Battle for the Cowl

Review by Neill McLaughlin

It took an evil, despotic God to kill the world's greatest man, but how many will it take to replace him? Crime as thick as pitch has descended upon the dank alleyways of a city drowned in sorrow and fear. As the Dark Knight fades slowly into the onyx twilight, the duty of upholding Gotham's safety and sanity falls heavy on the shoulders of many costumed crusaders. Some have proven themselves worthy of such an honor, while others arrogantly believe the mantle to rightfully belong to them. Mentors, allies, and enemies alike gather beat back the growing darkness or take full advantage of it, either way, they all question their own intentions and the expectations placed upon them. One thing is for sure, the Batman is dead and another knight needs to be sired in or Gotham will burn.

Battle for the Cowl is a three part story written and illustrated by Tony Daniel, who came into the Batman franchise during Grant Morrison's monumental "RIP" story arc. From his gutter pictorial of Gotham City streets, to his cryptic revival of villains long forgotten, Tony Daniel has made his stake as one of the pioneer Batman artists. Using heavy shading to showcase the perpetual darkness that surrounds Gotham, Daniel highlights the beam of hope the Dark Knight shines on his citizens by snuffing the light around him. Both creators bring forth a masterful piece of work that shakes the very foundations of everything we have come to know about the Caped Crusader. After the heart stopping finale of "RIP," Morrison chills us to the bone with Final Crisis #6; as we witness the New God Darkseid and Batman destroy each other. Enter Neil Gaimen and Andy Kubert's "Whatever Happened To The Caped Crusader?" two part funeral story, in which we witness Bruce, Batman, and the child that would never be transcend to his final reward through eloquently poetic writing and beautifully haunting art. With the vibrations of one man's death felt around the world, Gotham trembles from the aftershock and the foundation begins to crack at an alarming rate. The Bat Family is still reeling from the demise of Bruce Wayne, but crime waits for no man... no matter how statuesque he maybe. The streets have become more violent than ever before, with gangs warring over turf and civilian looting at an all time high. All the while, crime lords and colorfully dressed madmen take full advantage of the opportunity at hand, making a claim for the throne of Gotham's criminal underworld. The heroes and citizens in mourn must rise up, reluctantly placing their fears and grievances aside to stop the fire from consuming all of Gotham. With the Batman missing, Bruce's three adopted sons will strive to do what they believe to be the proper course of action. Nightwing, Robin, and Jason Todd all have their own agendas and plans for retaliation, but which one is righteous enough to don the cowl in the name of justice? Are any of these vigilantes actually capable, or even redeemed enough, to take own such an iconic role? The answers lie within the pages of Battle for the Cowl... or online if need be.

In recent comic years, numerous tie-ins have had little to do with the actual continuity of the main book and served as nothing more than $1 bin fodder. With Battle for the Cowl being only three issues, the tie-ins actually add some background to the who, what, when, where, and sometimes why some of us would ask. Of all the BFTC tie-ins, I recommend "The Underground," "The Network," and Azrael: Death's Dark Knight to get behind the faces patrolling Gotham's rooftops and lurking through its sewers, the two Gotham Gazette One Shots to understand the cast of characters that have cared for Bruce over all these vigilant years, and Secret Six #9... Because I believe Catman to be worthy enough for a nomination. The other tie-ins would strengthen your knowledge for future developments, but is not on a must read basis. With all that said, Battle for the Cowl is a great read, but not necessary to start Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely's exciting new chapter, Batman and Robin. With Quitely on board to draw the first three issue story arc, Phillip Tan will take on the second three issue story arc, followed by Quitely for three more, this series will shake the conventional style of the franchise while keeping traditional and deep-rooted themes at the murky surface. For fans of Detective Comics, Greg Rucka and J.H. Williams III will take over the monthly title while bringing Batwoman into the foreground as the central character. With all these titles becoming fresh again, I expect nothing but great things from the Bat Franchise in the years to come. Once again, I am getting ahead of myself...

