Pick of the Brown Bag
November 29, 2017
by
Ray Tate
It's Pick of the Brown Bag time. I’m Ray Tate, and I review the best and worst of the week’s comic books. Guess what? I'm also available on Twitter: #PickoftheBrownBag. Mind you. These are encapsulated reviews. For full force POBB, you're in the right place. In this edition I'll be critiquing the Batman and Super-Sons annuals, Captain Kronos Vampire Hunter, John Wick and Silver Sable.
I planned to review the spectacular television crossover Crisis on Earth X. That’ll be for next week or the week after. It’ll give me an excuse to watch the episodes over again. I feel however it’s imperative that I first review the movie Justice League.
Bottom line. Justice League is a good movie. Ben Affleck is a good Batman. Way better than Christian Bale. Not as good as Michael Keaton, but I’m thinking no actor will be. Maybe that’s justified.
Affleck’s Batman is intelligent—a detective. He knows how to fight and he’s approachable. Mr. Affleck said in an interview that Batman wasn’t going to be consumed with rage. He’s portraying a normal Batman in Justice League. I agree.
The story begins in Gotham City where Batman seems to be hunting a penny-ante crook. This left me puzzled until I realized that Batman is ten steps ahead of the game that’s about to be played. “Sink me.” Just as Batman should be.
The criminal portrayed by Holt McCallany in turn becomes the voice of the audience. Asking what’s really going on? Who will protect us now that Superman died? These questions are key to what I feel sets the successful tone of Justice League.
Ordinary criminals. Those with families and loved ones. Those arrested for low level crimes and put in jail. Those that can reform depend on super-heroes to save the earth from major threats, just as much as law abiding citizens do. Batman hates crime. He sees crime as a disease that can be and will be cured, but he doesn’t hate this man, and he already deduced something out of the ordinary happening.
The story tilts to scenes depicting a world in mourning. You don’t need to know the explicit details of Batman vs Superman. A movie I still will not see. You simply need to imagine that Superman died. Because of Superman’s death, the world feels less safe. Because of Superman’s death, terrorists become more daring. The chaos unleashed leads to one of the many great moments in Justice League. Wonder Woman casually foils a mass murder.
Ben Affleck uses Justice League to show that he can be Batman, but Gal Gadot is already secure in being Wonder Woman. She has nothing to prove, and it shows.
Meanwhile, on Themyscira, the Amazons attempt to stave off an invader from Apokolips keen to steal a relic under their aegis. I won’t say who this New God is. No, it isn’t Darkseid. It’s too early for Darkseid. I will say that he actually feels like a threat. In comics, it's very easy to forget this fellow exists.
The New God’s intent is linked to the Death of Superman. Superman’s death is a cross between a black hole and a sucking chest wound. It attracts every cosmic lunatic to a demoralized Earth that seems ripe for conquest. It’s difficult for me not to see a mirror to reality.
Batman however intends to hold the pieces together. He aims to show the world that there’s still hope by forming the Justice League. There’s irony in Batman’s goal. He is after all known as the Dark Knight. He’s considered by many to be a soldier warring against crime. He’s not. Never has been. Even when you could argue that Batman sought revenge for the murder of his parents, he still cared more about the lives hurt by crime than killing criminals. Batman has always been a dark symbol of protection. That’s evident in Justice League.
Batman meets up with Aquaman first. You’ve seen the encounter in the trailer, but only snippets. In the trailer, Batman seems smug. In the full scene, Batman is humble. He's basically begging for super heroes to join him to save the planet.
The first attempt fails. After an Atlantean encounter with the New God, Aquaman reconsiders. Arthur Curry played by Jason Momoa isn’t the Aquaman from the comics. He's Aquaman reimagined to fit his hybrid origin. He’s an alternate Aquaman, acceptable and enjoyable to watch.
Keep that parallel earth idea in mind when considering Ezra Miller as the Flash. I can understand the actors of the CW Flash being a touch raw about the film not linking to their work. I can certainly understand Grant Gustin and his advocate Tom Cavanaugh being upset that Grant wasn’t the Flash, even a unique Flash, but I also can see the rationale behind these decisions.
