Panel Discussion: Comic Scans From Batman and the Outsiders, All-Star Superman, Criminal Macabre and More

Best Actor - Lex Luthor, All-Star Superman #12
That is a sneer to end all sneers. The low angle perfectly captures the fact that given super-powers, Lex is exactly what he always accused Superman of being; a selfish overlord with no respect for the people below him. Delicious.
Also there's this, my all time favorite kind of panel. That would be the "Bus Smashes Into Superhero Panel", seen on previous Panel Discussions here and here. Bonus points for showing the driver flying out of the car, which is certainly what would really happen.

Vampires get it in the face, Penguin gets it twixt the legs, and Superman just doesn't get it, after the jump...

Most Unpleasant Panel - Batman and the Outsiders #11
That's The Penguin down there, if you can't tell. This looks like an illustration from a fan art no one, and I mean NO one wants to see.

Best Interrogation Technique - Criminal Macabre - Cell Block 666 #1
Man, I love when heroes don't let the villains deliver their big speeches. Some bonuses include the subtle "click click" sound effect of the hammer clicking in the first panel, and the vampire's hilarious self-absorbed posturing as he's about to launch into his speech. Not today, sucka!


The Magic of Comics - DC Universe: Decisions #1
Just a small example of the between the panel magic of sequential art. Wonderful clean work here, from the rustle of the newspaper to the air brushing through Lois's hair. And judging from her expression, Superman is definitely not getting laid tonight. What a nerd.

Snap Judgements: Reviews for Walking Dead, Captain Britain and MI13, DC Universe: Decisions and More

Short comic reviews based on initial, lizard-brain opinions. Arranged from BEST to WORST. Beware some potential spoilers.

Amazing Spider Man #572 gets an A from Albo
Dan Slott and John Romita Jr. continue to deliver an awesome, classic Spidey story. This ish has Norman Osborn getting even more unstable, and even trying on his old Goblin duds. They still fit! And speaking of old costumes, Mac Gargan (the new Venom) slips back into his old Scorpion outfit to create a terrifying Scorpion/Venom amalgam. These developments plus the trashing of New York in their hunt for Spidey makes me feel like pretty soon the feds are going to notice that their team of "heroes" are actually just the new Sinister Six. So good.

All Star Superman #12 gets an B+ from AHR
This book has tons of great moments. Lex is a such a wonderfully brilliant-yet-oblivious bastard in this book, and his brief super-powered reign of terror is a pleasure to read. But this book just wraps up so damn fast; no mention of the Bizzaro plotline, or the insane meta-bottle universe that was actually Earth Prime (or something)? I wanted more of this book, and it bums me out that the incredible mythos Morrison created will likely dead-end with this miniseries, unless of course....there's a sequel....

Reviews for Captain Britain and MI13 #5, DC Universe: Decisions, and The Walking Dead #52 after the jump...

Captain Britain and MI13 #5 gets a B from Albo
While Captain Britain bores the pants offa me, the supporting characters of this book are worth reading. The Black Knight and Faiza make this issue worthwhile, in a scene where they are trying to get the blessing of Faiza's conservative Muslim parents for her new life as a superhero. Black Knight's attempt to ingratiate himself by speaking their language backfires when Fiaza's dad points out that the Knight picked up the language while fighting in the Crusades. Anyway, great stuff. Blade's there, too, but probably not for long so don't let that turn you off of this solid book.

DC Universe: Decisions #1 gets a C from AHR
I thought between a smart writer like Bill Willingham and the aggressively-progressive Judd Winick, this book might actually be a political satire. Nope! The politicians are cardboard stand-ins with no real-world counterparts, and they exist in a completely bloodless political landscape. The Republican nominee is a black woman, and yet the JLA is shocked, SHOCKED, by an assassination attempt...who could imagine a motive for such a crime? And indeed, the perpetrator is being mind-controlled, no doubt by some villain with some sort of non-partisan world domination scheme. We're coming up on the most important election of our lives, if DC wants to cash-in on the hype, can they please grow some balls first? All that said, the JLA interaction is funny and fun, even though Ollie looks like a dumb pushover, that's pretty much par for the course.

