Memorable Night, Forgettable Book: Review of Batman: The Wedding (2018)

Review:

As a writer, Tom King evokes a love-or-hate reaction in fans. His stories often take big, audacious swings and, like the baseball slugger, the result can be a grand slam or a strikeout. In this trade paperback book, we have a mixed bag in its four distinct stories. The two standalone ones are home runs. The other two multi-part tales? Not so much.

"Your Big Day" is the first home run, a short tale from DC Nation #0. It was also included in the Preludes to the Wedding collection and, as I said in reviewing that book, it is a darkly funny, twisted delight. King does a great job building tension through growing threats, both implied and real, dad jokes and the mundane act of waiting for the mail delivery. Will the Joker receive his invitation to the wedding? what will happen to his hostage if he does not? An excellent little tale!

The other big success is the title tale, The Wedding itself from Batman #50. After two years of build-up, since the proposal in Batman #24, the happy day has finally arrived, and what a joy it is! 

Pages alternate between the approaching ceremony (collecting the best man, the maid of honour and the justice of the peace) and interstitial pinups of Batman and Catwoman by more than two dozen guest artists. Many of these pages are poster-worthy and highlight the artist's own unique style and perspective of the happy couple. Frank Miller's, for example, is immediately recognizable to anyone who read Batman: The Dark Knight Returns. Amanda Connor's echoes the fun frivolity she became known for during her run on Harley Quinn. And so many more!

Tom King's story itself is brilliantly structured as an interplay between two love letters between the couple. This is a delightful read, filled with tasty visuals.

Sadly, the other two tales in the collection are bad-King; the three-part The Gift with Booster Gold and the two-part The Best Man story with the Joker are horrendous fails.

In The Gift, the time-travelling hero Booster Gold, self-proclaimed "greatest hero you've never heard of" and caretaker of the health of the time stream mucks things up over three issues. He decides that the best possible gift for the happy couple is to tinker with history so that Bruce Wayne can spend some time with his long-ago murdered parents. Except things do not go as planned and it takes him two years to put things right again. But, along the way, that timeline's Batman (hint: not Bruce Wayne) is killed and Bruce himself commits on-panel suicide. Booster is so far out of character (and he is not the only one) that his fans rate these as some of the worst Booster Gold appearances ever. A very frustrating and disappointing story arc.

In the two-part The Best Man, the Joker goes on a killing spree at a wedding, not Batman's but another random one. In the resulting battle, he winds up very nearly killing Batman, leading to a grand showdown with Catwoman which leaves both her and the Joker mortally wounded. The growing tension is apparently intended to be based on which of them will bleed out first? It is a super-slow moving, dark and morbid but ultimately ridiculous tale. Even the attempted levity of the two dying villains gossiping about the other rogues fails to land.

Tom King continues to swing big, but this collection is a lot more miss than hit. The fantastic first and last stories slightly salvage an otherwise deeply awful collection.

Description:

Batman and Catwoman are about to have the wedding of the century... or are they? For these star-crossed crime-fighters, nothing ever comes easy.

As Bruce and Selina prepare to tie the knot, the time-traveling hero called Booster Gold crashes the party with a dangerous and deadly mission that will send them hurtling through the space-time continuum--and threaten to rip it all apart.

And though Gotham City's greatest couple is ready to elope in order to escape their enemies, Batman's greatest nemesis is not about to hold his peace. The Joker intends to make himself the Dark Knight's best man--and wherever the Clown Prince of Crime goes, chaos is sure to follow.

The stage is set for an event that will change the lives of two of comics' most iconic characters forever!

You are cordially invited to attend Batman Vol. 7: The Wedding. Featuring the union of acclaimed writer Tom King (Mister Miracle) and Bat-artists Tony S. Daniel (Deathstroke) and Mikel Janín (Grayson), with a host of comics' most talented artists on the guest list! Collects stories from Batman #45-50 and DC Nation #0.

