Random Thoughts #51 - This Post probably should have been Labelled #50!

Well, I'm right on the cusp of a new year. I just got back from church and my sister's house. Before I go to bed or catch up on some reading, here are a few Random Thoughts. I think I'll make this one a short one this time.

2018
2018 was a fine year. It brought the good and bad as most years do. God blessed me and my family this year as He's done for many other years. It wasn't perfect, but I'm here at the end, so that definitely counts for something. Work was good this year and I think I've finally settled in on my new shift at work. Now, I just got to get back to the weight loss grind again. Last I checked, I was around 228 pounds. That is good since I'm now able to fit in pants I haven't been able to wear in years. Still, I'm not done just yet.Things are good in the love life too, but not perfect. I believe that's how it goes, so it's taking me a while to learn that.

Plans for 2019
Since Resolutions are meant to be broken, here are my plans for 2019. Hopefully, I can actually carry these out this time:

• Be a better person (throw son, boyfriend, friend, and all that fits under that)
• Continue to get out of Debt (almost got some stuff paid off!!!)
• Lose some more weight and eat better
• Actually run that 5K (I think my dad and sister may join in)
• Fix some stuff around the house (I still need to get that bathroom done!)
• Live life to the fullest

Movies/TV/Books

I'll keep this short. I've really only been to see Aquaman and that was last weekend. I'll go into more detail later, but it was pretty good. I was hoping it would live up to expectations and it did for me. I really want to see Into the Spider-Verse soon, so I may do that tomorrow if possible. There's a lot of stuff I want to catch up on (DC Universe's Titans, Daredevil, and a few others), so I'll try to do that in the new year. I also want to get back to reading novels again. I put that on the backburner. I might talk about some of them in the new year.

........................................

Well, I need to end this somewhere. May 2019 bring good things for you and your people. My next post will definitely be about something geared toward butt-kicking. Until then, Peace, God Bless, and be careful out there in the new year. Who knows what it'll bring.

COMING IN 2019: A LOT OF THE USUAL STUFF, YO! ALSO, MAYBE YO' MOMMA WILL COME ALONG AND FINALLY MAKE THAT DELICIOUS CAKE!

Favorites? - 10 Things I'm Not a Fan of in Star Wars

Well, it’s the end of the year and I got a couple of more posts in me. Since I haven’t really talked about Star Wars much and since it’s raining cats and dogs outside, I wanted to touch on something Star Wars-related. I’ve really only had one post dedicated to the franchise this year. Unfortunately (for you probably), it’s not for the stuff I like. Today’s list is going to about the stuff I’m not too keen on in Star Wars. I’m only limiting this to the movies since I’d be here all day. Also, there is one thing about the franchise that I would put on the main list, but it doesn’t fit the criteria. Besides, fans of anything can be annoying at times. So, let’s start with the incest!

Tales From the $2.99 Bin! - The Flash: Rebirth

Well, this was seven years in the making. A few years ago, I was going to talk about The Flash: Rebirth. I was in the midst of looking at different events and stories back then. Then, for some reason, I decided to hold it off. Instead, I started to look at Geoff Johns’ run on Teen Titans. Then, a bunch of other stuff got in the way and this unfinished post stayed in the drafts for quite a few years. That could be a hint on how I regard this story now, but I’ll get to that later.

For the uninformed, I’m going to quickly spiel about Barry Allen, the second Flash. As most folk know, Barry died in Crisis on Infinite Earths after saving the universe from the Anti-Monitor. It was revealed that he disappeared into the Speed Force, the source that fuels speedsters. It also serves as a bit of a Purgatory for speedsters as well. Of course, death, Geoff Johns, and Dan Didio couldn't keep him down. It took over 20 years, but in Final Crisis, the Flash was brought back to the land of the living.

From what I can guess, DC wanted to recreate the buzz that Green Lantern: Rebirth had for Hal Jordan and do this for The Flash and his world. DC had been bringing back the older Silver Age folk, and Barry was really the only one who hadn’t come back yet. The Flash: Rebirth was released in six parts between April 2009 and February 2010. I was able to get them all as they were released. Geoff Johns (writer) and Ethan Van Sciver (artist) reunited to usher in this brief era for the Flash family. Rob Leigh handles the letters while  Alex Sinclair and Brian Miller did the colors. So, what does a previously dead guy do when he comes back to life?

"It's a Video Game!" - Assassin's Creed: The Ezio Trilogy

Well, Christmas has come and gone. I got some good gifts though there are some pants that are a little tight. It could be the Christmas dinner or the fact that I’ve never been able to fit into regular jeans well. Anyway, this may be the last Assassin’s Creed post for a bit. I’m in the midst of playing Assassin’s Creed 3 which is one game I haven’t played in years. I’m beginning to see why, but that’s for later. Besides, January is saved for a lotta love toward butt-kicking.

Next up for this Assassin’s Creed binge I’m on is a series of games that feature the Assassin known as Ezio Auditore da Frienze. I’m not going to toot this horn much, but if want to know when the AC series gets good, just look at Ezio. He appeared in three games: Assassin’s Creed II, Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood, and Assassin’s Creed: Revelations. They  were all eventually collected together under The Ezio Trilogy. As for me, I bought them all separately years ago.  I know that I’ve replayed the second game and Brotherhood a couple of times as well as just recently. As for Revelations, I only did that once but I’ve recently done a replay on that as well. So, have these games held up over time?

TV Talk - Batman: The Brave and the Bold - "Invasion of the Secret Santas!"

Well, it’s almost Christmas Day and I still didn’t wrap that one present. The thing’s too dang big. Since I did it last year, I thought I would visit another episode that involves Batman and Christmas. I was going to look at “Holiday Knights” from The New Batman Adventures. Unfortunately, it’s not on the DC Universe app. So, instead of that, I’ll actually talk about “Invasion of the Secret Santas!” from Batman: The Brave and the Bold. This was actually the fifth episode of the first season which feels weird. I guess you gotta get those X-Mas episodes out of the way somehow. By the way, I ain’t rhyming this one. I bet all English teachers will be glad on that front!

“Invasion of the Secret Santas!”

Before we get to the slamming theme song (yes, it is a good theme song, you anti-fun snobs!!!), we get Batman and Blue Beetle teaming up to fight the Sportsmaster. I guess he decided to ruin sports events instead of poisoning his daughters’ minds in this universe. He’s also being voiced by Thomas Wilson, Biff from Back to the Future. It takes a couple of minutes (literally), but he is then defeated by the Blue team. We also find out that Batman’s not a big fan of Christmas.