Throughout Grant Morrison's exceptional run on Batman, he has taken us places few of us have been to. Places only a seasoned veteran would understand, let alone remember. For those new to the book, he brought a fresh take on the Bat-Mythos, allowing novice fans to jump aboard without bombarding them with too much information. The first story arc, "Batman and Son," is a jovial, roller coaster ride incorporating the same feeling of childlike intrigue and imaginative acceptance as the golden age, while adding a young and fresh feel to the characters with art by Andy Kubert’s. Fueling the dark knight nostalgia with pop art influenced backgrounds and Ninja Man Bats, the team craft a story rich in subtle detail and classic detective undertones that mix together like a thick gumbo. Taking from the idea originally instilled by Mike W. Barr and Jerry Bingham's phenomenal graphic novel "Son of the Demon" Morrison continues the controversial plot of Batman conceiving a child with Talia al Ghul, daughter of the tyrannical genius Ra's al Ghul . During the events of "Son of the Demon" Talia and Bruce contemplate marriage and parenting, while sharing a passionate night upon an ocean of satin. After Batman deciphers Ra's true goals and thwarts the despot like never before, Talia breaks it to Bruce like a knee to the back... she has miscarried. Shattered yet understanding, Bruce recovers back in Gotham while Talia secretly births the child and leaves him within an orphanage with only a jewel encrusted necklace as proof of his natural heritage. Many Batman aficionados claimed blasphemy on the new addition to the Wayne Family bloodline, and thus, the story continued on outside normal continuity as Elseworld stories where he would don the mantle Ibn al Xu'ffasch; roughly translated from Arabic to mean "Son of the Bat." When Grant Morrison got a hold of these loose threads, he not only added a more scientific and cohesive approach to the child's birth, but he gave him a name worthy of the adolescent’s malicious, precarious, and spoiled attitude... Damian. In Morrison's story, Damian was genetically produced within an artificial womb using both Talia al Ghul and Bruce Wayne's DNA to create a flawless physical specimen. Breed by the League of Assassins to be the perfect warrior, Damian became a master of the martial arts and a harbinger of death before he reached puberty. During "Batman and Son," Talia introduces Damian to his father as a way of disrupting Batman's work and allowing the violent teenager to confront his biological father accordingly. Though arrogant and full of piss & vinegar, Damian is still a Wayne and the rest of the family is determined to rehabilitate him or kill him in the process. Neither Alfred, Nightwing, nor Robin have any desire to help this devious boy along, but will not give up on the brat all the same. Somewhere deep down, they can all see the capacity for greatness that Batman saw in all of the boy wonders. In Batman #666, we see an older version of Damian (who looks remarkably like Grant Morrison) carrying on his father's quest for justice in a futuristic Gotham City, entertaining the thought of inheritance and redemption for the rebellious youth. A prophetic vision showing Damian violently sacrificing himself physically, mentally, and even soulfully; Is this the Batman of the future or is it all a hazy prediction? Shall the fate of Gotham City rest on the shoulders of the one taking up the cowl or does the future depend on a ruthless killer’s redemption? Only time, training, and tact will tell...

And it looks like you have some reading to do.

The Flash: Rebirth #1 by Geoff Johns and Ethan Van Sciver

Review by Chris Clow

The saga of the Flash has been in flux ever since the conclusion of Infinite Crisis in 2006. When Wally West, the Flash since 1986, was swept off into the Speed Force, all that was left was young Bart Allen. During the One Year Later event, Bart swallowed his pride and accepted that as the grandson to the greatest Flash that ever lived, it was his responsibility to continue the legacy of lightning. But after being the DCU's main speedster for only a short while, he was gone and Wally had returned.

Things were different now, though. He has children, a new level of responsibility, and an entirely new demeanor. Could he even BE the Flash anymore? And before that question could even happen, the onslaught of the Final Crisis rocked the DCU to it's core. The greatest evil of the DC Universe descended on our heroes, and all seemed lost...

...until the greatest hero returned.

The man that sacrificed his life for the shambled Multiverse ran back into our lives like sheer light, and when he didn't leave when the Crisis did, we knew: he was here to stay.

Geoff Johns and Ethan Van Sciver's The Flash: Rebirth brings Barry Allen into the multiverse and the modern age of comics with the force of a summer event. The first issue shows us a deeper side to the legendary character. After coming back from death, Barry deeply questions his return. Why is he here? What purpose does he have? But beyond that, this issue creates some deep issues to be explained over the course of the series. One in particular, how does one of the DC Universe's manifestations of death, well, die? What's happening to the Speed Force, and why does Barry seem to be the only one unaffected?

Geoff Johns weaves a classic in the making, and Ethan Van Sciver's artwork surpasses the already high standards so many hold for him. If you like your comics action-packed, suspenseful, and dripping with character, then jump on board the rebirth of one of the DCU's greatest heroes!

Grade: A

Lightning Strikes Again: April 1st

Considered the consummate example of how to do an event series, Crisis on Infinite Earths gave us many things.

Among them, a streamlined DC Universe, allowing memorable takes on old characters. Crisis was the catalyst for John Byrne's reimagining of Superman in The Man of Steel. Crisis helped to give us a new look at the Amazonian cornerstone of the "DC Trinity" with George Pérez's Gods and Mortals. Crisis was even the catalyst to Frank Miller's timely and definitive take on the Dark Knight's genesis in Batman: Year One.

