The Guardians: The Sandman and the War of Dreams and Masks

So here are my quick thoughts on the books i read the last couple of days:

The Sandman and the War of Dreams by William Joyce

I love William Joyce’s Guardians of Childhood series. The picture books, the novels, the movie… they’re all a lot of fun. I’m sad that the movie—which is really good—didn’t seem to get much attention, and I’m sad that it appears that the next novel looks like it’s the last one. Still, they’re all quick enough reads that I can go back and read them all over again.

This latest novel brings the character of Sanderson Mansnoozie, the Sandman (geddit?) into the fray, after having had his origin told in a picture book. While each book in the series builds from the last, this one is very much an installment in a serialized tale. Following the capture of young Katherine in the previous volume, the Guardians search for their friend. Along the way, we learn more about the evil Pitch, his daughter, Mother Nature, and we see the Guardians begin to set things up for what may be the final battle.

As with previous books in the series, I really enjoy the mythology Joyce is building. It’s an epic adventure featuring Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, and Mother Goose, but it neither feels silly nor overly serious. The books have the tone of an oral folktale, one that has been told again and again over generations. And yet, they also feel focused and detailed. While this time around, we don’t get too much insight into most of the characters, we do learn a great deal about Pitch, Sandman, and Nightlight.

Unfortunately, it felt as if this volume had fewer illustrations than previous ones. I really enjoy Joyce’s artwork, so that was a shame. Also, this feels less like a complete installment than setup for what will come next. Having said that, the background information this book provides more than makes up for that. And since I am totally enjoying the series as a whole, I’m okay with installments that expect me to read what came before and what will come next.

Masks by Chris Roberson, Alex Ross and Dennis Calero

I also read Masks, the collection of the Dynamite comics series bringing together a ton of pulp heroes, including the Shadow, the Green Hornet, the Spider, Miss Fury, the Black Terror, and many others. The story, by Chris Roberson, gives us the state of New York under the grip of the fascist Justice Party. This is a corrupt political party, essentially run by gangsters, meting out terror and oppression under the name of the law. The notion that a state government could be so easily subverted, and the streets of New York start being patrolled by an army of masked, armored thugs feels very pulpy, in the spirit of the characters it teams up.

Unfortunately, the story ultimately feels so busy and crowded that nobody really gets much of a chance to do anything. The Shadow gets his best lines, with his “Why don’t you all quit screwing around,” attitude. Others, like Miss Fury and the Green Lama, end up making token appearances. We get the origins of the Black Bat and a new Zorro, but ultimately, their roles could have been played by anybody, and that makes the story feel kind of pointless.

For that matter, the revelation of the villain behind everything, and his motivation, seems very perfunctory and rushed. It’s a character we’re supposed to know, but we never see him out of the context of being a villain. He ascribes more complex motivations for his plan than we see on the surface, but it’s difficult to believe him when we only ever see him doing anything besides masterminding this fascist organization. Also, things get wrapped up so easily it’s hard to imagine how they got so bad in the first place.

Fortunately, it’s got great art by Alex Ross on the first chapter, and Dennis Calero through the rest of the book. While I hadn’t thought of Calero’s pen-and-ink work with its heavy use of shadow as particularly similar to Alex Ross’s painted pages, they share a lot in terms of layout and character acting. So the whole thing feels like a cohesive whole, despite what, on the surface, are two very similar styles.

As a huge fan of the Shadow, it’s hard for me to pass up any story featuring him. And this is a very pretty one, but also very slight.

New Mutants Classic

The last few days, I've been reading The New Mutants Classic volume 1, collecting the graphic novel and first seven issues of the X-Men spin-off comic from the early '80s. I've been on a bit of a Chris Claremont kick lately, probably because the current All-New X-Men and Uncanny X-Men comics, as well as the couple-years-old-now Wolverine and the X-Men feel much more influenced by his work than any X-Men series has in quite some time. I was a fan of Claremont's work back in the day, and I had a particular fondness for New Mutants, although I haven't read any of those issues since they originally came out. I'm pleased to say that they completely live up to my memories of them.

In today's comics market, where it appears to be a federal law that fully 1/3 of all Marvel Comics' output must be X-Men-related at any given moment, it's tough to recall that back in the early 1980s, there was only one X-Men comic: Uncanny X-Men. So, in 1982, when the fourth Marvel graphic novel introduced a new team at the Xavier School for Gifted Youngsters, it was a big deal. As a newly-minted X-Men fan, having been brought into the fold through the X-Men/New Teen Titans crossover, I was excited at the possibility of getting in on this story on the ground floor, so I eagerly snapped it up.

