The Dark Knight Returns Animated Movie

I just remembered this is happening. I'm literally giddy with glee.

The Dark Knight Strikes Again

Okay, listen, Frank Miller is a genius.

I'm not in the minority for thinking this (I think). I mean, read his work and you'll understand.

BATMAN: YEAR ONE. Perfection. They haven't written another Batman origin story in, like, ever. One that's canon anyway. I mean, yeah you have Geoff Jones's BATMAN: EARTH ONE (balls awesome, by the way) and in other stuff you have references to his childhood but BATMAN: YEAR ONE. That's kinda it. I love it. I love Jim Gordon. I love Bruce Wayne. I love the ending. I could take or leave Selina in this interpretation. Anyway. BATMAN: YEAR ONE = wonderful.

BATMAN: THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS. THE BEST. PERFECT. AMAZING. Like, if anyone knows or cares anything about comics, they've read this. And if they have a brain, they recognize that is one of the greatest stories ever out there. It's certainly one of my favorites (though I couldn't pick my favorite comic if you held a gun up to my head... okay, maybe then, if I had to). But this post isn't about BATMAN: THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS.

This post is about this:

The sequel. BATMAN: THE DARK KNIGHT STRIKES AGAIN.

Let me say, first of all, that I love the cover image used for the graphic novel trade. It's the smallest possible panel in the actually book but it makes such a great cover. I think that image kind of sums up everything Batman is, was, means, thinks, feels. It's just, perfect.

Now, I still really like this comic book but I also have some major issues with it. First of all, it's just not nearly as interesting as THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS. That one is all about Bruce Wayne realizing that he never really left Batman behind and that Gotham (America? the world?) really needs Batman. Heck, they really need heroes in general. And THAT one culminates in this beyond awesome showdown between Batman and Superman (*sob* why can't you just be friends always?). And the ending has this perfect cliffhanger type thing going on. It's just great.

THE DARK KNIGHT STRIKES AGAIN doesn't really hold a candle to it, quite frankly (that is not a pun). I really like it, don't get me wrong, and I find Frank Miller's art really compelling and interesting. He also does that juxtaposition thing from the first one just as well in the sequel. But I just don't care as much in this one. I like how Batman is kind of hidden from you for a good long while and then even after he finally appears, you don't see him much. I also really dig Bruce as a baldie. He looks real good.

I HATE what he did to Dick Grayson. I hate it so much it almost makes the whole thing unreadable for me. I like Carrie, don't get me wrong, but make it Jason Todd, not Dick Grayson. I can't stand by that. It's not okay with me. I'm not a fan of this. At all. In the slightest. At all. AT ALL.

What I am a fan of: Frank Miller's writing. Seriously. The man is a literary genius. All who dislike him are fools. Because I like him. Everyone else must like him too. Some examples I totally dig:

"Then he summed up everything he had to say about Batman in so few words it made me cry. And cry I did. Like a baby. So did everybody else.

"'We're in trouble deep. We need him.

"'We need Bruce Wayne.'" (this is from the "Top Cop Pops" exclusive by Vicky Vale at the beginning of the book)

Son of Hawkman and Hawkgirl: "I do not accept these deaths. I do not accept this crime.
Batman: You're going to get what I never got. Retribution.

(Whoa, that was a huge jump between the first two... oh well...)

Superman: It's hard to control, isn't it? The heat vision. Of all the powers, it takes the longest to master. When I was a baby, I almost burned down my parents' house. It did cost them a shed. Pa was furious... Lara. What sort of world have I given you?

Batman: CHILDREN, PULL ON YOUR TIGHTS -- AND GIVE THEM HELL.

Batman: This is the world you turned your back on, pal. These are the people you abandoned. Watch. Learn. And make your choice.

Captain Marvel: He (Billy) died eight years ago. So I'm going on a one-way trip.
A CREATURE OF MAGIC. CAPTAIN MARVEL.
Wonder Woman: "One  - way trip"?... Where do you go?
Captain Marvel: Where... Where's a wish go? Where's a dream go when you wake up and can't remember it? Nowhere. Give everybody my best. It's been nice... existing.
Wonder Woman: Say the word, warrior! Go out with a lion's roar!
SHAZAM!

