Random Books My Son Picks 9
Good day, and welcome back for those of my regular readers. At first, when my son went and made today's pick of a book for review, I was sighing a little on the inside, because he had picked another Superman book. But then, after hearing that news that Henry Cavill was now done as Superman in the DC movie franchise, I feel like this can be a good pick for things after all.
The book I will be doing today is Adventures of Superman # 618 (September 2003)
"Four on the Floor, Break Stuff" - Writer: Joe Casey, Artist: Charlie Adlard, Colourists: Tania and Rich Horie, Letterer: Comic Craft, Associate Editor: Tom Palmer Jr., Editor: Eddie Berganza
Before we begin with what is happening in this issue, we need to quickly recap that in the last few issues before this one, Mxyzptlk has split himself into a pair of twins and has also decided to bother people by selling them encyclopedias door to door. (In the old days this actually happened, folks). BY the beginning of this book, "they" have used their fifth dimension magic to nullify the Earth's gravitational field.
The opening scene shows a ship in Earth's orbit realizing that the Earth's gravity is gone. Their communications have also been severed so they can't pass the findings to STAR Labs. Cut to Superman flying away from the Mixy Twins while alerting the JLA to the world-wide crisis. The Atom tells Superman that the Earth has less than five minutes. Moving to the Twins, they are amusing themselves with a game of "Word Association" while we see various scenes around the world of super-heroes trying contain the problem. The Atom collects his white dwarf star matter for Superman as he has a plan to save the world. (Meanwhile, the Mixy Twins discuss his relationship with Superman).
Superman takes the white star matter from Atom, but he announces he can't leave until there is some stability. That stability comes in the form of Green Lanterns Jon Stewart and Alan Scott (at this point in continuity he is Sentinel). Using the powers of their Lantern Rings, they manage to contain the Earth in a roughly spherical shape. At this point Superman takes the white dwarf star matter into the core of the planet. Alternating between heat vision and ice breath, Superman makes it so the white dwarf matter creates a gravity field that restores the Earth's attraction, thus keeping the planet together. The space ship returns into Earth's gravity field, and is saved from going into deep space. The Atom is a little...impressed.
Superman then confronts the Mixy Twins. He offers to buy a set of their encyclopedias. He also tells them he prefers them as the funny little imp. This angers the twins and after threatening Superman, they leave, restoring everything back to normal (as happens every time he returns home.) Perry White wakes up in a hospital (the twins had caused him to have a heart attack in an earlier issue), but he wakes up with a clean bill of health. Meanwhile, Clark has gone home to Lois and his set of encyclopedias.
Writing: For those of us who have read the whole storyline (like myself), this book was an interesting conclusion, but felt a little deus ex machina in the speed that Myxzptlk decides to go home, one would think he would have a better "super-villain" rant/speech before giving up and going home. But this character has always been written as a little bit childish, and thus it does work in the end. However, as always in comics, being limited in page count, the ending seems a little too quick in general, so I give the writing a 3.5 out of 5.
Art: Charlie Adlard is created as a guest artist on this book; I guess he wasn't the regular artist at the time (after the lengths of time people like Wayne Boring and Curt Swan working on Superman had, every other artist seems fleeting, even Byrne only did less than four years.), but he draws like he is. His Myxzptlk looks like the other issues, as does his other characters (I wonder if he did the whole storyline, something to check I guess.) Overall, the art was very pleasant to look at, but there were times I wonder where the shadowing is coming from (such as the small panel above with the close up the male face.) I give it a 4.0 out of 5
Overall: 2003 was around the time that Superman was finally beginning to recover from what i call the "disastrous energy being" period. I didn't like that period very much, and even after Superman returned to his normal powers, the whole Lex as President thing dominated for a bit. This was when the stories start getting interesting again, and stayed that way. Total 7.5 out of 10.
In short, the next time my son picks my book, I'll try to steer him away (unconsciously, of course, the whole point is that HE picks the books) away from the Superman and towards the front of the alphabet perhaps. (Maybe the one pictured below?)
Ottawa News and Notes - Peterborough Comic Con is coming up on September 23, 2018. Only four hours down Highway 7.
Ottawa Geek Market returns to the Nepean Sportsplex the weekend of September 28 - 30, 2018. This event is getting bigger every year, I imagine that it will add even more as the word spreads of this fantastic show. I attended last year and I was really impressed by the female-only Star Trek fan group.Hoping for more groups and displays like that one. (And I know Dark Age Comics is going to this one. They are my "Showcase Presents..." guys.)
