Let’s get right back to our intense multi-part look at trade paperbacks right away…as soon as I take care of some…reader mail!
First off, my 411 co-worker Nick Piers:
Hey Ben,
Fantastic article, man. As an avid “TPB collector” myself, I applaud this ongoing article. I’ve never sat down and count all of my TPBs/graphic novels, but I’m pretty sure it far surpasses your sixty-six. In fact, if you remember a few years ago, Wizard magazine did an article that listed (in their opinion), the best 100 TPBs of all time? I have around 60 of that 100 alone.
Now, mind you, the only monthlies I pick up are JSA and Flash, leaving everything else to be “waiting for the trade”. I have all of the hardcovers so far of Ultimate Spiderman, Ultimate X-Men, Morrison’s New X-Men, Punisher, Daredevil, etc. If you ever see any list of one particular week’s releases, there’s usually a hardcover or TPB that I pick up. I’ve got all the trades so far of Fables, 100 Bullets, Starman, Y: The Last Man, Invincible, Hitman, etc.
Also, I wanted to point out an article that I did ages ago called “The FAQ of TPBs”. Just for my own shameless plug, you could link it in the next edition of the Watchtower.
Anyway, just wanted to give you a thumbs up on the article. It was a great read, especially to see many of my own TPBs listed at pretty good scores.
Thanks for the kind words, Nick, and as for the link, consider it done
Next up, Poet18ic:
I liked “Avengers: Under Siege” until the end, which in wrestling terms was a complete squash match. I don’t think the Masters of Evil got one punch in. They were completely whomped. I mean it was bad enough seeing Absorbing Man and Titania get thrashed by the Wasp and Antman(The Scott Lang one who was still new to superheroing at the time to make it worse). What was the point of building up the Masters as this big unstoppable group, when they were easily disposed of. I understand that the villains had to lose, but couldn’t they have made the Masters lose and still look formidable in the end?
I gotta disagree. The Masters were built up as a legit threat and remained one all the way until the end. It wasn’t incompetence on their part that proved their undoing, it was ego (Zemo’s), a poor choice of some power-hungry teammates (Moonstone), an x-factor Zemo didn’t count on not being able to control (Blackout, plus the unexpected assistance of Dr. Druid) and just some plain old luck and refusal to quit from the Avengers. You knew the good guys were going to win in the end, but what the bad guys accomplished before the inevitable (taking over the Mansion, beating up Jarvis and The Black Knight, sending Hercules into a coma) proved they were the real deal. The only reason this incarnation of the Masters of Evil maybe doesn’t have the standing in history they seem to deserve is that they were a one shot deal (discounting the Thunderbolts), but that was one of the things that made them special. In the end, I think they came off looking as intelligent, professional and formidable as you can make a group of bad guys look, keeping in mind that like all villain groups they do need to have the flaws that make them fun.
A quick note from Brad:
Just an interesting note concerning Korvac Saga, I recently picked up a copy of Avengers #177 as a Father’s Day present for my dad, who only lacks this issue in the entire arc. Furthermore, the guy working the counter made it sound like that the issues, or at least #177, wasn’t hard to find. And it only cost me $2. Just thought you might like to know that this might not be so hard to find.
Yeah, I was also able to pick up several issues of the Korvac saga very cheap before I broke down and bought the trade. If I said in last week’s column those issues were hard to find, that was a momentary brain fart on my part, my bad.
We finish this segment with Drake3002:
You wrote:
“Of those hundreds of characters, none are short changed, not even the ones who makes one panel cameos, I honestly believe this. So many “dream moments†come out of Crisis, from heroes from DC’s World War II line to the Legion from the 30th century meeting up to an all out war between every hero and every villain DC ever published.”