Collects: Batman #45-50 and DC Nation #0

Authors:  Tom King
Artists:  Mikel Janin, Tony S. Daniel
Published By:  DC Comics
Published When:  Oct. 30, 2018
Parental Rating: Teen
ISBN:  978-1401283384
Pages:  176 pages

Parties and Invitations: Review of Batman: Preludes to the Wedding

Review:

The days before a wedding are so busy, fille with countless tasks and decisions, parties and preparations. Now imagine how much more complicated it must be for a pair of celebrity costumed characters with secret identities to protect. And so few people to ask for help.

This book collects all the one-shot prelude comics. All are written by Tim Seely and include Robin vs. Ra's al Ghul, Nightwing vs. Hush, Batgirl vs. Riddler, Red Hood vs. Anarky and Harley Quinn vs. The Joker. From Bachelor and Bachelorette parties to the Joker's obsession with his (lack of) invitation to the nuptials (most visible in the DC Nation story by Tom King that leads off the collection), Seely gives us some intense interaction between key people in Batman and Catwoman's circle.

An extreme close-up of the Joker peering through a mail slot kicks off this book, the full-page splash for DC Nation #0. In this prelude to the Preludes, King gives us a darkly funny short tale of the Joker holding hostage a man while they eagerly await the day's mail delivery. The mail must - MUST - contain an invitation for the Joker. Filled with Dad-jokes and twisted humour, this tale does not end happily but it is a joy to read. Clay Mann's clean, straight-forward art is a nice nod to the history of these characters.

The Robin vs Ra's al Ghul tale is highlighted by a sweet bonding moment between Damian and Selina. Beyond that, though, this is a violent, trippy guilty pleasure of a tale. Cheeky, arrogantly over-confident Damian must battle some of al Ghul's assassins, and the man himself, despite being buzzed by some psychedelic drugs they slipped into him.

The Nightwing vs Hush tale begins with a costumed bachelor party at the classy (?) Bat Burger diner. An accidental trip through a portal leaves Nightwing and Hush trapped in a Negative Zero dimension, trying to avoid an army of "Gone Men." The dark horror-inspired aspects and apparent death of Hush fail to overcome the otherwise elevated levels of silliness in this one.

Batgirl takes on the Riddler to solve a series of increasingly high-stakes riddles and battles. In a clever device, the Riddler never speaks directly, only via cassette tape. This Prelude is the best of the bunch. Artist Minkyu Jung faithfully portrays the increasingly beat-up face of Batgirl as the long, hard night continues and she battles hench-people, including fishnet-stockinged Riddlerettes. Is this a Wedding Prelude? Maybe a little. But it is a lot of fun.

If the Bachelor party happened in Nightwing vs Hush, the Bachelorette party appears in the Red Hood vs Anarky prelude. Red Hood has been assigned a rather paternalistic role of supervising the ladies as they party. Of all these Prelude tales, this is the only one to hint at something larger going on, outside of the Epilogues. Not that anything comes of it, but there is the clear sense that someone is behind all these attacks. The tension between the beautiful partying people is also a palpable wrinkle that Seely handles well.

The final prelude is Harley Quinn vs the Joker. It has a wonderful series of nods to the classic Death Traps of earlier comics eras, especially the Silver Age and the 1960s TV series. My personal favourite is Harley's attempt to drown Mistah J in pudding - an instant classic! Unfortunately, this tale does not have much else going for it. The tensions between former lovers and silliness in the plot are too much at odds and this one fails to land.

In all, this collection of Preludes to the Wedding is a mixed bag, leaning more toward uninspiring but saved somewhat by the opening DC Nation story and the Batgirl vs the Riddler tales. We give it 3 capes out of five.

Description:

You are cordially invited...

Bruce Wayne and Selina Kyle are about to tie the knot, uniting two of Gotham's greatest vigilantes in the wedding of the century. But the city's deadliest villains are determined to crash the party, and only Batman and Catwoman's closest allies stand in their way!