So have a good time reading. Until next time...
The book I will be doing today is Adventures of Superman # 618 (September 2003)
"Four on the Floor, Break Stuff" - Writer: Joe Casey, Artist: Charlie Adlard, Colourists: Tania and Rich Horie, Letterer: Comic Craft, Associate Editor: Tom Palmer Jr., Editor: Eddie Berganza
Before we begin with what is happening in this issue, we need to quickly recap that in the last few issues before this one, Mxyzptlk has split himself into a pair of twins and has also decided to bother people by selling them encyclopedias door to door. (In the old days this actually happened, folks). BY the beginning of this book, "they" have used their fifth dimension magic to nullify the Earth's gravitational field.
The opening scene shows a ship in Earth's orbit realizing that the Earth's gravity is gone. Their communications have also been severed so they can't pass the findings to STAR Labs. Cut to Superman flying away from the Mixy Twins while alerting the JLA to the world-wide crisis. The Atom tells Superman that the Earth has less than five minutes. Moving to the Twins, they are amusing themselves with a game of "Word Association" while we see various scenes around the world of super-heroes trying contain the problem. The Atom collects his white dwarf star matter for Superman as he has a plan to save the world. (Meanwhile, the Mixy Twins discuss his relationship with Superman).
Superman takes the white star matter from Atom, but he announces he can't leave until there is some stability. That stability comes in the form of Green Lanterns Jon Stewart and Alan Scott (at this point in continuity he is Sentinel). Using the powers of their Lantern Rings, they manage to contain the Earth in a roughly spherical shape. At this point Superman takes the white dwarf star matter into the core of the planet. Alternating between heat vision and ice breath, Superman makes it so the white dwarf matter creates a gravity field that restores the Earth's attraction, thus keeping the planet together. The space ship returns into Earth's gravity field, and is saved from going into deep space. The Atom is a little...impressed.
Superman then confronts the Mixy Twins. He offers to buy a set of their encyclopedias. He also tells them he prefers them as the funny little imp. This angers the twins and after threatening Superman, they leave, restoring everything back to normal (as happens every time he returns home.) Perry White wakes up in a hospital (the twins had caused him to have a heart attack in an earlier issue), but he wakes up with a clean bill of health. Meanwhile, Clark has gone home to Lois and his set of encyclopedias.
Writing: For those of us who have read the whole storyline (like myself), this book was an interesting conclusion, but felt a little deus ex machina in the speed that Myxzptlk decides to go home, one would think he would have a better "super-villain" rant/speech before giving up and going home. But this character has always been written as a little bit childish, and thus it does work in the end. However, as always in comics, being limited in page count, the ending seems a little too quick in general, so I give the writing a 3.5 out of 5.
Art: Charlie Adlard is created as a guest artist on this book; I guess he wasn't the regular artist at the time (after the lengths of time people like Wayne Boring and Curt Swan working on Superman had, every other artist seems fleeting, even Byrne only did less than four years.), but he draws like he is. His Myxzptlk looks like the other issues, as does his other characters (I wonder if he did the whole storyline, something to check I guess.) Overall, the art was very pleasant to look at, but there were times I wonder where the shadowing is coming from (such as the small panel above with the close up the male face.) I give it a 4.0 out of 5
Overall: 2003 was around the time that Superman was finally beginning to recover from what i call the "disastrous energy being" period. I didn't like that period very much, and even after Superman returned to his normal powers, the whole Lex as President thing dominated for a bit. This was when the stories start getting interesting again, and stayed that way. Total 7.5 out of 10.
In short, the next time my son picks my book, I'll try to steer him away (unconsciously, of course, the whole point is that HE picks the books) away from the Superman and towards the front of the alphabet perhaps. (Maybe the one pictured below?)
Ottawa News and Notes - Peterborough Comic Con is coming up on September 23, 2018. Only four hours down Highway 7.
Ottawa Geek Market returns to the Nepean Sportsplex the weekend of September 28 - 30, 2018. This event is getting bigger every year, I imagine that it will add even more as the word spreads of this fantastic show. I attended last year and I was really impressed by the female-only Star Trek fan group.Hoping for more groups and displays like that one. (And I know Dark Age Comics is going to this one. They are my "Showcase Presents..." guys.)
So have a good time reading. Until next time...
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