Movie Talk - Assassin's Creed (2016)

And now… it’s time to talk about this possible piece of “felderkarb.” I was going to talk about this along with the first game, but I wanted to re-watch it and give it a fresh watch. Also, I needed to do something while wrapping presents. I got one more left to wrap, but I might hold off since it’s a little big. Anyway, this movie has the special distinction of also taking place within the AC universe. I actually saw some references to the movie characters in Assassin’s Creed: Origins. While it was released during December of 2016, I didn’t see it until much later. I just re-watched it today, so what do I think of this movie now?

The movie follows Callum Lynch, a convict who’s taken by Abstergo to be put into the Animus. Their plan is to find an Apple of Eden, a great source of power. They put Callum into his ancestor, Aguilar de Nerha, during the Spanish Inquisition in 1492. While Callum is captured, he’s able to gain the skills of his ancestor and help other captured Assassins strike back against the Templars. He and the rest of the folk also almost put me to sleep. In the past, Aguilar does action stuff and interacts with the Apple for a bit. That’s all with  that guy since we only spend about 30 minutes in the past… eh.

Angilar: Man, all those other assassins get a crapton of time! Heck, even that Haytham  $%*#* got more time than me and he ain't... wait, that'd be spoiling stuff!

"It's a Video Game!" - Assassin's Creed (2007)

So, what does one get when they mix parkour, Quantum Leap, the Knights Templar, the Matrix, and a Doomsday prophecy together? I don’t know, but Ubisoft’s Assassin’s Creed franchise sounds like the closest fit. I feel like this has been a long time coming. I consider myself to be a fan of the franchise or at least a casual fan. I haven’t read any of the tie-in comics nor have I played any of the other non-PS3/PS4 games out there. I did see that 2016 movie, unfortunately, and that will be talked about here soon. I do need to answer one question first: what is Assassin’s Creed?

At its core, Assassin’s Creed is about the centuries-long battle between the Assassins and the Knights Templar. The Templars created a machine called the Animus that allows its user to experience the life of an ancestor. In the first game’s case, it’s Desmond Miles. He gets captured by the Templars so they can find something called the Apple of Eden. While you have the modern storyline, you also get a lot more in the past with the Assassin you’re playing. I could get more into detail, but I don’t want to chase you off. This franchise gets pretty confusing.

The concept for Assassin’s Creed came from a few of places. The first is Alamut, a novel from Slovenia. It’s basically about an order of assassins and its leader. The biggest inspiration and one I’m personally familiar with is The Prince of Persia series which was also published by Ubisoft. I’ve revisited The Sands of Time a lot on the PlayStation 2. Unfortunately, that game series has pretty much been forgotten about by Ubisoft.  When Ubisoft was looking to create another game and possibly another franchise, they took Alamut’s concept and the Prince of Persia’s gameplay to come up with Assassin’s Creed.

Today, I’ll be talking about the first game in the franchise, Assassin’s Creed.  It was what first introduced me to the franchise in 2011. It’s also one that I didn’t beat until a few weeks ago. Yes, this game can get frickin’ grating in places especially at the end. I’ll get to that later, though. I was also going to quickly go over the 2016 movie, but this post is going to be long enough. Besides, it means I have to watch the dang thing.

Favorites - Best Superhero Video Games

Soon, I'll be playing this game... 2020 sounds like a good year to start!

Since it is the end of the year and I’m working on setting up a new blog, I thought I’d finally do something with the drafts I got over here. I got some I recently put in and a few that have been drafts for years. It was about time to let these unfinished posts get their light of day. I even got one from like 2010 I haven’t even finished yet! I’ll get to that soon, but right now, I’m going to talk about some games.

Since I’ll be in an Assassin’s Creed binge for a bit, I haven’t gotten a chance to touch the latest Spider-Man game. Yeah, I said it. It sounds quite horrible, doesn’t it? I wasn’t too worried about this game since its publisher, Insomniac, does good stuff. In fact, most superhero games have been pretty good lately. I couldn’t say that years ago, though. I still haven’t gotten a good Superman game yet, but I’m praying for it, dang it! Yeah, folk pray about sport teams, so I might as well pray about something that is pretty inconsequential to life but fun.

Years ago, an idea popped into my head: what are my favorite superhero video games? I know that I have a least played more than ten games based on superheroes. So, here is the list that’ll  cover games from all over the spectrum: old consoles, current-gen consoles,  arcade games, movie tie-ins, and independent stuff as well. I originally was going to only put 8 games on here since I’m not the most varied gamer, but I can thankfully put more on here these days. If they’re good and part of a series, I’m mentioning them too. This also isn’t in any order, but I will put my favorites at the top. First, here are some honorable mentions. These are ones I liked but never got to finish:

• Spider-Man 2 (PS2) – Yes, I know what you’re thinking. Spider-Man 2 is a good game, but I never finished the dang thing. That Mysterio boss battle always messed me up. It did do a lot of things right, though. it served as a good movie tie-in, it had the actors from the movie (Tobey MacGuire wasn’t too good if I remember), and it really made you feel like Spider-Man for the first time. Previous games did what they could, but this one surpassed them with the open-world aspect. Besides, I got a couple of other SM games for the actual list.
• Incredible Hulk: Ultimate Destruction (PS2) – I didn’t get to finished this one either, folks. I don’t know what happened. I know I rented it but this was around the time where time was scarce and I had no job. A man’s got to eat! Anyway, while my time with this game was short, this was fun. You got to run around as Hulk and cause a lot of destruction in your way. Heck, it’s in the title.
• Capcom’s Marvel series (PS1, PS3, etc) – Yeah, yeah, I know. While I don’t play many fighting games these days, I got Marvel vs. Capcom 3 around the house somewhere. Unfortunately, I’ve only put in about an hour of gameplay on it. Even though I haven’t finished that one, I still remember some of the others from the arcades and consoles. X-Men: Children of the Atom was a fun one as well Marvel Super Heroes. The one I remember the most and actually beat was X-Men vs: Street Fighter for the PS1. I may need to revisit some of these one day.

Random Thoughts On... Superhero Costumes and The State of Superman's Trunks

Before I get to the main stuff, here are some alternate titles:

• "Random Thoughts On… When Superhero Costumes Change and why Superman’s Trunks Need to Die!!!"
• "Random Thoughts On…  Superhero Costumes and the Coolness of Superman’s Trunks"
• "Random Thoughts On… Superhero Costumes Redesigns and Why Superman Still Has Trunks"
• "Random Thoughts On… Why No one loses their #^$^ over Batman’s Trunks as well as other heroes"
• "Random Thoughts On… When Superhero Costumes Go Wrong!"
• "Random Thoughts On… Yo Momma!"

I was just kidding about that last one. Yes, it’s 2018 and saying “yo momma” will never go out of style.