And yet, for some unfathomable reason, one major DC hero was snubbed by not having even a *one panel* appearance! He had his own title (at the time!), he’d been around since the dawn of the silver age — he was one of the *founders of the JLA!* That’s right, Hal Jordan was completely left out! I know Hal fans have that rabid reputation, but being left out of “Crisis” has always rankled me. Even if he didn’t have a power ring at the time, you’d think a project like this could’ve included him at some point (Barry’s thought bubble before he died doesn’t count) especially since a large part of the story was based on the GL mythos and it was written by a former GL writer! It honestly baffles me…
I too was a little surprised at the complete lack of Hal the first time I read Crisis, but even the most rabid Hal fan must admit: while it would have been nice to see him, his absence doesn’t really detract from the main story all that much. I’d argue that having John Stewart as the GL adds some nice “what the hell am I doing here†moments in the early issues. But really, the reason Hal wasn’t in the main Crisis story is that he had a major tie-in story going on in his own title. He and Guy Gardner take an army of GLs into the anti-matter universe to take on the Qwardians and investigate the attack of the Guardians (shown in Crisis). This is obviously too big a story to simply be an aside in the main Crisis, so they relegated it to the main GL title, which makes sense to me. There were lots of side stories going on that took place in other titles that aren’t included in the Crisis TPB. It might have been nice to see one panel showing what was going on with Hal, but I’ll argue that would have cheapened his story; by keeping it completely off-panel but giving it the complete spotlight over in the Green Lantern title, I think Hal’s story was given far more weight.
All right, with that out of the way, let’s jump back into it (for explanation of the ratings system, check out last week’s column).
DAREDEVIL: GANGWAR
Reprints: Daredevil v.1 #169-172, 180
Writer(s): Frank Miller
Pencillers(s): Frank Miller
The Solicit: “Wilson Fisk, the retired Kingpin of Crime, holds criminal evidence that threatens the balance of power in New York City’s underworld. When his enemies kidnap his wife, Vanessa, the Kingpin comes out of hiding, and he becomes a target for Bullseye—the world’s most accurate assassin! Thus Daredevil, the man without fear, is caught in the deadly crossfire of a gangwar!!!
Daredevil Gangwar reprints Frank Millers and Klaus Janson’s best-selling Daredevil issues featuring the return of the popular villain, Bullseye, and the first confrontation between the sightless swashbuckler and his arch nemesis—the Kingpin!â€
Extras: none
The Story: 3
When the legendarily stingy Tim Stevens gave me, for free, this, the one and only trade he has ever parted with and sent my way, I was expecting tripe, but was pleasantly surprised by a very solid volume. I never have been a big Daredevil fan, though there has been some great work done with the character (and, unlike many, I did enjoy the movie); that said, this is an excellent primer if you want to become familiar with the character, or if you just want to read a great story. The pacing is perfect, something taken for granted a lot in today’s comics; by this I mean that each issue contains just the right amount of action and dialogue, advancing the story appropriately without giving away too much; you could read one chapter a day, like a novel, and be very satisfied. Daredevil serves as a nice glue to hold the story together, but the real gems are the story arcs of Bullseye and particularly the Kingpin, each of whom goes through a captivating journey of self discovery. The epilogue issue at the end is a nice action-packed adventure. While not among the classic comic epics of all time (or the greatest Daredevil stories, from what I know), Gang War is technically sound (for lack of a better phrase) and definitely worth a try (if you can find it).
The TPB: 2
The issues work very well together, so assembling them sequentially is a good move. As far as their availability as singles, I’m not sure, but as they are early Miller Daredevil, I’m betting they’re not the absolute easiest thing in the world to find.
Overall Grade: 5
DC ONE MILLION
Reprints: DC One Million #1-4, Green Lantern #1,000,000, Starman #1,000,000, JLA #1,000,000, Resurrection Man #1,000,000, Superman: Man of Tomorrow #1,000,000
Writer(s): Grant Morrison, Ron Marz, James Robinson, Chuck Dixon, Dan Abnett, Andy Lanning & Mark Schultz
Pencillers(s): Val Semeiks, Bryan Hitch, Peter Snejbjerg, Howard Porter, Greg Land, Butch Guice & Georges Jeanty
The Solicit: “The 853rd century is now.