Batman: We aren't here to rule. We aren't here to bring chaos or anarchy. We're here to end the reign of criminals. Luthor. Brainiac. This is only the beginning. Tyrants, your days are numbered. You can't fight us -- and you can't find us, we strike like lightning -- and we melt into the night like ghosts. (can you feel my adoration from where you're sitting, Reed?)

Supergirl/Lara: (about/to Batman) How dare you! You're nothing but human flesh and human bone. I could hunt you down in a second -- erase you at my whim! You can't speak to me like that -- and you sure as hell can't speak to my father like that!
Superman: Yes. He can. He's our only hope. The bastard. He's our only hope.

Batman V.O.: No.
Not just yet, old man.
Not just yet.
One more job to finish.
One last run.
One last run.

Green Lantern V.O.: Bruce. You begged me not to leave. You said we could win. Now we'll find out. How strange that it would be you. The mean one. The cruel one. The one with the darkest soul. How odd that you, of all of us, would prove to be the most hopeful. (< this one I love an exceptional amount)

Green Lantern V.O.: Bruce. You were right. When you laughed in our faces, all those years ago -- when you called the rest of us a pack of fools -- you were right. Of course we're criminals. We've always been criminals. On this planet we have to be criminals. (< this one really makes you think)

Carrie: You're losing all your stuff. You're blowing it all up.
Batman: It's nothing. It's junk. A robot tyrannosaur, for goodness sake.
Carrie: Well, yeah, and that giant penny was pretty bogue. But it's your history. Your whole history. Batman: Souvenirs, darling. Nothing but souvenirs.

Seriously. LOVE IT.

I know that was probably so tedious for you to read, Reed. It was pretty tedious for to type. But it's one of the main reasons I love comic books - good comic books. Good writing.

Other things I like:

• Miller's portrayal of the heroes as they come out of retirement, particularly Barry Allen, the Flash.
• An acknowledgement of how crazy powerful Green Lantern (Hal Jordan) is. I hate when writers ignore that fact.
• Bald Bruce.
• The art.
• The writing.
• The writing.
• Oh, and did I mention the writing?

That's what makes a good comic book: good writing. So many people think it's about the art or whatever but if the writing is flat, the book falls apart. Granted, the same can be said for the art but I think that even if the art isn't really your style, if the writing is good, it holds it all together. For me, I couldn't stand the art of WATCHMAN at first yet Moore's story and writing held the hot mess together. Or even BATMAN: THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS. I didn't buy that trade for a long time cause the art weirded me out. But the writing is crazy good and that persuaded me and now I really like the art.

Good writing = why I love comic books.

This Counts Right?

Somehow, some way, I spent close to five hours yesterday looking at videos of the actors from Dragon Ball Z. You can judge all you want, Reed, but I seriously forgot how huge a part of my childhood this show was. Seriously. And then I started learning about this beautiful creation:

It's Dragon Ball Z without all the stupid filler (which was fun sometimes) that made the planet Namek cycle the longest thing of my entire life. Seriously. I watched the trailer for PART 1, which is episodes 1-13, and I seriously cried. So then I bought said PART 1 on Amazon for tenish dollars... for the Blu-Ray! Deals ahoy!

I'm beyond pumped, Reed. I'm going to get the mangas next time I'm home and read them all again. Woo! Does this count? I mean, the manga are technically comics so they can be posted on this blog right? Wait, this is my blog isn't it? So I can post whatever I want. Yay freedom!

Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go listen to Dragon Soul on repeat for a few million years. Ah, my nerd is showing and I refuse to be ashamed!

Infinite Crisis, Pt 2

Finishing INFINITE CRISIS helped me realize the number reason I just love comic books:

They make me cry no matter how many times I read the same story. And let me tell you, the end of INFINITE CRISIS had plenty of tear inducing moments. Call me a softie. Or call comic books just that good. (You totally should. Go with option 2.)

I can't promise this'll be the most coherent post I ever make, Reed, cause a whole lot goes on in INFINITE CRISIS. I didn't even touch on, like, most of it in my last post and in this one I'm only going to talk about the moments that made me cry and any explaining required to understand said moments. So.

SPOILERS, BLAH BLAH BLAH, BEWARE, LA LA LA, ONWARD!

