Rant Review: DC Multiverse Batman, Alfred, Red Robin, Red Hood, KGBeast, Katana, and Killer Croc

Early this year, it was announced that the DC license for 6-inch scale figures will be passing from Mattel, who has handled it for over a decade, to McFarlane Toys. Mattel's involvement with DC characters dates back to 2003, when they took over the Batman license from Hasbro. A few years later, their license expanded to include the Superman family of characters, and further to encompass the entire DC Universe a couple of years after that. Due to Mattel's long history with the DC characters, this wave takes on a greater significance, as it is their swan song to a line that has existed in various permutations for sixteen years. Is it a worthy finale to such a long-lived line? Read on to find out!

This final wave includes some long-requested fan-favorites, so the character selection is sure to please many collectors. Alfred is probably my favorite from the wave, and is one of the only comic-style representations of this crucial character ever made. (The only other one I recall right offhand is the figure from DC Collectible's Hush line, released more than a decade ago. For collectors who own that earlier figure, this one is a huge upgrade.)  Alfred boasts an excellent sculpt, with an expressive face that suits the character perfectly. All of the articulation works well, and some of it is better than usual, particularly the range of motion in the head. That's been an ongoing issue with Mattel's figures for many years, one that they never seemed able (or willing) to solve consistently. The paint apps are quite neat on my figure, and he is absolutely loaded with accessories. Aside from the Killer Croc BAF piece, Alfred includes a serving tray, a very cool Batman cowl, and three extra heads! One head represents Alfred's brief tenure as the villainous Outsider, one is in the likeness of Michael Gough's turn in the role as the beloved butler in the Burton/Schumacher movies, and one is Alan Napier's Alfred from the old Adam West TV series. These are an excellent inclusion, and allow collectors to display the Alfred of their choice. (It should be noted that the Outsider head does not want to pop all the way onto the figure, hence its odd appearance in the photo. Hopefully this is just a problem with my figure, and not a widespread issue.) It's a shame we had to wait so long for Mattel to release a comic-style Alfred figure, but honestly, he benefited from the wait. Let's face it, if this figure had been released during the peak years of the DCUC line, there's no way in hell he would have included so many high-quality accessories. (And he probably would have been saddled with those awful gorilla arms the suit-wearing characters were always marred with back in those days!)

KGBeast, my other favorite from the wave, is another long-awaited figure. The redesign used in the recent Rebirth All-Star Batman series is the basis for this figure, rather than the classic design, but I'm okay with that. It's not far off from the classic design, and actually improves on it in a few ways. The Beast benefits from the use of the MOTUC-compatible body, last seen on the Lobo BAF at the beginning of the year, giving him the stature he should have. (This also leads to his tendency to pop apart at the waist when being posed, as he's built from BAF parts. No need to freak out, as he snaps right back together.) The sculpt is great, with some very nice detailing on the mask, in particular. The belt is another highlight, with a nicely rendered leathery texture, and some shurikens sculpted in place. All the usual articulation is present, but the shirt overlay is quite restrictive to the abdominal hinge. The paint work is nice and clean on my figure, and he's also packing some nice accessories. Beasty has a removable projectile that stores neatly in his massive bolted-on arm cannon, two removable knives that slide easily into the sheathes on his boots, and a big-ass bayonet that fits into the aforementioned arm cannon. Frankly, it looks rather odd there, so I have him simply holding it as a sword, and it works quite well for that purpose. The KGBeast makes for an imposing presence on the toy shelf, and is a very welcome addition to the Batman rogues gallery.

Katana is another long-requested figure. She was included in the Suicide Squad line a couple of years ago, but this is the first time Mattel has produced a comic-style figure of the character. I quite like the costume design they used, but anyone who was hoping for her classic costume will be disappointed. Personally, I prefer this one. She's built on the new female body Mattel introduced last year, and has all of the benefits and drawbacks of it. It's nicely proportioned, and has a good overall look, but it's missing a couple of key points of articulation, and some of what it does have is more limited than it should be. Still, Katana is a nice figure overall, and a welcome addition to the collection. Paint is neat and clean on mine, with some particularly nice detail work on the mask. Katana comes with her sword Soultaker(which I managed to drop somewhere while moving the figures to take these photos, D'OH!), and a couple of swappable hands, one specifically sculpted to wield the sword. Katana checks a few boxes for the line, as a Batman ally, a much-requested female character, and another member of the Outsiders. (A shame that the vast majority of that team was neglected during Mattel's reign!) Personally, I would have swapped Katana out of this wave in favor of Orphan, as she is now the only member of the Rebirth Detective Comics team missing. But that's not a knock against Katana, as she is very deserving of inclusion, and I'm glad to finally have her.

Red Hood is a very nice figure overall, but he does suffer from one of those baffling Mattel decisions that marred many figures throughout their tenure. This guy has three pairs of hands, including some perfectly sculpted to hold his guns, but his guns are molded into his holsters. Really. Mattel has made figures in this line before with working holsters and/or sheathes, including in this very wave, so it's not as if they couldn't figure out how to do it. It's just another of those bizarre decisions that would pop up here and there throughout their various collector lines. It would almost be oddly reassuring to see it even in such a mostly stellar final wave, if it wasn't so damn annoying. Aside from that, Red Hood is quite good. Both head sculpts look great, and swap easily. You can also use the masked head and have him hold the helmeted head as if it's just the helmet, which is a pretty cool display option. He has quite a few newly sculpted parts, and all of them look great. Paint apps are nice and neat, and the helmet is painted in a nice glossy red that really pops. It's just a damn shame about those guns!

Red Robin is one of the standouts in this wave. Thankfully, he has no weird design decisions holding him back. This is an excellent realization in figure form of a fantastic costume design, with all the new parts he needs. As with the other figures, paint apps are very neat for a mass-produced toy. The belt could use a wash, as the plain bright yellow plastic is rather garish, even with the other bright primary colors on the figure. The blue highlights in the hair-- something I've never been a fan of in general-- are a bit heavier than they are on the others in this wave who have them. I'll definitely be painting over them at some point. Tim includes some extra hands and his signature staff, which he can hold quite well with the excellent articulation. Tim Drake is one of my favorite characters, so it's nice to see a very good figure of him in the final wave.