Claremont's story effectively introduces the new characters, giving them clear, distinct voices and personalities. As I read it today, I see that he drew quite a bit on X-Men history in using the members of the Hellfire Club as villains. At the time, I had no real idea who any of them were, but I don't recall that feeling like a problem. I understood that the X-Men had been around for a while, and that this stuff referred back to things I hadn't read. But I also must have felt like Claremont gave me enough information to cope.

The art on the graphic novel, by Bob McLeod, also holds up, I think. I now know that this was an early project for him, and that it was a bit of a rush job. I don't see that in the art at all. He does a great job with a story that features a lot of scenes of normal-looking people in normal environments, and that grounds the book in a reality that sets it a bit apart from Uncanny X-Men. Like Claremont, he creates characters who are distinct individuals, with specific looks and body types. The reader can tell who is who without having to rely on costumes or hair colors. It's a good introduction, and sets the tone for what is to follow.

And what follows is particularly interesting for the direction it takes. Instead of simply looking at the success of X-Men and deciding to just do more of that, Marvel, Claremont, and the artists have created something related but distinct. It's a series about students in a school, learning how to use their powers. There's plenty of action, of course, but it's not because the characters seek it out. Instead, trouble finds them, through various avenues, and they end up having to defend themselves.

As a teen, I loved the X-Men and other superhero books because they allowed me to escape the humdrum day-to-day life I was living and imagine that I was sharing their fantastic adventures. But The New Mutants, like the best teen fiction, gave me characters and situations I could identify more closely with. I was the same age as these kids, and I was going to school just like them. It would be cool to be a member of the X-Men or the Avengers or the Justice League or even the New Teen Titans (who, despite the name, were mostly adults). But I could more easily imagine being one of the New Mutants, because they weren't so far from my own experience.

It's probably worth pointing out that the ratio of female to male characters on the team was three to two. This may have had some additional appeal for me.

The art in this volume is good, thanks to the many hands involved. The first story, as I mentioned, is completely drawn by Bob McLeod, who had never drawn a monthly comic before. He pencils the first three regular issues, inked effectively by Mike Gustovich. Then we get an issue of Uncanny X-Men--containing plot developments important to the New Mutants story--drawn by one of my favorite artists, Paul Smith. After that, veteran Marvel artist Sal Buscema takes over layouts and pencils, inked (mostly) by Bob McLeod. So, the styles vary a bit over the course of the book, but the storytelling is solid throughout.

Weirdly, Marvel chose to launch a licensed series based on the motorcycle stunt toys Team America in the pages of the New Mutants, so they show up in the second half of the book. In the context of the story, they are integrated pretty well, but my own knowledge of their origins as a toy line causes me to raise an eyebrow. Still, overall, this book represents an effective introduction to a genuinely interesting spin-off from a hit series, and I'm looking forward to rereading the next several volumes.

Newsstand: October 1981

If I bought Krypton Chronicles #1 last month, then I probably bought the second issue this month. Even if I didn't, there were at least a couple of other comics I remember buying in October, 1981.

Dragonslayer #1 would be another movie adaptation that I purchased. I remember reading it before the movie, and that I was pretty excited. I had already been excited about the movie, probably based on articles in Starlog Magazine. The idea of a movie featuring a big dragon seemed pretty cool. I haven't seen the movie in years, so I don't know if it holds up at all, but as a kid, I thought it was great.

The New Adventures of Superboy #22 would be the first issue of Superboy I ever read. I know I picked it up because of the promise of a Krypto the Superdog story on the cover. I don't remember much about this issue specifically, but when I think about this series, I fondly remember the innocent charm it had. When Geoff Johns and Francis Manapul created a modern-day Superboy series in Adventure Comics a few years ago, I felt like they captured an updated version of that tone. But their run on the series ran less than a year, and while Jeff Lemire did an okay job of continuing that tone, it wasn't quite the same.

I probably read Raiders of the Lost Ark #2, but I have nothing to add beyond what I wrote last week about issue #1.

And that's about it for this month. Next week: November!

Posted with Blogsy

Newstand: September 1981

After a slow month last month, it looks like I picked up a few more books in September of 1981.