So, a random question recently entered my mind: why do folk get so bent out of shape over Superman’s trunks? They also do this over Batman, but I’m focusing on Supes more. Folk were shocked when they were removed for the New 52 and the DCEU. Recently, as of Action Comics #1000, they’re back for some reason. You pretty much have folk on both sides clamoring for the return of the trunks and folk wondering what the heck DC is thinking. So, what is my opinion on the whole #TheTrunksAreBack “controversy”? Do I think Clark should be out and proud with the trunks or should he put them back in the briefs section at the Fortress? Yes, that’ll be my only jab at my favorite superhero’s fashion… I think.

Before I get to that probably quick answer, I thought I’d talk about costumes in general. Now, I’m not some connoisseur on fashion or some even a rank amateur in the subject. I just know what I like and what I don’t like. Also, with fashion, you turn to the left, turn to the right, and hope the Goon Squad doesn’t find you in town. Hopefully, all of this doesn’t come out as the ramblings of a mostly sane man. With all that said, "Beep-beep!"

Random Thoughts #50 - Not an Anniversary Issue

Well, another good day of weather has passed us by. If you were around in TN earlier this week, it wasn’t that way. It was damp, cold, and I thought I saw someone building an ark. Anyway, I’m just up here in Nashville this time trying to clear out some stuff, rearrange furniture, and rest from working day shift. I think I’ve gotten the hang of it. So, it’s time to go in on some Random Thoughts.

Loss

I try not to get too personal here, but here's a bit of life. I had a cousin named Korey unexpectedly passed away a couple of weeks ago. Me and him weren’t too close since California is pretty far. Still, the times we spent together were nice. I was shocked that he remembered breaking this toy sword I got for Halloween when I was in like 4^th grade, I believe. I didn’t even remember that. I’ll miss him. One of my grandmother’s brothers also recently passed away.

It seems like everyone is losing someone these days. I know a few friends and classmates that have had some serious losses lately. Shoot, geek culture is feeling since Stan Lee just passed away. I’ll admit that his death did faze me a little bit, though that could have been the constant onslaught of other stuff catching up. I guess I felt, “Ah, another one? Dang!” or something like that. I don’t know what else to say here. I think that’s a first for me here. Death is always a weird topic to me. To finish this off, I’ll leave some advice: talk to your people (family or friends). As a quiet dude, I should take my own advice there.

A New Blog? Hmm…

So, I’ve been thinking about doing a new blog on Wordpress.

…

(Looks around to see if the Blogger avatar will slap him)

…

Random Thoughts On... Marvel's Secret Invasion

If you thought I was done with Not-so-Secret Invasion, guess again! It’s time to see if this event was worth taking up 8 months of real time. I guess I’ll start at the usual place: the beginning. Hopefully, this all makes some sense to the layman.

In the Beginning…

Secret Invasion as a concept was created by the event’s writer, Brian Michael Bendis. At this point, he had been the main event person for Marvel. He had stuff like Avengers Disassembled, Secret War, and House of M under his belt. He also revamped the Avengers into the New Avengers. He even had a small hand in Civil War.  This was when I really came into current comics stuff. I didn’t get much but I paid attention online. Marvel’s Message Boards (and DC’s too) were a help in that regard. That was how I kept up with Civil War and quite a few other books.

Talk about a shock for everyone.

Tales from the $3.99 Bin! - Secret Invasion

Well, it’s about that time of the year again. I’m stuck between what black thing I’ll be wearing Wednesday (got to get plans though), I’m looking at that pesky corn candy, and I’ll probably break out into the "Thriller" dance. I’ll also link that Tim Curry song from The Worst Witch again. That still makes me laugh. Instead of doing something monster-based, I think I’m going to go the sci-fi horror genre. These next two posts will talk about the 2008 Marvel crossover, Secret Invasion. Here, I’ll just be talk about the main series while the other post will be about the event itself.

I was pretty much into Secret Invasion when it first was hinted at in 2007. A lot of stuff had gone on in the Marvel Universe at that point, and I was psyched. I even had the money to keep up with it this time! I got all 8 issues of the crossover and a couple of New Avengers tie-ins. Since then, I really haven’t heard much about this one. Unlike Civil War, this event has kind of been looked over. Now that I’ve reread the main series, I can kind of see why. I’ll get to that later, though. For this and the next post, I decided to go all in on this one. I pulled out the books and perused Marvel Unlimited for all this stuff, so I’m ready!

Brian Michael Bendis wrote the main series. BMB was pretty much the Marvel architect at this point. It’s still weird to see him at DC. Anyway,  Avengers Disassembled, Secret War, and House of M were his babies. Leinil Francis Yu was the penciller. Before this, he was penciling along with Bendis on New Avengers. I also got to mention my favorite Superman origin, Superman: Birthright, since Yu was the artist. Man, even BMB had to get in on Superman. Mark Morales handled the inks and Laura Martin did the colors. So, what happens when the Skrulls’ “secret” invasion ain’t no secret no more?

Secret Invasion

Writer: Brian Michael Bendis

Pencils: Francis Leinil Francis Yu

Inks: Mark Morales

Colors: Laura Martin

Letters: Chris Eliopoulos

Editor: Tom Breevort

Favorites - Favorite Supporting Characters for Superman

Well, September has come to an end. I was able to get to all the supporting players I wanted to get to. Yeah, I left out a couple like Krypto, Emil Hamilton, and maybe Bibbo, but I had to end it somewhere. Besides, I already got a Krypto post from a few years ago that’ll satisfy most folk. As for other personal stuff, I’ll save that for a Random Thoughts post. I’m not done with the Man of Steel’s people yet. So, it’s time for the obligatory favorites list. This time, I’ll be listing down my 12 (sort of) favorite supporting characters from the franchise. The list isn’t really in order, but my favorites are at top.

1. Lois Lane

I might as well start off with his first supporting character. Lois has been around as long as Superman has. She’s been the rival reporter, the love interest, and a cool character especially in modern times. While I’ll admit that she wasn’t always the best during her 80 years, Lois is still an essential part of Superman’s life. Without her (married or not), things feel off. You can’t keep those two separate for long.

2. Jonathan and Martha Kent

Next, we got the Earth parents of Superman. In a lot of ways, they are the ones who made Clark into Superman. Yeah, the Els helped, but the Kents had to raise him. They taught him the values of humanity and how to live in the world. They even had things to share even when they got to live and see Clark become Superman. While they aren’t needed for every story, I think it’s cool to have them around at times. I don’t need them showing up in almost every other episode, Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman.

3. Batman

Yeah, I got the Dark Knight on this list. What of it? Of all the superheroes Superman interacts or teams up with, Batman is right up there. It’s cool to see those two interact since they approach things differently. They both tend to learn things off of one another and they’re usually the closest of friends. Batman’s not essential to Superman’s story, but he adds variety to it from time to time.

4. Jimmy Olsen

While I do rag on Olsen at times, I think that has to do with how he’s sometimes written. When written well, Jimmy can be cool. When it comes down to it, Jimmy’s is more or less us. He’s just a regular guy in an extraordinary world. He has to pay the bills like everyone else. He just happens to be friends with one of the most powerful people in existence. At times, even he can get in on the action. He is the “Man of Action” after all.