Robin vs. Ra's al Ghul: It's grandson versus grandfather as the son of the Bat faces the head of the Demon in a fatal family feud!

Nightwing vs. Hush: Batman's original partner turned best man squares off against Bruce Wayne's oldest friend turned bitterest enemy!

Batgirl vs. the Riddler: Two of Gotham City's greatest minds clash as the one-time Oracle and the overlord of Zero Year launch a war of wits!

Red Hood vs. Anarky: Agents of chaos collide in a battle between the Dark Knight's rogue Robin and the underworld's most unpredictable mastermind!

Harley Quinn vs. The Joker: Once upon a time, they too might have said, "I do." Now the Clown Prince of Crime and the Mistress of Mayhem are at each other's throats, with all nine of Catwoman's lives hanging in the balance!

Writer Tim Seeley and an all-star wedding band of artists proudly present Batman: Preludes to the Wedding, a killer collection of action-packed matrimonial madness that will help determine the fate of comics' greatest couple!

Collects: Batman: Prelude to the Wedding: Robin vs. Ra's al Ghul, Batman: Prelude to the Wedding: Nightwing vs. Hush, Batman: Prelude to the Wedding: Batgirl vs. Riddler, Batman: Prelude to the Wedding: Red Hood vs. Anarky, Batman: Prelude to the Wedding: Harley Quinn vs. The Joker, DC Nation #0 and #2

Authors:  Tim Seeley, Tom King
Artists:  Brad Walker, Travis Moore, & more
Published By:  DC Comics
Published When:  Sept. 11, 2018
Parental Rating: Teen
ISBN:  978-1401286545
Pages:  144 pages

Strong Women in his Life: Review of Batman volume 6: Bride or Burglar

Review:

In his long, 80+ year history, Batman's tales have had many different flavours. At times campy and silly, other times dark, violent, brooding. Sometimes packed with action, occasionally filled with pensive, introspective analysis. From battling thugs in alleys to space-faring extra-terrestrial adventures.

This collection is decidedly on the mystical, numinous end of the spectrum and is all the more remarkable for the prominent women throughout. 

Catwoman's presence is a given, as these stories are part of the run-up to the 2018 wedding of the Bat and the Cat. But for two chapters, they are separated while Batman spends decades battling a never-ending horde of monsters alongside Wonder Woman. The setup is that the Gentle Man, who has sworn to battle those same hordes for all eternity, needs a break. Batman and Wonder Woman make good on a past promise to give him a day off. But time moves differently in that mystical land and thirty years pass for them while the Gentle Man takes his time visiting family for an evening.

The setup is reminiscent of Marvel's 2011 storyline leading to the death of the Human Torch, who sacrificed himself to stop a horde in the billions from passing through the portal into our universe (see my review here). But while it is clear why Johnny Storm battles those hordes; in the Gentle Man's tale it is not clear what Batman and Wonder Woman are protecting and why they must do battle for these many decades. It is the one, rather large, plot flaw in this otherwise fantastically plotted and imaginatively unique Batman tale.

Poison Ivy stars in the next three chapters, as Batman and Catwoman are apparently the only people in the whole world not under her control. To save the world, all of Nature and the Green, she has extended her ability to control people chemically in shocking new ways. She makes brilliant use of Justice League members in order to keep tabs on the pair. And yet, they are clearly not themselves: Catwoman easily takes out three Flashes, while Batman knocks out Superman with a whistle - hilarious!

Ivy's actions, however, have only superficially controlled Harley Quinn, which Batman manages to use to break through. It spins into a tale with a lot of conversation about human hurt, brokenness and healing. The result is an at-times gripping and fun if slow-moving therapy session of a tale.

These two centrepieces are bookended by standalone tales, the first much in line with classic Detective Comics tales requiring Batman to solve a confusing chain of murders. The final standalone tale that closes this collection shows us how Catwoman shops for her wedding dress. In her own, inimitable style, of course! With awesome insertions of historical Catwoman outfits, this final tale is a balance between sleepy and fast-paced, with a light and humourous tone throughout.

