Month: August 2022

Written by Christopher Moeller

Art by Christopher Moeller & Bill Oakley

Cover Art by Christopher Moeller & Logo Design: Alex Jay

SUMMARY:

In 2000, DC Comics published this 108-page original Justice League of America epic.  Per the Late 90’s, the League’s roster consists of: Superman; Wonder Woman; Batman; the Martian Manhunter; Wally West’s Flash; Kyle Rayner’s Green Lantern; and Aquaman. 

In Western Europe of 1348, the monstrous Drakul Karfang, a flying and mystical fire-breathing dragon, is seemingly killed, with its reign of terror ended.  Centuries later, a vacationing Wonder Woman accompanies her nymph friends into a subterranean cave hidden beneath Themyscira.  There she learns of an ancient oracle’s prophecy: the hellacious dragon will soon return, and worse yet, her beloved League is destined to fall before its scorching firepower. 

Diana instinctively makes a fateful decision.  Utilizing stealth, Wonder Woman must betray her unsuspecting teammates and defeat them, one by one, in order to face Drakul Karfang alone.  If she succeeds, hence, the odds will then be even: one magical phenom vs. another in a showdown to the final death.

REVIEW:

Don’t be fooled by the flimsy page count; this book’s mass feels as though Christopher Moeller’s storyline is twice its actual length.  If Tower of Babel brings to light Batman’s worst instincts, then A League of One is effectively Wonder Woman’s equivalent, no matter her noble cause.  With each panel a lushly illustrated painting, Moeller most definitely packages A League of One as if it’s a modern-day fable with capes.

By all means, this Wonder Woman showcase is richly told.  The invariable weakness is that its very premise ensures One’s conclusion is ultra-predictable.  Ironically, unlike the dire risks Wonder Woman takes, Moeller’s simplistic plotting doesn’t take nearly enough to transform it into a DC Comics classic that rocks the League’s status quo. Whereas DC has exploited Tower of Babel’s dire ramifications for a quarter-century, A League of One has long since been forgotten, fairly or not, for this basic reason.

ADDITIONAL CONTENT:

Moeller includes an insightful five-page sketchbook, along with his abbreviated biography and thank-you’s.   

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:                        7 Stars

Written by Brian Augustyn

Art by Mike Mignola; P. Craig Russell; David Horung; & John Workman

Cover Art by Mike Mignola

SUMMARY:

In 1989, DC Comics released this historical 48-page one-shot pitting Gotham’s Dark Knight vs. Jack the Ripper.  An immediate flashback reveals that, in 1874, Dr. Thomas & Martha Wayne are murdered by a lone highwayman on the outskirts of Gotham City.  While their young son, Bruce, survives, the gunman’s ultimate fate isn’t revealed. 

Flash ahead to Vienna, 1889: an enigmatic Bruce Wayne completes his studies aboard with an internship under Sigmund Freud before returning to Gotham for the first time in five years.  Joining him for the sea voyage home from London is his trusted attorney and salty family friend, Jacob Packer.

Gotham is soon beset by dual nocturnal threats: the mysterious Batman and an unexpectedly resurgent Jack the Ripper.  Despite Inspector Gordon’s skepticism, Police Commissioner Tolliver conveniently concludes that the Batman and Ripper are one and the same psychotic.  Framed for the Ripper’s ghastly crimes, an incarcerated Bruce Wayne now faces imminent execution.  Wayne’s last chance is to desperately unravel the Ripper’s true identity and end his gory reign of terror.

Notes: DC Comics retroactively deemed this book as its first Elseworlds project.  Augustyn & artist Eduardo Barreto’s 1991 sequel: Batman – Master of the Future, has since been packaged with Gaslight in a ‘deluxe edition’ format.  In 2018, DC loosely adapted Gotham by Gaslight (i.e. adding Selina “Catwoman” Kyle to the plot) into an animated film available in Blu-Ray, DVD, and digital formats. 

REVIEW:

Constructing their work to convey a simplistic Victorian style of storytelling, writer Brian Augustyn and artist Mike Mignola’s team-up delivers the necessary goods (without an excess of sleaze).  Standing out most is an imprisoned, mid-twenties Wayne forced into deciphering a bloody enigma that neither Scotland Yard nor the Gotham City police could solve.  Conveying Wayne’s frustration under such intense pressure proves a mini-masterpiece of suspense.  It’s a rare opportunity of witnessing Batman’s seemingly untouchable secret identity on the verge of defeat.

Aside from risking insufficient depth, the other detriment is that virtually all of Gaslight’s female characters are the Ripper’s nameless victims.  Augustyn might have tried harder inserting a Julie Madison (or a Vicki Vale, etc.) briefly to bolster some romantic spark in Wayne’s personal life.  A pivotal flashback revealing Martha Wayne’s personality, at least, offers a partial substitute. 