On the eve of the festival celebrating the return of the original Superman from his long exile in the heart of the sun, the members of Justice Legion A—the mightiest heroes of the year 85, 271—come back in time to invite the greatest heroes of the 20th century—the Justice League of America—to travel to the future and take part in the celebration.
But both teams fall victim to a plot millennia in the making. Stranded in the far future, the JLA are hunted as dangerous renegades. Meanwhile, their counterparts in Justice Legion A must find a cure for a deadly virus they have unwittingly brought into their past—our present—and deal with a traitor in their midst.
Conceived by Grant Morrison (acclaimed writer of JLA and The Invisibles) and executed by some of the finest teams of writers and artists, DC One Million features a unique vision of the future DC Universe in one of the most ambitious crossover events in modern comics.â€
Extras: none
The Story: 4
Grant Morrison’s boundless imagination at his very best was DC One Million. He took a standard comic concept (the future) and made it highly entertaining by not constricting himself with any boundaries, he made the future as ridiculous and wild as he could think of, using words that will never exist, concepts that are beyond impossible and making heroes out of horses (literally). The nice thing is that every chapter of DC One Million has a talented creator staying true to Morrison’s vision while bringing something unique to the table. Robinson’s Starman is the psychological story about legacy that series was known for; Abnett & Lanning’s Resurrection Man is a kooky battle that seems out of a video game; Schultz’s Man of Tomorrow is pure fun. DC did an excellent job of sifting through the many tie-ins to the event and placing the ones that fit best and provided optimum balance in the collected volume. Beyond all those trappings, Morrison crafts yet another senses-shattering epic with scale that, as always, attempts to top everything that has come before, and some very cool and clever thinking by the heroes as to how to solve the dilemma they find themselves in. DC One Million is tremendous fun and a fantastic example of how to do a company-wide crossover the right way, with a brilliant architect and creators who know how to take a ball and go their own way with it.
The TPB: 1.5
It’s easy to track down both the core One Million mini and then pick and choose which tie-ins you want, but, as noted, the trade does a good job of assembling an excellent selection for you.
Overall Grade: 5.5.
THE FINAL NIGHT
Reprints: The Final Night Preview, The Final Night #1-4, Parallax: Emerald Night
Writer(s): Karl Kesel & Ron Marz
Pencillers(s): Stuart Immonen & Mike McKone
The Solicit: “Are you afraid of the dark?
The heroes of the DC Universe band together to battle a terrifying threat which can steal the light and energy from the sun itself.
No light.
No warmth.
What would you do if night fell…forever?â€
Extras: none
The Story: 3.5
One of the great underrated stories of the last couple decades by one of the great underrated writers of the last couple decades, Karl Kesel, best known these days as the inker on Fantastic Four, but once upon a time the scribe of great books like Superboy and Adventures of Superman. Final Night is unique in that it shows heroes struggling to cope with an enemy they can’t punch or blast, and as a result we get a much more human story than some of these epics tend to be. Ron Marz, the man reviled for “destroying†Hal Jordan, does a lot (in my eyes at least) to redeem any perceived sin by writing a seminal Jordan tale with Parallax: Emerald Night. The art is the best I’ve personally ever seen from Immonen and echoes of future brilliance from a still raw McKone. A very different type of saga with beautiful and unique moments that make the characters seem more alive than ever.
The TPB: 1
The mini is pretty easy to find and not including any of the great tie-ins hurts the collection; the Parallax one shot is fairly hard to track down though.
Overall Grade: 4.5
FLASH: THE RETURN OF BARRY ALLEN
Reprints: Flash v.2 #74-79
Writer(s): Mark Waid
Pencillers(s): Greg LaRocque & Sal Velluto
The Solicit: “When he was Kid Flash, Wally West looked upon Barry Allen, The Flash, as just about perfect.
Hero. Mentor. Icon.
The Flash even sacrificed himself to save the universe.