Okay, so Batman and Nightwing split up to do their business: Bats to take out Brother Eye and Nightwing to call some allies together (only Superboy and Wondergirl show up -- the others are busy) to free the heroes being held captive by Alexander Luthor and Superboy-Prime. So Batman's working to dismantle Brother Eye and the stupid robot thing says to him:

Brother Eye: You friends will fail, creator.
Batman: My friends can take care of themselves.
Brother Eye: Not the ones here. The others. On your earth. Martian Manhunter. Power Girl. And your favorite. Subject Beta -- Grayson, Richard -- Nightwing.

DID YOU HEAR THAT? DICK IS HIS FAVORITE! I weep a little bit for Tim, because he's my favorite but it just makes so much more sense for it to be Dick cause they've been together the longest and, like, they understand each other and stuff, you know? I just really really really love how in this graphic novel, the relationship between Bruce and Dick is really emphasized and played up. I wish the same care would have been taken with the Superboy/Robin relationship but, alas. We do get a panel that kind of makes up for it.

Bringing me to... the death of Superboy. Conner does his best against Superboy-Prime but the dude is not only totally insane but, like, way overpowered cause he has this suit that absorbs yellow sunlight or something for him yadda yadda go home Superboy-Prime, no one likes you (that was mean of me because all Superboy-Prime wants to do is go home...). Anyway, Superboy dies taking him down and then his girlfriend, Wondergirl, finds him and it's really sad cause Conner's like:

Superboy: He said I wasn't the real Superboy. kff... He was wrong. I just forgot for a little while... we all forgot... don't let them forget again.
Wondergirl: Just hang in there, okay? You did it, Conner. You saved the Earth. You saved everyone.
Superboy: I know, Cass. Isn't it cool?

AND THEN HE'S DEAD AND IT'S SHOWN WITH LITTLE PANELS SHOWING HIS EYEBALL ROLLING BACK INTO THAT DEATH STATE AND I'M LIKE NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO. And then I'm going to cry just cause he's dead and I have developeda sudden overwhelming affection for Superboy the last couple of days (makes me tempted to buy the new 52 graphic novel about him... Any thoughts, Reed?) but then BUT THEN they have a panel showing Robin, aka my boy Tim Drake, appearing and finding the dead body and falling to his knees over Conner and crying. Cause Conner is his BEST FRIEND (Bart too). As if Tim hasn't lost enough already. I'm too lazy to check chronology cause that's just how I roll... but then I realized: Hal is in this and he isn't in IDENTITY CRISIS, so this means that the death of Conner, Tim's best friend, comes after the death of his mother and the murder of his father (the latter shown in IDENTITY CRISIS, the former is not). But I don't know if this is before or after his girlfriend, the Spoiler, dies too. I think it's after. THE POINT IS! Of all the Robins, Tim Drake loses the most. Well, unless you count Jason losing his life but I don't, not in this case. Dick loses his parents at a young age: traumatic. Jason does too or whatever and then finds his mom or whatever I don't know I never really cared for Jason. Damian doesn't really have anyone to lose except Bruce, who he kinda lost I guess but then Bruce came back so... Tim loses the most and I just feel so bad that Conner dies.

But then the fighting isn't over and it gets worse for Tim (whyyyy). They're fighting or whatever against people and it's super dramatic and complicated and, like, five different fights are going on at once. The important one is the one that Batman's in. Duh. So the Bat family, aka Batman, Nightwing and Robin, subdue Slade. And then Alexander Luthor pops up because no one wants him so OF COURSE he has to show up. Then he shoots a purple energy beam at Batman, intending to kill him I guess but then NIGHTWING JUMPS IN THE WAY, screaming, "Batman! Look OUT!" And he takes the shot for him and I'm like, "NO DICK WHY DO YOU DO THIS TO ME?! (But, also, thanks for saving Bruce)" Then Batman's like "NIGHTWING!" and he goes after Luthor. Then this giant guy knocks the ground down and they all fall to this area below the road and Tim's left alone over Dick's limp body and then he screams, my heart breaks looking at the panel even now, "BATMAN!" Cause his big brother might be DEAD. That is NOT OKAY, if you were wondering.