However, even above all of these, Crisis took something from us as well. A beacon of heroism that would shine like bright light (if he didn't run faster than it, that is). A character that arguably, single-handedly birthed the legendary Silver Age of comics into existence. A keen mind, a compassionate heart, and a defining character of the DC Universe.

His demise was epic. Sacrificing himself for the universe in Crisis, in the way that he did, is still talked about even today. But in the words of this character's new steward:

"When the greatest evil comes to the DC Universe, the greatest hero needed to return."

On the brink of the Final Crisis, the Rogues of Central and Keystone cities are alarmed to learn that this character is alive. Having to fight his successor, who tolerated games with his enemies, they knew that whatever fun time they had was over.

"The Rogues can't outrun him. Once the skies are back to blue, the game's back on... and if he is really back, there's no more rules in this universe to follow."

Newsflash, boys. He IS back.

All bets are off.

In store this week! Don't miss out, add it to your pull list TODAY!

Check out my review of The Flash: Rebirth #1 on April 10th!

Watchmen: Tales of the Black Freighter, Written by Alex Tse and Zack Snyder and Directed by Mike Smith and Daniel DelPurgatorio

Review by Chris Clow

Comic book films are, more often than not, very tricky beasts. The fans want a great adaptation, but if the slightest details about the characters we love aren't exactly right (even though the filmmakers may have changed these things to try and give us a great adaptation), then they will shout, "Blasphemy!" to the skies above and jump on the message boards to cram the film down the dark path of rejection. When it finally looked like Watchmen was going to be made under the helm of Zack Snyder, many fans (including this one) were polarized.

"What if the cast sucks?"

"What if they don't highlight [insert Alan Moore tool of social commentary]?"

"WHAT IF THEY PUT PANTS ON DR. MANHATTAN?!"

Now, the film has been in theaters for nearly a month, and while it has it's detractors and has hardly been the darling of critics, we can safely praise or damn the piece as we see fit; As is our God-given right as fans. BUT, one noticeable omission was made to the final cut of the film. The tale of a man so torn by grief and fear that his mind fractures because of it. The tale of a raft of corpses attempting to warn the righteous of an impending invasion. A tale of suspense, and ultimately a tale of madness.

The Tales of the Black Freighter.

Adapted in animated form, this adaptation was released as a companion piece to the main Watchmen film, and I found it stunning. Horrifying, contemplative, visceral, and grotesque, Tales of the Black Freighter lets the animators stretch their legs and show us just how far this fair Sea Captain can take such physical and psychological trauma and the lengths he will go to not only to preserve his own survival, but the survival of his crew's already disgustingly disfigured corpses. I was able to view the film on the high definition Blu-ray format, and initially skeptical of the format's ability with animation, I will now never go back. The already stellar animation seemed fluidly enhanced by the clarity of 1080p resolution If you have access to view this film on this format, I heartily recommend it.

I found the real treasure of the disc, however, to be the new spin the team put on Hollis Mason's tell-all autobiography Under the Hood. Presented as an old-style news magazine show, such as 60 Minutes complete with period commercials, Under the Hood features interviews with the characters that explore the same themes as the chapter portions in the actual Watchmen graphic novel. By immersing us into the history of the Minutemen and the "modern" fate of the Crimebusters (sorry, or "Watchmen" as they're referred to in the film), this provides a great addendum to Watchmen the film and allows for a complete experience.

Now, here's where you probably skipped to in the review: do I think you should buy it? Well, if you're a huge fan of Watchmen, or even a casual one, then...no. Yes I do love both of these works and their adaptations on this disc, but I personally find this release redundant since all of the disc's contents are going to be integrated into Zack Snyder's almighty Director's Cut of Watchmen out in probably August or September.

So, I'll give this disc a grade of B. Rent it, watch it, but I'd say wait to own it when we can have the entire kit-'n'-caboodle under one roof with the Director's Cut of Watchmen.

History of the Green Lantern mythology

Post by Chris Clow

I've heard many of you in the shop tell me a similar story when I recommend the Green Lantern titles to you. You say that you don't want to jump in because you may be confused by the mythology without having read it before. After some nerd-searching, I found a wonderful all encompassing video dealing with the entire history of the Green Lantern mythos, from the origin of Alan Scott in the '40's to Geoff Johns' 2004 relaunch Green Lantern: Rebirth.

No more excuses! :-)

Green Lantern #38 by Geoff Johns and Ivan Reis

Review by Chris Clow

If you've been in the shop at all recently, a lot of the event-buzz isn't on the Norman Osborn-led Marvel universe, but about a slowly erupting universal war of light in which the blackness of death threatens to swallow the universe whole. The fear of the Yellow, the love of the Sapphire, the hope of the Blue, the will of the Green, and the latest to receive the spotlight, the rage of the Red, threaten an epic War of Light that promises to make the Sinestro Corps War look like ramen noodles cooking on a stove. We have yet to meet the other Corps that will shine their light across the DC Universe, but we've seen the first ramifications of these soldiers devotion to their Corps clash with the devotion others have for other Corps.