Though a few late plot contrivances risk bringing too much full circle, Gotham by Gaslight’s aura of gothic mystery still outclasses similar DC fiction imitating this kind of historical template.  Augustyn & Mignola’s bold experiment, in that sense, conjures up a macabre Bat-thriller worthy of the Elseworlds moniker.  

ADDITIONAL CONTENT:

Written by veteran Ripper scribe Robert Bloch, the opening page has the culprit introducing himself in a taunting letter.  

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:                       8 Stars

Written by Chuck Dixon.

Art by JH Williams III; Mick Gray; & Lee Loughridge.

Cover Art by John Van Fleet.

SUMMARY:

DC Comics released this 64-page Elseworlds one-shot in 1997.  Set in the American Old West, the Southwestern desert frontier town of Paradise is annihilated by an unknown inferno.  Devastated by its loss, town sheriff Diana Prince abandons her prized badge and vows to avenge her fellow citizens, including her diminutive deputy, Oberon.  To effectively challenge her mysterious adversary, Diana first must recruit a trusted strike team, some of whom she has evidently encountered before. 

Joining her are: Native American shaman Katar Johnson (Hawkman); an adventurous gambler Booster Gold; young Wally West (Kid Flash) – literally the fastest gunman alive; fantastical inventor Beetle (Ted Kord’s Blue Beetle); and an enigmatically green-hued John Jones (Martian Manhunter).  Wildcards include immortal outlaw Felix Faust; snarky Pinkerton sleuth Guy “Kid Baltimore” Gardner, who is hunting down West for Marshal Barry Allen’s murder; and even a skeptical yet mild-mannered dime novelist/scribe named ‘Colonel Kent.’    

Reaching the ominously secluded base known as ‘Helldorado,’ Diana Prince’s makeshift vigilante force must face sinister railroad baron Maxwell Lord’s futuristic technology in a deadly showdown. It appears that the odds (and sheer numbers) this time are heavily stacked against justice. 

Note: This reality’s Diana Prince briefly returns in 2007’s DC Countdown: Arena mini-series.

REVIEW:

Considering this art squad’s collective talent, it isn’t a surprise that consistently appealing visuals present The Justice Riders’ best asset.  As to writer Chuck Dixon’s derivative storytelling, one can readily spot ideas lifted from The Terminator, Westworld, Wild Wild West, and, of course, The Magnificent Seven, among other Westerns, for his plot devices.  Aside from predating Wonder Woman & Maxwell Lord’s mutual vendetta by nearly a decade, Dixon contributes too few original ideas of his own, including a dubious reliance on clichéd Old West slang. 

Hovering somewhere between quickly forgettable and average, The Justice Riders delivers a quick read, with virtually zero gore (in terms of kid-friendliness).  Consumers are just better off finding it within an Elseworlds collection with other DC alternate-reality tales.  Specifically, this title can be found in 2016’s DC Elseworlds: Justice League, Volume One – which was subsequently re-released in 2024 (in both trade paperback and digital formats).         

ADDITIONAL CONTENT:

None.

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:                           5½ Stars

Written by (See Below)

Art by (See Below)

Collection Cover Art by Alex Ross

SUMMARY:

In 2006, DC Comics published this 192-page compilation consisting of nine Superman tales from 1944 to 2005.  The specific contents are:

