Category: DC Superhero

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JSA: volume 3 The Return of Hawkman


By David S. Goyer, Geoff Johns & various (DC Comics)
ISBN 1-84023-628-0

The third collection of the revered, revived and very legendary Justice Society of America continued the crusade to resurrect or re-induct all the classic big names by reviving the biggest name and most visually arresting of the original team: Hawkman.

However, before that epic unfolds this volume (reprinting issues #16-26 of the monthly comic and portions of JSA Secret Files #1) kicks off with a triumphant extended return engagement for some old foes with ‘Injustice Be Done’. The first chapter ‘Divide and Conquer’ (illustrated by Stephen Sadowski and Michael Bair) finds an expanded Injustice Society in possession of the heroes’ most intimate secrets, ambushing them whilst they’re off guard with significant success.

In ‘Cold Comfort’ mastermind Johnny Sorrow reveals his plans as the heroes begin their fight back, and we see his horrific origins in ‘Sorrow’s Story’ (with additional art Steve Yeowell), before the World goes to Hell with ‘Into the Labyrinth’ (extra inks by Keith Champagne) and the ghostly Spectre returns to save the day.

And spectacularly fails…

The saga concludes in cataclysmic fashion with ‘Godspeed’ as Black Adam and Jakeem, the heir of genie-wielding Johnny Thunder join the team, but not before Jay Garrick the veteran Flash is lost in time and space…

Compelling as it was the entire saga was just a set-up for the eponymous ‘Return of Hawkman’ which I’ll get to after this necessary diversion…

Hawkman is one of the oldest and most revered heroes in comic-books, premiering in Flash Comics #1 (January 1940), created by Gardner Fox and Dennis Neville, although the most celebrated artists to have drawn the Winged Wonder are Sheldon Moldoff and Joe Kubert, whilst a young Robert Kanigher was justly proud of his later run as writer.

Carter Hall was a playboy archaeologist until he uncovered a crystal knife that unlocked his memories. He realised that once he was Prince Khufu of ancient Egypt, and that he and his lover Shiera had been murdered by High Priest Hath-Set. Moreover with his returned memories came the knowledge that his love and his kicker were also nearby.

Using the restored knowledge of his past life he fashioned a costume and flying harness, hunting his killer as the Hawkman. Once his aim had been achieved he and Shiera maintained their “Mystery-Man” roles to fight modern crime and tyranny with weapons of the past.

Disappearing at the end of the Golden Age they were revived by Julie Schwartz’s crack creative team in the early 1960s (see Showcase Presents Hawkman volume 1 for further details), and after a long career involving numerous revamps and retcons  the Pinioned Paladin “died” during the Zero Hour crisis.

Now the lost Jay Garrick awakens in old Egypt greeted by a pantheon of that era’s superheroes. Nabu, the Lord of Order who created Doctor Fate, the original incarnation of Black Adam and Khufu himself reveal the true origins of Hawkman whilst in the 21st century the JLA‘s heavenly hero Zauriel tells the modern Hawkgirl just who and what she really is in ‘Guardian Angels’.

The epic further unfolds as a major connection to the alien Hawkworld of Thanagar is clarified and explored in ‘Lost Friends’ and as Garrick returns to his home time Hawkgirl is abducted to the aforementioned Thanagar by its last survivors, desperate to thwart the schemes of the insane death-demon Onimar Synn who has turned the entire planet into a zombie charnel house.

As the JSA frantically follow their abducted member to distant Polaris in ‘Ascension’ Carter Hall makes his dramatic return from beyond and saves the day in typical fashion before leading the team to magnificent victory in the concluding ‘Seven Devils’.

Illustrated by Buzz, Rags Morales, Sadowski, Bair, David Meikis and Paul Neary, this latest return not only led to Hawkman regaining his own title (more graphic novel magic to review soonest!) but also stands as one of the most cosmic and grand-scaled of all the JSA‘s adventures.

Complex, enticing, thrilling and full of the biggest sort of superhero hi-jinks, if costume drama is your meat, this book should be your prey…

© 2001, 2002 DC Comics.  All Rights Reserved.

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JSA volume 2: Darkness Falls


By Geoff Johns, David S. Goyer, Stephen Sadowski, Michael Bair & various (DC Comics)
ISBN: 978-1-56389-739-9

Following hard on the heels of their successful revival of the industry’s first super-team, the assorted creators hit the ground running and began expanding the roster and finding bigger and bolder cataclysms for the multi-generational army to combat.

The Justice Society of America was created in the third issue of All-Star Comics (Winter 1940/1941), an anthology title featuring established characters from various All-American Comics publications, by the simple expedient of having the heroes gather around a table and tell each other their latest adventure. From this low key collaboration it wasn’t long before the heroes joined forces to defeat the greatest villains and social ills of their generation.

Gathering issues #6-15 of the monthly JSA comicbook in one mighty tome, this volume begins with the official relaunch of the team in ‘Justice. Like Lightning…’ (illustrated by Marcos Martin & Keith Champagne) as the veteran members Flash, Sentinel and Wildcat assume the role of mentors for both current and future champions only to be attacked by a demented super-human named Black Adam. The bombastic battle serves to introduce some very far-reaching plot threads as the new incarnations of Doctor Fate, Hourman and Hawkgirl journey to ancient Egypt to solve the mystery of the Black Marvel’s madness, before the second major story-arc of the series begins.