A few pages later, Batman is battling Alexander Luthor, aka winning, obviously, and Luthor is making this speech about how Batman is too narrow minded blah blah blah. And over top those panels in little mini panels, you get a shot of Dick all bloody and unconcious. In the other one you a get a picture of Tim leaning over him, mouth open in what I assume are shouts along the lines of "Nightwing! Nightwing!" with tears sliding over his mask. Then Alexander Luthor says the line that wins the idiot award:

Luthor: You need to learn to take shortcuts to justice.

Like, no. You are an idiot Alexander Luthor. Seriously. You're so stupid. Stop talking. Batman, shut him up.

[cue Batman punching Alexander Luthor]

Thank you. Now, Batman goes ahead and breaks whatever is left of my heart with this:

Batman: I know what Superman is going through. He doesn't deserve that. Superboy didn't deserve that. What do you deserve? [as he holds a gun up to Alexander's head]

DON'T WORRY Batman doesn't use it! The gun I mean.

But do you know what he's referring to up there? He's referring to the death of Jason Todd. He's referring to the lose of a child. Because Batman was too late to save Jason and that haunts him for the rest of life, even, I think, after Jason comes back as the Red Hood (that's not a spoiler right?) He held the lifeless body of a young boy he put in danger, a young boy he loved, in his arms. You don' get to experience that a lot. And Batman did (because the readers hated Jason. I'm sorry we they we caused you so much pain, Bruce!) and I love when it's referenced because, again, it adds depth to the character.

Don't worry, Nightwing makes it.

So the good guys beat the bad guys and Superman loses his powers and Batman, Wonder Woman and Superman step down from the JL for a while. And it ends with Batman "[retracing] the steps I first took when I left Gotham. I'll be rebuilding Batman. But this time it's going to be different."

Tim: "Hey Bruce! C'mon! Let's go!
Bruce: I'm not going alone.

BECAUSE HE AND HIS BOYS GO ON A FAMILY VACATION (sort of) and I just love it too much for words.

The point of this post, beside more gushing over the Bat family (you'll have to get used to that, Reed, it happens a lot) is to say that comic books make me cry and get kind of emotional and I think that might be embarrassing but I'm learning to not be so embarrassed by myself.

Soon I will tell you all about IDENTITY CRISIS. That one makes me cry, like, so much. The end, don't EVEN get me STARTED on the end.

Seriously, all of THAT ^ is why I love comic books.

Infinite Crisis, Pt 1

I'm taking a break from homework and procrastinating jumping back into Hamlet (all of it by Monday... seriously?!) to talk about the comic I'm rereading at the moment. I'll confess, Reed, that I'm skipping some stuff (mainly Wonder Woman cause for whatever reason she really bores me a lot of time) and reading the Batman and Superman parts of INFINITE CRISIS:

I haven't reread this in a really long time and I forgot how good it really is. We'll save the Superboy vs Superboy-Prime for the wrap up post when I finish the rest of it. I want talk briefly in this post about something near and dear to my heart:

the Bat Family. In the case of INFINITE CRISIS, it's focused on Bruce Wayne and the first Robin, now Nightwing, Dick Grayson.

Okay, so, you know, SPOILERS AHEAD!

Right, so lots of stuff is happening and the world is falling apart, Wonder Woman killed Maxwell Lord on national television, Bruce created this computer program that's, like, taking over the world and trying to kill WW and the Justice League, mainly the Big 3, is splintered. Batman and Superman are fighting. It breaks my heart.

Mixed into all of this is the Superman and co from Earth 2. That Earth's Lois Lane is dying so old-guy Superman (from now on called OG Superman), Superboy-Prime (evil little rat boy) and Alexander Luthor are trying to replace our Earth with Earth 2 so that Lois will live and all the people they loved on Earth 2 will come back to life.

Now, to do this, OG Superman wants to recruit Batman to help with the cause. He tells Batman about how on Earth 2, Bruce Wayne married Selina Kyle (a girl can dream, right?) ((the before referenced girl is me, Kent Wayne, so you know)) and how they had Helena, aka the Huntress. He talks about how on our Earth, everyone Bruce knows is a corrupted version of that person on Earth 2. He thinks this will help convince Batman to go over his the dark his side. And it seems to be working. Until this little exchange that I just LOVE. I LOVE IT OKAY?