The Walking Dead #52 gets a C from AHR
This issue is a perfect example of why this book needs to be read in trades. Some interesting things happen, the writing is good as always, but it's so damn short! There's no satisfaction in reading a detailed, deliberately paced story like this in 30 second bursts. It's not the book's fault, the fault is in comic companies business model that makes everything a serial. C'mon Kirkman, you're in charge now, cut out the middle man and release these as trades! Please?

Panel Discussion: Scans from 1985 #1, Teen Titans #59, All-Star Superman #11 and More

Every week we at Geekanerd rip panels from our comics and put them on display here, recognizing the best, worst, and weirdest moments of the week. Beware some major SPOILERS.

Click the pics for high res goodness!

Tou-flippin'-che - 1985 #1
More awesome shit from the books you love (or hate, or whatever) after the jump...

She Must Get That All The Time - New Avengers #41Spidey's pretty confident he's caught some Skrulls when really he's just confusing his Queens of the Jungle again.

Visual Repetition Alert - Teen Titans #59

It doesn't really matter what's going on in the following panels, all you need to know is that they're from two completely different scenes in the same book.
And later....The weirdest thing about these panels is although they're conveying the extact same expression in the exact same way, the artist actually took the time to draw it twice with very small differences, most notably Robin's hair. If Robin is going to keep hammering us with this look, it should have a name a la Derek Zoolander; I nominate "Red Dawn". - AHR

All In The Timing Award - All-Star Superman #11
These two panels actually made me laugh out loud. An evil sun-planet/supercomputer crashing to earth could have easily been drawn in one panel, showing the spectacular moment of impact from a distance, or could have been dragged out over several panels to build suspense. But by giving us one quick taste of what the approaching sun looked like from a bystander's point of view (just enough to merit a "wha?"), and then going directly into this ridiculous bounce....beautiful. -AHR

Millar Rips Marvel in Marvel? - 1985 #1

Millar sets up the 1985 world as "the real world" the same way he did in Kick-Ass... By having them talk about comics! This time the convo takes place in a comic shop, and a disgruntled employee interrupts a conversation about Secret Wars to denounce mainstream comics. Funny, though, that he looks like the mangiest, loneliest, grumpiest kid in town. - Albo

I'd hit it. - AHR

Naturally. He looks like you in a stocking cap. -Albo

Artistic License - Final Crisis #1If an artist wants to reveal a superhero via his alter-ego, they can get away with pretty much anything. Think of all the bat-shaped shadows has Bruce Wayne has cast over the years. J.G. Jones is a master of composition, as notably displayed by his stellar 52 covers, and I adore his spin on the classic opening-shirt-to-reveal-costume bit. It's nonsense, but who cares? It's an expressionist medium, people! - AHR

Clearest Example of Batman's Insanity - Batman #677
Okay, so this entire issue is centered around Jezebel Jet telling Bruce that he is nut nut nutty as a nutbar, mostly based on the fact that he owns and operates a giant cave filled not just with surveillance equipment but with dinosaurs and and other loopy items of interest one might expect to find at a roadside tourist trap. But nothing sums up Batsie's unique brand of clinically formal obsession like this drawing of Jason Todd's costume; I don't think I've ever seen it portrayed as all torn up and perforated. This of course implies that this is not just one of Jason's costumes, but the actual outfit taken off of Jason's corpse. I've said it before and I'll say it again; Yikes. -AHR

The Subtle Touches - 1985 #1There's a fun little coloring trick in this panel that works so well! The black level is lighter in the upper left than it is in the rest of the pic, simulating a lens effect that occurs when you've got a lot of bright light coming right into the lens. The boy here is squinting up to the top floor of a spooky house where he may-or-may-not see something. Lining the subtle coloring effect up with the boy's gaze doesn't just emphasize the squint--it makes it a squint! Look in his eyes and see if you can even fight the urge to squint along. This is something I recall feeling on my first read-through but it wasn't until another flip-through that I realized what was going on. You're a star, Tommy Lee Edwards! - Albo

Realism 0, Expressionism 1 - Batman: Gotham After Midnight #1 I know that some people hate this shit, but Kelley Jones really wowed me this week with his return to Gotham City. I'd forgotten how much I loved his valuing of mood and graphical impact over realism. There's a magic and a theatricality to his portrayal of the Batman, something he is given the most freedom to exploit in the Caped Crusader's, uh, cape. - Albo

Eschery goodness! - AHR
Look at that! Is that the Batman, or a demon emerging from the mists?! Or *gasp* Is there a difference? Jones doesn't shy away from anatomical inaccuracy (re: Batman's gigantic knee) in his quest to deliver a kick ass image. Oh, and about that theatricality I mentioned...