This is a sister earth. Miller embodies an isomeric Flash. Like Aquaman, he’s not the Barry Allen from the comics. He's perhaps the oddest duck amongst the League. Though, I’m happy to say that he’s not dark, as the producers originally promised. Dark doesn’t fit the Flash.
The Flash is new to this world of fighting aliens. In another notable scene, the Flash stammers his fear to Batman. Batman gives him the antidote. The Flash just needs a spark. Affleck imbues Batman with depth and empathy. He clicks with every cast member. This moment in particular is memorable for casting Batman’s shadow in a positive way.
The most impressive actor in the movie is Ray Fisher, and I say that because he has the thankless role of Cyborg. Cyborg was originally created by Marv Wolfman and George Perez in The New Teen Titans. He became associated with the Justice League by default. He was one of a handful of black heroes in the DCU, and Hanna-Barbera was all about diversity. Rightfully, so. Cyborg became one of the Super-Friends. That association carried him into Smallville, and that meme no doubt influenced Geoff Johns’ decision to make Cyborg a bona fide Justice League member in the new 52. Nevertheless, when you think of the League, you don’t think Cyborg. Ray Fisher makes you believe that Cyborg always belonged in the League. Fisher dazzles as first a brooding man, a man terrified of his own power, then one of the team. He falls into no black stereotype. He's not the funny black guy. He's not the big badass black guy. Ray Fisher is instead Victor Stone, Cyborg. A full integration.
Other touches make the Justice League worth seeing. Danny Elfman scores the film. So, Affleck gets the boost of the actual Batman theme. It’s not, well, this is a fake Batman anyway. So here’s anything. Affleck is Batman. He gets the theme. He also drives something that's recognizable as the Batmobile and later a Batwing. Smallville alum Joe Morton plays Victor’s father. Jeremy Irons presents a witty Alfred. Familiar faces from Wonder Woman populate the island, and sneak guest stars color the film with tickling result.
The rest of the Justice League review can be found at the bottom of this post. Because, baby here be spoilers. Big ones.
The Batman Annual by Tom King and Lee Weeks, mostly, details an early meeting of Batman and Catwoman. Hence the title “Date Nights.” Catwoman opens the story by breaking into Wayne Manor to steal the Batmobile.
She eventually crashes the vehicle, into a surprising reminder of an odd DC team-up.
Weeks illustrated and King wrote the Batman and Elmer Fudd special. Either one or both talents could have been the wag behind the cameo gag.
After the crash, Selina leaves behind a mouse on the passenger seat of the Batmobile. This strange behavior has a purpose, and it’s actually more complex than you may think.
I’m sure by now I need not remind you that Catwoman originally debuted as an elegant jewel thief named the Cat. Batman met her on a ship. Much later, somewhere between the Silver and Bronze Ages, Selina began committing cat-themed crimes. Some writers used that motif as a compulsion. In other words, cat totems triggered Catwoman. This kind of theft borders on abnormal criminal psychology.
That idea thankfully fell by the wayside. Catwoman wasn’t a thief by nature. She was a thief by choice. She stole to better her life. She stole to punish evildoers. Occasionally she purloined a cat statue here and there, but the targets were amusements and nothing more. Catwoman is in other words mentally fit and a match for Batman.
Catwoman’s thievery continues and Batman is the target. She foils Batman’s security with ease. She takes no valuables, just trinkets.
The scenarios seem to be challenges to Batman. Clearly, she knows his secret identity. She does not want to destroy him. So, what’s her game?
When the reader finds out, she will see that Catwoman’s motive feeds into the current Batman storyline. King retroactively foreshadows their connection, and within his mythology their perfection.
