THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD, VOLUME 3: DEMONS AND DRAGONS
DC Comics
The original Brave and The Bold was one of the very first comics I subscribed to as a kid, back before I discovered comics stores I had them delivered to my house once a month. I always looked forward to the team ups and was exposed to a lot of great heroes. There was also some great writing and of course the wonderful art of Jim Aparo. I shut out the world and lost myself in each issue.
Reading Mark Waid’s run on this new version of the title I can’t help but think he experienced something similar as a kid. Growing up to do something you love is always cool, so hw cool must it be for a someone like Waid who obviously loves these heroes to have free reign to pair up whoever he wants?
In this third volume Waid brings us Superman and Batman, Deadman ( a B &B favorite), Hawkman and Green Lantern, Catwoman and more. They are teamed up here to stop evil. It’s agreat story with a real eye on who these characters are and not just fight scenes. Making it pop off the page is Jerry Ordway on the first part and Scott Kolins on the rest.
Finishing out this edition are some favorite stories picked by Waid. A great team up with Batman and Hawk and Dove from B&B #181, A Flash and Shazam Team up and also Zatana with Impulse.
A whole lot of good reading crammed into this book.
SUPERMAN: THE COMING OF ATLAS
DC Comics
A man called Atlas is in Metropolis and is giving Superman a fight that could end him. This tale by James Robinson is an almost non stop slugfest. There is also some great character work and I particularly enjoyed the talk in the beginning with Green Lantern. And to be honest, I’m a fan of any story that can use Krypto in a real way, not just as a cameo.
Classic Superman with great art.
Also included is the very first story with Atlas by Jack Kirby which was the inspiration for the story arc.
CASEY BLUE: BEYOND TOMORROW
Wildstorm
B. Clay Moore has put together a really cool character here, part Bond, part Alias and all action this is high entertainment.
Casey Blue is a typical high school student, at least she thinks so. As it turns out she is a sleeper agent trained to kill. Unsure of what is happening to her and why she isn’t sure who she can trust. One thing for sure, people best stay out of her way because the training that is coming to the surface is lethal. The plot has some great twists and turns and I think the ending was terrific. I’d love to see more of this character.
This is great fun and the art by Barberi really grew on me.
CHAS: THE KNOWLEDGE
Vertigo
Finally, Constantine’s loyal friend Chas gets his own story. And ancient evil is un earthed in London and only Chas sees it. The Knowledge is what cabbies learn to drive in London, all the different routes from one place to another. But the Knowledge is more than that as Chas discovers while trying to keep an ancient evil from destroying his city.
Simon Oliver did an ass kicking job on this and his use of the city and it’s lore really added to the tale.
JUSTICE SOCIETY OF AMERICA Volume 4: THY KINGDOM COME part 3
DC Comics
This is the final part of this story arc and it is one of the best JSA stories I’ve read. A sequel of sorts, but not really, to KINGDOM COME. The Superman of that Earth is on the Earth we are familiar with. He is shell shocked and scared of seeing a tragedy repeated. This final chapter has our heroes facing off against each other and against Gog, a being who is all powerful and wants the planet to worship him. The JSA obviously wins, but the how is so great you just have to read it. There are also a number of other clues dropped in and revealed including what is going on with Starman from the Legion.
The last 8 pages are some of the coolest I’ve read in years, and after finishing I read the whole thing over again.
This is a masterpiece.
