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DC Comics And Beyond: Comics Reviews

Written by Wayne Hall on December 10, 2009 – 12:00 pm -

The holiday season is fast approaching, and we’ll start the celebration with a holiday special and a debut issue from one of my favorite writers, Robert Kirkman.

1. DC Holiday Special #1. DC Comics did a good job of celebrating Halloween not that long ago, so it shouldn’t come as a surprise that their Holiday Special is also a treat.

Of course, the issue starts with Batman in “Silent Knight,” who is chasing an evil Santa Claus.  The art is cool, and the fact that the story is told without dialogue makes it a great starting point.  After that comes  Superman in “Man Of Snow,” in which the Man of Steel meets a snowy nemesis created by a disabled child.  It ends very well, just the way a Superman story should.

Several of the remaining stories center around significant events in the lives of DC characters, including Beast Boy & The Doom Patrol in “The Christmas Of Doom,” Martian Manhunter in “Reason For The Season,” and Adam Strange in “Auld Lang Syne.”  There are also two tales dealing with World War II and how Christmas was celebrated by individuals and groups.  They are Sgt. Rock in “A Peace On Earth” and Enemy Ace in “Stille Nacht.”

B’wana Beast’s adventure called “The Hunt For Christmas” is told to the words of a hymn written by William Lowper called “God Moves In Mysterious Ways.”  That was a nice change of pace.

Of course, most of the sagas are very short ones, some just a page, like the one featuring Angel & The Ape and Captain Marvel.  We also get to see Huntress, Ragman and the Bizarro Superboy in separate segments.

I was particularly impressed with Deadman’s “Unbearable Loss.”  Deadman has often been for me a one-note character, but this time, the former circus performer does something I’ve never seen before, and it makes for a touching short story.

This comic does cost more than the average comic, but I feel it is worth the extra quatloos.  And it will get you in the holiday spirit “right quick.”

2. Murderer #1. I don’t think I can get much farther from the previous book than by reviewing this “Pilot Season” comic written by Robert Kirkman and drawn by Nelson Blake II for Top Cow Comics.

I’ve often mentioned how much I enjoy Kirkman’s writing, and this issue doesn’t disappoint.  In a text page at the back of the book (where Kirkman usually chats with fans), he talks about the fact that he just plain liked the title, “Murderer.”  “I don’t recall anyone ever doing a comic with that title — and it’s a cool title,” he says.  “There’s got to be something to this guy, a reason for the murdering … something to make him a compelling character that we the reader would want to know more about.”

The cover is intriguing, as we see the man the book will be about wearing a shirt that says, “If you are reading this, it means you are a bad person and are about to die.”  That grabbed my attention, I’ll tell you.

Here’s the premise: “Jason Sparks is cursed.  His every waking moment is bombarded with the thoughts of those around him.  Every dirty little secret, every hidden desire, screamed at him in a cacophony of voices in his head.  The only way to silence these voices, the only thing that brings him a moment of peace … is murder.  But he’s trying to use his powers for good.”

If you are looking for a book full of Mark Silverstri‘s art (his name is on the masthead, after all), you will be disappointed as all he provides are the two different covers.  But Blake’s art is good enough to set the dark and dour mood.

My only complaint about the story is that it has elements that remind me of Image’s Chew.  In that book, of course, the main character can tell what has happened to things by ingesting parts of them.  This time, Sparks is a telepath, and he can tell what will happen by reading the minds of those around him.  I know it’s not exactly the same, but it did make me remember the other comic.

Sparks basically spends his day walking around the city, responding to those about to kill or seriously hurt someone.  He takes care of that individual by murdering him or her instead, which reminds me of Nexus by Steve Rude and Mike Baron.  Sparks gets some relief by removing the cause of his discomfort, but it never really lasts long enough for him.

Perhaps a few issues into the series, Kirkman will develop a story arc that will fill the need for longer stories most comics’ readers enjoy.  I certainly hope he does.

Despite my misgivings, I found Murderer to be a fascinating read.  I want to see more of this character in the future.

Also out this week from DC Comics are Action Comics #884, Batgirl #5, and Titans #20; The Astounding Wolf-Man #20 and The Walking Dead #68 (written by the aforementioned Mr. Kirkman) from Image; Hunter’s Fortune #2 and Toy Story #0 from Boom!; Ender’s Game: War Of Gifts #1 from Marvel; and Star Trek: Alien Spotlight: Cardassians from IDW.

Again, here’s my weekly Blackest Night update: Four books tied into the event are now available — Adventure Comics #5, Booster Gold #27, Doom Patrol #5, and R.E.B.E.L.S. #11.  Surprises and shocks galore await the readers, so don’t miss them!

Don’t miss this Sunday’s SciFiPulse Radio on blogtalkradio.com.  I’ll be talking with host Ian Cullen about the surprises of the year in comics, both good and bad.  You won’t want to miss it!

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Tags: Batgirl, Batman, Blackest Night, DC Comics, Deadman, Robert Kirkman, Star Trek, Superman
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