If the story doesn’t send you, the art will. Lee Weeks is a realistic artist. So, everybody looks amazing and bears genuine expressions. Batman in costume or out is a powerful figure. Catwoman lithe and beyond sexy. Weeks employs Catwoman’s attraction to create and facilitate various tones: pure bravado, drama, comedy, empathy and sensuality. Michael Lark provides the art in the short "Last Rites." It's not quite as polished as Weeks' work despite trying to smoothly emulate. However, Weeks' renderings comprise the lion's share. So, the annual is a must for Batman fans.
The Super-Sons Annual is a misnomer. Peter Tomasi instead teams up with Paul Pelletier and Cam Smith for a seriously deranged tale of the Super-Pets.
So. The Legion of Super-Pets was a real thing back in the Silver Age. Where else? The coterie consisted of Krypto, of course, Streaky the Super-Cat, Beppo the Super-Monkey and Comet the Super-Horse.
Technically, Comet wasn’t really a pet. He was a horny Supergirl stalker that was “cursed” to be a horse. That’s not how the Powers That Be described it, but the former centaur love-obsessed over Supergirl. He longed to regain his manhood. Both definitions. In the interim, he enjoyed being Supergirl’s horse. She riding him, and Supergirl never learning of the dude’s predicament. You do the math.
The Super Pet Family were joined by Proty, Chameleon Boy’s pet shape-shifting blob. Proty became devoted to Saturn Girl, and he took her shape and place when the Legion attempted to resurrect Lightning Lad. Since she loved Lightning Lad, Saturn Girl had already stacked the deck. She intended to take the hit of the life-giving-taking plasma. Proty died in her place.
Tomasi reimagines a present day roster of the Super-Pets for the new 52. Only Tomasi. The writer halves the Super-Pets into Batman Family animals and Superman Family animals. He includes Clay Creature as a substitute for Proty, and inducts the bizarre and hilarious Plastic Parrot.
Though Titus is Tomasi's creation and preference, he's also okay with original Batman pet Ace the Bathound. The sleeping Ace cameos. Batman writer Tom King on the other hand likes Ace. Tomasi who usually doesn't give a rat's ass about continuity decides to once and for all explain the discrepancy. Batman has two dogs. Duh. I should have thought of that myself.
Tomasi also replaces Beppo the Super-Monkey, who since gained the tragic pathos of King Kong through giant-size association. The writer restores a classic lunacy from the Silver Age, and barring the brief but hilarious moments of the Super-Sons, this is the only furry figure that actually expresses any dialogue. The whole of the book, which makes it even more special is an onomatopoeia of growls, woofs, purrs, etc. With the exception of Plastic Parrot.
Plastic Parrot. Let that sink in. Tomasi makes tear-inducing use of Plastic Parrot in this story of what else petnapping. The culprit resembles a Neal Adams “alien,” and the whole thing is just one jaw-dropping scene after scene beautifully illustrated by Pelletier who demonstrates a knack for drawing animals.
Silver Sable returns to comics for this legacy one-shot. Briefly, Silver Sable is a mercenary introduced in The Amazing Spider-Man. She's paid to capture and kill targets. Her current mission is the assassination of old Nazi Franka Kraus.
With her mission complete, Sable intends to reach the extraction point and get out. Like many of Marvel's anti-heroes, Sable is really a hero who just likes to get paid and doesn't mind getting her hands dirty. Franka trained the next generation of Nazi, and Ulka acted to type.
Sable cannot leave these innocent refugees to die. So, she breaks covert ops and interferes with prejudice.
On the Nazi killing trail, she meets a fan from the poor side of town and tries to convince her to break rank. The book really has everything and serves as a fantastic spotlight for Silver Sable.
Marvel could have scrimped on the talent. Instead, they hired Christa Faust, the novelist of the superb Money Shot and Choke Hold published by Hardcase Crime. They could have hamstrung the artwork, but as you can see Paulo Siqueira and Jose Luis, with Cam Smith, Terry Pallot and colorist Rachelle Rosenberg offer the reader a superior presentation. You don't have to be a Silver Sable fan to want this book.
John Wick. The name threatens to be become just as familiar as James Bond, and like Bond, Wick premieres in a comic book series from Dynamite.
