TITLE: Superman #245
AUTHORS: Edmond Hamilton, Gardner Fox, et al.
ARTISTS: Curt Swan, Carmine Infanito, Al Plastino, Gil Kane, et al.
COLLECTS: Superman #167 (Feb. 1964), Kid Eternity #3 (Autumn, 1946), The Atom #3 (Oct.-Nov., 1962), All-Star Western #117 (Feb.-Mar. 1961), Detective Comics #66 (Aug., 1942), Mystery in Space #88  (Feb. 1964), Superman #87 (Feb. 1954)
PUBLISHER: DC Comics
ORIGINAL PRICE: 50 cents
RELEASE DATE: December 1971-January 1972

By Mike Bessler
Contributor, Commisar of Comic Book History

Superman #245 is one of those books that you might easily overlook as you thumb through the dollar box of your local comic shop. It’s basically a collection of reprints issued as a “DC 100 Page Super Spectacular,” a format that was moderately popular in the early 1970’s. We all know that reprints rarely accrue much in the way of value even after several decades. But what makes this particular issue a  true “hidden gem” is the sheer volume of reading material and classic comic art in this inexpensive volume.

Please bear with me as I provide a self-indulgent flashback of what this book means to me:  When I was much younger (say 12 or 13 years old) there weren’t many comic shops near my home. My best bet of landing back issues back then was the few times a year when the local shopping mall would host an “antique show” in which various and sundry dealers would set up kiosks full of their wares throughout the building. The collectibles booths were always my favorite places to visit and I could always count on one or two comic dealers showing up.

I distinctly remember buying my copy of Superman #245 as part of a “five for a dollar” deal from one of these “antique show” comic book sellers. I don’t remember any of the other books I got that day but I do remember walking away from the booth with my mom feeling like she had just given me a bag full of treasures. Never mind that my new-found Superman #245 had a huge strip missing from the cover, (looking as if someone had stuck a piece of masking tape across it and then slowly and painfully peeled it off);  Never mind the fact that it was well-read, dinged up and generally falling apart;  Never mind it was a collection of reprints; Superman #245 was a special find on a special day and, yeah, it’s got a lot of sentimental value in that respect. On top of all that, though, it was absolutely crammed full of Golden Age and Silver Age material and I have appreciated the vintage material from an early age.

The linchpin of this collection is the three-part “novel” entitled “The Team of Luthor and Brainiac,” which is reprinted from Superman #167 (Feb. 1964). This is a multifaceted tale featuring a team-up of Superman’s most diabolical foes.  Although Luthor and Brainiac eventually get the jump on Supes, their partnership starts to unravel as a result of the mutual mistrust that super-villain types tend to experience when working together. The Man of Tomorrow tips the scales back in his favor when he garners an assist from Kandor’s “army of Supermen.”  Later in the tale, the Kandorians themselves ultimately capture Brainiac and put him on trial for high crimes against the Kryptonian people…with Lex Luthor acting as as defense counsel for the accused!

Yes, folks…This one’s got it all. Everything that one should expect in a pre-Crisis Superman yarn is contained in this three-chapter page-turner, including a trip to the Fortress of Solitude, a visit to the miniature Kryptonian city of Kandor, journeys to fantastic far-off worlds, amazing secret weapons and astounding feats of super-strength. Along the way, readers learn the secret origins of Brainiac as well as Brainiac 5 (of the Legion of Super Heroes).

As if all that wasn’t enough, this collection includes some fabulous tales featuring some relatively obscure heroes of the 1940’s. Kid Eternity #3 (Autumn 1946) pits Kid Eternity and his sidekick Keep against a gang of art thieves who have heisted Rembrandt’s celebrated painting, “The Night Watch.” Our hero gets a helping hand against the thugs from the likes of Nostradamus, Socrates, Jevert Dusty and a number of other historical figures and fictional characters, all of whom are conjured when Kid exclaims the magic word, “Eternity!” The creepy and almost ethereal artwork of artist Mac Raboy (who did some of his best work in Fawcett-era Captain Marvel Jr. stories) gives this story an uncommon feel, transcending the “campiness” that’s often associated with Golden Age material.

Golden Age hero Air Wave makes an appearance in this anthology in a story entitled “The Adventure of the Shooting Spooks” from Detective Comics #66 (Aug., 1942). In this tale, Air  Wave’s alter ego Larry Jones is framed for the murder of the city D.A. through the chicanery of a gang of sheet-wearing “spooks” and  Air Wave and his feathered pal Static have to bust out of the clink to bring the real killers to justice.

