Rex’s Comic Reviews … Vol 18 (Graphic Novels)

Watchmen is a twelve-issue comic book limited series created by writer Alan Moore, artist Dave Gibbons, and colourist John Higgins. The series was published by DC Comics during 1986 and 1987, and has been subsequently reprinted into collected form. Watchmen originated from a story proposal Moore submitted to DC featuring superhero characters that the company had acquired from Charlton Comics. As Moore’s proposed story would have left many of the characters unusable for future stories, managing editor Dick Giordano convinced the writer to create original characters instead.

Moore used the story as a means to reflect contemporary anxieties and to critique the superhero concept. Watchmen depicts an alternate history where superheroes emerged in the 1940s and 1960s, helping the United States to win the Vietnam War. The country is edging towards a nuclear war with the Soviet Union, freelance costumed vigilantes have been outlawed and most costumed superheroes are in retirement or working for the government. The story focuses on the personal development and struggles of the protagonists as an investigation into the murder of a government sponsored superhero pulls them out of retirement, and eventually leads them to confront a plot that would stave off nuclear war by killing millions of people.

Creatively, the focus of Watchmen is on its structure. Gibbons used a nine-panel grid layout throughout the series and added recurring symbols such as a blood-stained smiley. All but the last issue feature supplemental fictional documents that add to the series’ backstory, and the narrative is intertwined with that of another story, a fictional pirate comic titled Tales of the Black Freighter, which one of the characters reads. Structured as a nonlinear narrative, the story skips through space, time and plot. Watchmen has received critical acclaim both in the comics and mainstream press, and is regarded by critics as a seminal text of the comics medium. After a number of attempts to adapt the series into a feature film, director Zack Snyder’s Watchmen was released in 2009.

.

.

.

Crisis on Infinite Earths is a 12-issue American comic book limited series (identified as a “12-part maxi-series”) and crossover event, produced by DC Comics in 1985 to simplify its then 50-year-old continuity. The series was written by Marv Wolfman and illustrated by George Pérez (pencils/layouts), along with Mike DeCarlo, Dick Giordano, and Jerry Ordway (who shared inking/embellishing chores). The series removed the concept of the Multiverse in the fictional DC Universe, and depicted the deaths of such long-standing superheroes as Supergirl and the Barry Allen incarnation of the Flash. As such, it is one of the most important events in the DC Universe, and continuity in the DCU is typically divided into pre-Crisis and post-Crisis periods.

The title of the series was inspired by earlier crossover stories involving the multiple parallel Earths of the Multiverse, such as “Crisis on Earth-Two” and “Crisis on Earth-Three”, but instead of lasting two to five issues and involving members from many superhero teams from many parallel worlds, it involved virtually every significant character from every parallel universe in DC’s history. It in turn inspired the titles of four subsequent DC crossover series: Zero Hour: Crisis in Time (1994), Identity Crisis (2004), Infinite Crisis (2005–2006), and Final Crisis (2008).Not being a big DC fan at first, i didn’t really understand what they were doing til later. DC was cleaning up they’re continuity flaws. I mean, Bizarro Lois Lane? really? Fat BATMAN? They definitely needed to make this story. One of the best.

.

.

.

V for Vendetta is a ten-issue Graphic-Novel series written by Alan Moore and illustrated mostly by David Lloyd, set in a dystopian future United Kingdom imagined from the 1980s about the 1990s. A mysterious revolutionary who calls himself “V” works to destroy the totalitarian government, profoundly affecting the people he encounters. Warner Bros. released a film adaptation in 2006.

The series depicts a near-future Britain after a nuclear war, which has left much of the world destroyed, though most of the damage to Britain is indirect, via floods and crop failures. In this future, a fascist party called “Norsefire” has exterminated its opponents in concentration camps and now rules the country as a police state. “V”, an anarchist revolutionary dressed in a Guy Fawkes mask, begins an elaborate, violent, and intentionally theatrical campaign to murder his former captors, bring down the government, and convince the people to rule themselves.Remember, remember the fifth of November. I liked this book and film so much, that I dressed as V for halloween one year in Florida for guavaween. Alan Moore was on fire with this , and the Watchmen, and later on the League of extraordinary gentlemen. (the book was waaaay better than the movie.)