In ‘Darkness Falls’ (art by Stephen Sadowski & Michael Bair) Sentinel’s troubled son Obsidian, haunted by his own powers, seemingly goes mad and attempts to drag the world into a supernatural realm of dark despondence. Naturally there’s more to the mess that might first appear, and when the new Doctor Mid-Nite appears it’s not long before the black tide begins to turn…

The epic concludes in a savage battle for the ‘Black Planet’ and Wildcat then takes centre-stage for a magnificent solo stint against the entire Injustice Society in ‘Wild Hunt’ – the best “Die Hard” tribute ever seen in comics.

Beginning with ‘Split’ (by Bair & Buzz) the next extended saga pits the team simultaneously against serpentine super-terrorist Kobra and the time-bending villain Extant (who killed many of the original team in Zero Hour) forcing the still largely untested JSA to divide its forces between a world in peril and a continuum in crisis.

‘The Blood-Dimmed Tide’ concentrates on the anti-Kobra contingent but their swift victory is spoiled when the sole survivor of the other team appears to bring them into battle against Extant in ‘Time’s Assassin’, ‘Chaos Theory’ and the spectacular ‘Crime and Punishment’ wherein reality is stretched beyond its limits, the gates of the afterlife are propped open and more than a few dead heroes return…

Complex and enthralling, these super shenanigans are the very best of their genre, filled with wicked villains and shining, triumphant heroes, cosmic disaster and human tragedies, always leavened by optimism and humour.

As such they’re simply not for every graphic novel reader, but if you can put yourself into the head and heart of a thrill-starved ten year old and handle the burden of seven decades of history, these tales will supercharge your imagination and restore your faith in justice…

© 2000, 2002 DC Comics. All Rights Reserved.

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JSA volume 1: Justice Be Done


By James Robinson, David S. Goyer & various (DC Comics)
ISBN: 978-1-56389-620-0

After the actual invention of the comicbook superhero – for which read the launch of Superman in 1938 – the most significant event in the genre, and indeed industry’s progress was the combination of individual sales-points into a group. Thus what seems blindingly obvious to us with the benefit of four-colour hindsight was proven – a number of popular characters could multiply readership by combining forces and readerships. Plus of course, a whole bunch of superheroes is a lot cooler than just one – or even one and a sidekick.

The Justice Society of America was created in the third issue of All-Star Comics (Winter 1940/1941), an anthology title featuring established characters from various All-American Comics publications, by the simple expedient of having the heroes gather around a table and tell each other their latest adventure. From this low key collaboration it wasn’t long before the guys – and they were all guys (except Red Tornado who pretended to be one – don’t ask!) until Wonder Woman premiered in the eighth issue regularly joined forces to defeat the greatest villains – and social ills of their generation.

Within months the concept had spread far and wide…

And so the Justice Society of America is rightly revered as a true landmark in the development of comic books, and, when Julius Schwartz revived the superhero genre in the late 1950s, the key moment would come with the inevitable teaming of the reconfigured mystery men into a Justice League of America. From there it wasn’t long until the original and genuine returned. Since then there have been many attempts to formally revive the team’s fortunes but it wasn’t until 1999 on the back of both the highly successful revamping of the JLA by Grant Morrison and Howard Porter and the seminal but critically favoured new Starman by Golden Age devotee James Robinson, that the multi-generational team found a concept and fan-base big enough to support them.

This first volume collects the prequel tale from JSA: Secret Files #1 and the first complete story-arc from JSA #1-5, detailing with great style and remarkable facility (considering the incredibly convoluted continuity of the feature) how the last active survivors of the original team, Wildcat, Flash and Green Lantern/Sentinel, unite with the inheritors of the veteran team’s legacy to continue the tradition, train the next generation of heroes and battle one of the oldest evils in the universe.

It all begins with the death of the Sandman, octogenarian Wesley Dodds, who beats the odds one last time to thwart an unstoppable ancient foe and warn his surviving comrades of the peril to come…

At Dodds’ funeral a horde of death-demons attack the mourners after the hero known as Fate is murdered, and the assembled mourners – legacy heroes Sand, Stargirl, Hourman, Atom Smasher, Starman and Obsidian, plus Black Canary, Wonder Woman (actually her mother Hippolyta) and the aforementioned trio above are sent on a tripartite mission to rescue three babies; one of which is the new incarnation of the magical hero Doctor Fate.

