Hey guys, this is Raph aka Wraythmaker on the Raging Bullets Forum. Since Sean and Jim are always covering DC stuff in complete arcs, they sometimes don't get to the stuff that goes on week to week. I decided, as a fairly new (and diehard) listener of Raging Bullets, that I would do my little part. Each week I plan on reading and reviewing one or two titles, mostly coming from the DCU. I'll also give you my top 3 picks of the week with a very short response. I have a fairly extensive pull list of DC Comics, and if you guys want me to comment on books you like or books you want to hear about, feel free to e-mail me at azraph@yahoo.com or you can leave a post on the forum, I'm open to discussion and input from anyone.
This is a SPOILER review. I will be
discussing plot points and details extensively while giving you my
opinion of the book. If you want to read the book first, go ahead. If
you want to find out whether or not you should buy the book... Look at
my Silver Bullets picks of the week.
SILVER BULLETS OF THE WEEK
1. ACTION COMICS #844 - Donner. Johns. Superman. 'Nuff Said. Interesting set up story.
2. Superman/Batman Annual #1 - Funny story with some quirks. Will Review.
3. Ion #7 – One line summed this issue up
for me, “You can never go home, but you can always visit.” Nice little
story.
Well, since this is my first week. I decided to go with just one review. This week saw the release of the much hyped and awaited Action Comics # 844... and I WON'T be reviewing it... so now you're wondering what the heck I'm here for? Well I decided to cover a book that is a one-shot and was my sentimental favorite of the week -- Superman/Batman Annual #1.
That's right, an Annual, in the traditions of "Ye Golde (and Silver) Age of Comics". The writer on this was Joe Kelly. The artists were: Ed McGuinness, Ryan Otley, Sean Murphy and Carlo Barberi. Cover art by McGuinness, in I believe what will be his last work on Superman or any DC property, as he was signed exclusively by Marvel.
Usually what Sean and Jim do is recap the story and then give you there impressions throughout. I'm going to be doing this weekly, or as weekly as I can, and I want to post this by Thursday or Friday night, so you guys can run to the store and have the book still be there waiting for you, so my version will be shorter.
The story was essentially a tale about how Superman and Batman first teamed up, told from a unique perspective. We see how Slade Wilson picks up the Deathstroke persona, and also we get some nice moments in the Superman/Batman team-up, such as Batman's file of the event saying basically, “I handled the menace while Superman was on crowd control and cleanup.” Meanwhile Clark Kent's article had Superman saving the day, and Batman on crowd control and cleanup! The two leave on okay terms, and with a curiosity to each other's identity. They will cross paths again, as Clark Kent and Lois Lane are sent to review a Bermuda cruise ship, while Bruce Wayne is on the same cruise! Oh the hilarity that will ensue!
We find out on the boat that the arrangements were all mixed up and Bruce and Clark have to share the room! This isn't Christopher Reeve's Clark Kent, he's a little bit bolder. When Bruce takes Lois away to wine and dine her and makes a passing insult at Clark, two heat beams suddenly destroy his champagne glass! The ultimate moment? When Clark and Bruce are lying in bed for a few panels and Clark says, “This is awkward.” Bruce, very simply says, “Ya think?” I laughed so loud that people around me looked up. This is the end of act 1, as act 2 begins with the usual plot when it comes to a Bermuda Cruise, the Bermuda Triangle! (DUN DUN DUN!)
A strange energy field envelopes the ship, and Lois is on the deck as she sees the silhouettes of Superman and Batman, and she finds it odd that they would be here, but it turns out that it's Ultraman and Owlman of the newly named Crime Syndicate, which Ultraman thinks is stupid, but Owlman points out that he named it! Meanwhile, below decks, Clark and Bruce try to get rid of each other, which ends with Bruce shooting a tranquilizer dart into Clark's neck, which is simply crushed. They both have a moment of awareness, and then all hell breaks loose.