Did I buy and read Krypton Chronicles #1? I suppose I must have, but unlike the World of Krypton miniseries that came out at the time of the first Superman movie, I have no real memory of this. (On the other hand, I do distinctly recall that I did not buy the Steve Gerber/Gene Colan Phantom Zone miniseries that came out around the same time. So maybe I didn't get this after all. Who knows?)

I'm more positive that I purchased Marvel Super Special #19, adapting then-new James Bond movie For Your Eyes Only, with art by Howard Chaykin and Vince Colletta. It's still one of my favorite James Bond movies, and I recall this as being an okay adaptation. But how cool would it be to see a James Bond comic with art by Chaykin on his own?

I also bought the first issue of Raiders of the Lost Ark, as a miniseries rather than the complete adaptation in Marvel Super Special #18. At the time, I thought there was something particularly cool about buying the serialized version of a story inspired by the old serials, complete with a cliffhanger ending. Today, I'm impressed that it was written by Walter Simonson, and drawn by John Buscema and Klaus Janson. Regardless, it's a good adaptation of another favorite movie. (In hindsight, I prefer the Chaykin cover on the Marvel Super Special.)

And I believe that would be about it for this month.

 

Posted with Blogsy

Newsstand: July 1981

After a short delay, we return to the comics I remember purchasing in my youth, this time cover-dated July, 1981:

DC Special Series 25, while not technically a comic book, was still a must-purchase for me when I saw it. A treasury-sized magazine about the making of Superman II, it was an essential companion to my beloved, read-to-pieces Superman the Movie magazine.

While the series went downhill in a hurry (to this day, I don't believe I've seen Superman III or IV in their entirety) the first movie remains one of my all-time favorites. I remember going to see it again and again in the theater with my then-best friend, Barbara Johnston. At the time, going to see Superman the Movie was like a weekly ritual for us. By the time Superman II came out, we had begun drifting apart, and I'm sorry to say I've completely lost touch with her.

Looking back, Superman II is a perfect example of how perceptions change. When it was released, critics proclaimed it as the rare example of a sequel that surpasses the original. Now, fans lament that it doesn't represent the vision of the original director, Richard Donner, who was replaced by Richard Lester partway through shooting.

For myself, I haven't seen the movie in at least 10 years, so I can't say how well it holds up. I remember really enjoying it when it came out, and I still remember how Christopher Reeve really seemed to transform from Clark Kent to Superman in the scene where he reveals his secret identity to Lois Lane. As I type this, I can't decide whether it's time to watch the movie again and re-experience that enjoyment, or stay away, in case the memory cheats.

Also tying in with Superman II came another treasury comic, DC Special Series 26, featuring a tour through Superman's Fortress of Solitude. A part of me has always been fascinated by the locations and props surrounding the heroic characters I've loved, whether it's the Batcave and Batmobile, Sherlock Holmes' deerstalker cap (back when I thought he wore it all the time), or Doctor Who's TARDIS. So a tabloid-sized comic featuring a tour and catalog of Superman's home away from home, in the guise of an adventure, was right up my alley. Now, so many years on, I don't remember too much of the story, but I do remember reading it again and again, and loving it.

The only other comic I can remember actually buying this month is Tales of the Green Lantern Corps 3. I've spoken at length about this miniseries elsewhere, and I can't think of anything to add here. (The whole series is available to order in one book here, among other places.)

Why didn't my enjoyment of this series lead me to start buying Green Lantern on a regular basis? For one thing, I hadn't gotten in the habit of buying comics regularly at this point. (Oh, how times would change.) For another, the story is a perfectly well-told, self-contained story that doesn't immediately force the reader to follow unresolved plot threads into another book. Try imagining that in today's market.

Ironically, had I started reading Green Lantern at this time, I would have picked up the first appearances of the Omega Men. In fact, had I been more seriously into comics at this point, this month, I could have also picked up John Byrne's first issue of Fantastic Four, and the Madame Xanadu one-shot by Steve Englehart and Marshall Rogers. But, you know, everyone discovers comics at their own pace. I was still just on the fringes of my flirtation with the hobby that would be come a full-blown, life-long (so far) love affair.

Comics Newsstand: February 1981

Continuing on through the journey through the early years of my comics collecting habit, here are the comics I remember purchasing in February, 1981, as seen on Mike's Amazing World of Comics:

(I know last week I talked about December, 1980; I don't think I actually bought anything that was on sale in January, 1981, at least not when it came out.)