Dick Grayson Batman is the big loser of the bunch, and it's a damn shame, as it's a figure many of us have wanted for the past decade. He suffers from the weird proportions of the base body, the cape feels cheap and is far too narrow, and the unmasked head is rather ugly and just doesn't look like Dick Grayson. On the plus side, the color palette is dead-on, the articulation works very well and lets the figure hold some great poses that simply wouldn't be possible on most of the older male bucks, the masked head looks great and has a roguish smirk that suits him very well, and the dangling cowl accessory, for use with the unmasked head, is a very cool inclusion. (If only that unmasked head wasn't so ugly! It's not as noticeable in photos, but in person, it's very obvious.) BatDick is definitely the dud of the bunch, but I admit I'm still glad to have him. He'll just require a bit of work to fix his various issues. He's essential for posing with Damian, and is a representation of one of the handful of greatest Batman stories ever told.

And now for the BAF himself, Killer Croc! The most obvious observation is that he's HUGE. Far larger than the character is supposed to be, and far larger than any portrayal I've ever seen. (Barring stuff like that Batwoman/Wonder Woman team-up arc where he was mutated into an avatar of the mythical hydra.) The scale in this line has long been kinda all over the place, so this isn't a huge issue for me, but for some, it may well be a deal-breaker. All the parts are new, of course, and the sculpting is excellent. The pants are rather plain, but the insane detailing elsewhere makes up for that in spades. This is basically the design for the DCSH Croc figure cranked up to 11. The articulation works well overall, with a nice hinged jaw. Some POAs are limited by the sheer size of the appendages, but that is to be expected with this sort of figure. Croc can still strike many very cool poses,and so far, he hasn't been prone to falling over. He does come apart at the waist when posing sometimes, a recurring issue with some of the BAFs in this line. Thankfully, like the KGBeast, he easily snaps back together. My main criticism of this figure is the mostly flat green that makes up most of the figure. He could really have used a nice wash to bring out all the exquisite sculpted detail. I gave him one myself, and it makes a tremendous difference in how cool the figure looks. Scale issues aside, this is a fantastic BAF, and if you're on the fence about grabbing the last couple of figures from this wave to complete him, I'd say he's worth it. Collectors have been wanting a Croc BAF for many years, so he's a fitting note for the line to end on.

I'm happy to have the final wave completed, but it's a bittersweet feeling. Mattel's handling of the DC license has definitely had some serious peaks and valleys, but when it was good, it was damn good! Even with all the frustration that is inevitable with any Mattel line, they still gave us some fantastic figures, often of characters I never would have expected to be produced for a mass retail line. (Killer Moth! Vigilante! Friggin' Gentleman Ghost, for Grodd's sake!) Even DC Collectibles seems to have given up on producing figures of the less prominent characters, so it's awesome that Mattel managed to give us so many figures along those lines. Overall, this was a great wave to end on, and it's fitting that their 6" scale DC lines end where they began back in 2003, with a Batman wave. Whatever McFarlane has planned for their DC collector lines, they have a hell of an act to follow. Everyone have a fun and safe New Year's Eve, and let's all hope for a fantastic 2020!

Well, I guess my luck with Funko's DC Primal Age couldn't last forever...

Funko's DC Primal Age Aquaman arrived a couple of days ago, and both legs dropped off straight out of the package! I didn't even have the chance to heat them before moving, which has become a standard practice with this line to avoid breaking the fragile leg assembly. Thankfully, Amazon already has a replacement on the way. Funko really needs to get these QC issues under control. It'd be a damn shame for this line to die prematurely!

Rant Review: Funko DC Primal Age Batman figure

Funko has really been ramping up their vintage MOTU-inspired Savage World action figure lines recently, and DC Primal Age is probably the most surprising of them all. I never realized how much I needed MOTU-style barbarian versions of DC characters before! It seemed like almost no time passed between their announcement and and their going on sale, which is very refreshing in a hobby where product delays and pre-orders of figures that sometimes take years to see the light of day are all too common. It was really cool to hear about these out of nowhere, and then be able to order them so soon afterward. They seem to be an Amazon.com exclusive, at least for the time being, so that's the place to go if you want some of these. (I've heard that Target will be carrying the line after the holidays, as well.) I plan to get the entire line eventually, as funds allow, but today, we'll be taking a look at Batman.

The sculpt is pretty good overall, although I do have a few niggling issues with it. The level of detail is pretty nice, and while it seems soft in some areas, this is in line with the vintage toys that inspired these. In fact, there are a few spots where the detailing is almost a little too fine, such as the tiny stitching in the cowl, and the fur of the loincloth and boots. There are some nice dings and notches in the armor and weapons, and the musculature is evocative of the vintage MOTU toys without venturing into "this is so similar they might get sued" territory. I'm not thrilled with the face, as it seems too generic and doesn't really say "Batman" to me, but then, this is a prehistoric barbarian version of Batman, so I suppose it's right that it look rather different than I expected. Batman works well size-wise compared to the vintage MOTU toys and the other Funko SW figures.

The paint apps are okay. Not terrible, but they're not gonna make you dance a happy little jig, either. There's some slop and overspray in multiple areas, but I suppose we can be generous and go with this as yet another detail that's similar to the toys of the '80s. ;) The articulation is just what you'd expect from such a figure, with cut joints at the shoulders, waist, and neck. The hips have a ball & socket connection that allows for a similar range of motion as the old MOTU rubber band legs, while (presumably) holding up better over time. The legs do have a tendency to pop off if you move them too far one way or another, but they pop right back into place with no issues. (There have been multiple reports of breakage where the legs attach, however, so be careful about how much force you apply if you need to pop them back in!) Sadly, the "power punch" spring-loaded waists from the vintage MOTU figures is not present on the Funko toys. I don't consider that a genuine drawback, but man, it would be cool if they had it!

Batman only has two accessories, but they're very cool ones. He has a great bat-hilted sword and a big bat-themed shield. Even as a barbarian warrior, Batman knows all about the importance of branding! Both are molded in a nice metallic gold, and the sword has some blue wrapping on the handle. The shield clips into place on the forearm right above the end of the glove, and the hands can hold the sword with no issues. The big furry cape is removable, so you could count that as another accessory, depending on how you look at it. Batman has more accessories than the SW figures usually get, but I can't help feeling he should have had a couple more. As the main guy in this line, it seems only fitting. A jagged stone batarang or two seems like a no-brainer, and I find myself wishing he also had an axe. That would give him the full complement of weapons the original He-Man figure came with, and would be another cool echo of the toyline that inspired this one. I'd also really like the armor to be removable, rather than sculpted on. Switching armor was always a fun feature with the MOTU figures, and it would be really cool if we could do so with these.

