Owly and Friends Free Comic Book Day 2008

From the stack of unread comics, here's another Free Comic Book Day issue.

Title: Owly and Friends
Date: 2008
Publisher: Top Shelf Productions
Writer: Andy Runton, Christian Slade, James Kochalka, Corey Barba
Artist: Andy Runton, Christian Slade, James Kochalka, Corey Barba
Editor: Chris Staros

This 2008 Free Comic Book Day collection features Andy Runton's Owly as the main feature, with stories from three other all-ages comics.

Owly, an owl character whose dialogue consists of small pictures and symbols, is always cute and fun. In this installment, Owly is trying to find time to assemble a new picnic table in time for a picnic lunch with friends, but events keep getting in the way. The story is cute, although a bit long compared to other Owly comics I've read, and I have found that the shorter stories work better in Owly's format.

James Kochalka's Johnny Boo is the only story to use words as dialogue in this collection, and the story is a simple and funny one that was good for a few laughs.

Corey Barba's Yam had four different short stories in the book. Yam is more surreal than the others here, and I found it a bit hit-or-miss, although it had some very clever moments.

Finally, the highlight of the book for me was Christian Slade's "Bath Time" featuring Korgi, which was a beautifully illustrated and simple treat of a story. Especially recommended for dog-lovers!

I read this to my seven-year-old son, who enjoyed the book and seemed to get the most out of Johnny Boo.

This was fun and a nice look at some good kid-friendly titles that I might not have discovered otherwise.

Rating: 6.5/10

Batman #570

Last summer, I packed some comics from a box in my storage unit that was labeled as "unread". I have a bad habit of buying comics at a faster rate than I read them, so I've got a fair amount of random comics in those unread comics boxes. I was in a hurry, so the comics I ended up taking with me to Saigon from that box really were pretty random and scattered. Within those, the biggest grouping was a run of Batman from 1998's Cataclysm and Aftershock storylines, and a couple from the epic that followed up on those, No Man's Land. This issue is the last of that batch. These have been enough fun that I may seek out some more from these crossovers when I get back to the US in June.

Title: Batman
Issue: 570
Date: October, 1999
Publisher: DC Comics
Writer: Bronwyn Carlton
Penciler: Mike Deodato
Inker: David Roach
Colorist: Pam Rambo
Letterer: John Costanza
Editor: Frank Berrios, Joseph Illidge, Dennis O'Neil

This takes place during the massive No Man's Land crossover, in which a disaster-stricken Gotham has been abandoned by the US government and left is a state of anarchy (as opposed to Anarky, who was at least mentioned in one of the Cataclysm issues that preceded this; so he'll probably show up sooner or later).

Cataclysm and Aftershock, at least in the issues that I've looked at so far, stayed away from using the heavy-hitters among the Batman's rogues gallery. Not the case here, as Joker and Harley Quinn are front-and-center, in a story where the Batman only appears in one panel. It's really Harley who's the star here. While looting the upper floors of a luxury apartment tower, she finds a self-help book called "The Code: Laws of L'Amour That Will Make Your Man Marry You". The book is subversively feminist and Harley's hands she begins to make changes in the whole dynamic of her relationship with her "Puddin".

The Joker, meanwhile, waffles between puzzlement and obliviousness as he trains a new henchman, a young intellectual named Josh, and makes plans to hold an election for leadership of Gotham, with himself as the lead candidate.

All of this is set against the block-by-block territorial battles raging in the No Man's Land, with various factions vying for control of scarce resources.

This was some fun character development for Harley Quinn, and a nice setup for coming conflicts between her and Mr. J.

Rating: 7/10

Tiny Titans #1 (Free Comic Book Day Edition)

I have a lot of Free Comic Book Day editions in the stack of unread comics. Here is one from 2008.

Title: Tiny Titans
Issue: 1
Date: April, 2008
Publisher: DC Comics
Writer: Art Baltazar, Franco
Artist: Art Baltazar
Letterer: Nick J. Napolitano
Editor: Jann Jones, Stephanie Buscema
Cover: Art Baltazar

This book is split up into five short stories, plus a one-panel cartoon, a pinup page featuring the whole team, and a maze activity page.

The stories are humorous and cute, mostly aimed at the young audience, although there is a bit for the adult audience in a pretty clever parody of some of the recent controversies over changes in comic book characters traditional costumes.

I also thought that the wordless Beast Boy story was adorable.

Some of the other jokes fell a bit flat, although one gained a bit in its repetitive use and could be good as a running gag as the series continues.

The art style is very cute and straightforward, with the characters totally recognizable in these "cartoony" incarnations.

Nothing too groundbreaking here, but a fun kid-friendly book with a bit to get a smile out of any Titans fan.

Rating: 6.5/10

Superman #100

From the random stack of comics, here's a milestone Superman book from 1995.