Meanwhile, unbeknownst to all, a wild card has been introduced with the unexpected return of another departed comrade in the guise of a new and deeply troubled Hawkgirl…

Although deeply fixed in the vast backstory of the DC universe, ‘Gathering Storm’, ‘The Wheel of Life’, ‘Old Souls’ and ‘Ouroboros’, illustrated by Scott, Benefiel, Stephen Sadowski, Mark Propst and Michael Bair, is a accessible superhero-rebirth saga, wonderfully compelling with a frenetic pace that keeps the reader barrelling along. The struggle against the mystery villain is pitched perfectly, with plenty of clues for the old-timers and enough character illustration to educate and satisfy those who have never heard of “the Dark Lord…”

With the revival and reintroduction of Hawkgirl and Doctor Fate achieved, the volume concludes with ‘Grounded’ (illustrated by Derec Aucoin and Bair) focusing on the history and new powers of the latest Sandman and introducing a new Mister Terrific to the team, whilst foreshadowing horrors yet to come…

Complex, thrilling, breathtaking; this is the very best modern superhero comics can aspire to: adding to rather than subtracting from the shared mythology whilst not afraid to dump the utterly unsalvageable bits of stuff that just won’t play today – never once forgetting that it’s all about entertainment…

Although this will never be a universally acclaimed graphic novel like Maus or Watchmen, for dyed-in-the-wool tights and fights fans JSA: Justice Be Done is just what the Doctor ordered and what Fate decrees…
© 1999 DC Comics. All Rights Reserved.

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Showcase Presents Hawkman volume 2


By Gardner Fox, Murphy Anderson, Bob Haney, Dick Dillon & various (DC Comics)
ISBN13: 978-1-4012-1817-1

After fighting long and hard to win his own title it was such a pity that time and fashion seemed to conspire against the Winged Wonder…

Katar Hol and his wife Shayera Thal were police officers on their own highly advanced planet of Thanagar. They originally travelled to Earth from the star system Polaris in pursuit of a shape-changing spree-thief named Byth but stayed to study Earth police methods in the cultural metropolis of Midway City. This all occurred in the wonderful ‘Creature of a Thousand Shapes’ which appeared in The Brave and the Bold #34 (cover-dated February-March 1961), but the public was initially resistant and it was three years and many further issues, guest-shots and even a back-up feature in Mystery in Space before the Winged Warriors finally won their own title

Hawkman #1, cover-dated April-May 1964, signalled the beginning of a superb run of witty, thrilling, imaginative and hugely entertaining science fiction, crime-mystery and superhero adventures that captivated the devoted but still painfully small audience.

This second, concluding volume, reprinting in crisp efficient black and white Hawkman #12-27, Brave and the Bold #70, The Atom #31 and the avian portions of the last-ditch combination-comic The Atom and Hawkman #39-45, recommences the magic with another large-scale cosmic epic that originally debuted in February-March 1966 (issue #12). ‘The Million-Year-Long War!’ is pure Gardner Fox storytelling, recounting how a Thanagarian exploration team awakened two aliens determined to kill each other even after eons of suspended animation and whose enmity drove them to possess all of Thanagar, turning Hawkman’s homeworld into one huge weapon. As usual Fox’s imaginings were gloriously illustrated by Murphy Anderson – as they would be until Julie Schwartz surrendered editorial control with issue #22.

Hawkman #13 featured a startling time-bending saga ‘Quest of the Immortal Queen!’ wherein a Valkyrie from Earth’s far future decided to add the Winged Wonder to her seraglio of lusty warriors plucked from history. Happily his wife Shayera strenuously objected and is both smart and tough enough to sort things out. Fox’s treatment of female characters was highly unique for those pre-feminist times: all his heroines – a large number of them wives, not wishy-washy “girlfriends” – were capable, intelligent and most importantly, wholly independent individuals.

Hawkgirl was written as every bit her husband’s equal and the Hawks had one of the most subtle and sophisticated relationships in the business. Like Sue and Ralph Dibney (Elongated Man and wife) Katar and Shayera were full partners, (both couples were influenced by the Nick and Nora Charles characters of the Thin Man movies) and the interplay between them was always rich in humour and warmth.

As a sign of the times super-secret criminal conspirators C.A.W. returned to seize control of the ‘Treasure of the Talking Head!’ – an ancient computer which held all the world’s knowledge, built before the birth of Christ, and the Pinioned Paladins then faced a fantastic monster in ‘Scourge of the Human Race!’, an encounter which revealed the true history of humanity as the last surviving specimen of Homo Sapiens’ earliest rival for mastery of the planet attempts to reverse evolution…

Issue #16 was a dimension-hopping sequel to Hawkman #6 (‘World Where Evolution Ran Wild’): an incredible Lost Worlds romp which combined secret history, fantastic fantasy and DC’s signature fascination with apes and simians in ‘Lord of the Flying Gorillas!’ whilst #17’s ‘Ruse of the Robbing Raven’ changed pace with a clever costumed crook caper. The issue also contained the first short back-up tale in over a year – another science based mystery entitled ‘Enigma of the Escape-Happy Jewel Thieves!’

