Do we NEED A New Batgirl? The Case For, and Against, Stephanie Brown
It’s sitting beside my outstretched legs right now, propped slightly against the couch cushion. She’s staring at me, from behind her cowl, batarang slightly off the page. Yep, Batgirl is officially staring me down, daring me to write this article. I’ve just finished reading her latest issue, Batgirl #3, and I’m pretty ambivalent about it. Not the issue on its on necessarily, but the concept of this Batgirl. Stephanie Brown, the current wearer of the cowl, started out in the early 1990’s as Spoiler, vigilante daughter of the “super” villain Cluemaster. She’s had a long road from those early days to where she is now, but two questions are begging to be asked; does she deserve to be Batgirl and, perhaps the most important, do we need a Batgirl right now? Read more
Comic Book Previews for October 7th, 2009
Before you punch your ticket to Baltimore, Maryland for this weekend’s Baltimore Comic-Con, be sure to stock up on plenty of reading material for your plane, train or automobile travel! You certainly won’t lack for pages and pages of action this week, and DC kicks things off with an explosion of Bat-titles! Kicking this off is the first issue of new limited series Batman: Unseen, which promises us a new supervillain to add to Batman’s formidable rogues’ gallery. Batman Annual #27 and Batman and Robin #5 also drop into stores this Wednesday, and fans should look for a new printing of the landmark graphic novel Batman: The Killing Joke, the book that redefined former Batgirl Barbara Gordon’s role in the DCU. Read more
Earthquakes, Crises and Wars, oh my! 10 Memorable Comic Book Disasters
Does there exist a more threatened group of people than those who inhabit the earths and universes of our beloved comic book heroes and villains? What other fictional population seems to live under the constant threat that at any given point their world could be turned into zombies, an earthquake may shut down the city, or that their universe may cease to exist altogether!? The past few decades have seen several major disasters, manmade, natural and perhaps supernatural, that have caused devastation and damage beyond the norm for several comic book universes. Here, in no particular order, are ten of the most memorable and, pardon the pun, earth-shaking disasters and crises to hit the comic book populace. Read more
Comic Book Previews for September 16th, 2009
Where does the time go? It’s already time for a look at what will be hitting store shelves this week from the producers of your favorite four-color adventures! DC Comics unleashes Blackest Night #3, the next chapter in the saga of Earth’s heroes against the super-powered dead! Can the Green Lanterns and the Justice League begin to figure out what’s causing long-departed friends, family and villains to rise and attack? The newest Batgirl spreads her wings in Batgirl #2 and a showdown in Fawcett City takes place in JSA vs. Kobra #4! Action Comics #881 picks up immediately with the aftermath of Codename: Patriot, and Supergirl finds herself under added pressure. Famed writer J. Michael Straczynski takes helm with issue 27 of The Brave and the Bold, as Batman teams with, wait for it, Dial H for Hero!! Also be sure to check out Batman and Robin #4 and Streets of Gotham #4! Read more
Wonder Woman Turning 600? That’s up to YOU!
Recent editions of DC Nation, the ongoing, last page feature in the back of DC Comics’ titles, have featured an open letter from Dan Didio of DC, throwing down an interesting gauntlet to fans of DC, most especially fans of titular heroine Wonder Woman. Didio states, “In case you didn’t know, there is a group of Wonder Woman fans who feel that her ongoing series needs the numbering that would be reflective of her time and stature in the industry. After all, both Superman and Batman are closing in on issue 700, and Wonder Woman, being an integral part of our trinity, should be right up there with them.” Read more
Comic Book Releases for September 10th, 2009
Now that you’ve taken the Labor Day holiday to rest up and catch up on all those comics you keep meaning to get to during the regular work week, it’s time to get a fresh stack! There’s plenty to pick up in stores this Thursday, and the adventure and spandex-covered heroes are happy to oblige!
From Marvel this week, more pieces of Norman Osborn’s master plan for the world come into focus, as Dark Reign: The List begins with an Avengers one-shot. Norman’s not happy with the way things are, and this new arc proves it! Be sure to read Dark Avengers/Uncanny X-Men: Exodus #1 before reading The List! Read more
Batman The Widening Gyre #1 Review
So what is Kevin Smith’s new Batman mini-series “The Widening Gyre” like? Based on the first issue, it looks to be a sometimes funny, often violent, and interesting take on Batman and many of his supporting cast. If you haven’t read the first issue yet, then be warned that there are spoilers ahead.
While the first issue dealt mainly with Poison Ivy’s takeover of Arkham Asylum, the central underlying plot seems to be developing as what if Batman had an adult partner instead of the child partners he has had in the past.
“The Widening Gyre” kicks off with a short fight between Batman and Robin and Baron Blitzkrieg and the Atomic Skull. The opening sequence is written in the tone of being a really poorly written Batman comic book from the sixties.
Comic Book Previews for August 26th, 2009
The kids back in school this week aren’t the only ones starting a new term and a new direction, as this Wednesday gives us the highly anticipated debut of the Jonathan Hickman and Dale Eaglesham creative team behind The Fantastic Four with issue 570. A new story arc also begins in Secret Warriors #7, as the Dark Avengers, Thunderbolts and Nick Fury’s Secret Warriors find themselves on a collision course, with Ares’ son the prize! New Avengers #56 promises some shocking action, as the events of the previous issue unfold with several heroes having their power drained. The Incredible Hulk #601 sees the return of the recurring title with a new world for Bruce Banner and company. Dark X-Men: The Beginning wraps up with issue three, bringing to a close the origin of this deceptive, Emma Frost-led team. Read more
Battle for the Console: Some Good (and not so Good) Batman Video Games
Zipping into stores near you on August 25th is the buzzworthy video game Batman: Arkham Asylum. Playable on the Playstation 3, XBox 360 and Microsoft Windows, the game has received some good early reviews, even though not that many are published yet, and many are praising the new features of the game, such as Batman being able to operate in “predatory” mode, the open exploration available to the player as they roam all over Arkham and the inclusion of villains such as Mr. Zsasz and heroes like Oracle.
While this is certainly not the first, and probably not the last, Batman video game to hit our screens, it’s measuring up to be one of the best. With that, it’s time to look back at some other Batman games from over the years, measuring their playability, fun level and overall “battiness” from one to four batarangs! Read more
Comic Book Previews the Week of August 19th, 2009
Another Marvel character hits a milestone issue this week! After joining the 600 club this summer, The Incredible Hulk, Captain America and Spider-Man will welcome Daredevil into the multiple-hundreds club when Daredevil #500 bows this Wednesday. Lady Bullseye and Kingpin will continue to make Matt Murdock’s life complicated as Ed Brubaker crafts this tale, with another creative team set to pick up after this issue. Joining Luke Cage, the Punisher goes dark with Punisher Noir #1, a tale set in the 1920’s with mobsters aplenty! Look for a very Rogue-centric issue of X-Men Legacy #227, as she struggles with the burden of carrying the mind and power of a god! Read more