Mr. Wick has yet to become an assassin, yet to be a former assassin, yet to be a husband and a dog owner. This is early John Wick, but writer Greg Pak doesn't fiddle about. The story takes place on the crux of John Wick becoming John Wick.
Well, not really that early. The above scene takes place in a flashback that looks and sounds like Indiana Jones, but departs when callous slaughter ignites. This helplessness motivates present day John Wick into action.
The talent is there but not the Continental. Not the lucrative jobs. Not the network of assassins. That's about to change. Since, Mr. Wick meddled on behalf of Charon.
Pak's story neatly apes Kneau Reeves stoic delivery as Giovanni Valletta illustrates Reeves' likeness in breathtaking action. If you're a John Wick fan, you'll be delighted by the comic book.
Captain Kronos Vampire Hunter falls prey to vampires unafraid to venture in sunlight and a powerful head vampire named Slake.
Despite all the advantages, they fail to kill the Captain. Though his cohorts' words certainly sting.
Vampires' allergy to sunlight, crosses and the like are pure Hollywood inventions. The fanged fiends of folklore experienced no such banes. Garlic and Hawthorne appeared to do the trick for these traditionalists. The literate Dracula only suffered from lethargy in the sun, and the heroes of the novel kill him with a Bowie knife. Captain Kronos Vampire Hunter explored these schisms in detail. Brian Clemens wittily suggested vampires branched out into different species and could only be killed in ways specific to the breed. Dan Abnett follows suit with our band discussing the ins and outs of vampire killing.
However, Abnett mainly lets the art of Tom Mandrake do the talking, and that's certainly not a bad thing. Mandrake is perfect for this character and his world. In addition to the expected shadowy ventures, Mandrake also pursues some surprising and welcome levity in Carla's expression.
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It’s regrettable that the Justice League had to keep its greatest strength secret. The League find a way of bringing Superman back from the dead.
While the whole point of the movie is to save the world, there’s another a more personal story intertwined. Batman believes that he killed Superman. This we learn from Wonder Woman is untrue. Batman clearly acted like a jerk, but he didn’t kill Superman. However, he is awash in guilt over the possibility he contributed to Superman’s death.
This movie isn’t really about the Justice League stepping in when Superman’s down, or that the world will be fine without a Superman. It’s about the Justice League saving their friend. For that reason, Amy Adams and Diane Lane, Lois Lane and Martha Kent, are pivotal.
Cast your mind back to the original resurrection of Superman. It was complicated. Superman wasn’t in a Kryptonian trance as in Super-Friends. He was dead. It took a combination of advanced alien science and the supernatural assistance of Dr. Occult—because he’s a Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster character that predates Superman—to bring the Man of Steel back.
The Justice League's method isn’t as complicated, but it required them to band together in the first place. Without the New God’s thirst, without Victor Stone’s affinity with computers, without the Flash’s lightning, Batman and Wonder Woman alone couldn’t have done anything. Batman applies his intellect to the problem, but without the means to make his observations work, a solution would always hover outside of his grasp.
When Superman awakens he’s less than pleased, and a short slugfest ensues. He’s really pissed about Batman, but Batman is genuinely regretful. That’s why he doesn’t bring out the Kryptonite. He knows that he deserves the punishment that Superman has in store for him. So, he employs an altogether different contingency plan, something Batman would do. Something that you wouldn’t expect the writers to be smart enough to figure out.
Soon, Superman is clad in full regalia, and the League kick serious ass. The resurrection was difficult, but there’s now no doubt. Superman’s back. They’re going to win, and they’re a team. This is apparent when amusingly nobody listens to Batman’s self-sacrificing tactical decisions and instead back him up to the fullest.
The momentum of super-hero movie success will always lie with Marvel, but I finally feel confident that Warner Brothers is back on track. We can go forward. The end credits scene indicates an explanation why Deathstroke is the bad guy in the upcoming Batman film. A movie I will see. Now, everything starts to gel.
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