Scuffle in the Sanctorum! The DC/Marvel All Access 3 Review

After besting Two-Face, Jubilee and Robin (Tim Drake) are confronted by The Scorpion! Batman arrives and puts the beatdown on the Spider-villain. 

Using a bit of deductive reasoning, Access feels that answers to the mysterious Crossings may lie with Dr. Strange. It takes some doing, however, he manages to convince The Batman to accompany him to New York and Strange's Sanctum Sanctorum.

There, Access and The Batman engage in accusations and finger-pointing. Jubilee returns with the X-Men. Not a Classic line-up, mind you, Cyclops, Iceman, Jean Grey, Bishop and Cannonball. They fight with Batman. As The Dark Knight collects himself, Access himself returns with the Justice League! 

Guice and Rubinstein are back at it on Ron Marz's story. Lee Loughridge on colors; Digital Chameleon on separations. It's a pretty standard issue where hero's face a misunderstanding and end up arguing and fighting until they reach a lightbulb moment of clarity.

That moment may come in the next issue!

What is enjoyable is the diversity and somewhat unpredictability. The Batman and Dr. Strange? X-Men versus Justice League? The Batman spies The Black Cat?

This is what fans long for.

DC/Marvel All Access 3 earns three stars.

Hello, Darkness, My Old Friend... JSA: The Liberty File 2 Review

Elseworlds. A Jolley Roger Production.

1942. World War II. "Chaz" McNider, The Owl, was wounded in the explosive conflict in the previous issue. He's recuperating in hospital. There's a comment from Rex Tyler, The Clock, that McNider's codename should have been something more personal than "The Owl", being that he's such a horndog, ladies' man. McNider's convalescence is cut short by The Scarecrow, an incredibly creepy and horrific Nazi "cleaner". The Scarecrow murders McNider, then murders The Bat and The Clock's contact. During the ensuing chase and conflict. Terry Sloane's paramour is gunned down as well. Just as he was about to propose. 

Sloane revives his "fair play" costume of Mr. Terrific and joins The Bat and The Clock. They manage to overcome The Scarecrow. The trail of the Nazi Übermensch leads back to Africa. There, Bruce Wayne uses the vital piece of information to sway the alien "super man" to the Allies side. The tide of the war does turn, against Hitler and Germany.

Dan Jolley's story is definitely for fans of the Justice Society as well as the Elseworlds concept - DC's version of "What if...?" Jolley's story is also for more mature readers, and not for the squeamish. Definitely not an all-ages book. Your mileage may vary on that. Jolley does a fine job of misdirection and creating a surprise conclusion that is definitely genuine and thrilling. Tony Harris, with Ray Snyder and Matt Hollingsworth on art creates a very dark and moody atmosphere, perfect for the period piece. Tyler makes a comment about Bruce Wayne's disguises changing his hair color. It seems confusing and kind of falls flat with the shadows and dark tone of the art. Ken Lopez's lettering is enjoyable as it changes from narration to sound effects.

Overall, it's a thrilling alternate version of familiar characters. JSA: The Liberty File earns four stars.

Through the Glass More Darkly - JSA: The Liberty File Review

Elseworlds. A Jolly Roger Production.

1942. World War II. The Joker is re-imagined as Jack, The Grin. He's an underworld figure that has come upon a vital Nazi communique. He's hidden it and is in the market to sell it to the highest bidder. The Nazi's want him for it. The Allies want him for it. The Bat has been assigned to work with The Clock and The Owl. We're jumping right in, into the story as it unfolds. Apparently, Ted Grant, The Cat is dead. The Bat typically works alone. Trust issues. Charles McNider, The Owl (we might recognize him in another reality as Dr. Mid-Nite), is quite the ladies' man, or maybe, a bird dog. He jokes that he's compensating for his blindness. Rex Tyler, The Clock, is the strong man. Not so much with finesse or subtlety, like The Bat. The trio follow The Grin's trail to Africa. Until reconnecting with The Bat, Jack has been suffering from amnesia.

"Chaz" contacts singer Dinah Drake, The Canary for information on where to find Jack. They do. The three manage to get their hands on the important information. It could turn the tide of the war!

Dan Jolley story is definitely for mature readers. This is not an all-ages book. Which is the only downfall. It has everything else. Jack is written very violent and blood thirsty. The reality really doesn't seem to matter; The Joker is written as incredibly violent. It's almost gratuitous. More and more, Batman comes off as deranged and unhinged, rather than focused and determined. Tony Harris on art with Ray Snyder and Matt Hollingsworth just adds to the sinister bent of the story. Ken Lopez's lettering is enjoyable for The Bat's narration and the prompts that move the story along and the pacing.

Your mileage may vary, based on the dark grisly tone.

JSA: The Liberty File 1 earns four stars.         

