Let’s Get Small: On The Subject of Tiny Heroes

With apologies to Steve Martin, I’ve always thought that among the super-powers our comic heroes had, getting small or being tiny had to be among most useless out there. Powers were supposed to make you strong and give you a fighting advantage against your foes- not turn ordinary household appliances and things into deadly weapons!

I laughed when went to my friends’ house and he had these copies of The Atom and Micronauts (both strangely issue 2 of its run) where, due to their powers, are threatened by such mundane things as a lawnmower and…a kitchen sink filled with water?! 

Holy Rick Moranis were these powers useless!
Even Ant-Man himself was defenseless against a tub filled with water in an early issue of Tales To Astonish- imagine having a power that makes taking a bath a deadly proposition!

LOL, it’s probably not a coincidence that by the next issue, Ant Man had given up his shrinking powers and had transitioned into GIANT-MAN!

PS: I remember when I was in college, meeting this girl who had grown up reading her brother's LEGION of SUPER-HEROES collection. I mentioned in passing how boring SHRINKING VIOLET's shrinking powers were, however she made me laugh when she said, "Remember TRIPLICATE GIRL? Now THAT was a ridiculous power!" LOLOL

Swamp Thing Vol.1: Saga of the Swamp Thing

Re-reading this again for the very first time. I never read the Vertigo Comics Swamp Thing series when it was currently being published, and only picked up a few collections later to see what all the hub-bub about it was. 

Can't say I was overly interested in it, and i've never felt like reading it again in all the 10+ years since.

But I really love Alan Moore's writing, and this weekend without anything to read, decided to finally give this series another go. So far, i have to admit I'm enjoying it a lot more...will update my progress on re-discovering SWAMP THING!

Favorite Comics: Legion of Super-Heroes #11

Remember when  the serious tone of the X-Files would occasionally be interrupted by a fun, silly episode  to brighten things up? Well, that’s JUST what the maniacs did for the serious and violent world of LEGION 5Y with issue 11 featuring a very FUN and HILARIOUS solo story featuring  Tenzil Kem (the amazing MATTER-EATER LAD) as a blundering Lawyer whom, along with his sweet sidekick/assistant Calorie Queen, attempts to defend Polar Boy in court!

As everyone knows,  Tenzil’s got one of the sillier powers on the LSH, and I love how they crafted the VERY silly and charming story where Tenzil is so inept as a lawyer that even Brek Bannin himself doesn’t believe in his skills, but he has so much heart and gumption ya gotta love him anyway.

And the way they humorously use his “powers” of being able to eat matter is some of the funniest stuff ever, with dialog like:

(Pouring a cup and taking a sip)

 “Cal, this tastes like yesterday’s crank case oil…

Is it too much to ask for a FRESH pot of crank case oil?”

(Eating in a greasy hole-in-the-wall Diner)

“What IS this stuff? I may be able to eat all matter, but I’ve got to draw the line SOMEWHERE!”

(discards meal and begins eating the ashtray full of cigarette butts instead)

Legion Of Super-Heroes Poster

Here's something fans of the 1993 Legion Of Super-Heroes reboot might remember- when Issue 13 came out, it came with an insanely cool pull-out poster of the team, and I was so stoked I had it mounted and laminated so i could hang it on my wall! 

Yeah, it's pretty beat-up and discolored nowadays, but it survived every move I made in the 25+ years since I got it, and it always goes back up on my wall when I've moved to a new place and designated the 'comic" corner" of my home!

Re-Reading The Classic Alan Moore/Dave Gibbons WATCHMEN

I was rapping with a co-worker about Bladerunner 2049 (We both loved it) and somehow the 2009 Zack Snyder film Watchmen came up. We both agreed that the movie was pretty good,  but when I began talking about the comic, he said he hadn't read it.

I told him  some of the differences in the comic and movie, including the BIG change of the 'threat" at the end. Well, that weekend I had to order a bunch of comics online and decided that if I saw a cheap copy of the collected Watchmen Graphic novel, i'd pick it up for him.

Lo and behold, there was a copy for only a few bucks! I ordered it and upon it's arrival I decided  to re-read it again to brush up on my memories . DAMN, what a GREAT freaking BOOK! The things I loved about it were as good as ever and there were even a few things I noticed that I NEVER saw before...that's how DENSE this book is, every PAGE is just filled to the BRIM with images and ideas, and MULTIPLE readings are required to soak it all in!!!