Title: Superman
Issue: 100
Date: May, 1995
Publisher: DC Comics
Writer: Dan Jurgens
Penciler: Dan Jurgens
Inker: Brett Breedng, Josef Rubinstein
Colorist: Glen Whitmore
Letterer: John Costanza
Editor: Chris Duffy, Mike Carlin
Cover: Dan Jurgens, Joe Rubinstein

I love "milestone" issues, especially involving historic characters like Superman. So this is the 100th issue of the Superman title that began following Crisis on Infinite Earths in the 1980s. It's got a holofoil cover (because it's 1995, after all; it also has a scene involving a brick-sized cell phone!), and the story is "The Death of Clark Kent".

While that would appear to be a play on the Death of Superman storyline, which also leaned heavily into gimmicky cover territory, this story plays out more like a much kinder, gentler version of Identity Crisis.

Villain Conduit, who just happens to be Clark Kent's old high school buddy Kenny Braverman, has figured out Superman's secret identity. And after a bit of teasing Clark Kent with the knowledge, Clark now knows that Kenny knows, and all of a sudden everyone in Clark Kent's life is in danger.

Or rather they would be, if it were not for the fact that Conduit seems to be utterly incompetent as a villain. The guy commands a private army equipped with military hardware, and his powers make him a match for Superman in a straight up fight, but yet he resorts to mailing people exploding champagne bottles, has his men surround Ma and Pa Kent's house and then wait to attack until Superman arrives, and can't even decide whether to spill the secret identity to a captive Jimmy Olsen.

Really, Conduit? Really?

In fact, the whole scene of Conduit blathering on and on to Olsen about "if you only knew what I knew about Clark Kent" and then not telling pretty much tells all the readers everything they need to know about this story. The status quo is in no danger here. And neither is Superman, or Clark Kent for that matter.

Just about the only redeeming bit in this issue is a reasonably well thought out scene between Superman and Lois Lane (in 1995 continuity, Clark and Lois are engaged and Lois knows Clark is Superman), in which Clark talks about the importance of his identity as Clark Kent and about the pride he takes in his news reporting and writing. More of that, please.

And less Conduit.

Rating: 3.5/10

Batman #567

Skipping a few issues, and here we are in the midst of the No Man's Land mega-story.

Title: Batman
Issue: 567
Date: July, 1999
Publisher: DC Comics
Writer: Kelley Puckett
Penciler: Damion Scott
Inker: John Floyd
Colorist: Greg Wright
Letterer: Todd Klein
Editor: Joseph Illidge, Darren Vincenzo
Cover: Damion Scott, Robert Campanella, Patrick Martin

This issue focuses on Cassandra Cain, and her father David Cain. David Cain is trying to kill Commissioner Gordon, while Cassandra is determined to prevent that from happening.

Meanwhile, the Batman is trying to decide what to do with a captive Harvey Dent in a world where there is no longer any "justice" for criminals to be brought before. 

I'm not really a Cassandra Cain fan, and I found the action to be choppy and not always all that coherent. I did like that they filled in a bit of Cassandra's backstory, although more questions were raised than answered.

GCPD officers getting killed off like Star Trek redshirts is a severely overused trope, and it gets thrown into this issue entirely unnecessarily.

Rating: 4/10

Salem: Queen of Thorns: Free Comic Book Day Edition

From the random pile of unread comics, here's another Free Comic Book Day offering.

Title: Salem: Queen of Thorns: Free Comic Book Day Edition
Date: May, 2008
Publisher: Boom! Studios
Writer: Chris Morgan, Kevin Walsh
Artist: Wilfredo Torres
Colorist: Andrew Dalhouse
Letterer: Marshall Dillon
Cover: Wilfredo Torres
Editor: Mark Waid

The setting is Salem, Massachusetts, in 1673, a setting that is more about flavor than historical accuracy. There's an attack by a demon on a family before we meet our (anti- ?) hero, wandering demon-slayer Elias Hooke.

After a bit of demon-slaying, we move to the human villains, standard overzealous inquisitor-types, in the process of trying to extract a confession from a woman accused of witchcraft (her actual issue appears to be atheism). As one of the clergymen begins to have second thoughts, there is Elias Hooke to break up the proceedings.

We end up with the good deacon, the accused witch, and Hooke in the woods, with supernatural forces closing in.

The best thing about this was Hooke himself, who's in interesting mix of trickery, supernatural lore, and a silent loner attitude. The supporting characters had potential, although the villains felt very generic.

As a Massachusetts boy, I was underwhelmed with this version of Salem, which felt a lot more like a fantasy setting than a historical (or even historical fantasy) one.

Rating: 5.5/10

Batman #560

Back to Batman, and we're on the Road to No Man's Land.

Title: Batman
Issue: 560
Date: December, 1998
Publisher: DC Comics
Writer: Chuck DixonArtist: Jim Aparo, David Roach
Colorist: Lee Loughridge
Letterer: Todd Klein
Editor: Jordan B. Gorfinkel, Dennis O'Neil
Cover: Rodolfo Damaggio, Patrick Martin

With Aftershock finshed, this issue is part of the transition into the next giant crossover, No Man's Land.

