Weekly Comic Review ~ Rud Edition

This week, I’m going to review something of a grab bag. There’s a stack of comics near my bed, which is nowhere near the pile of comics near my door. The stack is smaller than the pile, so I’m reviewing that.

First up, we have DC’s All Star Batman and Robin the Boy Wonder by Frank Miller and Jim Lee. Now, I highly enjoyed Miller’s take on Batman in The Dark Knight Returns. Sin City was also fun, but a little out there. This title takes elements from both stories, and sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t. The Joker is fantastic. This is my favorite kind of Joker: the beats-your-sidekick-to-death-with-a-crowbar kind of Joker. The man who is simply and purely insane, with no “wack factor” to redeem or soften him. Unfortunately, I think Miller missed the characterization of Batman/Bruce Wayne by a bit.

Usually, when Batman deals with Dick Grayson, he slips back into the persona of Bruce Wayne. He pities and commiserates with the child. In Batman and Robin the Boy Wonder, Bruce is more than a little unhinged. He is actually rather insane and sadistic, himself. He locks Grayson in the Cave and nearly starves the boy, just to see how tough he is. Not how I prefer my Batman.

The last thing to complain about is the same old complaint everyone has about Frank Miller: he obviously hates women. Even if he doesn’t hate them, he does not respect them. This doesn’t sit well with me.

All in all, I’d recommend this book if you’re really into Batman, but not if you’re looking to get into the character. This might be a bit misleading if you don’t know enough about him.

Next up is X-Men: First Class. These are simply fun. This title goes back to tell all those untold tales of the original group of five mutants whom Xavier saved. These are generally episodic and fun, without any of the heavy drama or confusing timelines of other X-titles. You care for the characters, but you aren’t emotionally exhausted by the end.

Moon Knight. He is the chosen priest/avatar/crusader of the Egyptian god Konshu, who rules the Moon and Vengeance. Something of a Batman-like character, Moon Knight may or may not have powers, he wears a cape, and he works at night. He seeks to redeem himself from a past as a mercenary and a butcher. Where other heroes focus on purse snatchers and other supervillians, Moon Knight often can be found mutilating the worst of mankind. This guy may be nuts, but, hey – at least he isn’t the Punisher. If you want to see what he’s about, go pick up Moon Knight Annual. It gives you a good flavor for the man.

Cable and Deadpool. Right now, it’s just _______ and Deadpool, but that’s okay. If you want lighthearted hilarity, with just a dash of psychosis and fourth-wall breaking, this is the title for you. I just hope that Marvel keeps Deadpool in his own feature after they replace this series with the up-and-coming Cable in February.

Lastly, we have Marvel Zombies. Of all the “What-If”worlds, this one frightens me the most. What would happen if the Marvel Universe were infected with a Zombie plague, and all the heroes were infected first? This is set in a timeline similar to what was going on in the late 60′s, and the costumes and events reflect that rather well.