Batman: You mean they'll die. (He's talking about everyone on our Earth).
OG Superman: No. They'll be replaced, just as everyone on my Earth was. But they'll be better. I never lie, Bruce.
Batman: And what about Dick Grayson?
OG Superman: Yes?
Batman: You said this Earth corrupts everything. Is the Dick Grayson of my Earth a corrupted version of yours?
OG Superman: [sad face] [long pause] No.

And then Batman's like, "Oh, hecks no, brah, I will not join your the dark your side!" Because he LOVES Dick Grayson. And to Bruce, Dick Grayson is totally non-corruptible, he's such a good person down to the very core. Dick Grayson was the light to Batman's dark for so many years. And then as Nightwing he made friendships and started building relationships and still hung around to make wonderful jokes and be the best big brother to Tim, like, ever. And if helping OG Superman meant the death, or end, of the Dick Grayson that Bruce knows and LOVES, then no way Jose. He is not helping you in your evil plan.

So then Bruce figures out that Alexander Luthor and Superboy-Prime are evil and that they kidnapped the Martian Manhunter. So, of course, Batman needs to act. So he hunts down Dick to explain his plan. But when he finds him there's some big chemical explosion or something and then this happens (SO MUCH LOVE I HAVE FOR THIS):

Batman: Nightwing.
Nightwing: Bruce? What are you doing here?
Batman: ...I want to make sure... you're all right...

BECAUSE DADDY BAT CARES. HE REALLY REALLY CARES. I also think maybe he needed to remind himself that he made the right decision. That Dick really is as good as he remembers. So then Batman explains his plan and then they have this exchange which really made me feel all the good feelings and then I was like, "I'll post a part 1 or whatever and then go read Hamlet. Hamlet can wait. Batman is talking."

Nightwing: Why come to me?
Batman: Because everyone else trusts you. They always have. You've put an importance on keeping up relationships that I neglected. You care.
Nightwing: So do you. You just let everyone think different.

SQUEE! I just love when Dick and Bruce dialogue. I love how even though Bruce is a father figure to Dick, they're also equals. Dick has never been afraid to speak his mind to Bruce. Once he stepped out of the shadow of the Bat, he was out of the shadow. They became equals as well as mentor/mentee and partners. I also love dialogue like this because it lets us into the true depth of this relationship. It shows us that Dick knows Bruce really, really well. Which is expected since they've been together since Dick was a kid. It's just so nice. It's one of those levels that really good comic book writers add to a story. All this drama is going around, cities exploding, bad guys kidnapping people, and Geoff Jones (yes, him again) manages to remind us that even if these are people that do fantastic things, they're still people. And there's so much going on in each exchange that is way deeper than what they're actually talking about. That's how it is in real life, too. It's one of the reasons I love comic books.

Then at the end of this whole planning period we get the thing that I just, like, cried over cause I loved it so much.

Batman: ...Dick.
Nightwing: Yeah?
Batman: The early years. I've forgotten if... they were good for you, weren't they?
Nightwing: [smiles] The best.

I CAN'T EVEN EXPLAIN TO YOU HOW I FEEL ABOUT THIS. SERIOUSLY I LOVE THE BAT FAMILY, LIKE, WAY TOO MUCH.

These moments, these exchanges, these relationships... You just get so invested and... and you get to know these characters so well that I love when the writers remind me that the characters know each other really well too.

I also love how Bruce really wanted Dick's childhood to be a good one, despite all they've been through. And I know Dick's answer is genuine because I know he loves Bruce. I know. And I appreciate any and all reminders about how totally solid and wonderful the Bat family is.

It's just one of the reasons why I love comic books.

Superboy

Okay, this really isn't a post about why I love comics... I just want to say that I love this:

I've been trolling through lots of DC fan art the last couple of days and I am just in love with this version of Superboy. I much prefer it to the current model with the t-shirt and jeans. I really need to get my hands on some Young Justice/Teen Titans with this version of Kon, Tim and Bart. Any tips, Reed?

Superman: Brainiac

I bought a bunch of Superman comics off of Amazon a month or so ago because I just really like Superman. I hate when people hate Superman. Seriously. It is one of my biggest pet peeves and let me tell you why, Reed. People can have their own opinions, of course and if those opinions are different than mine then, well, wonderful! We can an interesting and exhilarating discourse on why you think what you think and why I think what I think. But I cannot have discourse with most of the people I meet who hate Superman, Reed. This is why. This is how the conversation usually goes.