As the wedding day draws nearer, this collection gives us some delightfully off the wall tales of the Bat and the Cat. 4 capes!

Description:

The path to the altar has never been so dangerous!

Not long after Batman announces his engagement to Catwoman, he and Wonder Woman are called to honor an old commitment requiring them to fight for Earth in a distant, magical realm. But time flows strangely in this new land, and an hour in our world could be years there. The storied friendship between two great heroes begins to unravel--while the universe itself does the same around them!

Next, the Bat and the Cat find themselves isolated as Poison Ivy seemingly takes over the rest of the world, including the Justice League! Can they nip Ivy's plans in the bud before the whole world falls under her dominion? After all, there's still a wedding to plan...

The big day approaches in these stories from Batman #38-44, from author Tom King (Mister Miracle) and artists Mikel Janín (Grayson), Joëlle Jones (Supergirl: Being Super) and Travis Moore (Fables: The Wolf Among Us).

Collects: Batman #38-44

Authors:  Tom King
Artists:  Mikel Janin, Tony S. Daniel
Published By:  DC Comics
Published When:  July 31, 2018
Parental Rating: Teen
ISBN:  978-1401280277
Pages:  168 pages

Fatherhood's Complications - Review of Superman: Booster Shot (2018)

Review:

Action Comics published issue #1000 in 2018, a landmark milestone, the first DC title to hit four digits.

Interesting trivia: Detective Comics is actually older than Action Comics, but it fell behind in its numbering when Action Comics switched to a weekly schedule for several months in the late 1980s.

This book collects the all-important run-up to the big #1000 - reprinting issues #993 to 999. And who better to set the table for that celebration than Dan Jurgens? He knows the Superman cast of characters inside and out, having written various Superman books for years, most notably with the Death of Superman arc that introduced us to Doomsday.

Jurgens delves deep into Superman's classic origin story and set of villains, giving us a multi-part tale with several twists on General Zod and on Superman's father, Jor-El. Superman travels back in time to the destruction of Krypton to try and confirm rumours that his father survived. But doing so fragments the time stream, and DC's spandex-wearing Time Master, Booster Gold, gets involved to put things right.

In the hands of Dan Jurgens, these characters are pitch perfect. Booster, whom Jurgens created in the mid 1980s and has returned to several times over the years, is as cocky, humourous and self-promoting as ever. But here he is well balanced by his new Time Master role and its constraints and responsibilities. He is comfortable in his skin, correcting and guiding Superman when required, and his courage and compassion shine through.

As for Superman, even as he reaches Action Comics' 1000th issue (not to mention his many other titles!), his character and story continue to grow. We feel his pain at watching Krypton die or when he is forced by Booster to leave groups of suffering innocent people without his mighty help.

Jurgens also pencils the first two chapters of this collection, before turning things over to Brett Booth and Will Conrad. And what a job they turn in! Booth especially - his two chapters are so packed with creative visuals! He is truly outside the box, completely unconstrained by the standard rectangular shapes of panels and pages or their conventional linear flow. He pushes the boundaries of visual storytelling in ways that work superbly well, and they are an absolute delight to read.

Hi-fi on colours delivers their usual brilliance and nuanced, smoothly flowing shading, adding to the beauty of these pages.

The final chapter in the collection, #999, depicts Superman offering human compassion to Cyborg Superman, even as Lois Lane, after her dramatic rescue of her father, attempts the much harder task of then actually reconciling with him. It is a beautifully intertwined tale that puts family and relationships front and centre leading into the big #1000.

Description:

Is Jor-El really alive?

Superman and Booster Gold travel back in time to verify the claims that Kal-El's father somehow survived the destruction of Krypton. What they find, though, is a vastly different world than history has shown.