Jeez, that last paragraph makes it sound like I'm kinda down on this figure, but I'm really not. The fact is, Funko has done such a great job evoking that vintage MOTU feel with this figure that I can't help wishing they'd done a few things a bit differently to hammer it home even more. I'm very pleased with the figure as he is, though, and I can't wait to get the rest of this line! Kudos to Funko, DC, Amazon, and Target for making such a fun idea a reality. Now Funko just needs to focus on those issues with breakage. I was lucky with my figure, but it really sucks to see fellow collectors getting broken figures. Hopefully Funko gets the QC under control, as it would be a damn shame for this line to be cut short due to such issues. I'm hoping for a bright future for this line!

Rant Review Thanksgiving edition: DC Collectibles Bombshells Batwoman figure

Occasionally, a product, or line of products, comes along that seems to be aimed directly at me. I'm sure all of you have experienced this at some point. Something just aligns perfectly with your interests, and speaks to you on a level that most things simply don't. The DC Bombshells line of statues did that for me. I love DC's female characters in general, and I adore the pinup art of the 1940s-50s. Combining the two was a move designed to make me squeal with delight, if not for one problem: I have neither the money nor the space for these statues, so I had to pass on every single one of them. It was rough, let me tell ya. Thankfully, these action figures based on those designs are more in my price range. Today, we're looking at the Bombshells figure of one of my favorite DCU characters, Batwoman!

Sculpting is rarely a problem for figures from DCC, and it's quite good here, as well. The sculpt isn't very detailed, but it fits with the aesthetic of the Bombshells art by Ant Lucia, so I can hardly fault it for that. Most of the details are found in the cap's seams and the piping on the uniform. Batwoman's facial expression is a bit bland, but given how Wonder Woman's face turned out when they tried to give her a more active expression, I can live with it. The hips DCC is using on the bodies in this line are, frankly, kind of ugly, but Batwoman's skirt covers them completely, which is a big plus. Her hair is sculpted in a dynamic windblow pose that looks quite nice, though it does limit the posing a bit, as it will look very odd in certain poses.

Articulation is very good, with balljoints at the shoulders, hips, and neck, double-hinged elbows and knees, cuts at the waist and thighs, and pin/swivel combos at the wrists and ankles. The skirt is very soft, and doesn't limit the hip articulation much at all. The hair is also soft, but due to its thickness and weight, it limits the range of motion in the head a bit more than I'd like. Still, it's a huge improvement over the very stiff hair we get on so many figures. The waist is very tight on my figure, and sometimes it feels like I might break the joint if I turn it. Not a good sign. Paint apps are decent. there is a bit of slop here and there, with the belt the worst offender. The face is very neat and clean, though, thankfully. Accessories include a baseball, baseball bat, and four extra hands, one of which is a baseball glove. The hands pop on and off easily, yet don't feel like they'll fall off while posing them. Nice work here by DCC. There is some paint flaking on the pegs when adding or removing them, however.

Fans of this line or character will likely buy this figure anyway, if they haven't already. But for those of you who may be on the fence, I can recommend the figure as long as you can grab it for around $20. Like it or not, that is pretty much the standard price for a 6-7 inch figure these days, and the articulation and accessories make this figure a solid value for that price. For someone like me who really likes the character and the Bombshells line in general, it's a great buy, and I can't wait to add more of the figures to my display shelves! That's it for today, but be sure to come back next Tuesday, as the MOTUC reviews resume!

Rant Review: DC Multiverse Batman- The Dark Knight Returns Joker figure

(I have a concussion as I type this, so you'll have to forgive any odd phrasing that may pop up in the course of this review. If anything, it'll probably just amount to some typos I don't catch.)

As someone who was an avid collector of Mattel's DC Superheroes and DC Universe Classics lines, I've bought surprisingly few of their DC action figures in the last several years. This is due to several factors, chief among them the rising prices and increasingly poor execution of many of their products. Let's face it, while $20 has become a pretty standard price for a mass market figure in the six-ish inch scale, it's still a nice chunk of cash for one toy. That alone would make me more selective, as I don't have a whole hell of a lot of disposable income, but couple it with Mattel's cheapness compromising more and more of their figures, and there just haven't been many of them that I felt warranted their bloated price tags. There have been quite a few that I wanted based on prototype photos, but any desire I had to own them dissipated once I saw the actual figures in person. It's a disappointing turn of events, but hey, at least it saved me money!

Obviously, there have been a few exceptions. The small subset of figures based on the seminal Batman story The Dark Knight Returns, spread throughout their Batman Legacy and DC Multiverse lines over the years, are among them. Mattel addressed the one glaring whole in that set with the release of the Joker as he appeared in that story.

The sculpt is very good overall, and both heads are excellent. Whichever head you choose to display him with, the Joker looks as if he stepped right off the printed page. One head has a calm expression, while the other captures the Joker at his maniacal best, with a removable batarang in his right eye, as seen in his climactic battle with the Dark Knight in book three of the story. His right hand is sculpted to hold the gun perfectly, but also holds the knife with no issues. Perhaps owing to the lack of paint apps on most of the figure, the heads feature much better attention to paint detail than most of Mattel's figures these days. Paint apps are clean and precise, with a nice wash over the skin that really captures its appearance in the source comic. The open-mouthed head has a gloss coat over the interior of the mouth to lend it a wet appearance. There is also a well done wash on the hair to bring out the sculpted details. The paint apps on the rest of the figure are basic, but overall, this is fairly impressive work for a mass market toy.

Articulation is more or less the standard for this line. The Joker has ball joints at the head, shoulders, and hips, swivel & hinge joints at the elbows and knees, swivels at the waist, wrists, and upper thighs, and hinges at each ankle. The lack of bicep swivels is made up for by the swivel/hinge elbows, and the missing abdominal hinge isn't an issue, since the suit coat would greatly hinder its movement anyway. The hips are the MOTUC style joints, which I prefer to the normal Mattel hip articulation. They are rather unsightly, but the long coat covers them without impeding their range of motion much. While the articulation is adequate, and you can get some very cool poses, it is a bit outdated; swivel & hinge wrists should be standard by now, along with double knee joints. Hasbro has been implementing these points of articulation on most of its Marvel figures for years, and Toy Biz before them, so it's frustrating that we DC figure collectors are still getting figures that omit them.