Hawkman then guest-starred – and clashed – with Batman in The Brave and the Bold #70 (February-March 1967): ‘Cancelled: 2 Super-Heroes’ by Bob Haney, EC legend Johnny Craig and Chuck Cuidera saw the usually comradely crime-busters at each others throats due to the machinations of a manic millionaire who collected secret identities, whilst later that month in his own title the Winged Wonder teamed with Adam Strange against the malevolent Manhawks to locate the ‘World That Vanished!’ The planet in question was Thanagar and when it went it took Hawkman’s beloved Shayera with it…

This colossal tale concluded in the next issue with the action-packed ‘Parasite Planet Peril!’ and the Avian Ace then joined his old friend in The Atom #31 for ‘Good Man, Bad Man, Turnabout Thief!’ (by Fox, Gil Kane & Sid Greene) to battle a phantom super-criminal hidden within the brain of an innocent man, before returning to home ground for Hawkman#20’s ‘Death of the Living Flame’ a classy anthropological tomb-raiding yarn and the introduction of a new and persistent foe in ‘Lion-Mane… the Tabu Menace!’

The alien-infected leonine marauder returned in the very next issue ‘Attack of the Jungle Juggernaut!’– a typically classy thriller for Fox and Anderson to bow out with. With issue #22, George Kashdan took over the editorial reins, tapping Bob Haney, Dick Dillin and Charles “Chuck” Cuidera to continue the adventures of the Winged Wonders in a market increasingly indifferent to costumed characters. ‘Quoth the Falcon “Hawkman Die!”’ certainly hit the ground running as the tale of extraterrestrial paranoia and civil unrest resulted in Hawkman revealing his secret identity and alien heritage to a hostile Earth…

‘The Hawkman from 1,000,000 B.C.!’ was another dark, moody tale wherein a mad scientist’s time-plundering ray inflicts dinosaurs, ancient warriors and an amnesiac Hawkman on the shell-shocked citizens of Midway City. Arnold Drake scripted the alien invasion saga ‘The Robot-Raiders from Planet Midnight!’ and Haney resurfaced for ‘Return of the Death Goddess!’ and Shayera’s brief but ghastly possession by the ghost of the mythical Medusa.

The writing was on the wall by June-July 1968 and the prophetically entitled ‘Last Stand on Thanagar!’(issue #26) scripted by Raymond Marais, was a rushed inconsequential affair before the final tale ‘…When the Snow-Fiend Strikes!’ ended Hawkman’s solo career with a muddled tale of Communist agents and Yetis in the Himalayas.

It was a bad time for superheroes. Buying tastes had changed and a drop in comic sales and attendant rise in interest in supernatural themes prompted publishers to drop or amend much of the anti-horror provisions of the Comics Code Authority. Tales of mystery and imagination were returning after nearly a decade-and-a-half, but sales figures notwithstanding, Julie Schwartz had worked too hard to just let Hawkman die.

Just as Marvel were converting their double-feature split books into solo titles Hawkman was crammed into the equally struggling Atom comic for one last year of adventures.

The Atom and Hawkman, beginning with #39 (October-November 1968, carrying on the numbering of the Tiny Titan’s publication) featured some of Schwartz’s biggest creative guns, alternating short solo stories with shared adventures. The first of these was ‘Vengeance of the Silver Vulture!’ an epic battle against a resurgent Mayan death-cult written by Bob Kanigher, illustrated by Anderson and Joe Giella, with cover art by Joe Kubert – who would also contribute interior art to the feature he struggled so long and hard to create.

Written by Fox, pencilled by Kubert and inked by Anderson, the Hawkman portion of #40, ‘Man with the Inbuilt Panic Button!’ and its sequel ‘Yo-Yo Hangup in the Sky!’ from #41 are one last splendid slice of the “Good Old Days” – an intriguing mystery about a ordinary man who suddenly develops the power of teleportation – but only from one life-threatening crisis to a greater one…

Denny O’Neil joined Dick Dillin and Sid Greene for ‘When the Gods Make Madness!’, a full-length team-up which pitted the heroes against Hindu gods, and Kanigher revived the Golden Age Hawkman’s greatest foe in the two part saga of The Gentleman Ghost ‘Come to my Hanging!’ and the concluding ‘The Ghost Laughs Last’, both illustrated by Anderson.

The Atom and Hawkman #45 was the final issue, a revelatory psycho-drama featuring both heroes by O’Neil, Dillin and Greene that wrapped up their comic tenure and set them up with a prolonged series of further adventures in Justice League of America: a veritable lifeboat for cancelled costumed crime-fighters at that time.

‘Queen Jean, Why Must We Die?’ revealed that the Atom’s fiancée Jean Loring was the descendent of aliens who had crashed on Earth in the Stone Age. Returned from sub-molecular exile the survivors drove her insane – because their hereditary rulers must be free of all care – before the heroes could rescue – but not cure her. This tale would provide much of the basis for Loring’s actions in contemporary sagas Identity Crisis and Countdown to Final Crisis…

And then , but for the JLA, occasional guest-spots or back-up features in Action or Detective Comics that was it for the Winged Wonders until changing tastes and times gave them another, indeed many other, shots at the stars.

Hawkman briefly grew into one of the most iconic characters of the second superhero boom, not just for the superb art but also because of brilliant, subtle writing and incomparable imagination. These tales are comfortably familiar but grippingly timeless. Yet comics are a funny business; circumstances, tastes and fashions often mean that wonderful works are missed and unappreciated.

Don’t make the same mistake readers did in the 1960s. Together with its first volume this book captures and perfectly preserves the very essence of the Silver Age of Superheroes. Whatever your own vintage, read these astounding adventures and become a fan. It’s never too late.
© 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 2008 DC Comics. All Rights Reserved.