This 100-Page Giant also includes a batch of Silver Age goodness, including “The Crowning of Super-Chief” from All-Star Western #117 (Feb.-Mar. 1961). This unusual epic re-presents the first appearance and origin of American Indian hero Super Chief.

Later in this issue, Hawkman does battle with a free-wheeling bandit in “The Super-Motorized Menace” from Mystery in Space #88. If you’ve ever wondered how a guy with wings would fare in a battle against a crook who can create tornado-force winds with the exhaust from his motorcycle, this tale answers that question once and for all. Really.

The Atom takes on “Genius of Time” Chronos in the story from “The Time Trap,” reprinted from The Atom #3 (Oct.-Nov., 1962). I’ve never been the biggest fan of The Atom but you just can’t go wrong with a story written by longtime Golden Age Flash creator Gardner Fox and penciled by legendary artist Gil Kane. Incidentally, Chronos sports one of my favorite super-villain costumes of all time, looking like something of a cross between Kang the Conqueror and The Royal Flush Gang (How’s that for a geeky reference, y’all?)

Rounding out Superman #245 is another tale starring the Man of Steel himself. “The Prankster’s Greatest Role” was originally presented in Superman #87 (Feb. 1954) and it’s a vintage story from the close of comicdom’s Golden Age. If The Joker and Mr. Mxyzptlk could somehow have a kid, the offspring would probably look a lot like the whimsical evildoer known as The Prankster. In typical fashion, The Prankster torments and extorts the hapless Metropolis bourgeoisie only to be opposed – and ultimately thwarted — by the fabled “Only Son of Krypton.”  Is it predictable? Sure. But it’s fun all the same!

For my money, Superman #245 is the stuff of wonderfully lazy summer afternoons. True enthusiasts of the super hero genre can easily kill several hours in a lawn chair or hammock as they digest some classics of pop culture. As a kid, I re-read my tattered old copy of this comic book over and over again. Over 20 years later, I found a nicer copy at a comic shop I was more than happy to shell out another buck or two so that I’d have a backup copy that would look swell on my “wall of fame.” Thing is, I’ve read that one a few times over that past few years too and now it’s showing all the signs of a well-read copy, too. Yep, that’s how much I love this comic book. After all, these things are for reading…aren’t they?

By the way:  Thanks Mom..24 years later!

By Rob Siebert
Editor, Fanboy Wonder

Photo from Broadway.tv.

SuperHeroHype reports today that Dominic Cooper will play Howard Stark in Captain America: The First Avenger.

In the Iron Man films, Howard Stark has been built up as a technological mastermind, who becomes the father of Tony Stark, Iron Man.

Cooper’s previous screen credits include Band of Brothers, The Escapist and Mama Mia!.

In Iron Man 2, an older version of the character appeared when Tony Stark began watching old videos of him. Cooper’s version will obviously be younger, as Captain America takes place mostly during World War II.

In Iron Man, viewers watching closely noticed that Captain America’s shield was in Tony Stark’s lab. This was directly referenced in Iron Man 2. Howard Stark’s inclusion in the Captain America film may bring to light how that shield got there.

TITLE: Titans: Fractured
AUTHORS: Eric Wallace, Christopher Yost, Pat McCallum, Bryan Q. Miller, J.T. Krul, Mike Johnson
ARTISTS: Mike Shoyket, Angel Unzueta
COLLECTS: Titans #14 and #16-22
FORMAT: Softcover
PUBLISHER: DC Comics
PRICE: $17.99
RELEASE DATE: May 26

By Rob Siebert
Editor, Fanboy Wonder

Uh oh, the Titans are breaking up…

Not the Teen version, mind you. These are just the Titans, the team that consists mostly of the heroes assembled under the Wolfman/Perez regime in the ’80s and ’90s. They were re-assembled in 2008 for a monthly book simply called Titans. But it imploded fairly quickly, as the various heroes kept getting pulled into other titles and different stories by different editorial teams.

As a result, for about 10 months DC simply decided to make Titans a “spotlight” book, with each month highlighting a certain member. Fractured collects those stories, which take place as the team slowly begins to realize they are drifting apart. Then at the end, Cyborg and Starfire take on a villain that has invaded Titans HQ.

Cover to Titans #17. Art from Comicartcommunity.com

The stories feature Cyborg, Starfire, Beast Boy, Raven, Red Arrow, and Donna Troy. The Flash (Wally West) also makes a few appearances.