The Joker includes the previously mentioned alternate head, gun, and knife, along with a torso for the King Shark build-a-figure. Even if you don't give a damn about the BAF, it's still a solid set of accessories, and it's particularly nice to see Mattel including alternate heads on some of their mass market figures. Hopefully we'll see this more often going forward.

Despite a few mostly minor flaws, this is a great figure, and a real standout in Mattel's recent DC offerings. This Joker figure is a fantastic addition to anyone's collection, and is an absolute must for anyone who already has some of the previous DKR figures. He's a bit too large to work scale-wise with most of the DCUC figures, but he scales nicely with Mattel's DKR figures, which tend to run larger. Walmart currently has the price of DCM figures cut to $16, so that's the place to look if you want one. I suggest grabbing one now if you have any interest, as the price is likely to rise once the supply dries up. That's it for today! Barring any unforeseen delays, the regularly scheduled MOTUC review should return next Tuesday! For now, scroll down for more photos!

Rant Review: The Lego Batman Movie- Clayface Splat Attack

It's been about six months since my last post; that's easily the longest I've gone without updating the blog. It's due to various things, including some health issues which, unfortunately, are ongoing. I'll be making an effort to post more regularly, though, so the few dozen regular readers who are still here can rest easy. ;)

Today, we're taking a look at one of the sets from The Lego Batman Movie theme, Clayface Splat Attack. Unlike most sets, which tend to be focused around a building or vehicle, Clayface is the set. It's a great design, clearly influenced by the BTAS design, and the build is fun and well thought out. Clayface has an extra arm, so you're free to switch one out if you prefer two of the stud launchers

instead of the hammer arm. You'll also have plenty of small brown pieces left over that you can use to customize your Clayface a bit, which is a nice touch. (You'll have even more if you disassemble the arm you're not using! My Clayface, seen here, has quite a few bits added on. As always, click on the photo to embiggen.) With ball joints at all key connection points, Clayface is well-articulated, and he can hold a variety of poses. He is top-heavy, however, so you'll have to use a bit of finesse to find that sweet spot that will allow him to remain upright with some poses. The only issue I have with the final build is that some of the gray parts are clearly visible, which doesn't fit with the character's usual aesthetic. It would have been nice if these pieces had been cast in a shade of brown so that they didn't stand out so much, but that is a relatively minor gripe.

Batman and Mayor McCaskill minifigures are included, along with a small clay trap to ensnare a minifig of your choice. (This, of course, can also be disassembled if you want more little brown bits to add on to your Clayface.) McCaskill goes well with the GCPD minifigs in a display, and be aware that the small mark on her face isn't a defect, but a "beauty mark" that is supposed to be there. Aside from some slightly different facial expressions, Batman is no different than the numerous other Batman minifigs you already have if you've been buying the TLBM sets. It's a damn good minifg, and I like having some extras to pop into various displays, so I definitely don't mind getting another. Plus, you can hardly fault TLg for including Batman minifigs in their Batman sets!

Clayface Splat Attack is easily one of my favorite sets from the TLBM series to date, a standout in a fantastic lineup. Recommended.

Rant Review: Batman- The Killing Joke animated movie

Virtually everyone has been clamoring for an animated adaptation of the classic Alan Moore/Brian Bolland tale Batman: The Killing Joke for years now, ideally with the iconic voices of Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill as Batman and the Joker. At long last, it has come to pass. The Killing Joke has been well-acquainted with controversy since its publication due to its content, and Bruce Timm, Brian Azzarello, Sam Liu & company have not shied away from it here. Indeed, the prologue they've added to the story includes a scene that doubles down on the controversy; more on that in the spoiler section later in this review. (Don't worry if you're avoiding spoilers, you'll have plenty of warning.) All of this results in DC's first animated movie to be stamped with an R rating.

Brushing all the controversy aside and judging the movie on its own merits, I enjoyed it quite a bit. The art style used differs from the source story, as Bolland's exquisitely detailed art is obviously too complex and labor-intensive to realistically be used in an animated film, but there are little details here and there that are evocative of his work. Despite its different look, the movie's visuals have the same sort of feel. The animation is often not as smooth as one would hope, however. This is an issue common among the newer DC animated movies, but one can't help being disappointed to see it here. Surely such a hotly anticipated project, a surefire hit, warranted a budget increase to deliver higher quality animation than we normally see with these releases? Alas, it is what it is, and while the animation is not as good as hoped, it still is far from bad, and it gets the job done.

Kevin Conroy simply IS Batman at this point, and it's always wonderful to have him back in the role. Even mediocre efforts such as Public Enemies are buoyed by his presence, so having him work with such well-written material is a pure pleasure. Tara Strong is quite good as Batgirl, as usual, having similarly made that role her own over the years. Veteran actor Ray Wise is a disappointment as Commisioner Gordon, however. His flat delivery of most of his lines mars the few key scenes Gordon has, and one of the story's most powerful moments is deflated due to the lackluster performance. Wise is a good actor, so this could simply be due to miscasting.

Mark Hamill has long been celebrated for his various performances as the Joker, and rightly so. His incredible performance in last year's Arkham Knight video game was his magnum opus, and while I can't say his performance in The Killing Joke surpasses that, it is definitely on the same level. His performance of the "Go Loony" song alone is worth the price of admission. Honestly, that is one of the most surreal parts of the original story, and everyone has been wondering how they would pull it off. While Hamill  croons it out beautifully, everyone involved deserves much appreciation for putting that scene together.

Now we're about to dive into the story, and this will involve some spoilers. Highlight the following paragraphs with your mouse to read, or skip down below if you'd rather avoid spoilers.