.

.

.

Marvel 1602 is an eight-issue comic book limited series published in 2003 by Marvel Comics. The limited series was written by Neil Gaiman, penciled by Andy Kubert, and digitally painted by Richard Isanove; Scott McKowen illustrated the distinctive scratchboard covers. The eight-part series takes place in a timeline where Marvel superheroes have been transplanted to the Elizabethan era; faced with the destruction of their world by a mysterious force, the heroes must fight to save their universe. Many of the early Marvel superheroes — Nick Fury, the X-Men, the Fantastic Four, and Spider-Man — as well as villains such as Doctor Doom and Magneto appear in various roles.

Neil Gaiman had always been a fan of Marvel, and editor Joe Quesada approached Gaiman to work on a project which eventually evolved into 1602. The success of the comic led to three sequels, entitled 1602: New World , Marvel 1602: Fantastick Four and Spider-Man: 1602. There is also a short story titled Son of the Dragon starring the 1602 version of The Hulk in the second issue of Hulk: Broken Worlds.

The reality the Marvel 1602 takes place in is classified as Earth-311.

.

.

.

Batman: The Dark Knight Returns is a four-issue comic book limited series written and drawn by Frank Miller, originally published by DC Comics under the title Batman: The Dark Knight in 1986. When the issues were released in a collected edition later that year, the story title for the first issue was applied to the series as a whole. The Dark Knight Returns tells the story of a middle-aged Batman who comes out of retirement to fight crime, only to face opposition from the Gotham City police force and the United States government.

A sequel (made again by Miller), Batman: The Dark Knight Strikes Again, was published in 2001. Now this was my first time being introduced to a graphic novel. My neighbor had it and let me read it, which took a couple of times to get it, meaning the story, and Frank Miller’s art style. When I did get it, it started me on a long love of the printed and inked media that is known as comic books. For further Frank Miller graphic novel treats, check out his SIN CITY series.

.

.

.

Kingdom Come is a four-issue comic book mini-series published in 1996 by DC Comics. It was written by Alex Ross and Mark Waid and painted in gouache by Ross, who also developed the concept from an original idea (although some have claimed that the story holds strong similarities with the 1987 Alan Moore proposal, Twilight of the Superheroes). Set some twenty years into the future of the then-current DC Universe, it deals with a growing conflict between “traditional” superheroes, such as Superman, Wonder Woman, and the Justice League, and a growing population of largely amoral and dangerously irresponsible new vigilantes. Between these two groups is Batman and his assembled team, who attempt to contain the escalating disaster, foil the machinations of Lex Luthor, and prevent a world-ending superhuman war.

The story is set roughly a generation after the then-current DC universe. Ten years prior to the start of the story, the Joker massacres the staff of the Daily Planet, killing (among others) Jimmy Olsen, Perry White and Lois Lane. As he arrives for his trial, he is killed by a new superhero named Magog. In an instance of jury nullification, Magog is acquitted for his cold-blooded act, and Superman is appalled by the public embracing a killer as a hero. Already disheartened at the death of Lois Lane, Kal-El abandons his life as Superman, retreating to his Fortress of Solitude where he will spend the next decade, failing to realize his importance as a constant inspiration/role model to other heroes. Other heroes, equally disturbed at the public’s overwhelmingly positive reaction to Magog’s actions, withdraw from the world at large.

Without the moral compass provided by Superman and his generation, there is little or no distinction between “heroes” and “villains”. Metahumans battle openly in the streets without true cause and with no concern for collateral damage or innocent passersby.

The narrator and point of view character of the story is a minister named Norman McCay. McCay is a longtime friend of Wesley Dodds, the original Sandman, now infirm and bedridden. The nightmares that once aided Dodds’ crimefighting have become disturbing, apocalyptic visions. McCay, like Dodds’ doctors, attribute the visions to senility. When Dodds passes away, his visions are transferred to McCay. Already suffering from a crisis of faith, McCay is convinced he has finally gone insane when the Spectre appears to him. The Spectre, still hosted by Jim Corrigan, but no longer in touch with his humanity, recruits McCay to bear witness, and help him determine the innocent from the wicked and ultimately to pass judgment on the approaching superhuman apocalypse.