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Catwoman: the Long Road Home


By Will Pfeiffer, David Lopez & Alvaro Lopez (DC Comics)
ISBN: 978-1-84856-181-6

After a phenomenal relaunch (see Catwoman: Selina’s Big Score, The Dark End of the Street and Crooked Little Town) the feline felon motored along nicely for years before falling prey to her most telling weakness: she is inextricably bonded to the Bat Franchise and as it turns, so does she.

Despite some sterling work from Will Pfeiffer, David Lopez & Alvaro Lopez, the series was marked for cancellation and the final days saw her sucked into both the Amazons Attack and Salvation Run publishing events (see particularly Wonder Woman: Amazons Attack!, Justice League of America: Sanctuary, JLA: Salvation Run and the previous volume Catwoman: Crime Pays).

So it is that this final compilation (collecting issues #78-82 of her gone-but-not-forgotten monthly comic) opens with the urban defender of Gotham City’s downtrodden underclass marooned on a distant deadly planet where America’s super-criminals have been clandestinely deported by the government, trying to avoid being killed by her own rogues gallery (Russian émigrés Hammer & Sickle and Cheetah most notably) whilst back on Earth old friend Slam Bradley’s search for her has led him into a murderous deathtrap…

One Final Whine (and you just know that’s not true): as I’ve said in many a review, graphic novels are different from simultaneously published periodicals, and lots of the tricks that augment sales in the latter are actual hindrances in the former. This first chapter is the ideal example of that observation.

In the comic-books this story culminates with a cataclysmic death-duel on the alien Hellworld, and a Slam Bradley teaser/cliffhanger after which the informed reader turns to Salvation Run issues #6 and 7 to discover what happens next. In this collection we simply, inexplicably find Catwoman back on Earth and coming to Slam’s rescue. Bast help you if you’re on a tight budget or only collect Catwoman books…

Feel free to consider that an advisory to buy Salvation Run too.

After saving Bradley Selina returns to unfinished business: chiefly tracking down The Thief, an obnoxious upstart who stole all her possessions and reputation to augment his own, which she does with panache and perhaps excessive force and zeal, before settling a few other old scores, most notably with criminal information broker The Calculator, and drives off into the sunset after one final fight with Batman.

This is a readable if necessarily bitty clean-up operation prior to Catwoman joining the cast of the ensemble series “Gotham City Sirens”, but there are still moments of the old magic to be found here. A rather unfortunate end to a superb series and a wrap-up only the most dedicated fans should have to endure.

© 2008 DC Comics. All Rights Reserved.

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JLA: Salvation Run


By Matthew Sturges, Bill Willingham, Sean Chen, Walden Wong & others (DC Comics)
ISBN: 978-1-84576-981-9

It all makes sense really: if you’re normal folks in a world of casually destructive gods and monsters wouldn’t you want to get rid of them? That’s the premise of this dark and sardonic take on George II’s “Wahr on Turrrism” as seen through the gaudy lens of the DC universe.

Salvation Run was a seven part miniseries which spilled over most prominently into Justice League of America (see Sanctuary) and Catwoman (both Catwoman: Crime Pays and Catwoman: the Long Road Home), although the build-up, which saw a large number of DC super-villains seemingly vanish was featured in a quite a number of disparate DC titles.

The first chapter ‘Hellish New World’ (by Willingham, Chen & Wong) follows the murder of Bart Allan in Flash – Fastest Man Alive: Full Throttle and concentrates on that hero’s killers as they try to survive on a deadly alien world. They had been captured and sent there by the hard-line political animal Amanda Waller and her pet penal battalion The Suicide Squad, a government-controlled team of super-villains acting as a black-ops team in return for (limited) freedom. It’s not long before a multitude of metahumans ranging from cheap thugs like Black Spider and Hyena to “aristocrats” such as Cheetah, Clayface and the Joker are also unceremoniously dumped and forgotten…

Clandestinely deported without trial, they were told their new world had everything they needed to survive, but when they fell out of teleportational Boom Tubes they all quickly discovered that somebody lied: everything animal, vegetable and mineral on this Hellworld has been programmed to kill them…

In ‘Take this World and Shove It!’ the body-count of (admittedly minor) bad-guys begins to mount and in a grisly echo of Lord of the Flies the Joker takes charge – until the final batch of transportees arrive: a group which includes Lex Luthor, Catwoman and an incredibly scared and angry Suicide Squad, finally betrayed by their Government taskmasters…

Matthew Sturges took over the scripting with ‘All You Need is Hate’ and the trenchant black comedy was cranked up as rivalries and philosophical differences divided the villains on all but one point – that there were enough mad scientists on hand to find a way back to Earth…

‘Life is But a Nightmare’ revealed that the never-unaware Batman had planted a heroic infiltrator among the villains, and as immortal Vandal Savage lured a small harem of Bad Girls to a distant “safe area” to begin populating the planet with his progeny, the civil war among the factions claimed its first major player, whilst ‘Through a Glass Deadly’ (illustrated by Joe Bennett and Belardino Brabo) saw the morally ambivalent Catwoman forced to betray Batman’s spy to the villains just as the true masters of Hellworld reveal their own long-range plans for the deported villains.