In terms of quality, these standalone stories are a mixed bag. They’re the kind of stories where we see a lot of superhero stuff mixed with mundane, everyday stuff. Cyborg joins a dating service, Starfire goes to therapy, etc. The bad thing about this book is that it’s almost the same plot and story formula over and over again. Almost every member is dealing with the team drifting apart, and wondering what they’ll do next. It’s like a compilation album where you have different artists playing the same song. For what it’s worth, that song sounds the best when sang by Chris Yost, with his story about Starfire.

As people who’ve read his work might expect, J.T. Krul steals the book with his story about Red Arrow balancing his superhero gig with being a father. However, Krul also wrote the book’s climax, which for my money, fell short.

Angel Unzueta handles most of the art. There’s nothing here that’ll take your breath away, but he holds up his end of the bargain.

This isn’t the first time DC has tried to recapture some of that old Wolfman/Perez magic. It seems to work well in small doses, but from a creative standpoint, the Titans monthly title was a failure. Unless you’re a big fan of those characters, I’d leave this one on the shelf.

RATING: 4/10

By Rob Siebert
Editor, Fanboy Wonder

Image from RottenTomatoes.com.

ComingSoon.net reports 20th Century Fox has signed Daniel Benmayor to direct Hitman 2.

At this point it’s not clear whether Timothy Olyphant will return for the sequel, but production is scheduled to begin this fall.

The script was reportedly written by Kyle Ward, and includes elements from the game Hitman 5.

The first film, based on the hit Eidos video game of the same name, made $99.7 million in 2007. It was made for about $30 million. It also starred Dougray Scott, Olga Kurylenko and Robert Knepper.

TITLE: Batman: Long Shadows
AUTHOR: Judd Winick
ARTISTS: Ed Benes, Mark Bagley, Cover by J.G. Jones
COLLECTS: Batman #687-691
FORMAT: Hardcover
PUBLISHER: DC Comics
PRICE: $19.99
RELEASE DATE: May 26

By Rob Siebert
Editor, Fanboy Wonder

Ah, Judd Winick. Every fanboy’s least-favorite Real World star turned comic book writer. Or maybe he’s a favorite. Sometimes it’s hard to tell. The man’s gained a lot of attention during his career, both favorable and unfavorable.

In any event, the man who brought Jason Todd back to life in Batman: Under The Hood is back, and this time he’s dealing with the aftermath of Batman: Battle For The Cowl, which gave us a new Batman: Dick Grayson.

With Bruce Wayne gone, Dick and Bruce’s son Damian are the new Batman and Robin. As the new Dark Knight settles into his new role, he finds himself caught in the middle of a war between The Penguin and Two-Face. To send a message to the criminal element in Gotham, Dick makes an effort to be seen on camera more. Unfortunately, this results in Two-Face realizing that this isn’t the Batman he’s been up against for so long. Meanwhile, the mysterious new Black Mask continues to haunt Gotham…

Batman #688, page 1. Art from ComicArtGallery.com.

The best part about this book is the emotional weight attached to it. In Batman & Robin: Batman Reborn, Grant Morrison focused more on the dynamic between the new Dynamic Duo, and the enemies they faced. Long Shadows puts Damian in a strictly supporting role, and puts the spotlight solely on Dick Grayson, and what it means for him to put on the cape and cowl. Interestingly enough, this story fills in some of the gaps between Battle For The Cowl and Batman Reborn, such as what happened to the Batcave, how they ended up in the new Bat-Bunker, Dick training with Damian, etc.

Judd Winick writes Alfred better than most. He gives him a nice Dr. Watson type quality that really suits the character. He did this in Under The Hood as well. It’s similar to what Chuck Dixon did in Robin: Year One. He also gives Alfred a greatline near the beginning of the book. When Superman and Wonder Woman come to the Batcave with Bruce Wayne’s body, Superman asks him if he’s all right.

“Am I ‘all right?’” Alfred replies. “No sir, I am not. My son has died.”

On the very last page, Winick pulls a surprise cliffhanger on us. The sad thing is, in successive issues of Batman, this incident has yet to even be touched on, much less resolved. So we may be waiting awhile before we get any sort of follow up on this book’s ending.

Most of the book is pencilled by Mark Bagley, who’s arguably most famous for his work on Ultimate Spider-man. He turns in a good performance, but is ultimately outdone by Ed Benes, whose work on Batman #687 precedes Bagley’s in the book. If you were contesting it on points, Bagley would be just a few behind Benes.

Long Shadows is a strong emotional ride for Dick Grayson and Alfred. In essence it’s about continuing on in the face of tragedy, which these characters are certainly no strangers to.

