Graphic novel review

Deathstroke: Legacy is interesting in the fact that it's based on a super villain. title character, deathstroke, aka slade wilson, is an aged veteran who became superhuman through government experiments and later an infamous mercenary. in, Legacy, the villain constantly finds himself besieged by upstarts, hoping to make a name for themselves as the person to have killed the master assassin. meanwhile, wilson's health is slowly failing, but his pride refuses to allow him to retire and give up his spotlight.

as the volume progresses writer, kyle higgins, proves over and over that deathstroke is badass, but more complex then readers might expect. when wilson kills a would-be competitor, her wealthy family vow to eradicate deathstroke by hiring a long list of contract killers, each one tougher than the last. for every new killer, wilson comes closer and closer to loosing and begins reflecting on his past and the events that lead him to his life of near solitude and menace. higgins sets up his star to imagine himself a twisted type of samurai warrior, with a defined code of conduct. this later comes back to bite deathstroke, but it's not made clear if the lesson truly sinks in. towards the end of Legacy, karma does create a feasible rival for wilson, who slaughters through several wanna-bees most of the graphic novel.

Deathroke: Legacy is a lot like an inane quentin taratino movie where there's plenty of action for mayhem's sake. it would have been more enjoyable to see deathstoke battling worthy foes, rather than b or c level criminals. especially chapter after chapter of the same thing. though the absolutely epic art of joe bennett, art thibert, and eduardo pansica is worth every penny of this book! neither artist is afraid to show every gory detail of deathstroke's many slaughters and higgins is not afraid to point out that wilson is with few redeeming qualities. what i found most interesting with Legacy was the final chapter, which truthfully had little to do with the main story, but does provide a final clue that led deathstroke to become such an evil man. had this bit been plotted out more thoroughly throughout it would have tied each chapter cohesively. if you don't like violence, if you don't enjoy carnage, and expect intricate stories, this is not for you. rather this a fun romp of what it's like to be the baddest of the bad.

Graphic novel review

i've been a long-time fan of nightwing, aka dick grayson, aka the first robin, famous sidekick to batman. this collection of the first six issues of the new Nightwing series reminded me why grayson is such a likeable hero, but it didn't bring enough interest for me to fully invest in nightwing's latest mystery and adventures. be warned, i tried simplifying this review as much as possible, but well --

Nightwing: Traps and Trapezes starts off with dick returning to his heroic identity after serving a stint as batman. it's not explained why dick was standing in for his mentor. dick has set up a new headquarters in gotham city and eagerly looking forward to a life of his own again, away from the batcave. unfortunately, dick is immediately faced with a bit of drama when it's explained that the circus he was raised with before meeting batman has come to gotham city.

dick decides to face his fears of the ghosts and memories that have haunted him since he left haley's circus after his trapeze performing parents were murdered. much to his surprise, many of his old friends have either remained or returned to the circus over the years and all are pleasantly pleased to see the adult, grayson. meanwhile a sinister newcomer has come to gotham to eradicate dick grayson, "the fiercest killer of gotham." in rapid succession dick encounters his newest enemy, saiko, in both his civilian identity and as nightwing. saiko is just as trained a fighter as nighwing, and perhaps more deadly. also, raya, dick's first crush from his youth, leads the hero on a mysterious path to become the sole owner of the ailing circus when the original owner dies in nightwing's arms, leaving him with a cryptic message.

it quickly felt like there were several separate stories running at once through NTAT, but slowly, very slowly, several of these mysteries and events tie together. unfortunately, the flow of nightwing's owning the circus, searching out the identity of whoever is framing dick grayson, his rekindling relationship with raya, traveling with the circus while he seeks out mr. haley's killer, and saiko's involement -- gets interrupted by the arrival of batgirl (another old girlfriend) and the random attack of a demon controlled by the ex-wife of one of the circus performers. it's later explained that saiko's attacks, the murder of haley, and raya's interest in dick, tie loosely to an adventure batman underwent in his own series. this revelation totally upset the story, it seemed too coincidental. if this was the plan of writer, kyle higgins, there should have been more clues laid out for nighwing (and readers) to piece together on their own. 