The dark state of the world comes to a head when the Justice Battalion, led by Magog, attacks the Parasite with excessive and unnecessary force — they refuse his offers to surrender and deny his pleas for mercy. Parasite panics and tears apart Captain Atom, releasing his nuclear energies and irradiating the entire state of Kansas and parts of the surrounding states, killing millions and taking out a large portion of America’s food production.

Coaxed back into action by Wonder Woman, Superman decides to return to Metropolis and re-form the Justice League following the Kansas disaster to rein in the new breed of heroes. He manages to collect former heroes (including Green Lantern, the Flash, Hawkman, and Dick Grayson, now known as Red Robin, among others) and reformed “new heroes”, such as Avia (Mr. Miracle and Big Barda’s daughter), but Batman, one of the most prominent of the old guard, refuses to join Superman’s crusade. Batman believes Superman’s idealist notions are outdated and that his interference will only exacerbate the problem. He interprets Superman’s plan as an example of the strong exerting their will upon the weak, something to which he will not be party. He instead begins to organize a third group of heroes, made up largely of non-powered heroes like Green Arrow and the Blue Beetle, as well as second and third generation heroes like Jade, daughter of the first Green Lantern, and Zatara, son of Zatanna and grandson of the first generation hero whose name he shares.

Lex Luthor is still alive and well, and has organized the “Mankind Liberation Front”. The MLF is primarily a group of Silver Age Justice League villains, including Batman foes Catwoman and the Riddler; Vandal Savage; King, leader of the Royal Flush Gang, as well as third generation villains like Ra’s al Ghul’s successor, Ibn al Xu’ffasch, who is Bruce Wayne and Talia al Ghul’s son. The MLF work to wrestle control of the world away from the heroes.

.

.

.

300 is a historically-inspired 1998 comic book limited series written and illustrated by Frank Miller with painted colors by Lynn Varley.

The comic is a fictional retelling of the Battle of Thermopylae and the events leading up to it from the perspective of Leonidas of Sparta. 300 was particularly inspired by the 1962 film The 300 Spartans, a movie that Miller watched as a young boy. The work was adapted in 2007 to a film of the same name. In 2010, Dark Horse Comics announced that Miller will write and draw a prequel to “300″ titled “Xerxes” to be released sometime in 2011.

In 480 BC, King Leonidas of Sparta gathers 300 of his best men to fight the upcoming Persian invasion. In what is likely a suicide mission, they and their allies plan to stop King Xerxes’ invasion of Greece at the narrow cliffs of the “Hot Gates” (Thermopylae). The terrain prevents the Greeks from being overwhelmed by Xerxes’ superior numbers.

Before the battle starts, Ephialtes, a deformed Spartan, begs Leonidas to let him fight but is rejected due to his hunchbacked form, which prevents him from lifting his shield high enough to be of use for the phalanx.

The Spartans and their allies successfully hold off the Persians for two days and nights. During a break in the fighting, Xerxes meets with Leonidas and offers wealth and power in exchange for his surrender. Leonidas declines, and battle continues. In his depression, Ephialtes betrays the Greeks by telling the Persians about the existence of a small pass that allows Xerxes to attack them from behind.

Learning of the Persian maneuvers, the Greeks realize their position is indefensible, but the Spartans and a few others refuse to retreat. Before engaging the Persians for the last time, Leonidas orders one Spartan (Dilios) to leave, so that he might survive to tell their story.

On the third day Xerxes has the Spartans surrounded, their remaining allies (Thespians) already dead. He gives Leonidas one final chance to surrender and kneel to him. After some hesitation, Leonidas finally complies and throws down his arms. This, however, is a trick by Leonidas, and signals the Spartans to fight. Leonidas throws his spear at Xerxes, intending to make the “God-King” bleed, and succeeds. The Spartans are killed to the last man by arrows.

The story then shifts about a year later and ends as now-Captain Dilios relates the heroic sacrifice of Leonidas and his Spartan comrades to his troops before the historic Battle of Plataea.