Trade Tales! - Superman/Batman: Absolute Power

Well, it’s the last post for the month… sort of. Yeah, I had a busy weekend with going to church, fighting sickness, cutting yards (while having a temperature?), and spending time with someone I care about. So, I might as well hold off the Dark Knight for all… three of you out there? The last supporting character for Superman Month is Batman. Remember that these are the “World’s Finest” and that’s not because they wear speedos quite nicely either. By the way, it looks like the trunks are back in for both guys… dang traditionalists!

Anyway, Batman first appeared in Detective Comics #27 (1939) as part of a push for the superhero. He ended up being popular and even got featured with Superman in World’s Finest Comics, an anthology series. Eventually, the two heroes would first team up in Superman #76 (1952). Since then, those two would regularly team up in certain books. They were the best of buds. I mean, they were the two biggest superheroes, so why not push that? They were also on the Justice League of America and the Justice Society of America.

Then, things changed in the 1980’s. The Dark Knight Returns  showed them at odds with one another. There was also another pre-Crisis story (World’s Finest #323) which showed them having a falling out. All this kind of made their relationship in the post-Crisis different. Since continuity was rebooted, they rarely interacted and didn’t approve of each other’s methods. They still had a respect for one another, though. This also carried over into places like the DCAU and even the DCEU for good or ill. I kind of like it for their first meetings, but I do feel like them not becoming friends would be weird.

Eventually, DC decided to bring the World’s Finest together again. In 2004, DC started to release Superman/Batman, a team-up series. If you wanted to see Superman and Batman come together and kick butt, this was the book for that. We’ve even seen two animated movies get spawned from this series. Today’s trade will be Absolute Power which has Superman/Batman #14-18. Jeph Loeb, a guy that has experience writing both characters, is the writer. Carlos Pacheco handled the primary pencils while Ivan Reis helped out a little. Jesus Merino handled the inks. So, what happens when Superman and Batman get turned into despots? Time-travel stuff, yo!

Random Smallville Episode - "Lexmas"

Hmm... Lex and Lana together? I can kinda see that... if Lex wasn't such a butthead in later seasons.

Next up is a familiar friend/foe from last year: Lex Luthor! Yeah, I’m putting him in this month too! Remember that Lex was once Superman’s friend long ago. Also, even when he’s been a foe for Superman, he’s been a supporting character in the different TV shows. Heck, he was pretty much a supporting character in the comics themselves. In the post-Crisis, he’d show up randomly and he wouldn’t even be the villain of the piece.

As I said back in my villain post last year, Lex first appeared in Action Comics #23. He had been traditionally a villain for Superman, but it wasn’t until the 50’s where we basically got an origin for Lex. It turned out that he used to live in Smallville and was a scientist. He even was an okay guy until a lab experiment went wrong. Superboy saved him, but Lex ended up hating Superboy for what happened and went down a bad path. I think other stuff may have happened, but I’m not too sure. The friendship was removed in the 80’s (Lex was an older man and lived in Metropolis) then reinstated when Superman: Birthright became the new origin in the 2000’s. I think the friendship is still in play currently with the newer origin.

I was originally going to look at Lex Luthor: Man of Steel, but I decided to go back to Smallville since it did highlight the friendship between Clark and Lex. I was going to talk about the season 6 episode, “Nemesis,” but I’m going to hit something else this time. “Lexmas” was the ninth episode of Season 5. At this point, Clark and Lana are finally dating, Chloe knows Clark’s secret, and Clark and Lex’s friendship has gone sour. Also, Jonathan Kent somehow got roped into running for state senator. Lex is also running, so some of the season has been dealing with that. I’ll mention the Kryptonian plot going on here since it really doesn’t play into this episode.

Random Justice League Episode - Hereafter

Well, I got three more posts for this month, so I’m going out some of the big ones. Next up, we got one of my favorite superhero teams: The Justice League. You can throw “of America,” “Elite”, “International,” “Task Force,” or “Dark” at the end of that phrase. Just don’t use “Extreme” and we’ll be good. The team first appeared in comics in The Brave and the Bold #28. The idea DC had was to reintroduce a then-modern version of the Justice Society of America. They just changed the name and threw in all of the major heroes like the Flash, Green Lantern, Wonder Woman, Martian Manhunter, Aquaman, Superman, and Batman. Over the years, a lot more heroes were added. They eventually got put into their own book, Justice League of America, and the rest was history.

The team also made it to TV and movies. They’ve been in stuff like The Super Friends, they headlined their own show for years, and they’ve had a lot of animated movies done about them. They’ve also been put in live-action. There was the recent 2017 movie, Smallville, and some weird variety show from 1979. In 2007, there was a movie that was in production called Justice League: Mortal, but that never came to be. There’s also the failed pilot from the 90’s. They’ve also made it to the video games and have had quite a few games released featuring them.

Since Superman is the theme of the month, I thought I’d look at an episode from Justice League. “Hereafter” was a season 2 episode. Season 2 is probably one the best seasons for the show overall. It was written by Dwayne McDuffie, a cool writer who is unfortunately no longer with us. So, what happens to the League when a member is lost?

Tales from the 50 Cent Bin! - Superboy and the Legion of Super-Heroes #239

Next up for the month is the superhero team from the 31^st century: The Legion of Super-Heroes. You could say that they’re the first superhero fanboys/fangirls in comics. They were inspired by Superman to become superheroes. They were first introduced in Adventure Comics #247 as they made Superboy into a LOSH member. They spent a few years in that book until they were put into backups for Action Comics. They were then put into Superboy’s book and eventually, that book became theirs. They were probably at their height during the 70’s and 80’s. The team also had a lot of different characters with different powers. The characters would also age, die, and get married.

Things changed for the Legion when they hit the post-Crisis era. Since Superboy was removed from continuity, things got weird there. That team would go for a few years until the Legion was rebooted after Zero Hour. For LOSH fans, this would become a repeating pattern especially in the 2000’s. I think there were three Legion teams in that decade. I can kind of see why they’ve been shelved since the New 52. The Legion has also appeared in the DCAU, Smallville, and Supergirl. They also had a cartoon on the WB that lasted for a couple of years.

I was going to review their show’s first season today, but that DC Universe app kept freezing on me. I also thought about reviewing Justice League of America’s “The Lightning Saga,” but I’ll save that for later. So, I’m going to go back into the day and talk about a random LOSH issue. Superboy and Legion of Super-Heroes #239 was released May 1978. The writers were Jim Starlin and Paul Levitz. Starlin also handled the pencils for the issue. Joe Rubinstein handled the inks. So, what happens when a LOSH member is accused of murder?