The prologue focuses on Batgirl and her working relationship with Batman. It's clear that she has some romantic feelings toward Bruce, and this culminates with the two having sex on a rooftop one night while working a case. The entire internet has exploded since this was made known, and I myself was a bit apprehensive about it. While there is a precedent in the animated Batman projects for a Bruce/Babs relationship-- see Mystery of the Batwoman-- it's never felt right. Putting the age difference aside, since it's honestly not as large a gap as many people seem to believe, Bruce is a mentor to Barbara. This position of authority he has over her lends a rather skeevy air to the whole idea of them pursuing any kind of romantic relationship. Not to mention that he's also her father's BFF, adding another layer of weirdness to the whole thing. However, as always, I resolved to wait and actually watch the movie before passing judgment on it. I'm happy to be able to say that the entire thing is handled well in the movie. Both characters immediately recognize it as a mistake, and it even leads to a scene where Bruce apologizes and behaves like an actual human for a damn minute. Barbara decides that she really doesn't need this whole thing in her life anymore, and decides to move on, returning her gear to Batman, and retiring as Batgirl. 

There's also an epilogue that shows Barbara back at home, and makes it very clear that she has begun her career as Oracle. This lends an air of hope to the movie, particularly to comic readers with some familiarity with the character. It's a nice coda that brings the story back to focusing on her, and helps a bit to mitigate her use as little more than a prop during the main story of TKJ. 

As for the main part of the story, it's exactly as readers remember, with a bit of additional dialogue and action here and there to flesh things out a bit.There are moments that are absolutely chilling, with many of the graphic novel's scenes beautifully realized. The minimal use of music is eerily effective for the most part, and the whole production is lifted by the (mostly) amazing performances. It's actually been quite a while since I've really enjoyed any of the DC animated movies-- right offhand, I think The Flashpoint Paradox was the last one-- but The Killing Joke is a return to the quality we used to get from these projects. It's one of the best animated movies carrying the DC logo, and I highly recommend watching it.

As a little aside, I can't help hoping that the movie is such a success that they'll see fit to release an alternate version with the coloring done in the style of the original version of the graphic novel, as demonstrated here. I like the realistic tones of the recolored version, which the movie emulates, but the surreal, garish colors of the original version have a macabre appeal of their own.

DC Rebirth: Month One

As you're no doubt aware, DC's Rebirth initiative is currently well underway. Like apparently everyone else, I loved the DCU Rebirth special, and I've been sampling quite a few of the new series. And by "quite a few," I mean "all." I won't be doing full reviews for everything like I did with the New 52 relaunch, but I thought it would be fun to present an overview at the end of each month with a few thoughts about each issue. As always, discussion is welcome, whether here or via email or the social media of your choice. We'll be tackling them week by week, jotting down my thoughts after reading each week's issues. I want to preserve that sense of spontaneity, so you might find that these aren't quite as polished as my usual reviews. (Not that I ever obsess over that, given the casual tone I strive to maintain here, but you get what I'm saying.) So, let's be off!

June 1
Batman Rebirth: Incoming writer Tom King is handed the baton by outgoing writer Scott Snyder, while the incomparable Mikel Janin provides sumptuous visuals. While the story is rather choppy and uneven, it gives us Duke's formal induction as one of Batman's allies, along with a very interesting revamp of the Calendar Man. I enjoyed all the other Rebirth issues this week more, but this is still no slouch.

Green Arrow Rebirth: I must admit that I haven't read any of Benjamin Percy's run on the New 52 Green Arrow-- I read the Lemire/Sorrentino run, but was quickly driven away by the next couple of issues-- but I have heard some good things. I may need to track those down, if this is any indication. Percy and artist Otto Schmidt do a marvelous job of evoking the Ollie we know and love, even while reuniting him with Black Canary for the first time in far too long. This isn't just a nostalgia trip, either, as the conflict that is set up within these pages promises to be quite interesting. I've missed Green Arrow for most of the past decade-- the character's poor handling predates the New 52 by several years-- and it feels damn good to have him and Dinah back.

Green Lanterns Rebirth: Simon Baz and Jessica Cruz finally get the spotlight to themselves as they're partnered up to protect Earth. Incoming writer Sam Humphries, assisted by the sorely missed Geoff Johns, give us a nice solid issue that makes me hopeful that I'll once again have at least one Green Lantern series to look forward to again.

Superman Rebirth: Peter Tomasi & Patrick Gleason, partners on the beloved Batman and Robin, are going to do similarly great things for Superman, judging by this issue. One of the highlights is a recap of pre-New 52 Superman's epic battle with Doomsday, rendered by the always excellent Doug Mahnke. This is one of the issues that is most likely to be confusing for brand new readers, but the team does a good job of explaining what's happened without getting too bogged down in details.

June 8

Aquaman Rebirth: An excellent overview of who Aquaman is and his current status quo, this issue also clearly sets up the main conflict for future issues. Dan Abnett has been doing a great job on Aquaman these past few months, and that hasn't changed.

Action Comics #957: Dan Jurgens is riding high writing Superman once again, and he throws so much at us in this issue that it's tough to catch your breath! Luthor having the audacity to attempt to fill the deceased New 52 Superman's cape is completely in character, and given the last couple of years' developments, one can't help believing that he might actually be sincere. Zircher's art is quite nice, and the action flows well from panel to panel. This one is a winner.

The Flash: It was great to see the bombshell DCU Rebirth followed up on, of course, but it was just a damn solid comic all around. Definitely the best Flash comic I've read since before the New 52 began.

Wonder Woman Rebirth: A slower-paced, thoughtful issue that sets up what promises to be another epic Rucka run. Sharpe's art was gorgeous, and I liked how his art kicked in with the costume switch, symbolic of the transition from New 52 to Rebirth.

Detective Comics #934: I really enjoyed this issue. I'm all for a Bat family series, and Batwoman operating as Batman's partner is awesome. I've really missed Kate the last few years. When this series' premise was announced, it seemed very odd that Tim would be among the trainees, but this issue makes it clear that he is operating at Batman and Batwoman's lieutenant in helping to train Orphan, Spoiler, and Clayface. This is a great setup with so much potential!

June 15

Batman #1: A decent issue that is packed with action, but it's only a moderate improvement over the Batman Rebirth special. Finch's art is a little better than usual, but that's not really saying much. Of all the Rebirth issues thus far, this series remains the weakest. That said, I'm still enjoying it, and given Tom King's track record, I'm hopeful that it will improve. 

