Higgins, and Tim Seeley.  Writer John Layman was originally scheduled to write for Batman Eternal.  Although he is no longer associated with the project, the work he finished before departing will apparently still be seen in the first 12 issues.  Batman Eternal will work in tandem with the ongoing, regular Batman comic book series, which is written by Scott Snyder.

Batman #28 offers a preview of Batman Eternal.  It contains a 24-page story entitled “Gotham Eternal.”  The story opens in a near-future Gotham, where a mysterious young female infiltrates The Egyptian, “the only nightclub left in New Gotham.”  She runs afoul of a group of heavies who seem to run the club.  How do Batman and Selina Kyle fit into this scenario, and what does the young female need so badly that she would risk her life to enter this club?

I’m intrigued by Batman Eternal.  Why, you ask?  Well, I’ve been a life-long Batman fan, and I am excited about the 75th anniversary.  And although I have never bought very many of them, I am always curious about weekly comic book series.  Batman #28 hints at a dark, dystopian-lite future that finds Batman imperiled.  So, what the heck?  I’m in.

Batman #28 includes a six-page preview of American Vampire: Second Cycle – WRITER: Scott Snyder; ARTIST: Rafael Albuquerque; COLORS: Dave McCaig; and LETTERS: Steve Wands

B+

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux


The text is copyright © 2014 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this site for syndication rights and fees.

I Reads You Review: BATMAN #22

BATMAN #22
DC COMICS – @DCComics

WRITER: Scott Snyder
PENCILS: Greg Capullo
INKS: Danny Miki
COLORS: FCO Plascenia
LETTERS: Nick Napolitano
COVER: Greg Capullo with FCO Plascenia
VARIANT COVER: Mikel Janin
40pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (September 2013)

Batman created by Bob Kane with Bill Finger

Zero Year – Secret City: Part Two

Dear Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo,
Apparently, your “Zero Year,” a most pleasing, is what I wanted Grant Morrison’s Batman to be.  Of course, I enjoyed Mr. Morrison’s Batman stories, but I always thought that they should somehow be... better?  His Batman and Robin series started with such hope and promise, but quickly went flat, whereas your own “Zero Year,” seems to be on an upward trajectory, as they say. We’ll see...

The latest Batman event storyline is “Zero Year.”  Written by Scott Snyder and drawn by Greg Capullo, this 10-issue story is currently running through the ongoing, eponymous Batman series.  And thank you, DC Comics, for not making it a crossover with other Bat-titles and keeping the publication schedule pure.

Batman #22 (Zero Year – Secret City: Part Two) opens with Bruce Wayne facing down the Red Hood and his gang.  He discovers a shocking connection to the criminal and to Wayne Enterprises, but Bruce doesn’t know the half of it.  Meanwhile, a flashback to the past shows little Bruce gone cave exploring.  And adult Bruce has a spat with his butler, Alfred Pennyworth.  See ya’ next issue.

As I said in my review of Batman #22:  Wow!  I’m ready to read more.  Snyder is killin’ it, y’all.  I so don’t look forward to a refraction period, so I hope this story arc stays strong.  Style aside, Greg Capullo is doing some tremendous storytelling.  “Tremendous,” did I say?  I guess you can tell that I am enjoying this.  But I look forward to enjoying this, almost as much as I look forward to each new appearance of Love and Rockets – my favorite comic book.

Bruce Wayne: “That One Time”

WRITERS:  Scott Snyder and James Tynion IV
ART: Rafael Albuquerque
COLORS: Dave McCaig
LETTERS: Taylor Esposito

This issue’s Bruce Wayne flashback story is “That One Time.”  It takes place when Bruce is 21.  He’s trapped in a hole of some kind.  The theme is “doing the impossible.”  I like some of what artist Rafael Albuquerque is doing here.  The rest of the art serves the story, so I won’t complain.

Artists, writers, and other creative types will find some words of wisdom in this story.  They may even find it inspirational.

A

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux


The text is copyright © 2013 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this site for syndication rights and fees.

I Reads You Review: BATMAN #21

BATMAN #21
DC COMICS – @DCComics

WRITER: Scott Snyder
PENCILS: Greg Capullo
INKS: Danny Miki
COLORS: FCO Plascenia
LETTERS: Nick Napolitano
COVER: Greg Capullo with FCO Plascenia
VARIANT COVER: Jock
40pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (August 2013)

Batman created by Bob Kane with Bill Finger

Zero Year – Secret City: Part One

The latest Batman event story is “Zero Year.”  Written by Scott Snyder and drawn by Greg Capullo, the 10-issue story is currently running through the ongoing Batman title.

Batman #21 (Zero Year – Secret City: Part One) opens six years ago, which I’m assuming is a time period occurring before The New 52.  Batman looks cool on a motorcycle.  Then, the story moves to a period five months earlier than that.  Then, there are flashbacks to Bruce Wayne’s youth.  “Secret City,” which seems unhinged in time, features the Red Hood, Alfred Pennyworth, Dr. Thomas Wayne, Philip Kane (Bruce’s maternal uncle, whom obviously irritates Alfred), and a surprise appearance from a classic member of Batman’s rogues gallery.  See ya’ next issue.

Wow!  I’m ready to read more.  Snyder borrows elements (as far as I can tell) from Batman stories written by Frank Miller, Grant Morrison, and novelist Tracy Hickman.  He turns that into an intriguing tale of Batman’s early campaign against crime in Gotham City.  I think Uncle Philip is in this story to add a tragic twist, and for that Snyder has made him well suited for betrayal and blood.  One of my favorite things about this story is how Snyder portrays young Bruce Wayne as an explorer of Gotham.  It’s too cute, and it tugs at the heart.