Tales from the 50 Cent Bin! - Action Comics #761

Next up for the month is someone who has been a friend, an ally, and even a lover to Superman: Diana Prince, aka “Wonder Woman.” If you don’t know who Wonder Woman is, just Google her. It’s all out there. Diana first appeared in All-Star Comics #8 (1941). She’s from the Amazonian island of Themyiscara (I’m not going to spell that right). Whatever origin you follow (born from clay or Daughter of Zeus), she’s been endowed with godly strength and abilities. Her main mission is to promote peace on Earth. Yeah, she’ll have to bust some heads sometimes, but she is a superhero, after all. She’s had her own book for years and has even been a part of the Justice League and the Justice Society of America. I’m not even going to mention all the different media outlets she’s been in. That is what Wikipedia is for, folks.

Her connections to Superman have been there. They’ve been teammates, they’ve been friends, and they’re part of that whole “DC Trinity” thing. By the way, when did that become a thing? Anyway, they’ve also been lovers in various stories. We’d get stories in the Silver/Bronze age about them possibly hooking up. When the post-Crisis started, they had a mutual crush on one another, but it never amounted to anything (Action Comics #600). There have been non-canon stories like Kingdom Come that have played with them being in a relationship. Then, in 2012, DC played around with the relationship in the New 52. They even had a book with them together. I do wonder why that went the way of the dodo when “Superman Reborn” happened, though.

Today’s issue doesn’t play around with the New 52, though. It’s Action Comics #761 from 2000. I had heard about this issue years ago since it had Superman and Wonder Woman questioning some things. Joe Kelly was the writer. Handling the pencil chores is German Garcia. Joe Rubenstein handles the inks. So, what happens when Superman and Wonder Woman are transported to Valhalla to meet Thor? Monster-slaying as well as the worrying of a wife.

Tales from the 50 Cent Bin! - Steel #1

Next up for this last week is another one of Superman’s replacements from the 90’s: Steel or “The Man of Steel.” John Henry Irons (nice name, by the way) was introduced in The Adventures of Superman #500. He initially was… a steel-working man that Superman once saved. He created his own armor and fought crime. As time went on however, we found out that he used to work on military weaponry for corporations. He got tired of it and faked his own death. After Superman returned from the grave, Irons kept the armor but ditched the ‘S’ and the “Man of” part.

He had his own series that spun out of the Superman books.  It only lasted four about four years. He even was on the JLA for a bit. He eventually made his way back to the Superman books in the 2000’s as a supporting character. His niece, Natasha Irons, even took up his mantle. Irons was also one of the main characters in the pretty cool max-series, 52. He was retooled for a bit in the New 52, but it looks like they’ve gone back to his original origin. These days, I think he’s even dating Lana Lang in the Rebirth era.

As for any other appearances, he’s been seen in the DCAU, he’s been in a couple DCU animated movies, and there’s the Shaquille O’Neal movie to consider. Yes, the 1997 movie is bad, but it’s a good type of bad. Thankfully, I can talk about some that’s probably better. Steel #1 was released during February 1994 and it was written by Louise Simonson, Steel’s creator. While Jon Bogdanove did the cover, the pencils were handled by Chris Batista. Inks were done by Rich Faber. So, what happens when John returns to Washington D.C.? A whole lotta trouble, that’s what!

Tales from the 50 Cent Bin! - Superboy #8

Next up for the month is the Boy of Steel: Superboy. Yes, you read that right. While Clark Kent was once Superboy, the name has been passed around a bit. Right now, Jonathan Kent, Clark’s and Lois’s son, is Superboy. Another one held title for years, though, and his name was Conner ‘Kon-El’ Kent. Well, he didn’t have a name until a few years later. I think folk just called him “Superboy,” which was something he didn’t like at first. We all know how teenagers can be and Superboy was no different.

His first appearance was in The Adventures of Superman #500. He was a clone created by Cadmus just in case Superman “gave up the ghost,” which he did in “The Death of Superman.” Superboy was one of the four replacement Supermen from“The Reign of the Supermen.” He tried to keep Metropolis safe until the original, genuine Superman returned. After that, he was spun off into his own title, Superboy, and it lasted for years.

He’s been a part of teams like Young Justice and the Teen Titans. Like most heroes, he got retooled during DC’s New 52 phase. To put it kindly, what the ########!@$^@%#^@%#^#^##### happened? That’s all I’ll say on that matter since I still don’t get what was up with those decisions. He also made it to TV shows like Young Justice and Smallville.  He was also kind of homaged on the WB’s Legion of Super Heroes cartoon. Lately, he’s been seen in the new DCAU movie, The Death of Superman.

Today’s issue will be coming from his series from the 90’s. Superboy #8 was written by the MVP of the month, Karl Kesel. Yeah, he’s been showing up here this month. The pencils are handled by Tom Grummett. Doug Hazlewood and Dan Davis handled the inks. This issue directly ties in to an event I covered years ago: Zero Hour. So, what happens when Superboy meets… Superboy? Find out below!

Tales from the 50 Cent Bin! - The Adventures of Superman #429

Next up for the month is another lady who was once a love interest for Clark: Catherine ‘Cat’ Grant. I thought I was done with this section, but nah! I even got another love coming in a couple of days. Anyway, Cat Grant first appeared in The Adventures of Superman #424. She was the gossip columnist at the Daily Planet. She and Clark even dated in those days, but they only stayed as friends. She would be a supporting character in the books for years. She even had a son named Adam, who unfortunately met his fate at the hands of Toyman. Yeah, they killed one of Superman’s  supporting character’s child in the 90’s.

Cat did disappear from the books in the 2000’s for a bit. She was brought back during Geoff Johns’ run of Action Comics and even featured in Supergirl at that time. She’s been retooled in the New 52 and the Rebirth era. As for other media, Cat was in the first season of Lois and Clark: the New Adventures of Superman… eh. Then, she appeared in the last season of Smallville for a couple of episodes… eh. Lately, she was a supporting character on the TV show, Supergirl… well, the third time’s the charm! Yeah, Cat hasn’t been done well when it comes to live-action. As for the animated side, she’s been seen here and there but only in spots.

Today’s issue won’t be her first appearance, but it will be the first issue that centered on her. It’s The Adventures of Superman #429. The writer is Marv Wolfman. Alongside John Byrne, he helped shape what the post-Crisis Superman would be like even though he wasn’t around for long (about 13 issues). Jerry Ordway handled the pencils and inks. So, what happens when Clark and Cat go on a weekend getaway?