A strange man bursts into the room, dressed like Deathstroke, but looking marvelously familiar. He says he's here to protect Bruce, when he's shot a couple of time by the real Deathstroke. Bats and Supes finally get into costume and meet their Crime Syndicate counterparts. Meanwhile Deadpo-er I mean, alternate Deathstroke, gets the stuffing beat out of him by Superwoman (Lois Lane of the Crime Syndicate) and Deathstroke. The insane battle is all over the place, with each counterpart tackling the other. The highlight had to be when Bruce Wayne and Owlman face each other, and Lois finds out that Bruce is Batman, only to receive the equivalent of a Vulcan neck pinch! Bruce says she'll, “lose short-term memory”, while Owlman counters with, “Why didn't you just kill her?” The fighting fun continues, and at one point Lois wakes up and says “Wh-what happened..? I was just putting something together... tip of my tongue.. I'm Superman?” and passes out! Superwoman comments that the fight is a sausage fest and leaps into the rift! The fighting stops briefly and the heroes realize that the energy field of the Bermuda Triangle is a dimension rift and it's rapidly closing. Batman and Superman come up with a plan, and Slade and Alternate Slade discuss there histories. Superman coerces Ultraman to race him, using the force of their speed to push the cruise liner out of the rift. While this is happening, the Alternate Slade is about to reveal his identity as “DEEAAAAAA-”, before the rocking ship knocks him off. When the ship is safe, Ultraman and Owlman return to their own dimension. Deathstroke is defeated and tied up, and Superman and Batman compliment each other on the good work they did, when Lois steps in.
Lois Lane has it all figured out now! She knows who they both are, when suddenly she hears Clark coming up the stairs. Meanwhile Batman and Superman seem to zip off panel, but not without a “BUH-GUYH” from Batman. I don't know if it's just me, but I think that “BUH-GUYH” is the funniest sound out of Batman that I've ever heard. Clark and Bruce show up, with Bruce in a towel and shorts looking VERY queasy. Clark explains that someone was trying to kill Bruce and Superman and Batman saved their bacon. Bruce pukes his guts out over the side and Clark asks Lois to not put this in the article. Lois responds with a simple and quaint, “Just... die. All of you... die now.” Bruce is recovering from his nausea. Clark explains to Bruce that he used to practice Ventriloquism in high school (SILVER AGE REFERENCE). The next words out of Bruce are priceless and explain everything, “You UNDRESSED ME... and put me in THIS... AT SUPER SPEED.” BWAHAHA! Clark responds with, “Yeah, at about Mach 4. Sorry I didn't have time to warn you about the nausea “pal”. But the robe brings out your eyes.” CLASSIC! I love Superman and Batman, but everyone is always talking about how Batman can take out Supes. Superman just grabbed Batman at Mach 4 to change him! That's 3,045 miles an HOUR!
The tale closes with a reveal of who is telling this story, Mr. Mxyptlk. (Mix-yes-pit-lick). He has created this dramatic tale out of the original story to compete with “The Civil Crisis of Identical Wars.” The man he's speaking to is a Bizarro, with the sign “Producer #1” on his chest. I don't know who this is, I want to say it's Mort Weisinger or someone from the Silver Age, but I was a baby when Crisis on Infinite Earths came out (yeah you can figure out my age now), so I don't know everything about the Silver and Golden Ages.
Overall this is a fun tale. It kind
of remindes me of the last Jeph Loeb/McGuinness arc, Vengeance. That arc
got a lot of mixed reviews among my friends, as they thought the ending
was really confusing. There were delays on that arc, and there were a
lot of swerves, but this self contained story is terrific and fun all by
itself. I have to give this comic 3 ½ bullets out of 4. This story had
a lot of laughs, fun and awesome moments. I recommend this to anyone who
loves the characters of Batman and Superman, Silver Age type humor, and
crazy sounds being uttered by the Dark Knight Detective. Joe Kelly is a
terrific writer, he's the one who wrote Action Comics #775, a Superman
story that is a must for fans. The art is terrific, even though you have
multiple art styles. I managed to get lost in it the first time, but
after looking it over, some people may find it a little inconsistant.
That's all for this week, For next week, November 1st, 2006 I'll be buying these fine DC books:
52 #26
Detective Comics #825
Justice League of America #3
Midnighter #1
Supergirl #12
Superman Confidential #1
Find out which are my top 3, until then-- BUH GUYH!!!