Throughout Geoff Johns' volume of Green Lantern, he has consistently had the Guardians of the Universe refer to Earth not only as the center of the multiverse, but also as the most emotionally rich and diverse planet in existence. By exploring the "emotional spectrum" that gives all these Corps their powers, he drives the point of human potential out of the park by having Hal Jordan experience three vastly different power sources that have a profound effect on him.

In this closing chapter of Rage of the Red Lanterns, we pick up exactly where we left off: Hal Jordan's furious anger at Sinestro for murdering Green-turned-Red Lantern Laira cause the deceased's red ring to travel to Jordan himself, overcoming the will with pure rage. Ready to murder Sinestro for retribution, the Blue Lanterns' power is revealed to be dependent on the presence of the Green. Since Hal's rage is coursing through his red ring, Blue Lantern Saint Walker has no choice but to shove a Blue ring on Jordan's finger and induct him into the Blue Lantern Corps.

The blue ring immediately senses the corruption of the red in Hal's body and purifies his body of the rage. Jordan is able to wield the Green and Blue simultaneously, asking Walker, "What did you do to me?"

Jordan appears to represent exactly what Johns has been saying about humanity: we are capable of feeling all of these emotions, and Jordan in this issue is literally wielding three different rings for a brief amount of time. What does this mean for the impending Blackest Night? Does this symbolize a larger role for Hal when the darkness falls over the light of all the Corps? This issue reinforces the consistent quality of Green Lantern, making it one of the best books we have the honor of placing on our shelves. All this title appears to be doing is making the wait for The Blackest Night that much more painful.

If you're not reading this title, I would seriously encourage any comic fan to jump in head first. From GL: Rebirth (available as a trade paperback) on up through Rage of the Red Lanterns (Final Crisis: Rage of the Red Lanterns and GL #36-38 all available in-store), the epic that Johns and his brain-trust are weaving is one of epic proportions that's likely to be remembered in the same vein we remember the O'Neil/Adams Batman run, or the best Lee/Kirby FF stories. This is comic history in the making, and I hope you're a part of it!

Ultimate Wolverine vs. Hulk #1-2 by Damon Lindelof and Leinil Francis Yu

Review by Chris Clow

Three years ago, Ultimate Wolverine vs. Hulk burst onto the scene and people went mad for it. By literally starting with Logan getting ripped in half, the sheer force of and power of the forthcoming fight was partially realized, and aggressively whet the fans' appetites for the throw-down that would inevitably ensue.

Then, the series was plagued by delays and was seemingly dead on arrival. After over two years of literally hearing meaningless excuses that most thought would lead to the inevitable cancellation of the series, this past year in San Diego, the fans witnessed new life breathed into the rest of the series literally right before their eyes. Damon Lindelof, writer of the troubled series, slapped down the script to the finale issue #6 right in front of Marvel editor-in-chief Joe Quesada. #3-5 had already been completed, and artist Leinil Francis Yu was hard at work making sure that issues 3-6 would ship on a rigid monthly schedule.

Marvel recently reprinted the first two issues in preparation for the coming March 4th release of issue 3. Not having been a huge Ultimate universe fan, or much of a Marvel fan for that matter, I picked up the first two issues completely cold and decided to read through what so many people seemed to be eagerly anticipating. The most surprising thing for me, is that I loved it. Instead of being 44-pages of fist flying action, the first two-issues gave a decent back-story to why these characters have to fight in the first place.

Lindelof explores the motivations for why certain people belive that the Hulk should be killed, why Wolverine is the right man for the job, and there's only one real reason (at least so far) that Logan decides to take the duty on. Personally, I'm hoping for more of a reason for Wolverine to accept the job, but the reason he gives right off the bat is at least in-character.

Yu's artwork does a very good job of showing emotion, it always has. My critiques of his work lie more in character designs. Other than the Hulk, the most non-Human character in this story, all the people look relatively similar. Like his work on Secret Invasion, and even going back to my favorite story featuring his art in Mark Waid's Superman: Birthright, Yu's strengths are detail in action (not just fighting but even simple movement) and emotive characters. Hulk's anger is very easily visible throughout the series. Wolverine's shock, not only at the beginning of issue #1 where he sees that he's little more than a torso with arms and a head, but also at the end of issue #2 when he encounters Hulk, is very clear and almost empathetic.

The bottom line is that I recommend this series since it's a surprisingly good character study, and the forthcoming fight between two of the most brutal characters in Marvel's stable promises to be, in a word, epic.