Marvel Premiere 58 featuring Doctor Who. If memory serves, I still wasn't able to watch Doctor Who on TV at home, so these comics felt even closer to watching the show than reading the novelizations of the TV series. The stories, by Pat Mills and John Wagner (whose work I'd later come to love in the pages of 2000AD did a great job of combining the weirdness and humor of the series with larger-scale adventures (in four page weekly installments), and the art, by Dave Gibbons, was gorgeous. And the cover was by Frank Miller and Terry Austin!

And again, if memory serves, my purchasing this comic was the result of my calling the store every week to find out if it was out yet. And when it did come out, I either convinced my mom to drive me down to Telegraph Avenue, or convinced my dad to pick it up at the store after work. So thanks again, mom and dad, for helping me find this thing that I love.

Infinity Inc.: The Generations Saga Volume 1

Presumably, DC's decision to revive the World's Finest comic book title, starring Earth 2 heroines Huntress and Power Girl--not to mention the creation of a series called Earth 2--is the motivation behind this first volume reprinting Roy & Dann Thomas, Jerry Ordway, and Mike Machlan's super-team series from the 1980s. Whatever the motivation, I'm fine; Infinity Inc, at least at the beginning, was a series I really enjoyed reading.

It was also a series I was really anticipating before it came out, thanks to Roy Thomas' decision to introduce the characters in the pages of All-Star Squadron, his series about DC's earliest superheroes in World War Two. After getting a taste of who the characters were, what they could do, and some hints at who they really were, I couldn't wait to read their full story in the pages of their own comic. It didn't hurt that All-Star Squadron had already made me a fan of Thomas and Ordway, and while I knew I'd miss Ordway on that book, I'd still be seeing his work.

(Sadly, that's not necessarily the case today. He still works in comics, but not nearly enough. And half the time, he's working on a book I have no interest in reading, and I'm past the days of buying a comic for the art alone. Fortunately, his latest work, a revival of DC's Challengers of the Unknown, written with DC publisher and OMAC writer Dan DiDio, is something I'm looking forward to.)

DC's selection of stories for this first volume clearly show how they perceive the intended audience for this book. This book starts with all the All-Star Squadron issues that feature Infinity Inc. However, those are the last three parts of a six (or more) part story, and there's no real introduction putting those stories in context for readers who may have never read the rest of the tale. This says to me that DC expects to sell this book to people who already read All-Star Squadron and Infinity Inc, and remember the original stories. The book seems intended for folks like me who want a nice bound copy of a childhood favorite, rather than a way to introduce new readers to a (perhaps forgotten) classic.

I only vaguely remember the first parts of the story from their original publication. Fortunately, these comics are from a period where stories weren't regularly collected into books. Thomas does a good job of bringing the reader up to speed within the context of the story, without being too obvious about it. I certainly didn't feel as if I were getting a complete story, but I didn't feel completely alienated by coming into the middle of one, either. (To be fair, I did read these stories on their original publication, but I haven't read them since. So it's not like I was being dropped into it cold.)

Jerry Ordway's art, ably inked by Mike Machlan, completely holds up. He has a clear, classic style that, while not as flashy as a George Perez or Jim Lee, works perfectly for these stories. In these All-Star Squadron chapters, he captures the feel of an earlier era, both in the designs of the characters and their technology. It doesn't feel like a pastiche of comics from that era, but it does feel more obviously influenced by classic illustration and storytelling than the aforementioned Perez or Lee.

Once the book gets into Infinity Inc. proper, the new kids take center stage, as expected. If memory serves, this series was the first extended, in-continuity examination of a second generation of superheroes, and that's the focus of the first four issues (all that's reprinted in this volume). However, Roy Thomas (assisted by co-plotter and wife Dann) maintains a balance of characterization and action.

Over the course of the first two issues, we meet the seven new characters that form the core of the new team, and are reintroduced to the present-day Justice Society of America. Interestingly, I don't believe the phrase "Earth-2" is mentioned anywhere in the first issue; presumably, All-Star Squadron and the annual JLA/JSA team-ups had raised the profile of the JSA and Earth-2 in the minds of readers enough that DC/Roy Thomas didn't feel it was necessary. Of course, this taking-for-granted that the readers understood the DC Multiverse may be what led to the perceived need for simplification which resulted in the Crisis on Infinite Earths series. (Also of course, I may have missed a reference to Earth-2 in that first issue, and be full of beans.)