• “The Mysterious Mr. Mxyztplk” (from Superman # 30 – September/October 1944).  Writer: Jerry Siegel & Art by Ire Yarbrough.  A hot Metropolis day finds the Man of Steel and the city befuddled by the chaotic first appearance of a magical imp from another dimension.  Superman’s famous method of dispatching his unwanted companion is also established – yet, the question is: who gets the last laugh? 
• “Superman’s Other Life, Parts I-III” (from Superman # 132 – October 1959).  Writer: Otto Binder & Art by Wayne Boring and Stan Kaye.  With Batman & Robin present, Superman observes through his Fortress of Solitude’s Super-Univac the destiny he would have lived, had Krypton not exploded. 
• “Superman’s Return to Krypton, Parts I-III”  (from Superman # 141 – November 1960). Writer: Jerry Siegel & Art by Wayne Boring and Stan Kaye.  Encountering a bizarre threat in space, Superman is inadvertently propelled back through time to Krypton prior to his birth.  Long predating Back to the Future, the Man of Steel becomes a close friend of his future parents.  Meanwhile, he must adjust to a new adult life on his home planet.   
• “The Team of Luthor and Brainiac!, Parts I-III” (from Superman # 167 – February 1964).  Writers: Edmond Hamilton & Cary Bates, with Art by Curt Swan & George Klein.  Two of Superman’s most dangerous arch-foes conspire to finally eliminate the Man of Steel.  Their scheme includes a journey to the lost city of Kandor.
• “Superman Breaks Loose!”  (from Superman # 233 – January 1971).  Writer: Denny O’Neil & Art by Curt Swan and Murphy Anderson.  Seeking to revitalize Superman, DC Comics upends several familiar elements of the Man of Steel’s daily existence in this Bronze Age tale.
• “The Legend from Earth Prime” (from Superman # 400 – October 1984).  Occurring on Earth Prime, a futuristic TV news retrospective compares video imagery lifted from another dimension of George Reeves’ fake Superman to the real Superman.
• “The Secret Revealed” (from Superman {2^nd Series} # 2 – February 1987).  Writer/Artist: John Byrne & Inker: Terry Austin.  In Smallville, Lex Luthor’s forces torture an abducted Lana Lang to discover Superman’s secret identity.
• “Life After Death” (from Adventures of Superman # 500 – June 1993).  Writer: Jerry Ordway & Art by Tom Grummett and Doug Hazlewood.  From a Metropolis ICU unit, a comatose Jonathan Kent’s spirit desperately tries to rescue his lost son from a dream-like enigma.
• “Narrative Interruptus Tertiarius” (from Adventures of Superman # 638 – May 2005).  Writer: Greg Rucka & Art by Matthew Clark & Andy Lanning. Interrupting Lois & Clark’s private discussion re: parenthood, Mr. Mxyztplk presents them a poignant glimpse of one future possibility.  Note: This standard-length tale utilizes four different artistic styles.             

REVIEW:

Defining these tales as a second batch of the ‘greatest’ Superman stories, unsurprisingly, is a subjective sales pitch.  These nine tales are occasionally intriguing (as far as searching for what exactly makes them ‘great’), but it’s still a mere sampling of DC’s thousands of Super-stories stretched out over nearly seventy years. 

Of interest is appreciating the contrast in Mr. Mxyztplk’s evolution from his wacky Golden Age debut (stealing the show from Superman’s stilted personality) to a contemporary, pre-parenting counseling session with Mr. & Mrs. Superman — arguably, this volume’s concluding tale proves its best.  Aside from the artwork offering four distinctive visual looks, the Fifth Dimension imp (of all possible choices) effectively acknowledges Lois & Clark’s potential as parents.  

Greg Rucka’s scripting, in that regard, will likely appeal to a wider fanbase than that of the present-day Superman Family (with their son, Jon Kent), or, for that matter, the Superman & Lois TV series.  As silly as elements of Rucka’s story deliberately are, his spelled-out message ages far better than anything the Silver Age had previously concocted: i.e. eye-rolling/page-filling 1950’s dreck where a domesticated Clark & Lois (or Lana) (or maybe Lori Lemaris, etc.) raise ‘super-children’ in various imaginary what-if scenarios.   

Volume 2 also offers an odd yet good-spirited homage to TV’s first Superman, George Reeves, and a compelling display of Jonathan Kent’s sub-conscious willpower determined to resurrect Clark (after that fateful first showdown vs. Doomsday).  Such stories are welcome reads, but, as diluted by similar DC stories over time, their degrees of greatness still remains debatable.        

DC Comics, at a minimum, should be commended for refreshening this volume’s archived material to keep it all looking as vivid as possible.  In that sense, for Supeman die-hards, Volume 2’s nostalgic value may be timeless, especially the allotment of rare Golden Age tales.  For more casual readers, these stories should be fun to peruse, even if the content isn’t likely to make someone want more. 

ADDITIONAL CONTENT:

Though no cover reprints are included, a table-of-contents is provided.  Former DC Comics editor Robert Greenberger pens a two-page introduction explaining how these selected tales represent Superman’s necessary evolution through changing times.  Prior to Rucka’s story, there’s an unused cover image utilized as a full-page Superman pin-up.  This page’s art squad consists of Scott McDaniel and Andy Owens, with coloring help from Richard & Tanya Horie

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:                       6 Stars

Note: Another DC collection title worth considering is The Daily Planet.  Covering a similar gamut of time (i.e. mostly the Golden Age/Silver Age), Superman’s regular supporting cast joins him in the spotlight.