RATING: 7.5/10

TITLE: Ex Machina: Ring Out The Old, Vol. 9
AUTHOR: Brian K. Vaughan
PENCILLER: Tony Harris
COLLECTS: Ex Machina #41-44, Ex Machina Special #4
FORMAT: Softcover
PUBLISHER: WildStorm
PRICE: $14.99
RELEASE DATE: May 18

By Chris Kromphardt
Staff Writer, Justice Administrator

It’s pretty standard by now to describe Ex Machina as superheroes meet The West Wing, but with this volume Brian K. Vaughan and company take the possibilities of that pairing to a new and exciting level. Ex Machina is just as much about politics as it is superheroes, and Vaughan treads some interesting and unexpected territory in Ring Out The Old.

Those who follow politics—myself included—usually get pretty tired of hearing the same soundbites about the same arguments. Real-life politics are rarely very exciting to anyone whose TV isn’t always tuned to C-SPAN, and even when they are the fireworks don’t last for long. Throughout its run Ex Machina, while a bit too dependent on the “freak-of-the-week” story arc structure, has always managed to bring some fresh perspective to political intrigue. All it took was superheroes. Republicans and Democrats should take note.

This volume contains the four-issue titular arc as well as two other stories. The conflict in Ring stems from New York City Mayor Mitchell Hundred—the (maybe) erstwhile Great Machine, a self-styled hero who can communicate with machines and who stopped the second plane from crashing into the World Trade Center—announcing that he will not be seeking a second term as mayor. He proposes significant tax raises in order to put to rest the big problems he sees facing the city, and promises to never set foot in the city he was born in if he fails to accomplish his goals.

Image from ifanboy.com

At that point, the political junkie in me went: “Whoa.” That’s brave new territory for a politically-driven narrative. Most political spectators view politicians as self-serving and only interested in re-election; by removing that angle from the table, Vaughan makes Hundred an even more compelling protagonist 40 issues into the series’ run.

Superpowers nonwithstanding, Hundred can now do anything. And yet, Vaughan finds new ways to drag Hundred through the mud, once again juggling multiple characters and timelines with aplomb as the Great Machine suits up once again—sort of—when a villain with a modus operandi reminiscent of his old foe Pherson takes to the streets. By the end of this arc the reader has a clearer understanding of the complex overall series plot; however Vaughan as per his usual answers a question with a riddle, so there’s still plenty more to come. I’ll definitely be back to see how this series wraps up.

Along with the tense Ring Out The Old, this volume contains two stand-alone issues. The first one in what’s a comedic high point of the series sees Vaughan and artist Tony Harris applying for the job of chronicling Hundred’s career in a graphic novel. Vaughan’s meta-characterization here is spot-on—his own anxiety and his partner’s nonchalance ring true and give faces to the talent behind Ex Machina. Finally, Green, pencilled by John Paul Leon, is a nice addition to the canon as Hundred investigates why an overexhuberant “fan” has taken the law into his own hands.

RATING: 8/10

TITLE: Shrek Forever After
STARRING: Mike Myers, Cameron Diaz, Eddie Murphy, Antonio Banderas, Julie Andrews
DIRECTOR: Mike Mitchell
STUDIO: Dreamworks
RATED: PG
RUN TIME: 93 min
RELEASE DATE: May 21

By Rob Siebert
Editor, Fanboy Wonder

In this fourth installment in the Shrek franchise, Shrek is feeling a bit over-domesticated, what with being married and raising triplets. Shrek used to be a very scary character, roaring, and having the towns people come after him with pitchforks. But now they just want him to sign the pitchforks.

To regain the ogre mojo that he once fully enjoyed, he strikes a deal with Rumplestiltskin to “give a day to get a day.” The pact goes wrong and he ends up living life as if he never existed, i.e. he never married Fiona, met Donkey, etc.

The first three Shrek films were pretty entertaining, though none were better than the original. This latest installment did not deliver the laughs as easily and as often as before, and the storyline was pretty unoriginal. Think It’s A Wonderful Life meets Shrek, and you have the plot. Shrek’s entire life and all his relationships turn out completely different and much sadder.

Photo from rottentomatoes.com

Another major drawback is that the other major characters, Fiona (Cameron Diaz), Donkey (Eddie Murphy) and Puss in Boots (Antonio Banderas) are severely under-utilized in this film. This is a big disappointment because all of these characters bring a lot of the laughs and funny situations that made the other movies so funny. In terms of the actors’ performances, this felt more like a paycheck than a creative endeavor.