We learn the backstories of all the Infinitors-to-be, to a greater or lesser degree. While some, like Lyta Trevor, had appeared previously, the readers is given all the information they need right away. Which isn't to say that there isn't stuff left open for future exploration, particularly the mystery of Jade and Obsidian's mother. They're also joined by existing characters Huntress and Power Girl (themselves second-generation heroes) and the Star-Spangled Kid (a first-generation hero, but due to time-traveling shenanigans, still a young man among a group of heroes in their 50s and 60s).

The first meeting of the JSA and their kids in costume features the unfortunate cliche of heroes fighting each other due to a misunderstanding. This, coupled with Hawkman's very negative reaction to his son's plans, makes the initial characterization feel a bit broad. However, as I said, this is the first time (I believe) that the generational dynamic was really played out on the comic book page. Huntress and Robin didn't have to deal with Batman's feelings on the subject, because on Earth-2, he was already dead. Power Girl wasn't Superman's daughter, so the relationship was different. And otherwise, the generational thing had only been dealt with in imaginary stories.

In 2012, older heroes being replaced by younger characters is almost a staple of comics, for better or for worse. In 1984, Roy Thomas was exploring new territory, and I think he handled it well. It makes sense that a parent in a dangerous profession wouldn't want their children to follow in their footsteps. It makes as much sense that the children would be drawn in by the glamour of superheroics, as well as seeing it as just a normal part of life.

In addition to the family drama, Thomas gives us plenty of superheroic action. They fight the JSA (sigh), they fight a bunch of bigots in a fast food restaurant, and they fight Golden Age staple Solomon Grundy in an abandoned movie studio. The mix of larger-than-life superheroic action and more down-to-earth stuff feels reminiscent of The New Teen Titans and other young supergroup comics of the time.

The art, by Ordway and Machlan, continues to build on the quality they demonstrated in All-Star Squadron. In particular, they actually draw the JSA members as if they were in their 50s and 60s. Previously, their age was almost always indicated by some graying at the temples. Ordway and Machlan give their faces the lines and slightly sunken look that comes with age.

They also do a great job designing Infinity Inc, although some designs (Jade, Obsidian, Fury) have aged better than others (Nuklon's mohawk). I've read that Ordway did the pages at a larger size than he was used to, and worked harder at the characters' "acting," working with their facial expressions and body language. He does give each character a distinct look and feel, aided by Machlan's faithful inking. The two make a great team.

Interestingly, the original plan was for Machlan to pencil and Ordway to ink this book. Since Ordway has such a distinctive inking style, he still would have exerted a heavy influence on the look of the book, but it would be interesting to see how things would have turned out in a parallel world, where they didn't decide to switch roles. (It's been a long time since I've looked at anything penciled by Machlan, so it's hard for me to picture it.)

It's tough for me to identify Ordway and Machlan's influences, but they seem to be more classical illustrators along the lines of Alex Raymond and Hal Foster, along with guys like Al Williamson and Wally Wood. It's a style that I particularly like, and not one that seems all that evident in today's comics. So whenever Ordway does something new, it always gets my attention. (Even if I don't always buy it.)

For longtime fans of Infinity Inc, this book is a great opportunity to revisit the characters and stories. They completely lived up to my fond memories. For readers who aren't as familiar with the tropes and styles of early 80s comics, the writing isn't going to feel like a contemporary style. (Neither do Shakespeare, Dickens, or Jane Austen; doesn't make them any less classic). If I'm honest, the book is a bit pricy, and collectors can probably find the original issues much cheaper. It's a niche publication, and I'm just happy to have it on my bookshelf, so it was worth the money to me. Looking forward to volume 2!

Comics Newsstand: December 1980

So I recently discovered a cool web site, Mike's Amazing World of Comics. It started as a database of all the DC Comics ever published, but once the creator completed that (he claims, and I'm certainly not going to check his work) he began adding other publishers.

One particularly cool feature is the "newsstand" feature, which allows users to sort the database by date of publication. Essentially, this shows all the comics which were on sale in any particular month. In my spare time, I started fiddling around with this, tracking back to when I remember first seriously collecting comics, and then going through month by month. The memories this has sparked have been interesting, reminding me of where I was at particular points in my life, watching my buying list grow and shrink and grow again as my tastes changed.

