Looming over cites such as Boston, New York and San Francisco is similar to the pain that is being brought down upon Metropolis, Gotham and Central City.
Yes, college kids are on a tear of rampant destruction similar to Villain’s Month at DC whereby the bad guys take over your favorite books, coffee shops and bars like they own the joint.
Taking a cue from Marvel, the DC Comics Point One issues of Batman and Superman are now property of The Joker #1 and Bizarro #1. Over at ComiXology Submit, The Sire #1 is trapped by his costume!
THE JOKER #1 (BATMAN #23.1)
WRITER: Andy Kubert
ART: Andy Clarke
Publication Date: September 4, 2013
Price: $3.99
Publisher: DC Comics
UPC: 76194131806623121
Buy it HERE
We heard stories of DC messing up the print run of the lenticular (3D) covers for this, but the company made up for it in a way by releasing a plain paper cover as well, and if you are reading digitally, no skin off your face!
Speaking of faces, this Joker is conspicuously full-skinned, and ready to laugh all the way home!
Set a few years in the past, Andy Kubert flashes back to a young boy who’s sadistic Aunt Eunice takes bleach and scrub brush to the young Joker’s face as she beats the boy and barely feeds him.
He does grow up with a sense of humor though! A very sick one.
Joker adopts a baby gorilla and decides like many parents to right the wrongs of his own rearing. This comic takes a turn for the really bizarre and melds ideas of golden age cartooning and animals acting like people and dressed in clothes to a modern day deconstruction of the American family. Via the Joker and his pet!
Andy Clarke (2000AD, Detective Comics) has a fine line Brian-Bolland style suitable for the Clown Prince of Crime, tying in character designs from The Killing Joke and The Man Who Laughs.
Great stuff! And quite possibly the only Joker story in recent times where Batman is no where to be found!
BIZARRO #1 (SUPERMAN #23.1)
WRITER: Sholly Fisch
ART: Jeff Johnson, Andy Smith
Publication Date: September 4, 2013
Price: $3.99
Publisher: DC Comics
UPC: 76194131729823121
Buy it HERE
Same story here with the plastic and lenticular covers, who knows, maybe you got lucky and can hear the sound of corduroy “swish swish” at the shop! Aaron Kuder made a very cool cover for this one!
I wanted so hard to like this comic, and even wrack my brain to make opposite-style review when the time came. That’s not what this is.
I have problems with this comic as a Bizarro comic, though the story itself would have worked just fine for a Villain’s Month issue starring Lex Luthor (Coming in Action Comics 23.3).
Spoiler warning, because there is no way of expressing my distaste for this issue without it!
In the New 52 (apparently) there is no Bizarro World to be revealed, and our Bizarro starring in this issue is not another alien, but a failed monstrosity created in Luthor’s lab out of Kryptonite and an intern who likes Superman so much he’s wearing a blue Superman Shirt, House of El logo intact!
It has been intimated buy the end of the story that Luthor’s experiment was just phase one, and perhaps a better Bizarro is coming our way, but come on, DC. Give us the real deal here. No need to not mess with what am is broken.
I’m not disappointed in the solid writing from frequent Superman guest writer Sholly Fisch nor the smooth Alan Davis-like linework of Jeff Johnson. I’m just mad this isn’t a great Bizarro story. I could have dropped this and picked up a this week’s Invincible instead (which I didn’t, I spent my money here!).
ALL-NEW X-MEN #16
WRITER: Brian Michael Bendis
ARTIST: Stuart Immonen
Publication Date: September 4, 2013
Price: $3.99
Publisher: Marvel Comics
UPC: 75960607900101631
Buy it HERE
Bendis—almighty Marvel Architect, Avengers Assembler, Ultimate Spider-Man Ulitmater. Words can’t describe what the man has brought to the Marvel Universe, though many have tried, and many still deride.
I’m a fan of his work, though do understand some critiques that are brought up when it comes to character interactions.
Say what you will, All-New X-Men #16 is Bendis cooking with oil.
Mutant oil!
As the time stream seems to be breaking apart and all are colliding (Spider-Man 2099 is over in Superior Spider-Man), Bendis has taken his original concept of All-New X-Men to the next logical step.
The X-Men of the future have come back to present time to tell Wolverine, Kitty and Hank to stop messing around and send the 60s versions back to the Stan and Jack days, or guess what—it’ll mess everything up.
Well played, sir. Great reveals, a funny future version of Deadpool and of course a version of Scott and Jean messing everyone’s plans up makes for a fun and dense X-Men experience that would make Chris Claremont’s head spin.
Stuart Immonen is on art this issue, knocking us out with his poses and storytelling.
This is part 2 of X-Men Battle of the Atom #1, a crossover to rival the Cross-Time Caper!
THE SIRE #1
Writer/Letterer/Colorist: Michael Dolce
Penciler: Daniel Leister
Price: $.99
Imprint: MBD Studios Inc
Page Count: 24 Pages
Digital Release Date: 4/17/13
Age Rating: 12+ Only
Buy it HERE
Something is transforming criminals into beasts and unleashing their bad vibes onto the city, who better to stop them than The Sire!
This newsman with a secret identity and alien costume is burdened by his powers and on the run from his fellow newscasters for fear they recognize him!
Art and story are solid, with a mash-up of superhero tropes from Venom to Superman to Spawn.
Fun and colorful superhero art make for a great quick dollar comic from ComiXology Submit, with a followup issue #2 having made its way to the digital comic store as well.