Green Arrow #1: Rock solid issue, picking up right where the Rebirth special left off. Percy has indicated that he's basically riffing on The Court of Owls for this story, and that becomes abundantly clear in this issue. It's also worth mentioning that the recent Black Canary series is referred to again. Many readers, myself included, would prefer that series to be swiftly forgotten, but it doesn't look like that's happening just yet. That's not a mark against this series, just something I felt was worth mentioning.

Green Lanterns #1: Pretty good issue, setting up some very interesting conflicts for the future. I've seen many readers express concern over Humphries as the writer, as he doesn't exactly have the best track record, but so far, so good. 

Superman #1: A good issue from one of my favorite creative teams, though it did seem to end far too quickly. Gleason is a criminally underrated artist, and his skill really shines in the body language he gives young Jonathan. His poses and movements look very authentic, and that's one of the toughest things for any artist to convey, particularly when it comes to children. Though it felt a bit short, this was an issue I really enjoyed, and I have high hopes for Superman with this team at the helm.

Titans Rebirth: Abnett did a very good job reviving the classic Teen Titans within the New 52 continuity with Titans Hunt, and that continues right here, as Wally returns and the team gradually regains their memories of him. As for the art, well... let's just say that I'm not a fan of Brett Booth, and leave it at that. That said, he did a great job with the design of Wally's new costume. It's also damn nice to see Dick back in his classic black and blue Nightwing costume. I actually liked the New 52 red and black version that got so much hate, but the blue just suits him better. Of all the Rebirth series, this might be the one that I'm most interested to see where it goes. 

June 22

Wonder Woman #1: I still can hardly believe Rucka is back! As writer of one of the two or three greatest Wonder woman runs I've read, I have high hopes for this series. Liam Sharpe's art is gorgeous. Not a whole lot actually happens in this issue, but it still comes off feeling momentous. I can only imagine how good it'll be once things really start rolling!

The Flash #1: Offers a pretty good overview of Barry's life and motivations for new readers, and sets up a damn good hook to hang the rest of this story arc on. The art has an appropriately kinetic quality to it that brings the story to life in just the right way. It's damn nice to have a good Flash comic to read again!

Detective Comics #935: Damn solid issue that ramps up the stakes a good bit, with some nice character development, to boot. Barrows is doing a great job with the art. This also has what is probably the best spin on the old "hi-tech training room" standby that I've seen. This is definitely the better of the two main Batman series right now.

Action Comics #958: Jurgens & Zircher deliver an all-out brawl between Superman and what appears to be the original Doomsday. The presence of post-Forever Evil heroic-ish Lex Luthor makes this much more than a standard rematch, though. This series is shaping up to be a lot of fun!

Aquaman #1: Abnett & Walker do a good job on this issue, advancing the Atlantean Embassy plot that's been running for the last few months, even as Black Manta strikes! Aside from the brief "DC You" period of this series' previous volume, Aquaman has been a very strong book for the past five years, and it seems that will continue to be the case with Abnett at the helm.

Since there are no Rebirth issues coming out today, that brings us up to date. So far, Rebirth has been an amazing success, in stark contrast to the New 52. That saw some great sales spikes for a few months, but amid all that, there were quite a few readers being alienated by the content and quality of the comics. Rebirth seems to be accomplishing its goal of luring all those people back, along with new readers, and its sales numbers are exceeding those of the New 52! Only time will tell if this success will continue in the months to come, but things look very promising. There is an overwhelmingly positive buzz around DC that I haven't experienced in quite a long time.

Rant Review: Batman v Superman

After what seemed like an endless wait, it's finally here. The three biggest icons in all of superherodom team up in one epic movie, and those of us who have been waiting since our childhoods for such an event can barely contain ourselves. Can it possibly live up to the hype? Read on to find out! (Or, y'know, go see it.) I normally keep my reviews spoiler-free, and this one is as well, with one exception near the end. (You'll have plenty of warning, so don't worry.) However, there's so much to talk about that I'll be doing a spoiler-filled rundown about the movie's events and possible ramifications next week, so keep an eye out for that!

I'll say this right off the bat: critics have been savaging this movie, many of them gleefully ripping it apart in their reviews. For whatever reason, it seems that many of them had in for this movie from the beginning, and are taking some sick pleasure in hating on it now that it's finally released. But Batman v Superman wasn't made for critics. It was made for us. Many of the things that have drawn the critics' ire are some of the very things that fans of these characters will love most in the movie. It's also nonsensical to criticize the simplicity of the plot when everyone knew what it would be the moment the movie was announced: Batman and Superman fight, then realize they have a common enemy, and unite to take him down. It's a team-up movie designed to get these characters acquainted with one another and set the stage for the cohesive universe of DC Comics films, and it does that very well. This was never supposed to be an intricately-plotted thriller, and it would be foolish for anyone to go into it expecting that.

Now, let's take a look at the good and the bad of Batman v Superman!

THE GOOD
The casting: This movie has one of the best ensemble casts in recent memory. Everyone pulls their weight, and even the small supporting roles are very well-played. One standout is Holly Hunter as Senator Finch. This is a small but crucial role, and Hunter is so damn good that she makes the character one of the most memorable in the movie. She steals nearly every scene in which she appears, particularly when squaring off against Eisenberg's Luthor. Speaking of...

Eisenberg's Luthor: This has been one of the most divisive elements of the movie from the moment the casting was announced, and that hasn't changed now that people are flocking to theaters to watch the final product. Eisenberg isn't quite like any version of Luthor we've gotten before, and many people are finding that off-putting. He brings a manic energy and disposition to the character that seems as if it likely shouldn't work, but somehow it does.

Wonder Woman: One of the major draws of this movie is seeing one of the world's most enduring superheroes make her film debut, and Gal Gadot makes a tremendous impression in the role. She doesn't have a whole lot of screen time, but she is mesmerizing whenever she is onscreen. In one of the showings I went to, applause broke out whenever she appeared! It seems the rest of the world is finally learning what many comic readers have known for decades: Wonder Woman kicks fucking ass.

The visuals: This is a Zack Snyder film, so it should come as no surprise that it is visually stunning. Still, it is such a visual feast that it bears repeating: This film is visually stunning. Frame-worthy images pop up with such frequency that it's almost distracting at times.