while higgins pens a realistic average joe, dick grayson, not hampered by the trappings of being adopted by bruce wayne, his expert superhero, nightwing, is a respected veteran and confident in his mission to do the right thing. though if you don't know basic batman mythology, i'm not sure this book would necessarily be easy to understand. the art of eddy barrows, eduardo panisca, and several other fill-in artists escalate nightwing's acrobatic escapades to thrilling heights. a minor qualm i had with some of the choreography of the fight scenes was when a character was trapped, he or she miraculously escape off panel to deliver a devastating counter attack. i'm not sure if it's lazy work on behalf of the writer, or anyone one of the many artists.

you can't help but like dick grayson who constantly has the odds stacked against him, yet never loses sight of the end goal and somehow manages to persevere. you thrill at his triumphs and lament when the good guy finishes last with romance or a disagreement with batman. disappointingly, dick does not show the prowess of a trained detective. it's obvious almost immediately that raya knows more than she's willing to explain, but dick doesn't even allude to his mistrust of a woman he's not seen in nearly two decades. Nightwing: Traps and Trapezes is fun, but confusing, expecting the reader to trust that clues will turn up or understand past events without much explanation. and again, the wrap was too simple, even with its complexity. i appreciate that NTAT ties into Batman: Court of Owls, as it shows that nightwing is firmly involved with the bat-family, but it should have been introduced earlier, instead of all at once. as it, it made it seem like a final chapter from Batman, not Nightwing. ultimately i would have preferred the start to a new series focused more on nightwing's new role in gotham city, rather than his past with with the circus. nightwing's future remains to be seen either under the big top or with the city of his heroic origin.

Graphic novel review

supergirl is nearly as famous as her cousin, the man of steel, but her origin isn't necessarily as well known. while having a similar background and nearly identical powers as superman, supergirl is a different type of hero altogether. actually, the truth is the maid of might isn't even sure she wants to be a hero. what writers michael green and mike johnson with artist, mahmud asrar, set out to do with their first volume of stories for the new Supergirl series is take readers on kara zor-el's journey of self discovery in the most formative years of any teenager's life.

the first thing one will notice is the exceptionally stylized and kinetic artwork. not only does asrar have a knack for designing futuristic sci-fi inspired technology or weapons, but he can poignantly bring such great emotion to characters through facial expression and body language. as an art teacher i've often used, Supergirl: Last Daughter of Krypton, as an example for various lessons. it should be mentioned that the book's artist did not redesign the god-awful costume of supergirl. i don't necessarily mind the high collar of her cape or knee-less thigh high boots, but the red triangle over her crotch seems inappropriate even for a girl from another planet, tacky even.

green and johnson start an exciting story right away and introduce a new foe's forces that continue to plague supergirl later in SLDoK. the first chapter is frantic and fast-paced to fully express kara's initial confusion and fear that follows as she discovers she's on a planet she's never heard of dressed in a uniform awarded to 'graduates'. kara is clearly a young woman who is bright and intelligent, but not always as responsible as her parents' would hope. basically, kara is a very human girl emotionally and instantly relatable. what perhaps sets this supergirl apart from other past versions of the superheroine is that she's determined to stand on her own. supergirl rejects superman's help, quickly realizing she's in a greater predicament than she imagined when she begins to realize that her home planet, krypton, is no more. 

from armored soldiers, mad scientists, to bizarre and powerful aliens, the list of threats that supergirl encounters are great additions to the girl of steel's mythos. green, johnson, and asrar are creating distinct corners of krypton and earth for kara that uniquely belong to her. it's exciting to read how the world within Supergirl: Last Daughter of Krypton is carefully revealed piece by piece and to see the growth of the book's star. it won't be long for supergirl to be known as heroine in her own right, besides her famous heritage.