Me: Yeah, I love Batman. He's my favorite. Superman's a close second.
Them: Oh, I hate Superman.
Me: Really? Why?
Them: He's way overpowered.
Me: Have you read a lot of Superman comics?
Them: I haven't read any.

ANY?! NOT A SINGLE ONE?! Then why, imaginary "them" do you have ANY right to give such a rock solid opinion? Why does your opinion end in an a period? It should end in a question mark! Like, "I hate Superman? Maybe?" because you don't know ANYTHING about him. If you don't know anything about him, how can you give an opinion?

I used to be like them, Reed, I used to hate Superman without knowing him. I used think he was stale and overpowered and his stories were bland. I mean, I didn't really start reading comics until I was around sixteen or so, seventeen, maybe, and then I just read Batman comics. And I started on good Batman comics, like THE LONG HALLOWEEN, HUSH, YEAR ONE, THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS, that kind, like, super legitimate and awesome Batman comics. So, of course, how oculd Superman with all his powers and his indestructableness possibly compare to Batman whose stories had mysteries and a question mark at the end because you don't know if Batman's really going to win this time. Okay, I mean, we know he's going to win but the question you have to ask is "what's he going to lose for winning?" I guess that was a confusing sentence. Sorry. What I mean is, while Batman is focused on solving this murder or finding that criminal, what is going to fall by the wayside? Who's going to get kidnapped or die or disappear while that Bat-attention is focused elsewhere?

I didn't think that question really applied to Superman. I mean, he has SUPER HEARING and he can, like, move faster than the Flash (arguably) who is supposed to be the fastest man alive (and Superman is an alien). So I'm thinking, how on Earth is Superman supposed to ever leave anything to chance? How is Superman ever supposed to be too late?

Let's bring this post back to focus by answering this question. That answer is found in SUPERMAN: BRAINIAC

 

by Geoff Jones and Gary Frank (whose art I love more and more with every issue I read). This was one of the graphic novels I got offline a month or so ago (disclaimer: because I can't find any comic stores near me that I like and also because I just prefer the graphic novels, that's what I read. As a result I have to wait forever for the new 52 issues to be out in volumes, poo poo. Also I will say comic book even if they're not technically comic books. I'm sorry, Reed, but when I hear "graphic novel" I think of manga) and it took me forever to read it. I got, basically, almost every single volume that was from Geoff Jones working on Superman. I don't care what anyone else says, I think Geoff Jones is a really creative, interesting story teller. Already today, I'd read SUPERMAN: LAST SON (so good so good so good, plus, RICHARD DONNER!) and SUPERMAN AND THE LEGION OF SUPER HEROES (really really really good as well, plus Gary Frank!) and so I capped it all off with SUPERMAN: BRAINIAC. Best decision of my life, really. Not really. I don't know.

So, anyway, SUPERMAN: BRAINIAC is all about how the true Brainiac has been trying to find Suerpman all this time but he's been failing and Supergirl is all freaked about him because of what he did to Kandor so Superman's like "Imma take the fight to him!"

FOREWARNED! SPOILERS AHEAD!

But what's cool here is this: Superman keeps losing. He'll break out of whatever trap Brainiac puts him in and then he'll knock Brainiac down or whatever and then Brainiac'll be like "foolish Kryptonian you are stupid because you lived amongst the humans on their stupid planet and their culture is primitive and disgusting" (he must have just watched an episode of the Jersey Shore - har har har! you didn't think you'd be getting jokes too, did ya, Reed?) and then he'll trap Supes all over again. And for me, as the reader, I was seriously wondering how Superman was going to pull this off. Because not only did Brainiac keep beating him and sticking painful looking metal needle things in his skull, but Metropolis had been turned into a bottle city and Supergirl was out of action at the moment. So then I'm wondering "how is he going to do this?" Brute strength wasn't doing much good because Brainiac just kept coming back. And I guarantee that any of his "way too many" powers would have had the same effect. So that leaves Superman with the greatest power of all....

Can you guess what it is, Reed?

...