TV Talk - Supergirl's "The Adventures of Supergirl" and "The Lost Children of Krypton"

Now, I’ve gotten to the superhero allies of Superman. He’s got a lot, so I’m only concentrating on the ones with an ‘S’ and a few others. “That should narrow it down,” I sarcastically say. Today, it’s one of the important ones: Supergirl. Kara Zor-El is Kal-El’s older cousin from Argo City. While her story shifts here and there, she too was launched from a doomed world and placed in suspended animation. That’s why Superman’s older than her when she awakens years later. Her first official appearance (DC played around with other “Super-ladies" before Kara)  was in Action Comics #252.

Supergirl then would sometimes appear in Superman’s book and appear in her own book for years. Then, she had her moment in Crisis on Infinite Earths where she was killed by the Anti-Monitor. While Kara didn’t come back after the event ended, there were other Sueprgirls. The was the Matrix-Supergirl, the Linda Danvers one from Peter David’s run, some weird one from the future, and Power Girl (a Supergirl from another Earth). Kara officially made her return to the comics during Jeph Loeb’s run on Superman/Batman and she’s stayed ever since then. Things have changed a bit since that run, but she’s still Superman’s “young” cousin from Krypton.

Supergirl has also made to other media as well. There was her 1984 movie. Even though that thing was far from decent, Helen Slater filled that role well. Supergirl’s been seen in the DCAU, as well as a few animated movies and a couple of video games. Then, there’s the live-action TV show on the CW. Right now, it’s going well into its fourth season and I’m behind on it. I was going to originally review all of Season 2, but that ain’t happening anytime soon. So, I’ll be looking at the first two episodes of Season 2, “The Adventures of Supergirl,” and “The Last Children of Krypton.” So, what happens when Kara’s cousin finally decides to show his trunkless butt up on this show?

Tales from the 50 Cent Bein! - The Adventures of Superman Annual #7

Next up for the month, I had to get away from the Daily Planet and look at a couple of Metropolis’s Finest: Maggie Sawyer and Dan Turpin. These two were a part of Metropolis’s Special Crimes Unit. They were the cops who tried to handle the bigger threats the city would face. They were a major part of the Superman books in post-Crisis era.

Now, Maggie first showed up in Superman #4 (1987). She was a tough-as-nails cop who took no gruff from anyone. She was also a lesbian, something that was always there but not stated until the 90’s. After the 90’s, she was put in the Batman books for a long bit in the 2000’s. I guess Batman wanted another cool cop on his end too? Anyway, she’s recently made it back to the Superman books. Maggie has also been featured in the DCAU (it’s where I saw her first), Smallville, and most recently, Supergirl.

As for Dan Turpin, he’s a little more complicated but he was created by Jack Kirby. He first appeared with the Boy Commandoes as the character “Brooklyn” in Detective Comics #64 (1942). Then, he was brought back in 1971 for Jack Kirby’s DC run (New Gods #5). The story’s he’s probably most known for is Final Crisis where he was used as a new body for Darkseid. He’s also appeared in a few shows like Superman: The Animated Series and Smallville. He probably had one of the more memorable moments from STAS. I won’t spoil it, though.

Today’s issue is another one from 1995. I told you I got that era down, man! It’s The Adventures of Superman Annual #7. During this time, DC would try to do something with their Annuals for each year. In 1995, they did a Year One theme that showed the early days of the heroes. Once more, we have Karl Kesel as the writer. The funny thing is that I’m not done with “The Kesel Run” yet. Ron Wagner handles the pencils while Joe Rubinstein does the inks. So, what did happen during that second issue of 1986’s The Man of Steel? Apparently, a lot.

Tales from the 50 Cent Bin! - Superman: The Man of Steel #47

Next up for the month is the Daily Planet’s Editor-in-Chief, Perry White. For those who don’t know, Clark used to work for the Daily Star when he first debuted. George Taylor was his Editor-in-Chief. Then, someone’s wires got switched and the Daily Star became the Daily Planet.  Perry White officially made his appearance in the Superman radio show in 1940 and then transitioned over the comics. The comics even explained the Daily Star business as being on Earth-2, so Perry’s been Clark’s main boss in mainstream comics. He’s been there since then running then pages of the Daily Planet.

He’s had got a lot of stuff added to him throughout the ages. He got a wife named Alice, a twerp of a son named Jerry, and even an adopted African-American son named Keith. He even served as a surrogate father to the staff. He even at one point got lung cancer for a bit. He’s been in a lot of the various shows and movies just like Lois and Jimmy too. He even hooked up with Martha Kent on Smallville… for some reason.

Today’s issue is another one from the 90’s. Hey, I got that era pretty much down. It’s Superman: The Man of Steel #47 form 1995. The writer is Louise Simonson who was the writer for that book for years. Jon Bogdanove handled the pencils and Dennis Janke did the inks. So, what did Perry White and Franklin Stern (the owner of the Daily Planet) get up to in the 1950’s/1960’s? A lot messed up stuff that involves racists.

Tales from the $3.99 Bin! - Superman #39

Next up for the month is the Daily Planet’s photographer, James “Jimmy” Bartholomew Olsen. He’s been a supporting character for Superman for the longest time. While some say he showed up in Action Comics #6, he officially made his first appearance in the Superman radio show. Jimmy then made his way to the comics then disappeared for a bit. When Jack Larson played the character on the George Reeves’ Superman TV show, Jimmy was brought back to the comics and he even got his own book called Superman’s Pal: Jimmy Olsen. Yes, Jimmy had a book and that thing lasted for years. Even Jack Kirby wrote on it when he came to DC! Since then, Jimmy has been a constant supporting character in the books. Whether he’s a reporter, photographer, being “Peter Parkered”, a man of action, an annoyance, or a cool black dude, Jimmy’s been around.

Today, I thought I’d look at something from the New 52 era of DC. Yes, it wasn’t all that bad, guys. Don’t let the trunkless era scare you off like that! The “Big G” himself, Geoff Johns, returned to the Superman books for a small period during that time. He was accompanied by John Romita Jr., a Marvel legend, and Klaus Janson. I’d say it was a match made in heaven, but it wasn’t. Still, their arc. “Men of Tomorrow,” was fine and it ended with today’s issue, Superman #39. This was Johns’ last issue for on the book while the other two would continue on for a bit. So, what happens when Superman is powerless? Not much but that’s not bad.

Tales from the 50 Cent Bin! - The Adventures of Superman #532

Next up for the month is yet another love and maybe the last love. I’m not sure yet. I guess I got love on the mind or something. This time, it’s the mermaid known as Lori Lemaris. Yes, Clark Kent actually fell in love with a mermaid and that mermaid went to college. It’s like Splashed and Stomp the Yard got mixed into one plot or something. She first appeared in Superman #129 from 1959. She and Clark dated when he was enrolled at Metropolis University. He even wanted to marry her but Lori told him that couldn’t happened and returned to her home of Tritonius. She did come back a bit during the Pre-Crisis era. I first ran into her in Superman: The Secret Years from 1985. She even died in Crisis on Infinite Earths.