Now, years later, Wally is the Flash, trying to live up to Barry’s example…
…and then Barry Allen returns from the dead.â€
Extras: Introduction by Mark Waid & Brian Augustyn
The Story: 3.5
A story that I wrote off as contrived and predictable the first time I read it, but have really appreciated and enjoyed every time since. The key is that, as Waid more or less says in the introduction, the hook is not the title story (Barry Allen’s return), but the character development of Wally West. This is a really amazing journey Waid takes Wally on in the course of six issues and demonstrates once and for all why he was the first one to really make the character work as the legit Flash of the DCU. Little touches like the introduction of Max Mercury and appearances by Jay Garrick and Johnny Quick as all three try to teach Wally to be a better speedster are nice. I wonder if I had been regularly picking up the Flash title at the time if I would have fallen for the “big lie†that is the premise of the story; I tend to doubt it (again, for reasons Waid and Augustyn lay out in the wonderful intro), but if I did, I’d be missing the point. This is not a story, titles aside, about the “return†of Barry Allen, it’s a story about the coming of age of Wally West.
The TPB: 2.5
Well, the issues are pretty easy to track down, but if you didn’t catch it the first two times, the introduction by Waid & Augustyn is excellent and gives great insight into where they fit into the Flash lore.
Overall Grade: 6
THE FLASH: RACE AGAINST TIME
Reprints: The Flash v.2 #112-118
Writer(s): Mark Waid & Brian Augustyn
Pencillers(s): Oscar Jimenez, Anthony Castrillo, Jim Cheung & Sergio Cariello
The Solicit: “Lost in time. His only lifeline back home, cut.
After defeating Savitar, Wally West, the fastest man alive, bounces off the Speed Field and spirals through time encountering dangers he never thought possible, and seeing firsthand the repercussions his actions will have on the future.
Meanwhile, back in the present, Wally is replaced by John Fox, a time-traveling speedster who seeks to take up the mantle of the Flash and makes time with Wally’s girlfriend—Linda Park!
The Flash: Race Against Time—brings to a dramatic conclusion the time-shattering events of The Flash: Dead Heat!
This race is for keeps!
The stakes? The present…the future…and the girl!â€
Extras: none
The Story: 1.5
Conversely, here is Waid at his very worst on the Flash title. The first main story of Wally West careening through time to all of the DCU’s uninteresting futures (sorry, no Legion, or even friggin’ Space Cabby, settle for the Tornado Twins and a bunch of really lame Flash worshippers), solving problems with really poor comedy, is uninspired. The second main story, featuring unlikable replacement Flash John Fox putting the moves on Linda West, is equally vomit-inducing and accomplishes the awe-inspiring task of making Dr. Polaris and Abra Kadabra inept bunglers that make Chillblaine look like a criminal genius. The whole story feels like it’s supposed to be important, but the writers didn’t take it seriously enough, so you don’t feel the need to either. The art looks sloppy and slapdash, not to mention that it’s split between four guys over seven issues.
The TPB: .5
Easy to find issues, no extras whatsoever; heavy recommendation to avoid (the fact that this has a TPB when so many other great Flash and DCU stories don’t is a crime against humanity).
Overall Grade: 2
THE FLASH: BLOOD WILL RUN
Reprints: The Flash v.2 #170-176, The Flash Secret Files #3
Writer(s): Geoff Johns
Pencillers(s): Scott Kolins
The Solicit: “A gruesome new evil has come to Keystone City, his name—Cicada!
With a murderous cult at his disposal, Cicada begins a crusade of mass murder in the name of the Flash. Cicada targets any life the Scarlet Speedster has ever saved and with each murder come closer to achieving his maniacal goal—feeding upon the life energy of his victims! As he races against a madman who stands to corrupt all the Flash has accomplished, Wally must also absorb the shock of learning that someone special from his past is under Cicada’s thrall!