‘Burning Down the World’ saw open warfare break out as Luthor and Joker attempt to beat each other to death whilst all about them Hellworld’s creators attack and the violent deadly affair ends with a mass prison break when Luthor’s genius returned them all (the survivors anyway) to Earth with renewed hatred of society and a huge simmering grudge to work off… ‘We Gotta Get Out of this Planet’ (by Sturges, Chen, Wong and Wayne Faucher) ends in spectacular fashion a hard look at DC’s dark side and firmly re-establishes the pecking order of the underworld just in time for the ultimate shake-up of Final Crisis.

Wicked, funny and grimly gory this is a fascinating look at the other costumes in the DCU, but there’s enough high concept and clever subtext to delight those casual readers who look beyond the normal “who’s tougher than who” antics.

For clearer comprehension I advise reading Justice League of America: Sanctuary before attempting this book.

© 2008 DC Comics. All Rights Reserved.

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Justice League of America: Sanctuary


By Alan Burnett, Dwayne McDuffie, Ed Benes & various (DC Comics)
ISBN: 978-1-84856-051-2

The fourth volume of the latest Justice League of America incarnation (collecting issues #17-22 of the monthly comic) sees a changing of the creative guard as the always impressive Alan Burnett splits the scripting duties with equally impeccable Dwayne McDuffie to tie-in the Worlds Greatest Heroes to a company-wide storyline that wasn’t quite a braided-mega-crossover but was more than a shared plotline.

The graphic novel (or album or trade paperback collection: take your pick) is a wonderful vehicle for a complete reading experience in an industry and art-form that has always suffered from its own greatest strength – vitality and immediacy due to being periodically published.

Simply stated: you can generate huge enthusiasm for your product if it comes out frequently (or constantly), and more so if your product shares a storyline with a congruent product. That simple maxim gave early Marvel an insurmountable advantage in the 1960s and DC, being slow to catch on is still playing Catch-Up in the cross-selling stakes.

Unfortunately that advantage becomes a hazard once these parallel sagas are bundled up into what ought to be cohesive one-off packages, i.e. books, as inevitably backstory and initiating events have to be ignored, précised or included. One day all periodical material will be downloadable on demand and I’ll go back to reviews of actual comics…

The epic in question here is Salvation Run: a miniseries which spilled over most prominently into Catwoman (see both Catwoman: Crime Pays and Catwoman: the Long Road Home), although the build-up, which saw a large number of DC super-villains seemingly vanish, was featured in a quite a number of disparate DC titles.

The chapters here were divided into the lead feature ‘Sanctuary’ parts 1-3, by Burnett, Ed Benes and inkers Sandra Hope, Mariah Benes & Ruy José, with McDuffie providing captivating character-based vignettes, before assuming full writing chores for the last two tales in this volume.

It all kicks off when a desperate gang of super criminals smashes into the JLA’s headquarters and promptly surrenders, requesting asylum. Investigation reveals that villains from the most pathetic to the most powerful are being “disappeared” and even incarceration in the League’s dungeon on the Moon is preferable to the unknown fate of their fellows.

When hard-line political animal Amanda Waller and her pet penal battalion The Suicide Squad turn up demanding the heroes hand over the bad-guys the shocking secret comes out: the US government has had enough of metahuman threats and is rounding them up, without benefit of Due Process, and deporting them to another world from which they can never return. Moreover, she’s equally prepared to trample the JLA’s human rights to get what – and who – she wants…

Full of spectacular action and telling metaphor this yarn has plenty of surprises and for best effect should be read before any of the above cited collections, as it has no real conclusion, only lots of climaxes…

McDuffie’s first tale is ‘Meanwhile, Back in the Kitchen…’ illustrated by Jon Boy Meyers & Serge LaPointe, wherein Vixen reveals a secret that might get her booted off the team to Red Arrow, Red Tornado and Green Lantern, and ‘Meanwhile, Back at Owl Creek Bridge…’, (Meyers & Mark Irwin) sees the Tornado – currently bodiless and inhabiting the team’s computer system – make a decision that could save or end his “life”. Both these short stories lay the threads for upcoming longer tales.

After the conclusion of ‘Sanctuary’ McDuffie and Ethan van Sciver pit the (Wally West) Flash and Wonder Woman against the alien insect Queen Bee Zazzala in ‘Back up to Speed’ and the book closes focusing on the Human Flame, as he joins a bevy of baddies feted by the villainous Libra in a prequel to Final Crisis. ‘The Gathering Crisis’ is illustrated by Carlos Pacheco & Jesus Merino.

Even though possibly no more than a bunch of interludes and add-ons, the sheer quality of the work collected here elevates this book above the average superhero sock-fest, and if you are a fan of the “Big Events” the room to see characters breathe and move here is a bonus of unparalleled worth.

© 2008, 2009 DC Comics. All Rights Reserved.