Truly one of the greatest Comcis of all time!

Scalped Vol.2-6

Gerg told me that he would give me his entire run of his SCALPED trade paperbacks when he came home to visit but I liked the first one enough that I couldn't wait. Someone on ebay was selling  Trades 3-4 and 6 for 22 bucks (with free shipping) so I went ahead and ordered it. Then I ordered books 2 and 5 separately.
So far so good...and I'm loving what a luscious slut Carol is in each chapter! Waiting to see how this character develops. She can't be here purely for gratuitous sex scenes, can she?

Scalped Vol One: Indian Country

Another title Gerg recommended, but after Welcome Back and We Can Never Go Home, I was pretty reserved about trying another series he liked! LOLOL.  But one weekend I was bored as shit and Ted at Gecko's was talking about the series and so I decided, hell, couldn't hurt to try the first trade. So far so good!

John Byrne's Doom Patrol 1-18

John Byrne's doomed Doom Patrol reboot. Like most of his reboot stuff like Superman, Wonder Woman and OMAC, his tinkering with the originals must be taken with a grain of salt, but all of them (Wonder Woman aside, which I think is his worst effort) are good reads, comics that you want to read over and over again, and Doom Patrol was yet another satisfying re-read series.
Byrne has a real gift for storytelling!!!

Sugar & Spike: Metahuman Investigators

Very interesting idea (of a grown up Sugar and Spike investigating the early Silver Age DC Comics' more embarrassing stories) brought down by irritating writing. I HATE THIS HIPSTER DIALOG SHLOCK

Neil Gaiman: Midnight Days

Batman #404-407: "Batman: Year One"

The Dark Knight Returns #1-4

Couldn't have read the Untold Legend of The Batman without also reading what I consider the "companion piece"to  Batman's origin,  the "alternate universe" final days of an aged and retired Batman in Frank Miller's awesome "The Dark Knight Returns"!

The Untold Legend of The Batman #1-3

This mini series was the first  comic to tell me the awesome tale of batman's origins, and to this day it's still the one I consider the "true" telling of his history, despite many, many takes on it later.

iZombie, Vol.1: Dead to The World

My first exposure to iZombie was an issue where Gilbert Hernandez had done a guest spot. I love Los Bros Hernandez and so my comic shop held an issue for me in case I was interested. I bought it and read it but didn't get around to really readin ti til i saw a used copy of the first Trade Paperback "Dead to the World" on sale.
WOW, was it  Good!!! Interesting storylines, characters , and artwork: Michael Allred looks like he's channeling Charles Burns or Chris "Coop" Cooper with his illustartions and wierd charicature characters. And is it just me or does main character Gwen. the titular "zombie" of the strip look not just a little like Blondie's Debbie Harry?

Unfollow, Vol.1: 140 Charaters

Just finished reading the DC/VERTIGO Graphic Novel UNFOLLOW:140 CHARACTERS, about 140 random people who are chosen to inherit a billionaire's fortune, with the knowledge that if any of them die, the deceased reward will be distributed among the survivors. Cue Battle Royale Homage!!

Desolation Jones: Made In England

Just felt like re-reading the excellent Warren Ellis/JH Williams TPB Desolation Jones: Made in England again. Man, this is such a great comic, such a shame they dropped the strip after this arc. Still, at least it's kind of a contained story that you can read and enjoy without worrying about it having a huge unresolved ending.

Preacher #1-66 (Complete Run)

Sandman: Endless Nights

Released long after Sandman had finished its original run, this Graphic Novel was a warm welcome, and seeing our favorite characters (in their own individual stories) again was such a joy to read!!!

Watchmen 1-12 (Complete Run)

The one, the only WATCHMEN, one of the greatest freaking Comic series OF ALL TIME, at least in MY opinion! I was part of the initial bunch who read these issues as they were coming out, and I have such wonderful memories of me and my friends having discussions of what everything meant, and trying to guess what was going to come next!

OMAC #1-4 (Complete Run)

One of John Byrne's lesser-known efforts these days, but still very interesting mini-series to dig up and re-read every now and again! I've heard that fans of the original series (as well as creator Jack kirby himself) have expressed displeasure with this reboot, but having not read any of the comic's original stories, I find this one a rather good read.