Bruce Wayne heads to Washington DC amid a growing political movement aimed at cutting off relief funds for Gotham. He's up against better lobbying, a media feeding frenzy, and overwhelming poll numbers.

At the center of the movement to cut Gotham off is political shock jock and TV personality Nick Scratch. He's a fun new villain, with a private army of masked thugs, but also a raving fanbase at his disposal.

In light of current politics, Nick Scratch and the Road to No Man's Land felt less like poltical satire and more like political reality.

Bruce Wayne getting set to do battle in the political arena was a nice change of pace, and an interesting set of new challenges.

Dennis O'Neil's editorial in this issue also gives a nice behind-the-scenes look at the genesis of No Man's Land.

Rating: 7/10

Scott Pilgrim Volume 2: Scott Pilgrim vs. the World

The school where I work has a relatively small library, but it's got a surprisingly good selection of graphic novels. I bought the first volume a couple of years ago (review here), and had been meaning to continue this series.

Title: Scott Pilgrim vs. the World
Issue: Volume 2
Publisher: Oni Press
Date: 2005
Writer: Bryan Lee O'Malley
Artist: Bryan Lee O'Malley
Editor: James Lucas Jones


Musician and slacker Scott Pilgrim is dating two girls, and he needs to make a choice.

And furthermore, if that choice is to keep dating Ramona Flowers, he must still defeat the remaining six members of the League of Ramona's Evil Ex-Boyfriends. And next up on that list is Lucas Lee (not to be confused with Luke Wilson, apparently), a former pro skateboarder turned bigtime Hollywood star.

Meanwhile, Ramona meets Scott's friends, and becomes friends with Scott's sister. She also gets to meet Scott's other girlfriend, Knives Chau, and, well, Scott is not the only one with a fight scene in this volume.

There is also useful tourist information for Toronto-area sightseeing spots, and a recipe for vegan shepherd's pie. Plus a flashback to Scott's high school days.

Scott is grating at times, but that is part of the point. The story is frenetically paced and endlessly quirky, with great interplay between a diverse supporting cast, and a nice sprinkling of video game references.

Rating: 7.5/10

NASCAR Heroes: Free Comic Book Day 2008

Another break from that Batman run to dip into the random unread comics. This is from FCBD 2008.

Title: NASCAR Heroes: Free Comic Book Day
Publisher: NASCAR Library Collection / Starbridge Media Group
Date: 2008
Writer: Jeremy Diamond
Artist: Peter Habjan, Rich Duhaney
Colorist: Peter Habjan, Rich Duhaney, Susan Menzies
Letterer: Thom Zahler
Editor: Jonas Diamond, John Gallagher

This was a random Free Comic Book Day pickup, and proved to not be at all what I was expecting. I was expecting a biographical book on NASCAR drivers. Instead, this is an all-ages superhero story set in NASCAR.

NASCAR driver Jimmy Dash is a former janitor who, along with his pit crew, gained superpowers from an explosion of a mysterious secret fuel formula. So now they do super-heroic deeds between races.

The origin of Jimmy Dash is the backup story in this book. The main story is a rather clearly Scooby Doo influenced tale of a movie set haunted by a headless ghost. After the third lead actor in a row quits the set of a racing film, Jimmy Dash is recruited to play the part, and he soon encounters the headless ghost.

There are some vehicular action scenes, but the ghost plotline fizzles out without any satisfying resolution, and we don't really get to see much of Jimmy or his teammates using their powers.

This story didn't seem to know how serious to take itself. The action was goofy enough that it wasn't very entertaining as a serious action story, but it also wasn't funny enough to be, well, funny.

I also felt like the story could have gotten better use out of its NASCAR connection. There was never any action that took place in an actual NASCAR race.

Rating: 4/10

Batman #559

Down to the last few of this run of Batman I brought from my unread comics box in the US.

Title: Batman
Issue: 559
Date: October, 1998
Publisher: DC Comics
Writer: Doug Moench
Penciller: Bob Hall
Inker: Sal Buscema
Colorist: Gregory Wright
Letterer: Todd Klein
Editor: Jordan B. Gorfinkel, Dennis O'Neil
Cover: Rodolfo Damaggio, Patrick Martin

This is the last "Aftershock" issue in the Batman title, but not the conclusion of the crossover. And besides, Aftershock was really just a chapter in the bigger saga that will be No Man's Land, starting next issue.

With a mass exodus of refugees underway, the GCPD is hard pressed to maintain any kind of order. Bullock and Montoya find themselves defending Mercy Hospital from a siege by desperate gang members seeking drugs. Batman and Robin come to their aid, but the city continues to crumble.

Bullock totally steals the show here, even getting a (awesome) romantic subplot! There are some great characters introduced for this issue as well, and even the generic thug villain gets enough personality to make him, well, slightly less generic.

The writing is really tight, with good attention to detail, and an excellent shock at the end.

Rating: 7.5/10