But the most formidable player in the Flash saga could be Julie Jackam’s illegitimate child, Josh! Has one of Wally’s past relationships come back to haunt him?
The extraordinary talents of writer Geoff Johns and artists Scott Kolins, Doug Hazlewood and Jose Marzan, Jr. come together to bring you a chase that has never been more personal to the Flash. But win, lose or draw, Flash: Blood Will Run is a chilling marathon of epic proportions.â€
Extras: none
The Story: 4
An insane immortal rounds up a cult and they dedicate themselves to killing every person The Flash has ever saved as some sort of sick “tribute†to him, their personal messiah; sounds like it has potential to be either the springboard to something really unique or the beginning of a hackneyed clunker straight out of the mid-nineties graveyard of comic book horror. In the hands of Geoff Johns, in his second story arc on The Flash, it turns out to be a deeply emotional and intensely psychological thriller that introduces a creepy new villain in Cicada, and gives Flash a fun and more fleshed out supporting cast that would bring the book to new levels. Throw in new levels of depth for old Flash villains Magenta and The Weather Wizard and it’s enough to forgive this volume for introducing my least favorite Flash villain of all time in Tarpit. The real highlight is the first teaming of Johns and penciller Scott Kolins; while Johns’ first arc on Flash, “Wonderland,†showed sparks of his future potential, it was once Kolins came on board, with his fast-paced, colorful, one of a kind style that things really started clicking. If you want to see where The Flash began its run as (in my opinion) the most consistently quality book on the market, pick up this collection.
The TPB: 1
Very easy issues to track down and no extras (an intro from Johns would have been nice, but probably didn’t seem worth it at the time; maybe in a future reprinting) give this category a low score.
Overall Grade: 5
THE FLASH: ROGUES
Reprints: The Flash v.2 #177-182
Writer(s): Geoff Johns
Pencillers(s): Scott Kolins
The Solicit: “Can even the Flash outrun a black hole?
Wally West may be the Fastest Man Alive, but even he has trouble keeping up with all the changes in his life. When his interdimensional pal Chunk is wounded, a terrifying black hole is unleashed, forcing the Flash to run against the vortex to save not only his friend but all of Keystone City. Meanwhile, two of the oldest members of his rogues gallery—Captain Cold and Mirror Master—begin laying the foundation for their deadliest gambit yet. Complicating his life, the Flash must also contend with the Plunderer, a man with a serious grudge against the Scarlet Speedster, an enraged Gorilla Grodd, and a seeming betrayal of trust by the Pied Piper. But the most formidable player in the Flash saga could be Julie Jackam’s illegitimate child, Josh! Has one of Wally’s past relationships come back to haunt him?
Named Best Writer in the 2002 Wizard Fan Awards, Geoff Johns is joined by artists Scott Kolins and Doug Hazlewood to bring fresh energy to DC’s Fastest Man Alive, mixing new threats and old friends in his latest collected adventure.â€
Extras: none
The Story: 4.5
If “Blood Will Run†is where the Johns/Kolins team started clicking, this collection of stand alone stories is where they kick it into the next gear and don’t look back. There is not a bad story in the six presented here, as Johns shows that he can create great new villains (Tarpit was a fluke) like Fallout and Peek-a-Boo who make the grey area a fun place to be and reinvigorate guys like Grodd who may have gotten a little stale (but comes off scary and menacing as hell here). But the story that earns this the extra .5, perhaps the best Flash story I’ve ever read…doesn’t even involve The Flash. It’s the spotlight on a guy that had never been seen as anything more than a goofy looking villain with a played gimmick, Captain Cold, and turns him into one of the most complex and fascinating rogues you will find anywhere. Keep in mind, this isn’t a villain that had one or two shots in the nineties and Johns saw something special in, this is a guy who had been around for forty years doing relatively nothing, and all it took was one story and Geoff Johns & Scott Kolins were able to take him to the main event. If for no other reason, pick up this book to read “Absolute Zero†and I promise you will not be disappointed.