I thought it would be fun to write down those thoughts, so I'm going to try to cover a month's worth of comics each Wednesday (since Wednesday is new comics release day).

The first month I was able to find that I know I went into a comics store to buy a comic was December 1980. Before that, I had loved reading comics, but they weren't a regular habit. Whenever I went shopping with my parents, I would look at the comics in the grocery store or drug store or liquor store. I remember begging my parents to let me come along to Jay Vee Liquor in El Cerrito, not because they bought much liquor, but because that store had a bigger comics rack than any I had ever seen.

As a kid, my tastes ran to humor comics: Richie Rich and Casper and friends from Harvey Comics, Archie and his friends from Archie Comics, and a ton of Disney and other licensed cartoon comics from Gold Key. Also probably Super-Friends, which, along with the Adam West Batman TV series, was my introduction to the world of superheroes. At that age, though, actual superhero comics were too grown-up for me. I remember the first real Batman comic I ever read was Detective Comics 468, which I learned decades later, was Marshall Rogers' first time drawing a full-length Batman story. At the time, it was too adult and scary for me, though.

I also remember standing in line with my mother at the check-cashing window at Safeway one day, probably holding whatever comics I had chosen. An older kid offered me some comics he had already read and wanted to give away. I think one was a Conan comic, and another featured the Thing, from the Fantastic Four. One featured scantily-clad men and women with swords on the cover, the other featured monsters. Either way, they were too scary for me. I probably also checked out Marvel's Star Wars comics when I could find them, but, again, never made a concerted effort to try to get them with any regularity.

That changed, however, when one day in late 1980, I saw Marvel Premiere 57 displayed in the window of Comics & Comix on Telegraph Avenue in Berkeley, California. We had recently returned from a year-long stay in New Zealand, where I had become a rabid Doctor Who fan. So this sighting of an American comic featuring Doctor Who was a must-have.

It was my first exposure to the Doctor Who comic strip, even though it was just a reprint of stuff from the British Doctor Who Weekly magazine. It was also my first exposure to Dave Gibbons' art. More importantly, it was the first comic to motivate me to return to the comic book store looking for the next issue.

I had no idea how frequently it came out, so I regularly phoned the store asking if it had come out yet. When it finally did, I can't remember if I had my mom drive me to the store, or asked my dad to pick it up after work (he worked nearby, at the university). Either way, I remember them being very supportive, helping me to get all four issues of Marvel Premiere featuring the Doctor. If only they knew what they were encouraging.

Looking through the rest of that month's releases, it doesn't look like I bought anything else at the time. I did end up buying some of that month's releases as back issues, like New Teen Titans 2. But that's a story I'll save for the month I discovered New Teen Titans, a little over a year later. Because even though I only bought the one comic back in December 1980, it was the start of a way of life for me.

Detective Comics 394

Picking up from the cliffhanger ending of Batman 217, Detective Comics 394 continues the story (loosely) of the Wayne Foundation's VIP program.

In a story written by Frank Robbins and drawn by Bob Brown and Joe Giella, Bruce Wayne finds himself confronted by a one-eyed Native American named "Dakota" Jones. Jones, a race car driver, accuses Wayne of having his car shot at during a recent race, so that Wayne's own driver could make his way to victory. This is, of course, absurd, so Batman and Jones investigate.

Unlike Batman 217, the mystery here is a bit overly complicated and Byzantine, and doesn't feel quite as natural. The idea that the shot was fired from a weapon concealed in the Wayne driver's car, triggered from the spectator stand with a remote control disguised as a transistor radio, is just a couple of layers too deep and complicated for what is essentially a gambling scam.

There's a lot more clunky dialogue in this issue, and a lot more of Bruce calling Alfred "Alf" or "Alfie." It's hard to tell how much of that stuff was a result of the Batman writers and editors trying to make a transition away from the camp tone of the Batman TV series, trying to sound "hip" and contemporary, and how much is just clumsy writing.

As one might imagine in a mainstream comic from 1969, the question of "Dakota" Jones' ethnicity isn't dealt with particularly sensitively. He's colored red, and there are a lot of references to pow-wows, peace pipes, and scalping. Having said that, at least Jones' heritage doesn't color every piece of dialogue or action he's involved with. The fact that he's Native American is actually fairly incidental. Since it's not important to the story, I'm not sure why Robbins made this choice. Maybe he was looking for a more exotic option than the usual bunch of white guys? Hard to say.