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Green Lantern: Wanted: Hal Jordan


By Geoff Johns, Ivan Reis, Daniel Acuña & Oclair Albert (DC Comics)
ISBN13: 978-1-4012-1590-3

With the series well on its way after his turbulent resurrection in Green Lantern: Rebirth this fourth collection continues to build towards the cosmic spectaculars that seem to dominate the modern comics scene: in this case the Sinestro Corps War and Blackest Night.

Collecting issues #14-20 of the monthly comicbook, all the stories are as usual, written by Geoff Johns and the drama starts with the eponymous title feature. ‘Wanted: Hal Jordan’ by Ivan Reis and Oclair Albert picks up a storyline begun during the previous volume (Green Lantern: Revenge of the Green Lanterns). Throughout the previous year many countries enacted new laws against metahumans – good, bad or undecided – and due to increased geo-political tensions Hal Jordan had rejoined the US Air Force.

He and fellow pilots Jillian “Cowgirl” Pearlman and Shane Sellers were shot down by Chechnyan rebels over Russian airspace, captured and tortured before escaping. When “intel” reveals the torturers have resurfaced, the still-traumatised Green Lantern once more invades Russian territory to confront them, but anticipated vengeance turns to a rescue mission when he finds that Cowgirl has already found them and been shot down again. As the forces of an enraged and extremely belligerent Russia attack the Emerald Invader, so too do a host of alien bounty-hunters who have been secretly stalking the hero since his return…

The carnage escalates as the Justice League and other American heroes try to stop Jordan before an international incident becomes a global catastrophe, whilst behind the scenes an old foe is finally making his long-laid plans a terrifying reality…

Taut, visceral and satisfyingly complex, this tale is a prelude to the aforementioned Sinestro Corps War, and features one of the very best cameo Batman “moments” in recent memory.

The volume continues and concludes with a three-part tale illustrated by the wonderful Daniel Acuña which sets up threads for the mega-crisis after the Sinestro shenanigans (now that’s confident forward planning!). ‘The Mystery of the Star Sapphire’ re-examines and clarifies the history and methodology of the alien Zamarons (who older fans will recall are an all-female off-shoot of the Guardians of the Universe) and the purple energy-stone that periodically possessed GL’s old girlfriend Carol Ferris.

After returning to Earth and initially re-absorbing Ferris that pesky jewel jumps ship to what it thinks is Jordan’s latest flame, Cowgirl Pearlman, culminating in a spectacular, breathtaking power-duel that also lays the groundwork for much of the Blackest Night saga.

Combining big-picture theatrics with solid characterisation Green Lantern is the perfect contemporary superhero series, vast in scope, superb in execution and blending just the right amounts of angst, gloss and action in the storytelling mix: but a basic familiarity with DC/Green Lantern history is advisable.

Perhaps you’d best review some of the earlier graphic novel collections and wonderful Showcase Presents editions before tackling this little gem…

© 2006, 2007 DC Comics. All Rights Reserved.

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Manhunter: The Special Edition


By Archie Goodwin & Walter Simonson (DC Comics)
ISBN: 1-56389-374-6

One of the most celebrated superhero series in comics history, Manhunter catapulted young Walt Simonson to the front ranks of creators, revolutionised the way dramatic adventures were told and still remains the most lauded back-up strip ever produced. Concocted by genial genius Archie Goodwin as a support strip in Detective Comics (#437-443, October-November 1973 to October-November 1974) the seven episodes – a mere 68 pages – won six Academy of Comic Book Arts Awards during its far too brief run.

In case you’re wondering: Best Writer of the Year 1973 – Archie Goodwin,

Best Short Story of the Year 1973 ‘The Himalayan Incident’,

Outstanding New Talent of the Year 1973 – Walter Simonson,

Best Short Story of the Year 1974 ‘Cathedral Perilous’,

Best Feature Length Story of the Year 1974 ‘Götterdämmerung’ and

Best Writer of the Year 1973 – Archie Goodwin.

Paul Kirk was a big game hunter and part-time costumed mystery man before and during World War II. Becoming a dirty jobs specialist for the Allies, he lost all love of life and died in a hunting accident in 1946. Decades later he seemingly resurfaced, and came to the attention of Interpol agent Christine St. Clair. Thinking him no more than an identity thief she soon uncovered an incredible plot by a cadre of the World’s greatest scientists who had combined into an organisation to assume control of the planet once they realised that man now had the means to destroy it.

Since the end of the War the Council had infiltrated all corridors of power, making huge technological advances (such as stealing the hero’s individuality by cloning him into an army of superior soldiers), slowly achieving their goals with no-one the wiser, but the returned Paul Kirk had upset their plans and was intent on thwarting their ultimate goals…

This slim volume reprints the much-missed Mr. Goodwin’s foreword from the 1979 black and white album Manhunter: the Complete Saga and gathers in one spiffy single collection Kirk’s entire tragic quest to regain his humanity and dignity. Coloured by Klaus Janson and lettered by Ben Oda, Joe Letterese, Alan Kupperberg & Annette Kawecki, it tells of St. Clair and Kirk’s first meeting in ‘The Himalayan Incident’, her realisation that all is not as it seems in ‘The Manhunter File’ and their revelatory alliance in ‘The Resurrection of Paul Kirk.’