Alfred: No slight to Michael Caine, who was excellent in Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight trilogy, but it's great to see the most comic-accurate version of Alfred to date in this movie. Jeremy Irons is absolutely perfectly cast, and I found myself wishing he'd had more screen time. It's worth nothing that the nearly 70 year-old Irons has aged so well that he barely looks more than a few years older than Affleck's Bruce Wayne. That's not a complaint; just an observation.

From page to screen: It's no secret that Frank Miller's seminal The Dark Knight Returns was a huge influence on this movie's depiction of Batman. Making that even more apparent are a series of shots lifted directly from the comic page and put directly into the film! Few things are more thrilling for a lover of comics.

Glimpses of the DCU: There are tons of easter eggs in this movie, ranging from blink-and-you-miss-it to whacking-you-over-the-head-with-it. All of them are a lot of fun, and I'm practically salivating over what the future holds for the cinematic DCU!

The title bout: Holy hell, the battle between the Dark Knight and the Man of Steel is the stuff of legends. It's a good hour and a half before the movie gets to that point, setting the stage and moving all the players into position, and the payoff is most certainly worth it. It doesn't take place on the same scale as the climactic battles from such movies as Man of Steel or The Avengers, but it feels even more epic.

The Bad
Editing: There are some issues with the film's pacing. The editing in the first ninety minutes is often sloppy, leaping from scene to unrelated scene with such frequency that it can be rather jarring at times. With several narratives to juggle, the editing really needs to be top-notch, and it's often not up to the task. However, once the various plotlines converge, things forge ahead much more smoothly for the final hour.

Wasted characters: I'll be vague here to avoid venturing into spoiler territory, but there are a couple of characters who appear in the movie whose names will be very familiar to those acquainted with Batman and Superman comics. However, the characters are very minor and, frankly, are completely wasted in the movie. If you're familiar with the comics, you'll know who I mean when you watch it. (More on this later in the week.)

No post-credits scene: This was a bummer, especially after I sat through the credits, which seemingly listed everyone who has ever been born, while having to pee pretty badly. Not really a strike against the movie, but definitely disappointing.

Okay, remember when I said there was one spoiler near the end of this review? Here it comes, so if you haven't seen the movie yet and wish to avoid spoilers, skip ahead to the end now! Otherwise, highlight the text below to read the spoilers.

Batman kills: Pretty self-explanatory, right? Batman kills people in this movie. That's a huge misstep. Batman does not kill. Period. Even Superman has some flexibility there, but unless you're specifically adapting the original 1939 version of Batman or some Elseworlds version, Batman absolutely does not. He doesn't directly kill people with his bare hands in the movie, or anything like that, but there are scenes in which he blows up cars full of people and doesn't even give a fuck. It's not enough to ruin the movie, but it is definitely extremely bizarre to see. Even so, the movie does make it clear that this is a Batman who has lost his way, and Bruce's words and actions at the end indicate that he's realized this. It's a pretty clear indication that he will return to the more idealistic Batman that he used to be. We can only hope.

Even with a few warts, this movie is great fun. It's the stuff of wet dreams for hardcore DC fans, something so many of us have wished for for years now. I know this is exactly the kind of movie I've wanted for as far back as I can remember, and it's wonderful that it finally exists, and actually lives up to its hype. Frankly, the people who have been grumbling about this movie being joyless have my pity. I had an ear-to-ear grin on my face nearly the entire time both times I watched it. It's the most fun I've had at the movies in years, and I can't wait to see it a third time!

Happy birthday to Bill Finger, the true father of Batman!

Today is Batman co-creator Bill Finger's birthday. I did a post about him and his role in the creation of the world's most popular superhero last year that you can read here.

Four comics that changed my life

This is one of those things being passed around the net, much like the "ten books that changed your life" thing I wrote up last year and just remembered that I forgot to schedule, so it still hasn't been posted. Whoops! Anyway, it sounded like a fun exercise, so here we go!

He-Man and the Power Sword (1982)
This was one of the minicomics that were famously packed in with every Masters of the Universe action figure in the 1980s. It's the first one sequentially, and the first one I ever got. As far as I know, it was also the very first comic I ever received. I was not quite three years old when I got this, and looking at it in the car on the way home is one of my earliest memories. This might be fudging the rules just a bit, as the first four Masters of the Universe pack-ins were technically illustrated storybooks, but they've always been considered part of the minicomics line, so I'm counting it.
This one is important for several reasons. First and foremost, it ignited my lifelong love of reading. It was the desire to read my MOTU comics (as well as my dinosaur books) whenever I wanted that led to me learning to read by the time I was five. (No more of that "having to wait until someone felt like reading one to me" crap!) It also kickstarted my affection for the heroic fantasy genre, which eventually led me to the work of Conan the barbarian creator Robert E. Howard, who remains one of my very favorite authors. I wanted to create my own characters and adventures like the one in this comic, which led me to start writing and drawing. Alfredo Alcala's badass art was a huge inspiration. One of the strongest impressions I got from this was how cool and creepy Skeletor was, which began my fascination with villains. So many of my major interests can be traced directly to this comic! It is easily the single most important book or comic I've ever gotten.

Amazing Spider-Man #360 (1992)
This wasn't the first comic I bought with my own money-- I had a few I had picked up here and there over the years-- but this was the comic that got me started buying comics as an ongoing thing, and not just something I would pick up occasionally when I had a little money and couldn't find a toy I wanted in my price range. We were selling magazine subscriptions as a school fundraiser, and among the Southern Livings and Better Homes and Gardens were a couple of comic series: Amazing Spider-Man and Captain America. Subs were only $5 each, so I figured what the hell, I'll get one. I opted for Spider-Man, which was a good thing, considering how bad the Captain America comic was at the time. (Though ASM would quickly start going down the tubes itself. It wasn't easy to find good comics published by Marvel in the early '90s.)
Anyway, this issue featured the antihero Cardiac, who had an nice eye-catching visual design. He's largely a generic vigilante combining aspects of Batman and the Punisher, but as a 13 year-old, I thought he was pretty cool at the time. This was the conclusion of a two-part story, and I had little idea what was going on, but I enjoyed it all the same. I haven't read it in about twenty years, so I have no idea how it would hold up, but that hardly matters. This comic and the larger world it hinted at was the springboard for me wading into the deep end of the comics pool for years to come.
Interesting side note: the next issue was the first appearance of '90s darling Carnage.