The art, by Brown and Giella, is fine as far as it goes, although it pales in comparison to the Novick/Giordano team on Batman 217. Brown's figures are just a little more stiff, and his action is just a little less dynamic. It's straightforward and serviceable, but not spectacular. And the fact that I know that the next issue is drawn by Neal Adams makes this issue seem that much less visually exciting.

The book also features a Robin backup story, written by Robbins and drawn by Gil Kane and Murphy Anderson. Telling the story of Dick Grayson's first day at college, we get a view of campus protests that very much feels written by an old man trying to be relevant. The notion of campus protestors faking their arrests and brutality at the hands of the (fake) police isn't bad, but it's not great, either. And the execution feels very simplified, when a story based in any sort of political situation should have all the complexities that political stories bring.

Still, it's only the first part of a multi-part story. And the art, by Kane and Anderson, is gorgeous as always. So no complaints there.

Overall, in its first month, the Bronze Age Batman is still finding its way. The emphasis on Batman as a detective is very welcome. And, with the first Denny O'Neill/Neal Adams story right around the corner, it's only going to get better.

 

Batman #217

I started my Bronze Age Batman reread with Batman 217, written by Johnny Hazard creator Frank Robbins and drawn by Irv Novick and Dick Giordano. The Batcave Companion listed this issue first in their Bronze Age checklist, so that's my guide.

It's also an issue that heralds major changes in the Bat-status quo. I don't want to get off on a rant about the cosmetic changes that contemporary comics foist on readers under the guise of "Nothing will ever be the same again!" (Until, of course, it eventually is the same again.) But the changes in this issue (Robin heading to college, Bruce Wayne moving out of Wayne Manor and into a penthouse atop the Wayne Foundation building) did, in fact, last for quite a long time. (Permanently, in the case of Dick Grayson moving away.) And alongside the changes, we also get a complete story about Batman investigating a mystery.

With this story, we still find ourselves firmly entrenched in the era when Batman was still the World's Greatest Detective, not just the World's Greatest Guy at Hitting Crazy People (not to mention the World's Biggest Dick). In this issue, he begins a (short-lived) initiative to specifically seek out and help victims of crimes who otherwise are not seeing justice done.

The first benificiary is to be a female doctor, whose husband was murdered, and who now needs help with funding their clinic. In the course of meeting and interviewing her, Bruce Wayne learns the circumstances of the doctor's murder. As one might expect, the keen analytical mind of Batman can't help putting the clues together from her story, and ends up investigating the crime himself. And, as one might expect, he solves it.

Although the mystery is solved by the end of the issue, it doesn't feel particularly rushed or simplified. Robbins is a professional writer, and tells a compelling, interesting story within his allotted page count. He also allows the reader to follow along with the investigative process, providing clues but giving the reader the chance to put them together themselves, before revealing the answers.

In terms of characterization, there are a couple of odd moments. Bruce's reaction to Dick leaving seems a bit overwrought. This might be because seeing Bruce Wayne or Batman express any kind of emotion besides anger and dickery has been alien to the character for the past 20 years or so, and also possibly because it's really only dealt with for a couple of panels before getting on with the story. (This may also be related to Robbins' background as a newspaper strip writer, where information needs to be communicated quickly in just a few panels.) Bruce also refers to Alfred as "Alf," which, as a longtime reader, just feels weird.

Art-wise, there are no similar odd moments. Novick retired as an artist when I was just getting into comics, so I am only familiar with his work through reprints and back issues. The few new stories I read when I was a kid were published at a time I was enamored with guys like George Perez, Keith Giffen, and John Byrne. I know Novick drew a Superman/Blackhawk story I read in DC Comics Presents, but since he wasn't as flashy as the guys I liked, it didn't leave a particularly strong impression.

Now, I can see his command of storytelling and anatomy. Neal Adams will always be hailed as the definitive '70s Batman artist, but I'd love to see Novick get some recognition as well, because he's great. He includes some particularly thoughtful touches, such as including a spectral Batman representing Bruce's thoughts as he puts the clues together. And, of course, he's ably inked by Dick Giordano.

Despite the quirks of the writing mentioned above, Batman 217 is a great jumping-on point to the series. (Well, it would have been 40 years ago.) It definitely lives up to the promise of the cover image, making major changes to the series while still presenting an accessible story to show readers what the series is like.