When we got to the post-Crisis era, things mostly remained unchanged. Lori and Clark still had their fling in college. Also, Lori had another mission in finding other cities from the continent of Atlantis. She popped up every so often during the 90’s with her longer stint coming in 1996. Lori ended up returning in The Adventures of Superman #532. We got the usual team of Kesel, Immonen, and Marzan doing their thing. It seems like I’ve been coming back to this title a lot. That’s not too bad. So, what happens when a hot, sometimes scantly clad, former girlfriend comes into town? A bit of jealousy.

Tales from the $2.99 Bin! - Superwoman #1

Next up for the month is technically the first love on Clark Kent’s life: Lana Lang. She was first introduced in Superboy #10 (1950). She was pretty much a Lois Lane copy right down the attitude of liking Superboy over young Clark Kent. She even had adventures with Superboy. In the Bronze Age, she came to Metropolis, became an anchorwoman, and even started a relationship with Clark. Things did change in the post-Crisis, though. She and Clark dated in their youth but he only cared for her like a sister. This led her to ultimately marry Pete Ross, Clark’s friend. She was also pretty much a normal lady.

Post-Infinite Crisis, the writers tried to fold her back into book by having her be CEO over Lexcorp. Then, the New 52 happened and she basically became an adventurer. She and Clark still had their past. She even became a superhero in the Rebirth era. The lady’s been everywhere in the media. I think my favorite version is from Superman: The Animated Series. I don’t know where Kristen Kreuk would be on that list, though. Maybe if she wasn’t so… “meh” in Smallville’s later seasons, me, my sister, Liz (she likes Smallville too), and plenty of Chloe/Clark shippers would like her more.

I did think about looking at Action Comics #597 since the cover is pretty funny, but I think I’m going to hit something more modern. Remember when I said that Lana was a superhero? Well, there’s a story behind that. At the official end of the New 52, that version of Superman died and somehow transferred his powers to New-52 Lois and Lana. They then got pulled into their own series called Superwoman. The first issue was written and penciled by Phil Jimenez. Matt Santorelli inked the issue. So, what happens when two of Superman’s loves get powers? Some unexpected stuff.

TV Talk - Smallville: "Delete"

Next up for the month is another love of Clark Kent’s. Unlike the rest on the list, she didn’t originate in comics. It’s Chloe Sullivan from the TV show, Smallville. Yes, she’s on the list since she was a supporting character for Clark. Plus, she eventually made her way to the comics for a bit, so take that, Internet Elite! I got all my bases checked!

Anyway, Chloe was pretty much a mainstay on the show. Other than Clark, she stayed on that show for over nine seasons (she was a guest star in season 10). She was the Lois Lane of that show before Lois showed up. She was a reporter at Smallville High’s newspaper and eventually the Daily Planet. She also filled other roles on the show too. She was Clark’s confidant, a hacker, a healer (she had powers for a while), a vessel for Brainiac, a crush for Clark Kent (and probably a better girlfriend than this show’s Lana), and an Oracle homage. She pretty much did it all except for get Clark’s powers since that would have been a little too far for the Chloe fans.

For today’s post, I’ll be looking at the Season 3 episode, “Delete.” At this point, a lot of stuff has happened. Clark’s and Lana’s relationship has gotten weird. Lex actually found out Clark’s secret, went crazy, and then had his brain screwed with in a mental hospital so he can’t remember it. Jonathan made a deal with the Old Testament God--- I mean, A.I. Jor-El that actually doesn’t come into play here. Then, there’s Chloe who had teamed up with Lionel Luthor to keep tabs on Clark earlier in the season. That did stop after a while, but things have been weird between Clark and Chloe. Lionel is also a bit of an ass, so Chloe’s not doing too well.

Tales from the 50 Cent Bin! - The Adventures of Superman #525

Next up, in my look at the important women of Superman’s life, there’s Lois Lane. She’s pretty much the most important one of all. She was there right in the pages of Action Comics #1. She worked alongside Clark Kent at the Daily Planet/Daily Star (Golden Age) and has been on many adventures with Superman. If there’s been one constant supporting character in the books, it’s Lois Lane.  Heck, she even had her own book at DC, Superman’s Girlfriend: Lois Lane.

There were points where she was… well, how do you put “annoying crone” nicely? Yeah, she wasn’t that great in the Golden and Silver Age at least in my opinion. I’ve only read a few Golden/Silver Age stories, but she wasn’t that pleasant in them. She pined for Superman and loathed Clark Kent. To be fair, that version of Clark was a bit wimpy, but she would take it too far at times. It kinda made you wonder what he saw in that version. Over time, Lois would become less… crone-y (I’m trying not to use any other words). She still had the drive to get the story and the truth. She was still pretty aggressive but in a good way. She even gained a few defense moves. Ultimately, she became someone who I could see Clark (and most guys) falling for.

For today’s issue, I thought I’d hit the 90’s for Ms. Lane. It’s The Adventures of Superman #525 from 1995. At this point, the Superman books had just come out of a major crossover called “The Death of Clark Kent.” To make a long story short, Kenny Braverman, aka “Conduit,” found out Clark’s secret and tried to make his life hell. He struck out at his family and friends and even made Clark throw away the secret identity. Ultimately, he was defeated, but things still needed to wrap up. Karl Kesel handled the story. Stuart Immonen handled the pencils while Jose Marzan Jr. did the inks.

TV Talk - Smallville: "Blue"

Supergirl, meet Supergirl.

Next up for the month is the Kryptonian matriarch of the El family: Lara-El  or Lara Lor-Von. Like Jor-El, she too first appeared in 1939. Her name was even a little different too. While she is the wife of Jor-El, that hasn’t been her only occupation. Yeah, she mostly stands around in the movies/TV shows, but the comics tried to make her more than the standard house wife. She’s been a scientist, an astronaut, a historian, and a skilled fighter. Let’s thank Scott Lobdell for the fighting part since that’s probably one of the only cool things he brought to the table. In some iterations, she even helped Jor-El build the ship that Kal-El traveled to Earth in.

Outside of her times with Jor-El, I don’t think there have been many solo stories with her. I could be wrong on that, though. So, it’s to season 7 of Smallville, an okay season for the most part. At this point, Clark is on the farm alone since Martha’s gone to the Senate or something. Luckily, he’s not lonely since he has Lana, Chloe, and a distant cousin named Kara. Yep, we got Supergirl on the show and she can also fly unlike her supposedly younger cousin. Anyway, Lara does show up a couple of times this season, once in a flashback (“Lara”) and once for real (“Blue”). Today, it’s “Blue,” the eighth episode of the season and Lara is being played by Helen Slater (Supergirl).