That's right... HIS BRAIN! I've only really seen (in my limited Superman reading experience) Grant Morrison truly utilize the super smart aspect of the character. Most people are like: "Have him punch it really hard or fly really fast and then make some philosphoical rant about do-gooding!" But Geoff Jones did that too in making Superman use his brain to defeat Brainiac. He kicks Brainiac out of the space ship and into a swamp - because Brainiac's been in a mostly sterile environment for at least five centuries, you can imagine this was not good for him in the slightest. So then Superman saved the day!

But none of that is why I cried. And yes, I did cry while reading SUPERMAN: BRAINIAC, but I cry when I read things I find particularly moving. And comics usually move me. Sometime I'll have to tell you about ALL OF THE FEELINGS that overwhelmed me when reading BATMAN AND ROBIN: BORN TO KILL (so much Batfamily goodness).

No, the thing that got me was the answer to the question mentioned above: "How is Superman ever supposed to be too late?" Well in SUPERMAN: BRAINIAC, he was too late. And it cost him big time. Part of me doesn't want to reveal it to you but at the same time... I don't know, Reed, what do you think?

...

...

Okay, listen, MAJOR SPOILER! (And yet it came out in, like, 2008 or something so it's not really a spoiler but whatever)

Superman is too late to save Jonathan Kent. Clark is too late to save Pa. And Pa Kent dies. And I'm, like, what do I do now? Because then they show some funeral pages - just art, no dialogue - and BRUCE IS THERE. See, what you will learn about me fast is that I love the Batman/Superman-Bruce/Clark bromance almost as much as I love the individual characters. And seeing Bruce there, hidden in the shadows granted, showing his best friend support just kills me (like in IDENTITY CRISIS when Clark is one of the few people who attends the very small funeral of Jack Drake). And THEN Clark goes home and he looks through his father's memory chest of all this stuff that made Jonathan think of Clark as he was growing up and this line repeats itself in Clark's memory:

"...if there ARE people that need help, you do what you always do. Don't let ANYONE or ANYTHING get in your way."

And the last page is just a picture of Clark on the ground, head in his hands, crying.

DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME, REED? SERIOUSLY?

It's just beyond words in its complete and utter fabulousness. Like, people hate on Superman and I want to say "read BRAINIAC, read ALL STAR SUPERMAN (please, it's amazing), read GROUNDED." Read any actual Superman story and you'll see why this character is the FIRST and the OLDEST superhero in history. He started the genre, for goodness sake! Superman is amazing (maybe not Bat-mazing, but as close as you can get!) If you don't believe me, you really just need to pick up a comic - but let me recommend you a good one, okay?

Reed, remind me to tell you about ALL STAR SUPERMAN sometime. Oooh! I have to tell you about the new ACTION COMICS: SUPERMAN AND THE MEN OF STEEL. That's just, like, beyond good. When Superman is in the right hands, it's not hard to understand why he's an international symbol of complete and utter awesome.

It's just one of the reasons I love comic books.

An Introduction of Sorts

I’ve tried countless times to talk to my non-comic fan friends and family about why I just adore comic books and no one really gets it. Sadly, I don’t know many people that read comic books on anything more than a casual level. Thus, there exists no one close to me willing to discourse on the potential that BATMAN: NIGHT OF THE OWLS may be on par with Miller (we’re talking YEAR ONE, not THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS. I have yet to find anything really touches on THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS) or the fact that in the hands of Grant Morrison, Superman is anything but stale. So I’m going to talk to YOU about it, reader, whoever you may be. You might be no one, really, and I might write three posts and then quit because no one sees these posts. But then, at the same time, does it matter if anyone sees it? I’ll just imagine you there, reader, the perfect audience, willing to listen as I ramble on and on about how much these stories mean to me and how much these characters mean to me. We may even touch on how when I read comic books I experience a kind of joy that C.S. Lewis talked about, the kind of joy that is a mere echo of the joy I find in my relationship with Christ. Comic books are so much. And this is why I love them.

I think for this exercise, reader, you should have a name. I’ve come up with a very simple, classic one: Reed. From now on, you shall be Reed and we shall have such awesome conversations. You can call me Kent Wayne (see what I did there?); my true gender will remain a mystery to you (for about .2 seconds until I start fangirling and such… oh, wait, there it goes) and we will become the best of friends. I assert things now, Reed, to remind myself later when I wonder why I started this weird blog no one will ever read… Except you. And that’s why I love you. You and comic books.