When the time intruders are discovered, Jor-El and General Zod collaborate to capture or destroy them. The Eradicator will chase the pair through time to the 25th century Gotham City and back to Krypton in pursuit of justice. Unable to alter the past, Superman and Booster must make certain that they survive. Zod, his son Lor-Zod and Ursa want to make certain they do not.

Not that things are perfect back on Earth. The Pentagon reports that Lois Lane's father, General Sam Lane, has gone missing. When they won't mount a rescue operation, she goes after him on her own. Or so she thinks. Her super-powered son Jon tags along, adding a new level of risk to the mission.

Dan Jurgens' final major story arc, collecting Action Comics #993-999 and a story from Action Comics Special #1, raises the stakes for all concerned. These high-powered tales are illustrated by Jurgens, Brett Booth, Will Conrad and Norm Rapmund.

Collects: Action Comics #993-999

Authors:  Dan Jurgens
Artists:  Brett Booth, Will Conrad, Norm Rapmund
Published By:  DC Comics
Published When:  Aug. 28, 2018
Parental Rating: Teen
ISBN:  978-1401275280
Pages:  200 pages

Plucky Bucky: Review of Captain America: White - Deluxe hardcover edition

 

Review:

Writer Jeph Loeb and artist Tim Sale make an award-winning team, with a history of spectacular projects to their credit. My personal favorite was their Superman: For All Seasons series. In Marvel circles, they are better known for their Color books - Daredevil: Yellow, Spider-Man: Blue and Hulk: Grey.

In my hands, I have the deluxe hardcover edition of Captain America: White. It is filled with amazing extras, including an extended Q&A with the creators, loads of sketches and even a few examples of the creation of the gorgeous wash effect used to great artistic effect throughout.

With this wash effect, the art truly is breath-taking. Page after page is filled with stunning colors, selective over-inking, well-timed extreme close-ups in tightly cropped and stacked panels, and the wash effect giving this book a unique visual appeal. Clearly this project has been a labor of love for Tim Sale.

Jeph Loeb's work here, though, is more of a mixed bag. He has the chops and the history to pull off this project, with his experience writing TV series like Smallville and Heroes alongside his critically acclaimed other comics projects. And in these pages, he gives us a powerful exploration of Bucky's origin and of the deep bonds of friendship and mentorship between him and Cap. Their heroism, strength, leadership and trust are as beautiful to read as the images are to look at.

The plot itself, unfortunately, peters out by the end. Their early days and adventures and their occasional partnership and tense relationship with the Howling Commandoes makes for a compelling first half. But the Paris arc bogs down and, by the time we reach the climactic showdown with the Red Skull - who is more visually eye-popping than I have ever seen! - ultimately disappoints.

With the whole narrative overlaid with the melancholy and introspection and grief weighing on Cap decades later, we get a tone that is more depressing than revealing. Add to that the one-dimensional portrayal of the Howling Commandoes and Sgt. Fury, and the unsurprising twist of betrayal in Paris. Loeb has given us much stronger plotting and pacing elsewhere.

Still, on the basis of the strong visuals and the relationship deep-dive between Cap and Bucky, we still give this 3 capes out of 5.

Description:

Journey back to the Big One as Captain America recalls one of his most incredible missions. It's 1941, and the Howling Commandos are enjoying a respite from the ordeal of World War II — until Cap and his faithful partner, Bucky, lead them into the hands of the enemy! As the Nazis unleash their latest deadly soldiers, an old ally lends a hand — but an even older enemy will threaten America's greatest hero like never before. Will the Sentinel of Liberty gain his freedom in time to rescue Paris from the clutches of a monster? The Eisner Award-winning creative team of Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale (DAREDEVIL: YELLOW, HULK: GRAY, SPIDER-MAN: BLUE) reunites to deliver another colorful exploration of the early days of a Marvel icon!

Collects: Captain America: White #0-5

Authors:  by Jeph Loeb
Artists:  Tim Sale
Published By:  Marvel Comics
Published When:  2016
Parental Rating: Teen
ISBN:  978-0785194194
Pages:  142 pages