The TPB: 1
Again, you can find all these issues, even the Captain Cold one, without much strain on you or your wallet.
Overall Grade: 5.5.
FLASH & GREEN LANTERN: THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD
Reprints: Flash & Green Lantern: The Brave and the Bold #1-6
Writer(s): Mark Waid & Tom Peyer
Pencillers(s): Barry Kitson & Tom Grindberg
The Solicit: “‘Two men gone, one eternal bond.’
Barry Allen and Hal Jordan—two men with very little in common, it might seem at first glance. One is a sober, dedicated police scientist, the other a fearless, hotheaded test pilot. But these two share a secret—a secret that brings them together both as teammates and as friends.
Before Wally West and before Kyle Rayner, Barry Allen and Hal Jordan held the mantles of the Flash and Green Lantern. And before they were called upon to make the ultimate sacrifice to save their world and their universe, they had to learn the hard lessons of trust and teamwork that would make them two of the World’s Greatest Super-Heroes.
In the six chapters of Flash & Green Lantern: The Brave and the Bold, Mark Waid, Tom Peyer, Barry Kitson and Tom Grindberg bring you six unseen episodes in the lives of Barry and Hal, ranging from their early team-ups to the darker times many years later. With guest appearances from the very first Flash and Green Lantern (Jay Garrick and Alan Scott), Kid Flash (Wally West), Green Arrow (Oliver Queen) and the Guardians of the Universe, as well as a rogues gallery of villains (including Sinestro, Mirror Master, Black Hand and Star Sapphire), Flash & Green Lantern: The Brave and the Bold captures the spirit of an era in the story of a unique—and unlikely—friendship.â€
Extras: none
The Story: 4.5
A fun and light-hearted tale with every element of the Silver Age you could want and a tremendous re-readability value. Yet beneath the more whimsical trappings is a beautiful tapestry of stories about how two of the best-loved characters in comics history, despite being seemingly complete opposites, could form one of the most fondly-remembered friendships of all time. By the end of the six issues, by the time the touching final narrative by GL buddy Tom Kalmaku kicks in, I defy you not to see Barry and Hal as real people and not be genuinely touched by the amazing bond they share…and not to miss them both. Besides all that (and that’s plenty), any series that packs in Jay Garrick, Alan Scott, Wally West, Green Arrow, the Guardians, Sinestro, Black Hand, Mirror Master, Star Sapphire and so much more, plus the awesome art of Barry Kitson (with Tom Grindberg impressively keeping pace in his one fill-in issue) is a winner.
The TPB: 1.5
No extras, but I’ve never seen any individual issues of this in any back issue bin…but I’m probably not looking hard enough (because I already have the TPB, duh).
Overall Grade: 6
THE GOLDEN AGE
Reprints: The Golden Age #1-4
Writer(s): James Robinson
Pencillers(s): Paul Smith
The Solicit: “What James Robinson, Paul Smith and Richard Ory have accomplished with The Golden Age, under the deceptively safe aegis of the Elseworlds logo, is a very witty dissection of post-World War II paranoia, using those selfsame teenaged creations, the mystery men of the Golden Age, as the crux of the story.
What James, Paul and Richard have done for us is to take a peek under those masks and get behind those disarming grins—to use the charming innocence of those beloved mystery men as a wonderful metaphor for a country still trying to convince itself it was a land of innocent dreams.
-Howard Chaykin, from his introductionâ€
Extras: Introduction by Howard Chaykin
The Story: 4.5
One of those stories I knew about for a long time but never bought and built up in my head tremendously; the actual product, luckily enough, lives up to any expectations one might have. A very mature story with characters you really latch on to, with their flaws and courage, and who you really root for when push comes to shove. I think that is where the strength of The Golden Age lies, not in its celebration of the classic characters that began comics (many of them bear little resemblance to their historical portrayals, it might as well be about a bunch of guys Robinson created), but in the way Robinson crafts an evil you come to truly despise for undermining the values of goodness and innocence and “heroes†who you never know what to expect from and who can disappoint or surprise you as much as any real person. The Golden Age is a beautiful story filled with beautiful characters and beautiful moments as well as very ugly characters and very ugly moments, but in their own way, they are beautiful too.
