Some Recommendations

I know two blogs in one week... ah well, I had to tell you about a comic I got this week, "Justice" #2, put out by DC. It's a bit pricey at $3.50, but it has to be one of the most fun DC comics I have read in awhile. A long while. For those of you who are not reading the series, let me give you an idea of what the first issue, and the series itself is about. For reasons unknown, explosions are occuring across the world, and we see the devastation and tragedy through the heroes' perspectives. Superman loses Lois Lane, right before his very eyes, etc. etc.

There are a couple of exciting twists, all which quickly finalize the setup to get a major battle between DC heroes and DC villians. It is very fun, very old school storytelling, in fact, I think the setting may be about a decade preceding events now, which makes the explosions, or rather the loss of Lois less impactful to the reader.

Now issue 2, which will probably stand out as a favorite of this run. It begins with Riddler explaining his attempts of trying to hack into the Bat-computer, and his reasoning that if you are going to hack into a computer like that, use the computer of one of the richest men in the world to do so. The artist pulls back to a full shot of Wayne Industries. I just about laughed outloud at this point, such an obvious story move, but so well done.

And I think knowing they pulled it off, they continue, as a lone figure quickly makes his way towards the Riddler. The computer picks up Bruce Wayne, the Riddler finds (to his surprise) Batman. Which puts a stop to his defensive move of deciding to face Wayne. I cannot tell you how fun this sequence was... being in on the joke. And still it continued through one more turn.

Add to this, that Alex Ross is doing accompanied art, and he had the Riddler looking like the late, great Frank Gorshin. It is all beautifully done. And the excitement just goes leaps and bounds, add to that I learned a few new things about the Riddler.

I want to share with you a bit of the story, the Joker when seeing that the Riddler was captured and begins comicly expressing that he wanted to be in on this plan by the villians. Joker thinks they planned the explosions. One of which had Batman trying to save a group of children by taking them to the sanctuary of the Batcave. To which the Joker says "Saw Batman lead all those children down into the cave. Ho! Do you think he let them all dress as Robin before they died? Ha ha ha ha!" There was some great characterization all around. And the writer made believable the sense that evil could be so insanely driven to keep failing.

Runaways #9 was also very very good. And even Daredevil vs Punisher #4 finally gave the Devil his due, I thought. Did anybody else pick up any thing good this week?