Yeaahhhh, there she is. I love the idea that Batman is so intent on maintaining his image that he strikes scary poses even when talking to friends. But really, in context it's almost immaterial what position Bats is standing in, because you get the impression that the story is more of a foggy nightmare recollection than a video recording--Bats was probably just leaning against a wall picking his teeth or something, but the memory of it is so clouded by his weighty presence that the ordinary becomes fantastic, like in the stories where eyewitnesses actually identify Bats as a man-sized bat creature. He's just that terrifying.And I couldn't resist one more killer cape shot. Our hero "dead," his faithful cape companion slumped and lifeless all around him. Awesome!

I leave you with Kelley's ridiculous little Bat-Kart. Wheee! - Albo

Snap Judgements: All-Star Superman #11, Final Crisis #1, Teen Titans #59, Batman #677

Short comic reviews based on initial, lizard-brain opinions. Arranged from BEST to WORST.

All-Star Superman #11 gets an A- from AHR
This book is like a great dream you only half remember. There are characters I don't recognize and references to things I don't understand. But I was thrilled from start to finish, and the last page made me actually say "Ahh!" out loud. That is a quality comic experience.

Grant Morrisson week continues after the jump...

Final Crisis #1 gets a B- from AHR
JG Jones' art kicks off with a eye-popping prehistoric sequence, though it's down to business after that. There are a bunch of fun moments of villains bickering and a short appearance by Gnerd fave (or AHR fave) Renee Montoya, but the last half gets a little bogged down in Monitor-Land, the DC Universe's black hole of boringness. In true Don Quixote fashion Grant Morrisson is trying to bring some humanity to these wooden super-beings, but I resent the fact that I'm expected to have read Countdown at all.

Batman #677 gets a C+ from AHR
I love stories about how crazy Batman is, but hearing his newest true love repeatedly tell him that he's just a wounded boy on the inside is a little too old news. Plus I was really looking forward to the Joker after the cliffhanger in the last issue, and he's MIA.

Teen Titans #59 gets a C from AHR
Wait, so The Clock King is a terrifying juggernaut in hand to hand combat? Really? The guy with big glasses, kind of looks like Scarecrow without the mask? Okay, comic. The one thing that impressed me about this comic is that it ties in perfectly with a thread from Final Crisis, and how often do tie-ins EVER actually match up. Blue Beetle is given the only really funny line of the issue (referring to Clock King as "Rolex Chronoberg") and it makes me hope Jaime Reyes may have a secured a future in the DC universe as a comic relief character, when (sorry IF) his book gets canceled.

Panel Discussion: Scans from All-Star Superman #10, New Avengers #39, Transhuman #1 and More

Every week Geekanerd brings you the best, worst and weirdest panels from our week in comics. If you didn't read your books, there will be giant SPOILERS. Click the images for high res action!

Best Opening Page - New Avengers #39Albo: This issue is basically a Maya solo story, so starting through her eyes on a silent page (she's deaf) is perfect. The hand reveal is a wonderful "fade in", and the subtle touch of leaving the right side of the last panel open elegantly guides our attention to the next page. David Mack's got them skillz.

Saves, Skrulls and Slurs after the jump!

Best Save - All-Star Superman #10AHR: What really gets me about this sad, elegant sequence is the first long panel of the girl dropping her cell phone. It's a lonely image that sharply conveys a final decision to close off from the world. I think it gets to the heart of what makes Superman unique that even with all the crazy shit going down in both his life and the world at large, saving people from their own personal despair still registers on Superman's hero-sense. He wants to save everyone, and it's nice to believe he can.