Sin City (1993)
I'm referring to the original hardcover collection here, just to clear up any confusion. (I know it's since been given the title "The Hard Goodbye," but as that title wasn't conceived until the movie was released, it appears nowhere in this edition of the book, so I don't refer to it as such.) I picked this up a year or so after it was published, based on a recommendation from the owner of the comic store I frequented. He was so sure I'd dig it that he knocked $5 off the price, and told me to bring it back the next week and swap it for something else if I didn't like it! I could hardly refuse such an offer, so I bought the book and got back in the car where my mom and grandma were waiting. (It would be another year before I got my own car.)
This book blew my mind wide open. The noir atmosphere, the gut-punch of an ending, and above all else, the art were all amazing. The feeling I had as I opened this book and looked at the art for the first time must have been comparable to how movie audiences felt when they first saw King Kong in 1933. It was that significant. The visuals in this book remain astonishing, and Frank Miller would refine this art style over the next few years as he made further trips to Sin City. None of them had the visceral impact on me that this first book did, though.

Nightwing #19 (1998)
I had drifted away from the comics world during my last couple of years in high school, so I hadn't picked up a comic (a new one, anyway) in about three years when I came across this at the local Books-a-Million. I was immediately struck by three things: 1. Nightwing finally had his own series. Cool. 2. His new costume was pretty awesome, and much better than his earlier ones. 3. HOLY FUCK THEY'VE DESTROYED GOTHAM CITY WITH A MASSIVE EARTHQUAKE!!! Comic events have become a standard thing, and were kind of played out even at the time, but such a massive shakeup of the status quo was something we just didn't see that often in major titles like this. This wasn't one of those events that would be forgotten about as soon as it was over. Gotham had been leveled by this massive quake, and to make things worse, the Batcave was right along the fault line, so the cave and everything in it was utterly destroyed, and Wayne Manor had collapsed into it! I had to read this story, so I bought this issue and quickly sought out part one of the crossover.

As for this issue itself, it focuses on Nightwing returning to Gotham right after the quake (he had established himself in another city to the south of Gotham) to help rescue survivors. It's a good, solid action-packed story with some great character moments, the type of thing Chuck Dixon excels at. Scott McDaniel's art seemed to leap off the page with energy, a perfect companion to the story. I was immediately hooked. This got me back into comics, and I've never stopped buying and reading them since.

So, those are my four. I've got a few honorable mentions that didn't quite make the cut. I may give them their own post if anyone wants to see them. Feel free to chime in with your own in the comments!

Comic Pick of the Week: Batman #36

Comic pick of the week is a weekly column in which I choose my favorite new comic of the week(imagine that!). I'll also name five other new releases I enjoyed. These are spoiler-free posts designed to make you wanna run out and buy some good comics, so read on with no worries of having the entire plot blown! 

This week's pick is Batman #36, part two of the epic Endgame story arc. Batman battles the Joker-ized Superman in an epic brawl through, below, and above Gotham City. This battle is a wonderful spectacle, beautifully rendered by the art team of Greg Capullo & Danny Miki and colorist FCO Plascencia. The twist near the issue's end is one of writer Scott Snyder's finest moments to date, and will have longtime readers scrambling for their back issues to scour them for the clues that whizzed right by them the first time around. 
The backup story by James Tynion IV and Graham Nolan(always nice to see him back in the Bat-verse) is another nice alternate "origin" of the Joker, displaying how manipulative and sadistic he can be. 
This issue is a real nail-biter from cover to cover, and well worth the cover price in an era where so many comics are simply far too pricey for their own good. 

Other comics I enjoyed this week: She-Hulk #10, Spider-Verse #1, Django/Zorro #1, Superior Iron Man #1, Sherlock Holmes vs. Harry Houdini #2.

Comic Pick of the Week: Swamp Thing #36

Comic pick of the week is a weekly column in which I choose my favorite new comic of the week(imagine that!). I'll also name five other new releases I enjoyed. These are spoiler-free posts designed to make you wanna run out and buy some good comics, so read on with no worries of having the entire plot blown! 

Swamp Thing was one of the surprise hits of DC's relaunch in September 2011, guided by writer Scott Snyder for its first year and a half. Everyone was surprised when he announced he was leaving the book, and the surprise only grew when his replacement was named: Charles Soule. The collective reaction was "Who?" It's funny to recall that now, as Soule has become ubiquitous in the comic industry, writing enough comics on a monthly basis to carry the entire lineup of a small publisher. I've enjoyed pretty much everything he's worked on in that time, from the sci-fi series Letter 44, which far more of you need to be reading, to team books featuring a roster of characters I've never cared about such as Thunderbolts. In a strong body of work, Swamp Thing has remained the crown jewel. It honestly gets better every single month, and this issue is simply wonderful from cover to cover. Reeling from recent events, Swamp Thing has no time to catch his metaphorical breath as he is attacked by the newly-risen Metal, an equivalent kingdom to the Red and Green composed entirely of sentient machines. Swamp Thing pays a visit to someone we haven't seen in quite a while to warn them of the rise of the machines, and the Metal realizes it needs its own avatar, and that's where things get really interesting! Jesus Saiz is just killing it on art duties, as usual. This is about as perfect a creative team as you'll find on any series out there.

I also enjoyed: Amazing Spider-Man #9(Spider-Verse begins!), Green Lantern #36(Godhead continues!), Earth 2 #28(the origins of Darkseid's Furies!), Sensation Comics #13(the conclusion to a very nice Wonder Woman two-parter), and Grayson #5(espionage action!).

Celebrating 75 years of Batman!

Today is the day DC Comics has chosen to observe the 75th birthday of arguably the most popular fictional character of all time: Batman. Comic stores across the nation are hosting special events with goodies provided by DC, so make your way to your local comic shop and join in the festivities! I had planned to observe this day in my own humble way by presenting you some essential media featuring the character and the people who have brought him and his world to life over the past 75 years. However, with a new job kicking off in addition to my writing duties, there simply hasn't been enough time for me to complete that post. While that will still be posted once it's done, I couldn't let this day pass without posting something, so this is what you get. ;) In the meantime, particularly if you don't have a comic store in your city, take a moment to check out Comixology's 75th anniversary sale and pick up some comics for dirt cheap!