Still, the movie makes for a good family outing with the kids. But I don’t know if I’ll be buying this one.

RATING: 7.5/10

By Kelly Fisher
Staff Writer, The Chosen One

Do you ever wonder what happens to pop/metal/anarchist/assless spandex wearing icons a decade after they’ve hit their peak? Well I do, at least from time to time. So imagine my surprise when perusing the interwebs not long ago, finding this.

Image from facebook.com

Apparently Marilyn Manson is now filling his time by painting watercolor portraits of LOST characters and posting them to his Facebook. You can take a minute if you need it to let that sink in. I did. There are several things I found horribly wrong with this…

A: Manson has a Facebook. A Facebook that he actually updates with his watercolor paintings. Watercolor is sooo not hardcore. Manson should be molding things with rough clay or at the very least painting with thick dark oil paints or something; right?

B: Manson is obsessed with LOST. Not only is he obsessed with crappy television, he insists on updating the aforementioned facebook with quippy little bits about his television adventures with bandmate Twiggy Ramirez.

C: Manson used to be an icon for all of the dispossessed. Angst-filled teenagers the world over would have enjoyed nothing more than to see his pasty bare ass on stage, because dammit he understood them. What kind of role model is he now, huh? I bet he’s all “oh art is therapeutic” and “I no longer feel the need to write anger-driven songs, because now I have the sweet caress of television.”

Now, I will be the first to admit I am not a LOST fan. I watched one episode and didn’t really feel the need to glue myself to a couch once a week in hopes of finding out what demonic forces are keeping a group of strangers on an island. Well, apparently I was wrong. I can’t go anywhere in life without hearing something about LOST. Seeing a LOST-themed t-shirt or hearing one of my less favorite friends talk about an episode at this point just makes me want to go into a rage of Incredible Hulk proportions.

That being said, I never imagined such a fate for Manson. I was never a huuuge fan per se; however, I was one of those kids who wore a Coal Chamber shirt at least once a week to high school. Manson kind of embodied a lot of that brooding sub-culture for me at that time. And to see that he is now spending his time in such a way kind of makes me yearn for a better time, a simpler time, a time with less watercolor and more black eyeliner.

ARTIST: Sage Francis
ALBUM TITLE: Li(f)e
RECORD LABEL: Anti-
RELEASED: May 11

By Eric Stuckart
Creator, Destroyer

We all go through growing pains. These things are common in all walks of life, both physically and figuratively. It’s the outcome of these things that usually yield the most exciting results, but like puberty, it can account for some awkward moments in the interim.

That being said, that’s how I’m approaching Sage Francis’ latest foray into indie rap, Li(f)e. Moving from punk label Epitaph Records to Anti-, Epitaph’s more artist-oriented indie label, there is definitely a change in the tone of his music. His last album, Human the Death Dance, briefly flirted with indie rock and country-western guitar laced samples, and this one makes the full transition, employing members of Califone, as well as a number of other big names in the genre, going the organic route. Most of the background music works well with Francis’ husky world-weary delivery, but something tells me that he’s still working out the kinks.

However, he opens strongly, with “Little Houdini”, a slight departure in itself, as it’s one of his few ventures outside of autobiographical material. It tells the tale of Christopher Daniel Gay, a real-life car thief who escaped police custody three times, the first time to visit each of his dying parents, and the third time to escape for good. His rhymes start off in spoken word form, slowly picking up the pace until the catchy sing-song chorus breaks through, spoken through the perspective of Gay’s mother.

It’s also one of his most hip hop sounding songs on the album. When he’s on and he jells with the music, it’s as good and as moving, if not better, than anything he’s recorded in the past. “Diamonds and Pearls,” featuring members of DeVotchKa, has a particularly emotional heft that takes a left turn about halfway through into an orchestral swoon. It’s one of his most inspired moments on the album.

He’s still cutting his anger with religious imagery, and his storytelling is still top notch, but not all of the songs fire off with the urgency of his past material. It may just be due to the slow, alt-country flavor of much of the music, which at times just sounds like he’s rapping over rather than rapping with, but I don’t get the same vibe. As I had said before, this is clearly a work in progress, and it works a hell of a lot more than it fails, but when your last two albums are pretty much recommended listening save for a segue or two and this one has a couple of misfires, one can only hope that he’s still planning his next move. With guest spots including the likes of Chris Walla (Death Cab For Cutie), Jason Lytle (Grandaddy), Tim Fite, and the late Mark Linkous (Sparklehorse), it could have just been a case of too many cooks in the kitchen. We’ll find out next time.

RATING: 7.5/10