Now fully a part of Kirk’s crusade Christine discovered just how wide and deep the Council’s influence ran in ‘Rebellion!’ before beginning the end-game in the incredible ‘Cathedral Perilous’ and gathering one last ally in ‘To Duel the Master’…

With all the pieces in play for a cataclysmic confrontation, events take a strange misstep as Batman stumbles into the plot and threatens to inadvertently hand the Council ultimate victory. ‘Götterdämmerung’ fully lived up to its title and perfectly wrapped up the saga of Paul Kirk – which was a superb triumph and perplexing conundrum for decades to come.

In an industry notorious for putting profit before aesthetics the pressure to revive such a well-beloved character was enormous, but Goodwin and Simonson were adamant that unless they could come up with an idea that remained true to the spirit and conclusion of the original, Manhunter would not be seen again.

Although the creators were as good as word DC did weaken a few times and Kirk clones featured in the Secret Society of Super-Villains and the Power Company, but they were mere shabby exploitations of the original. Eventually however, an idea occurred and the old conspirators concocted something that was usable and didn’t debase the original saga. Archie provided a plot, and Walter began to prepare the strip.

And after years of valiant struggle Archie finally succumbed to the cancer that had been killing him. Anybody who had ever met Archie Goodwin will understand the void his death created. He was irreplaceable.

Without a script the project seemed doomed until Simonson’s wife Louise suggested that it be drawn and run without words: a silent tribute and the last hurrah for a true hero. Manhunter: the Final Chapter reunites all the characters and brings the sublime epic to a perfect resolution. Now it really is all over…

With a touching afterword from Walter and a couple of pin-ups thrown in, this book represents a perfect moment of creative brilliance and an undisputed zenith in comics storytelling. This is a tale no comic fan can afford to be without.
© 1973, 1974, 1999 DC Comics.  All Rights Reserved.

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JLA: Tower of Babel


By Mark Waid, Howard Porter & various (DC Comics)
ISBN 1-84023-304-4

After battling every combination of ancient, contemporary and futuristic foes, the World’s Greatest Superheroes found themselves pitted against an unbeatable threat in this startling exploration of paranoia that originally ran in issues #42-46 of the monthly comic-book, and spread into JLA Secret Files #3 and JLA 80-Page Giant #1

As a taster to the main event the book begins with ‘Half a Mind to Save a World’, an intriguing take on Asimov’s Fantastic Voyage from Dan Curtis Johnson, Mark Pajarillo and Walden Wong, wherein the Atom leads a JLA team on a mission to forcibly evacuate an advanced civilisation of bacteria that have taken up residence in a small boy’s brain, but of course, the bacteria aren’t that keen on moving…

Tower of Babel begins with immortal eco-terrorist Ra’s Al Ghul’s latest plan to winnow Earth’s human population to manageable levels well underway. In ‘Survival of the Fittest’ (Waid, Porter and Drew Geraci) a series of perfectly planned pre-emptive strikes cripple the Martian Manhunter, Flash, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Plastic Man and Green Lantern whilst Batman is taken out of the game by the simple expedient of stealing his parents’ remains from their graves.

With the Dark Knight distracted and his fellow superheroes disabled the action begins: suddenly humanity has lost the ability to read. Books, newspapers, complicated machinery instructions, labels on medicine bottles – all are now gibberish. The death toll starts to rise…

In ‘Seven Little Indians’ as the League attempt to regroup and fight back Batman realises that the tactics and weapons used to take out his allies, now including Superman, were his own secret contingency measures, designed with sublime paranoia in case he ever had to fight his super-powered friends…

Inserted next is ‘Blame’ by Dan Curtis Johnson, Pablo Raimondi, Claude St. Aubin and David Meikis from JLA Secret Files #3 which reveals how Talia, Daughter of the Demon, stole Batman’s anti-hero files and devices before Tower of Babel resumes with ‘Protected by the Cold’ as Batman leads a counter-attack despite the shock and fury of his betrayed comrades, and as the final phase kicks in and humans lose the power of speech too, the disunited team mounts a last-ditch assault on Al Ghul in ‘Harsh Words’ (illustrated by Steve Scott and Mark Propst). The same team handled the epilogue where the recovered heroes angrily seek to understand how their trusted friend could have countenanced such treachery…

The volume concludes with two thematically linked vignettes from JLA 80-Page Giant #1, ‘The Green Bullet’ by John Ostrander, Ken Lashley and Ron Boyd and ‘Revelations’ by Priest, Eric Battle and Prentis Rollins wherein Batman clears the Man of Steel of a trumped-up murder charge whilst Aquaman and Wonder Woman seek to deal with their obvious dislike and distrust of each other…

This volume (voted by multimedia reviews website IGN as number 20 on their list of the 25 greatest Batman graphic novels) is indeed one of the best Batman tales ever: a perfect, defining example of the man who thinks of everything, and is tough enough to prepare for the worst of all outcomes. As the Dark Knight was (temporarily) cast out of the League a new era began and the fans couldn’t have been happier. That’s a feeling you can share simply by picking up this startlingly impressive tale.
© 1998, 2000 DC Comics. All Rights Reserved.