Secret Origins

Secret Origins #1, 1986

Wow, has it really been 28 years since the last DC Comics Secret Origins series? The New 52 Secret Origins series debuted this week. I would have picked up a copy at my Local Comic Book Store, Book Review - in the Hillcrest Shopping Center, the 19th Street exit off Highway 52 - but I am in Kiev on an extended stay bringing my daughter Masha home through international adoption. I'm not sure I would pick it up even if I weren't out of town. Not that I have anything against my Local Comic Book Store, Book Review - online at www.bookreviewmn.com - it's just that I have most of the issues from the previous series; and, well, except for a few, minor details, not much has really changed.

Superman "Secret Origin" by Alex Ross and Paul Dini

I'm a DC Comics fan. I am a Batman fan. I like a lot of the DC Comics characters. Having read a good deal of comic books over nearly a half century, I've seen my share of "Secret Origins". Originally, Batman was just a guy that dressed up as a bat to fight crime. In his first story, "The Case of the Chemical Syndicate" Bat-Man as he was called then, was just a guy who fought crime in a bat-themed costume. He was a bored millionaire, Bruce Wayne. Bruce was close friends with Gotham City Commissioner James Gordon. They were enjoying their pipes when word came of a murder that led Batman to uncovering the mystery. Later, it was revealed that Bruce Wayne's parent were murdered in a robbery, leaving young Bruce orphaned. As Bruce grew up he developed his mind and body to physical perfection, looking for the opportunity to channel his grief and loss productively. He was looking for an answer when a bat flew in through his study window. He took the bat as a sign. Realizing that criminals are "superstitious, cowardly lot", Bruce decided to turn the tables and inspire fear in criminals by dressing as a bat to wage a never-ending "war on crime".

Bruce Wayne was the victim of a faceless crime. That is, his parents were murdered by a faceless criminal. That was the story for many years. Until, the robber was given a name. Joe Chill. Bruce was given an opportunity to hunt down the man who murdered his parents and bring him to justice. Batman confronts Chill with the murder of Thomas and Martha Wayne. Chill calls Batman's bluff. Batman pulls off his mask and reveals that Chill's murdering the Waynes led to his becoming The Batman. Chill runs from The Batman for back-up from his gang. He tells his gang that he is being chased by The Batman, because he is the one who created the vigilante hero. In a true Twilight Zone twist, Chill's gang turns on him and kills him for creating crimes worst nightmare. Batman catches up and watches Chill die. He also brings Chill's gang to justice as well.

Batman #47, 1948

Since that classic 1948 story, Batman's origin has been re-told many times over the years, with new details added. He's not the only one. Nearly all of DC's characters have had their origins told and embellished time after time. We know so much more about Superman's home planet of Krypton; his youth in Smallville; how Supergirl's family and Argo City was launched into space when Krypton exploded; and how capitol city Kandor was shrunk by the villain Brainiac and preserved from the planet's destruction.

Untold Legends of The Batman

Re-telling Secret Origins is not limited to the comics. In the 1989 Batman film, it's hinted that a young Jack Napier, before he became The Joker was responsible for the Waynes' murder. Later, in Batman Begins, it is back to Joe Chill, but with the 1956 twist, that it was a murder-for-hire by the Gotham Underworld.

Secret Origins #1, 2014

Meanwhile, nearly the whole first third of The Man of Steel is set on Krypton setting up not only the planet's destruction, but General Zod as the villain of the story.

JLA: Secret Origins by Alex Ross and Paul Dini

My favorite Secret Origins has to be the over-sized JLA: Secret Origins, written by Paul Dini with art by Chicagoan Alex Ross. Dini and Ross had done four individual Secret Origins to open Superman: Peace on Earth, Batman: War on Crime, Shazam! Power of Hope and Wonder Woman: Spirit of Truth. Those four and the rest of the Justice League, not including Firestorm - who joined the team in 1979 - are included in over-sized trade paperback. The origins were a primer to the over-sized graphic novel JLA: Liberty and Justice. These are the most basic of origins, each one a two-page spread. Told either in first-person, or by someone close to each hero. They are pretty much personality driven, conveying the character and how each hero was molded and developed. These origins focus on the core values of each hero.

To me, JLA: Secret Origins by Dini and Ross are the essential origins. There really isn't much that this new Secret Origins series can do to top what they've done. Maybe someone can come along and clean up Supergirl's origin. That is one hot mess! But overall, I'd rather see the characters in good stories than celebrating their "birthday" over and over again.

I would have liked to bring JLA: Secret Origins or JLA: Liberty and Justice on my trip to Kiev. There just was no way to pack them. I did bring along all three trade paperbacks that make up the Alex Ross-Jim Krueger-Doug Braithwaite series Justice.

Justice by Alex Ross, Jim Krueger and Doug Braithwaite

This is the third trip that I've brought Justice along as a creature comfort from home.