From my review at Sight. I’ve also posted the full version of the gorgeous Ryan Sook cover under the review. It’s so cute, even your girlfriend will love it! What’s that? You read comics? Um…it’s so cute even your Aunt Beryl will love it!
DC’s current gallery of books is hardcore, with more convoluted stories than usual. Final Crisis and it’s truck load of tie-in issues has our heroes facing their darkest day (apparently), and with Batman:R.I.P, which has the Dark Knight’s existence seemingly coming to an unexpected end, the DC Universe is not the simplest or happiest world to visit. However, they still know how to entertain and in recent months DC have given me much more mirth than usual, thanks in part to Tiny Titans, a simple book with short tales, chock-full of fanboy in-jokes. It always puts a smile on my face. Now there’s this Superman/Batman two-parter. I don’t think I’ve laughed out loud so much in a single issue. A pleasant change from last month’s issue #50, which presented a far-out tale where the parents of our titular heroes may have met decades ago, this story is just plain fun, with no need for previous knowledge. Mike Johnson continues his writing duties on this title, from last month, with Michael Green (who also writes TV’s Heroes) who launched an excellent story arc in issue #44 which had the superhero pair hunting down all of earth’s Kryptonite. During that run, Superman was exposed to some Silver K, which gave him hallucinations of pint-sized versions of his costumed friends. It was a brief, but amusing moment. Here, the kid heroes return, thanks to the reality warping powers of that troublesome imp, Mr Mxyzptlk. He confesses that his aim was simply to lighten up the superhero pair, as both heroes have been in dark times indeed as of late, just like us faithful DC readers.
Mirth inducing moments abound in this ish, from Lil’ Bats punching the real deal in the kneecap, to the tiny versions of the Justice League of America, including a Supergirl toddler who cries at the drop of a hat, and similar versions of Wonder Woman, Vixen and Black Canary experiencing love at first sight when the teen Robin enters the Batcave.
I’m so glad to see DC mock their own creations with such recklessness. Superman and Batman are two of pop culture’s greatest creations, and like superheroes in general, are ripe for parody, though it’s really only insiders who can do it with any sense of wit. When films or TV shows attempt to do the same, their parodies come across as cringe inducing. Us fanboys are sick of “underwear on the outside” jokes, but we can laugh at ourselves with ease. The highlight here for me would have to be the pre-pubescent versions of Superman and Batman recounting their origins. Instead of the two gunshots that killed “our” Bruce Wayne’s parents that fateful night, the younger version’s parents experienced, “Two shoves. And nothing was ever the same again. I swore that night that no one would ever be bullied in Gotham City.” Similarly, instead of seeing Krypton’s destruction give birth to Superman, his counterpart’s parents rocketed their only son to earth just to save him from a rainy day. These origins have been told many times over these characters’ 70 plus years of history, and to see them retold here in such a refreshingly different manner is great.
The introduction of similar de-aged versions of the pair’s main villains on the final page is a hoot (Two-Face has a cake covering half his face, and Mr Freeze is armed with an ice-cream gun) and bodes well for more laughs in next month’s conclusion.
There’s sheer entertainment here for both hardcore readers who’ll get the parodies, and something for newbies too. Rafael Albuquerque is the perfect choice for artist. His deft pencils make all the characters seem so adorable and aid greatly in making this issue such a joyful romp. Now I just need to start a petition for DC to create plush toys based on these Lil’ Leaguers.
It’s a cool title. Sounds like an 80s pop synth band. Thankfully this new 12 issue series from Arcahia Studios Press has more to offer than that. Husband and wife team Josh Finney and Kat Rocha have something impressive in this book. It begins in China in 2032 in a hectic firefight before cutting to a group of pilots waiting for their next big moment. The first thing that strikes in this book is the artwork. Finney and Rocha come from a background of design in the music and gaming worlds, and that unique perspective shows. It’s unlike most of what’s on display in most mainstream comics. There’s no splash pages and cross hatching filled with hero shots. Usually I’m not a fan of photo realistic art. I am a huge fan of Alex Ross (who isn’t?) but the painter still has a magical sense of grandeur in his realism. Here, the pages are crisply coloured and it’s all rather obvious that the majority of the work owes itself to the computer, but that’s not a bad thing at all. I’m guessing models were used, and photos were taken and manipulated for the majority of the book’s look. It works in this tale that reminds me of a Tom Clancy videogame. It could be because I’m playing Rainbow Six Vegas 2 on my Xbox, but I think it has something to do with it’s global politics mixed with manly military terms, tough soldiers and futuristic weapons. There’s a lot of talking here, and most of it is set at a card table as the pilots play as if their lives depended upon it, while discussing the war they’re waiting to get involved in. Despite all the talking, it is still interesting. The dialogue works well though I’m still not sure where it’s all going at this point, which makes for a good first issue. A call to action ends the issue with a welcome change of pace. Titanium Rain is for mature fans of politics and the military mainly, but has a good story which utilises both and themes focused on evolution and human conflict. That, and it’s pretty to look at.
I’ve been following this series since it began. It doesn’t have the traits of my usual picks, ie, no spandex, or space ships, or surprising resurrections. It doesn’t even have any secret identities! But what Mice Templar does offer is great story telling, and that’s enough to make it stand out from the superheroes crowding the racks.
The story told thus far concerns Karic, a young mouse who is rising up to become the next Templar, a long lost group of holy warriors who destroyed themselves long ago. After Karic’s village was raided and his family lost, he managed to rescue and befriend that old fantasy favourite-the mentor, and his rise to glory and greatness continues unabated. Actually, that’s not entirely true, which is what makes this series so exciting. There is always a sense of dread when reading Mice Templar, as betrayals and deaths and bloody battles drag the story to it’s unknown conclusion. Rats and owls and bats all seem horrendously fierce in a world where your best weapon is a lack of trust and a quick pair of legs. Karic’s earnest desire to fulfill the Fish Gods prophecy for him leads him to meet other Templars, such as Pilot (whom he rescues) and the bitter Cassius. Each issue ends on a cliff hanger as every rousing tale should and this one is no different, in which Karic must question his motivations thus far. Is his hope and admiration for the Templars a deserved one, or is he just way too naive and in over his head?
Similar to what The Animatrix DVD was to the Matrix films, 
Atomic Robo made an impression on the comics scene last year the same way he does in this story; packed with action and pleasant surprises. From new publisher, 
As I’ve been reading Get Smart’s reviews this week it has become obvious that some reviewers all go to the same well of uncreativity. Every single one either started or ended with the show’s catchphrase to sum up it’s disappointment-“Missed it by that much.”
comicbookjesus 