To Me, My X-Monkeys - Transhuman #1
Albo: These familiar-looking primates are interspersed within a double page gag where a number of genetic engineering test monkeys are being evaluated.

Doom Gets Serious - Mighty Avengers #11
Albo: "You're a fat piece of furniture... Cow-mouth... Whore's Heart..." This is not your daddy's Dr. Doom.

SkrullWatch '08 - Mighty Avengers #11
Albo: To escape Dr. Doom's clutches earlier in the issue, Spider Woman did some wacky energy crap she's never done before. Needless to say, this makes Black Widow nervous because the earth is infected with shape shifting aliens and exhibiting a heretofore unknown power is suspicious behavior. Plus that look Spidette's giving the reader in panel four is totally evil. The complication is that Spider Woman is the person who brought the Skrull invasion to Iron Man's attention in the first place, when she brought Skrullektra's corpse to him. My guess? Skrulls are too smart to reveal themselves so recklessly, and Black Widow's nervousness isn't Skrullspicion (I can do this all night, ladies) but concern that HER SKRULL INTEL ISN'T COMPLETE. Oh yeah, babies, THE BLACK WIDOW IS A SKRULL!!!

Best Threat - Ravager, Teen Titans #57
AHR: "The only thing I'm scared of....is that I might not get a chance to hide your body before my teammates show up." There's nothing I love more than when a pseudo-evil member of a non-evil team gets a chance to cut lose and show their sadistically insane stripes. It's worth noting Ravager does indeed kill this so-called Persuader (worst villain name ever), or at least she would have if Robin hadn't killer-proofed her lightsabres(!) so they operated only on a non-lethal setting(?!), thus denying both Ravager and the reader a cathartic murder spree. *Wamp wamp waaaaa!*

Smooth Talkin' Mutie - New Avengers #39
Albo: If I had moves like Logan... Man what I could do.

Nerd Alert - New Avengers #39
Albo: You betcha Hawkeye Ronin has an MC Chris t-shirt.

Snap Judgments: Quickie Comic Reviews for March 26, 2008

Geekanerd's second attempt at writing short comic reviews based on initial, lizard-brain opinions. Arranged from BEST to WORST.

Blue Beetle #25: A+
This comic makes me want to be a better man. - AHR

Mighty Avengers #11: A
Probably the best Dr. Doom story I've ever read. Really! - Albo

New Avengers #39: A
Finally the Skrulls are here! Too bad they're pansies. Aside from the lame Skrull fight this is a fantastic standalone Echo story. - Albo

Teen Titans #57: A
An entire issue of Ravager sneering, quipping, and being excessively violent; that, my friends, is exactly what I came to see. - AHR

All-Star Superman, Transhuman and Gunplay after the jump...

All-Star Superman #10: B+ from AHR, C from Albo
A collection of moments that are alternately confusingly plot-heavy and timelessly emblematic of why folks love Superman. The issue feels disjointed without a single clear narrative line to reassure the audience that the book will eventually become coherent, but like most of Morrison's work it's worth the effort. - AHR

Trying to do way too much at once. Where the hell is Morrison going with this? - Albo

Transhuman #1: B from AHR, C from Albo
Setting a story about genetic engineering in the innately evil world of corporate pharmaceuticals is a stroke of GENE-ius, and despite a constraining "documentary" storytelling device (which visually translates as all talking heads all the time) it's a surprisingly fluid read and if you make it to the middle you get a great comedy interlude with monkeys and violence and X-Men jokes. - AHR

Comic masquerading as a documentary on genetic engineering and human manipulation. All info, no story, no thanks. Hickman's Pax Romana is a much better read with similar themes. -Albo

Gunplay #0: C+
The first bit of a soon to be released graphic novel, which judging from the first few pages I thought was going to be an anti-racist revenge fantasy/vaguely racist castration anxiety nightmare, and though this issue indicates a story more thoughtful and nuanced than that, you get the sense that the preview ends before the interesting stuff starts, which seems like a gamble, marketing-wise - and by the way, I'm not crazy for thinking there are castration themes in this book, like mid-way through a dude gets his balls grabbed. - AHR