Graphic novel review

i had been reading so many positive reviews of Batman: Court of Owls, that i put it at the top of my christmas wish list. i've been a long-time batman fan, but have gone through phases in which i decide to collect or not collect any number of titles starring the dark knight. Batman: The Court of Owls served to remind me why i like the character so much. not necessarily because of his determination, will, fighting prowess, or cool gadgets, but rather because of his supporting cast and list of super villains. 

within this graphic novel batman encounters for the first time a new foe, talon, and discovers he's a superhuman agent for an elite corporation of criminals. what's more, as batmam begins unraveling the mystery of the origin of his foes, he learns they have ties to his family. although the court of owls manages to capture and promptly torture the dark knight, the hero perseveres, but barely. with the assistance of former sidekick, nightwing, and long-time aid, alfred pennyworth, batman returns from the brink, this time with that last few pieces of the puzzle. surprisingly, nightwing is unwittingly involved, making batman's next strike against the owls all the more important!

   the novel ends on a cliff hanger, a bit of bummer, as this was a slow build to the meat of the story. i particularly liked how, during batman's mental and physical torture as he made his way through a labyrinth created by the owls, the panels are upside down to illustrate how batman's perceptions have been so severely rearranged. it wasn't until the conclusion of Batman: Court of Owls that i felt i was really invested in the book. batman is a grim avenger, but lightens up (slightly) when around his trusted associates. it's these moments i appreciated the most as it made batman a little more likeable. batman, bruce wayne, has an intense sense of justice, he's a good guy in every sense, and he refuses to accept mortal frailties. it's inspiring and the reader wants the hero to survive to fight for another day.

   terrific characterization from writer scott snyder and incredible pencil and ink work from greg capullo make this collection top notch. the creative team behind Batman: Court of Owls deserves all of the accolades bestowed upon them. the mythology of batman is richer now due to their efforts and i look forward to the sequel, hopefully with more of the batman family involved!

Graphic novel review

santa(s) was(were) good to me and i received several graphic novels for christmas. every few weeks i will be posting a review on these books. luckily the flight to and from indianapolis to visit my fiance's family gave me plenty of reading time so i'm ready to begin.

Justice League: Origin, by geoff johns and jim lee

reintroducing the justice league to new and old generations of comic book fans is no easy task, but johns and lee do so in a fun and exciting tale that occurs five years prior to current continuity. from the start, it's apparent that these 'new' heroes are inexperienced, especially when it comes to teamwork. the general populace is terrified of superheroes, many outlawed, and batman, green lantern, the flash, and wonder woman are under suspicion of local and national authorities. on top of it all, personalities clash between the heroes as a galactic despot comes to earth unleashing his demonic army on earth!

each hero has his/her moment to shine, but none more so than batman and green lantern. the dark and emerald knights seem to get more panel time than any other leaguer, with the exception of cyborg whose origin coincides with the formation of the team. batman and green lantern may be the most 'human' of superheroes of the justice league and why johns chose to use these two in particular to further the story. that's not to say johns doesn't take care introducing each character as the battle between the forces of good and evil continues to escalate. besides the over the top intense action, it's these calmer moments between characters, like government agent steve trevor and wonder woman, that really make this book shine. i especially like the humor that comes through, even when the odds seem insurmountable against earth's protectors. there's also a chapters worth of extras that provides back stories on the members of the justice league, adding to the price of admission!

unfortunately, there are a few glaring flaws with this novel. my biggest complaint would be the lack of explanation towards darkseid's motivation of his attack of our planet. i also would have appreciated finding out more about this villain, besides his powers, technology, and horde of creatures, where does he come from? instead we're left with more questions.

also, being a huge long-time fan of wonder woman, i was frankly disgusted that the amazing amazon was treated as a xena, warrior princess, copycat, eager to do battle no matter what the cost. this portrayal seems degrading to a character known for making friends out of her foes, battling only as a last resort. 

Justice League: Origin is a fast paced adventure of seven strangers and ultimately creates the most famous team in comic book history in classic style with good storytelling and illustrations. there's plenty of action, thrills, laughs, and even a little romance thrown in. this graphic novel not only proves to be a great introduction to the justice league, but to the entire dc comics universe.