TV Talk - Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman - "The Foundling"

Next up for the month, it’s time to look at the one who sent young Kal-El to Earth: Jor-El. Jor-El was there from the beginning. Action Comics #1 literally starts out with Jor-El sending his son to Earth. He actually didn’t appear in it, though. We had to wait a year to see Jor-El and Lara (I’ll get to her next time) in person. We all know his story in that he was the scientist who predicted that Krypton would be no more. It’s been his main mode in the comics and the media. He’s also been a man of action, a teacher, a ghost (figurative and literal), and a villain. I’m not touching on what he’s currently doing in comics, though. Yeah, he’s somehow back thanks to Naked Blue Boy aka, Dr. Manhattan.

I did think about looking at a Smallville episode that featured Jor-El, but I’ll save Smallville for later. Today, it’s an episode from Season 1 of Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman. Since the show was based off the Post-Crisis era, we didn’t get a lot of Krypton. Heck, the only alien thing we main saw was Superman which was kind of a problem with that show. Clark did get to find out where he came from in episode 17, “The Foundling.”

Tales from the 50 Cent Bin! - Superman in "The Day of the Krypton Man"

This week for Superman Month, it’s all about family. Clark’s got two sets of parents, so I thought I’d center on the ones who influenced Clark the most: The Kents. Yeah, the Els may have birthed them and maybe taught him stuff in the Fortress of Solitude, but the Kents were the ones who raised. They were the ones who instilled Superman’s morals in him. Considering how Clark turned out, I think they did a good job.

Jonathan and Martha Kent (or Pa and Ma Kent) were actually introduced a year after Action Comics #1 was released. You could say that they were there in the beginning, but they had no name yet and Superman’s history was still in flux. Their names weren’t set in stone until much later either. The Kents also didn’t live long in the pre-Crisis era since they died when Superman was still Superboy. The idea of the Kents living and interacting with adult Clark didn’t come to pass until the Byrne reboot in 1986. The Kents being alive was then undone with the reboot in 2011. They been all over the different media as well.

Today’s story is one I’ve wanted to get to for some time. “Day of the Krypton Man” was a multi-part story that took place in Superman #41-42, The Adventures of Superman #464-465, and Action Comics #651-652. At this time, the Super books started to fit more in line with one another. This took place during a time where Clark was having issues. Ever since he returned from his exile, stuff has been weird. He accidentally got Jimmy sick, he and Lois have been getting close, and he quit his job at the Daily Planet to become the EiC at Newstime. He’s also been dealing with that pesky Eradicator device and that’s going to hit him big time in this story. So, what happens when Clark turns a stogy, cold, violent (?) jackass? A lotta stuff, ‘yo!

“The Day of the Krypton Man”

Writers: Jerry Ordway, Dan Jurgens, and Roger Stern

Pencils: Jerry Ordway, Dan Jurgens, George Perez, and Kerry Gammill

Inks: Dennis Janke, Art Thibert, and Brett Breeding

Colors: Glenn Whitmore

Letters: John Constanza, Albert DeGuzman, and Bill Oakley

Editor: Mike Carlin and Jon Peterson

Superman Month - Time to Meet the Family and Friends

It’s another year and another Superman Month. He’s one of my favorite characters and has had many stories over these 80 years. While I’ve devoted a month to a few other things over the years, Superman (and martial arts) is one of the consistent topics. Every September, I try to have a certain theme for the month. Even when the theme is a bit vague, it’s kind of there. I don’t know what I was going for a couple of years back. I think the theme may have been “Divisive Works” or something since I looked at some things that folk are still divided over.

"Hey, what's Steve Harvey doin' back there?"

Last year, I looked at the many villains. This time, I decided to devote some time to another big aspect of Superman: the people in his world. It’s Family and Friends month. I’ll try to cover stories and episodes that look at Superman’s supporting cast as well as characters most associated with him. You may even see someone important from last year get a spotlight on his bald, shiny head. So, come around during the month of September, grab some of Ma’s apple pie, help Conner feed the cows, hang with Lana in the loft, and stay away from that Luthor boy. He’s been no good since he stole those 40 cakes, I tell ya!

Trade Tales! - Batman: The Cult

Next up on this small Dark Knight post-binge is the story that started the binge. Batman: The Cult was a four-issue miniseries that was released in 1988. It was released in prestige form, so that meant that the issues themselves could be longer. They could also go places where mainstream comics wouldn’t go. Heck, if you read the first few pages, you’ll see that in detail. I think it was even meant for mature readers when it was released.  It’s akin to stories like The Dark Knight Returns. Judging by the artwork and format, you’d think it came from that universe. It was also loosely adapted into The Dark Knight Rises and that was apparent when I read it.

I heard about this story for years but never really got around to finding it. When I saw it for cheap, I thought it was finally time to see what this thing was about. The story was written by Jim Starlin, a pretty cool writer who was already writing Batman’s main series at this point. The artwork was done by Bernie Wrightson, one of the creators for Swamp Thing. Bill Wray handled the colors. This is also another story that gets thrown on those “Greatest Batman Stories” lists. So, is it truly worth it? Do I even need to answer that question? Find out after this probably brief synopsis!

Batman: The Cult

Writer: Jim Starlin

Artist: Bernie Wrightson

Colors: Bill Wray

Letters: John Costanza

Editors: Dennis O’Neil

Trade Tales! - Batman: The Long Halloween

Recently, I’ve been on a bit of a Batman kick. A few weeks ago, I found Batman: The Cult in the cheap bins, so I gave finally gave that a read. This led me to reading more Batman stories like most of Grant Morrison’s work. I also finally finished reading Paul Dini’s Vertigo book, Dark Knight: The True Batman Story. I also re-watched Batman Begins for the first time in years. Today’s subject was also a part of that Bat-Binge: The Long Halloween.

Batman: The Long Halloween was a 13-part maxiseries that was released between 1996 and 1997. Editor Archie Goodwin (nice first name) asked writer Jeph Loeb and artist Tim Sale if they wanted to work on another Batman story. They had already done some Batman stories in Legends of the Dark Knight. Those stories were eventually put in a trade called Batman: Haunted Knight. The two creators once again took a swing at the Dark Knight and decided to set this story during Batman’s early days. In a way, you could consider this as a sequel to Frank Miller’s story, Batman: Year One It involves our major characters (Batman and Gordon) going up against Falcone and Catwoman’s involved.

I didn’t hear about this story until sometime in college. I knew that it pretty much what Christopher Nolan used for 2008’s The Dark Knight. I know I got this from Pulaski’s public library, but I don’t remember the year. I later found this at McKay’s and bought it. I just wish I flipped through it since something was spilled on the early pages of the trade. At least it’s just those few pages. Some have called this one of Batman’s best stories. Is it true? Find out after this quick synopsis of a 13-issue mini!

Batman: The Long Halloween

Writer: Jeph Loeb

Artist: Tim Sale

Colors: Gregory Wright

Letters: Richard Starkings and Comicraft