Another favorite thing about Batman #21 is Greg Capullo’s quirky pencils, which under Danny Miki’s inks, creates a Batman milieu that is timeless.  The art seems inspired by the entire graphical landscape of Batman, from the 1960s to the early 21st century.  FCO Plascenia’s coloring captures lovely autumnal colors in a way that one would think not possible for a comic book (and certainly not a superhero comic book), and the coloring gives Gotham City character and personality.  I’m ready for more.

A-

Back-up story:  Bruce Wayne: Where the Hell Did he Learn to Drive?!

WRITERS:  Scott Snyder and James Tynion IV
ART: Rafael Albuquerque
COLORS: Dave McCaig
LETTERS: Taylor Esposito

“Bruce Wayne: Where the Hell Did he Learn to Drive?!” is a back-up short comic that presents a vignette of the life of 19-year-old Bruce Wayne.  I guess that you can’t tell a tale of early Batman, if you don’t also show how Bruce got to Batman.  I will assume that Bruce is in Rio do Janeiro (the story’s setting) to train for his future efforts in Gotham.  This is a clever story that hints at the future “Dark Knight,” especially Frank Miller’s Clint Eastwood-esque take on the character.  Rafael Albuquerque’s art is nice.

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux

The text is copyright © 2013 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this site for syndication rights and fees.

Albert Avilla Reviews: Talon #0

Talon #0
DC Comics

Reviewed by Albert Avilla

Plot: James Tynion IV and Scott Snyder
Writer: James Tynion
Art: Guillem March

The Long Run (Spoilers!)

When I first looked at the cover, I was thinking, what is this corny B. S.? After reading the story, that is a faded memory soon to be completely lost in the recesses of my mind. No, my thoughts are that Talon is the best new character to come bursting on the scene this month. Everything that I saw as a joke is now awesome in my sight.

In the opening scene, we find eight-year-old Calvin Ross, Talon, locked in a dog kennel by his sick father. His flair for the art of the escape emerges and an escape artist is born. Talon tells his origin during his own failed assassination. Young Calvin escapes to Haly's Circus to become an apprentice to an escape artist and eventually becomes a star in his own right. Calvin is taken by The Court of Owls to be trained to become a Talon. Calvin is won over by The Court of Owls with promises of fighting evil. To become a Talon, Calvin must kill the present Talon. Calvin is quilt ridden after killing the Talon. He continues to amaze The Court by being the first to escape their Labyrinth and becoming the new Talon.

On his first mission, Talon is ordered to kill a twenty-three-year-old heiress and her two-year-old daughter. Instead, Talon rescues Casey and Sarah Washington and once again performs an amazing escape. He is now a target of The Court. The Talon sent to kill Calvin makes the mistake of testing Calvin's skills by locking him in the trunk of a car and dumping it in the river. Calvin once again escapes and defeats the Talon. Now a man on the run, Talon must continue to escape The Court of Owls.

Talon has the potential to be the next big thing. Snyder and Tynion have overcome my prejudgments by creating a fresh new character. Talon’s unique skills take him from being a circus act to an assassin to a hero. Calvin Ross's heroism is demonstrated by his ability to rise above evil's influence throughout his life. Talon does not allow himself to become a victim of circumstance, but fights to forge his own path into heroism. A hero arises from The New 52.

The art is an integral part of the story. It does its part to demonstrate the enormity of the forces arrayed against Talon and the difficulty of the tasks he must accomplish. The immensity of the structures in comparison to Talon is symbolic of the position that Talon finds himself in his struggle against The Court of Owls.

I rate Talon # 0 Buy Your Own Copy. #2 (of 5) on Al-O-Meter Ranking

Albert Avilla Reviews: Batman #0

Batman #0
“Bright New Yesterday”

Reviewed by Albert Avilla

Writer: Scott Snyder
Pencils: Greg Capullo
Inks: Jonathan Glapion

Let's talk about the first story. Another Batman story before he was Batman story. Hasn't this been done before? Oh, yeah… it's the new 52; we are going to get a new spin on the story. The story is interesting, but it does leave you hanging until 2013; I hope they don't forget to finish this story. The Red Hood character seems to be interesting and he has a gang, too. He's ruthless, sinister, and maniacal. Wait. He reminds me of; no, it's not that obvious. Is it?

We get to see a fumbling, bumbling Bruce almost get himself killed. That was way original. I'm surprised he ever lived long enough to capture a criminal. The Bat-hideout was cool with all the work-in-progress stuff lying around; makes you think that Bruce has time to create all the devices he uses. Does Bruce have to be hit in the head with a brick before he'll understand that he needs to get out of the hood? The authorities are always investigating things in the hood; go back to your nice mansion that sits on a huge cave. How are you going to hide an industrial complex in the projects? With all that said the story perked my interest enough to have me eagerly awaiting the end. Especially if my sixth sense is right about where the story is heading.

“Tomorrow” (back-up feature)

Writer: James Tynion IV
Artist: Andy Clarke

Now we get to the backup story, an eight page classic. Sometimes being concise is effective. This is a Robin before they were Robin story and Batgirl, too. We get an intimate look into the character of each Robin: Tim, Jason, and Dick. Tim the self confident genius, Jason the kid who is willing to do what he has to, and Dick the swashbuckling acrobat with that swagger could not be better developed in a twelve issue maxi series. All inspired by the Batman.

The art in the first story was clean and crisp, not the dark gloomy style that most Bat- artists favor. The industrial high-tech look of the Bat-hideout gave the feel of modernized warfare. The art in the second story was more about character. It did a good job of using facial expressions and body language to project personalities.

"Tomorrow" was worth the $3.99. I rate Batman #0 Buy Your Own Copy.