Written by Matt Wagner

Art by Matt Wagner; Dave Stewart; & Sean Konot

Cover Art by Matt Wagner

SUMMARY:

In 2004, DC Comics released this 208-page paperback reprinting 2003’s Trinity # 1-3, which depicts Wonder Woman’s first team-up with Superman & Batman.  From Metropolis to Gotham City and then, ultimately, the entire planet, uneasy allies Superman & Batman face a dire global threat once Ra’s al Ghul and his nefarious Purge terrorist cult steal nuclear missiles.  Further enhancing al Ghul’s heavily-armed forces are a thawed-out Bizarro and a punkish young Amazonian initially calling herself … ‘Diana.’ 

After a suspicious explosion occurs near Themyscira, Wonder Woman backtracks its source to the Man of Steel in Metropolis, only to learn of his Frankenstein-like replica: Bizarro.  Subsequent encounters with al Ghul, his Amazonian protégé, and Bizarro necessitate an alliance between Superman, Wonder Woman, and Batman (though he won’t bring in his fledging Robin on such a dangerous job).  Later, the World’s Finest Duo must rescue a mortally-wounded Wonder Woman from captivity before witnessing her supernatural resurrection.

When al Ghul’s Purge attempts to forcibly take Themyscira as its new base, Wonder Woman & Batman becomes the island’s primary defense.  It’s up to Superman to reach his friends in time, if they are going to thwart al Ghul’s insidious scheme to re-imagine Earth in his own warped image.  Yet, one potential wildcard in their midst may make all the difference.    

Appearing briefly are Lois Lane, Talia al Ghul, Alfred Pennyworth, and young Dick Grayson, along with a cameo from another future Justice Leaguer.

Notes: Wagner’s project is DC’s first modern attempt projecting this trio as the company’s definitive ‘Trinity.’  This title is also available digitally and as a ‘deluxe edition’ hardcover.

REVIEW:

Like fellow writer-artist John Byrne’s creativity, Matt Wagner exerts his own distinctive fingerprints.  In this instance, short of a few qualms, Wagner’s inspired plotting far exceeds his efforts at mustering Trinity’s visual quality.  Some occasional panels are terrific, but far too much of Trinity’s rudimentary artwork isn’t so much sloppy as it is consistently underwhelming.  There’s no realistic comparison here to, say, George Pérez, or even Byrne-caliber work; if anything, it’s closer to Howard Chaykin on an uninspired day. 

Wagner’s script, as fair compensation, pitting DC’s ‘Trinity’ against evil represented by their own ‘opposite numbers’ is remarkably well-played.  Not only imbuing (practically hyper-charging) the Trinity with their own iconic personality traits, Wagner takes the necessary time to build up their opposition towards a satisfyingly climatic showdown. 

Case in point: prior to its revelation in dialogue, the pink-haired, mystery Amazonian’s identity can be deduced by a subtle hairstyle in one scene (despite her punkish hairstyles often changing).  Similar kudos go to how Bizarro is coddled into al Ghul’s bidding, which makes Trinity one of Bizarro’s most formidable appearances (aside from his murderous Infinite Crisis incarnation).  As for al Ghul, Wagner finds consistently plausible ways making him a viable threat to Superman & Wonder Woman,  as well as his perpetual arch-nemesis. 

Still, Wagner’s plot twists aren’t not all perfect.  Deemed necessary to the storyline, Wonder Woman is subjected to being brutally beaten unconscious by Bizarro, the threat of future mind-controlled rape by Al Ghul, and a partial nudity scene later on Themyscira.  Yet, these debatable creative choices aren’t nearly as exploitative and appalling as one where Superman flies to intercept two remote-controlled airliners simultaneously targeting a Metropolis skyscraper. 

Wagner’s allusion to 9/11 can’t be missed,  but resorting to such a brief throwaway visual as part of Al Ghul’s scheme only two years after the horrific fact is just plain wrong.  Wagner could have easily conveyed some other ‘impossible’ save in Metropolis and still score the same effect on readers.  His choice showing Superman easily thwarting a 9/11-like catastrophe is totally unnecessary.

Taking Trinity’s viable elements into account, Wagner gains enough benefit of the doubt.  No matter if DC’s ever-muddled continuity has since overridden this tale’s events, Trinity solidly depicts how the World’s Finest Duo becomes, ultimately, the World’s Finest Trio.

ADDITIONAL CONTENT:

Author Brad Meltzer pens a persuasive, two-page introduction.  Wagner’s three covers are each presented in a full-page gallery format.  Shrunk down to fit a single page, Wagner’s three individual cover portraits: from Adventures of Superman # 628, Wonder Woman # 204, and Batman # 627 appear.  Suffice to say, the artistic quality of these cover portraits surpasses Wagner’s visuals for Trinity. 

Afterwards, there is Wagner’s three-page sketchbook.  The concluding page presents short bios on Wagner, Dave Stewart, and Sean Konot.         

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:                          7 Stars