The TPB: 2.5
Very good, very cerebral look at the nature of heroism and how this story came about by Chaykin; also, this series came out long enough ago that you can find it, but it won’t be easy.
Overall Grade: 7
THE HISTORY OF THE DC UNIVERSE
Reprints: The History of the DC Universe #1-2
Writer(s): Marv Wolfman
Pencillers(s): George Perez
The Solicit: “It was 1986, and in the wake of the universe-shattering events of Crisis On Infinite Earths the creators of that company-changing event were called upon to restructure and reorder the entire history of the DCU—to unify a decades-long accumulation of history from multiple Earths into a cohesive whole for a new chronicle of the DC universe.
Narrated by Harbinger (a central figure from Crisis) we travel through time and space as she reveals “the history of Heroism.â€
Featuring an appearance by virtually every character in the DCU, this unique melding of words and pictures laid the foundation for all to come from the new DCU and is the perfect bookshelf companion piece to Crisis On Infinite Earths.â€
Extras: Introduction by Marv Wolfman
The Story: 5
A must have for any fan of the DC Universe, anybody looking to learn anything about said universe, or just anybody who appreciates wonderful prose and incredible art. There is no “story†to The History of the DC Universe, it’s simply exactly what the title implies: a detailed history of the post-Crisis DCU, every character from Vandal Savage to the Legion of Super-Heroes. Marv Wolfman does a great job making Harbinger’s narrative come alive, but it’s George Perez’ jaw-dropping art that earns this book its perfect score. Every page is another work of genius you want to rip out and put on your wall; it is literally the perfect interpretation of ever DC stalwart from Balloon Buster to Ultraa the Multi-Alien. If this were just a pin up book, I’d still probably give it a five; there is no TPB in my collection I look at more.
The TPB: 3
It’s the perfect thing to stick on your bookshelf, the TPB format, unlike the paperbound versions, protects the art, and Marv Wolfman’s introduction, like the entire book, is a labor of love (and, like Crisis, I got the edition with the spiffy Alex Ross cover).
Overall Grade: 8
THE INFINITY GAUNTLET
Reprints: The Infinity Gauntlet #1-6
Writer(s): Jim Starlin
Pencillers(s): George Perez & Ron Lim
The Solicit: “For the dark Titan, Thanos, the Gauntlet was the Holy Grail, the ultimate prize to be coveted above all else. With it came omnipotence; the absolute control of all aspects of time, space, power, reality, the mind and the soul. The gaining of supreme might meant the beginning of a black nightmare for the entire universe.
Now, on the edge of Armageddon and led by the mysterious Adam Warlock, Earth’s super heroes join in a desperate attempt to thwart this nihilistic god’s insane plunge into galactic self-destruction.
Should the heroes fail, the astral gods of the universe wait to step into the fray. But in such an awesome cosmic conflict will anyone prevail? Will anyone survive?
Extras: none
The Story: 3
“Crisis Lite,†as I like to call Infinity Gauntlet, is proof that while Marvel does introspective character stories the best, DC is the undisputed master of big time epics with huge cosmic implications. That said, Infinity Gauntlet is still a damn good story, it just loses something when you have it on the shelf next to Crisis or even Starlin’s own DC epic, Cosmic Odyssey. The scale never feels quite as big as it should be and good as Ron Lim is, nobody is George Perez, and his departure half-way through hurts the collection a great deal. The greatest heroes of Earth are really nothing more than foot soldiers for Adam Warlock, who is written here at his most arrogant, prissiest, and most unlikable. The saving grace of the story is the villain, Thanos, who Starlin loves like no other character and is the unquestioned master of writing. You really feel for the big T, his hapless struggle for Death’s affection, his delusions of grandeur, the awesome responsibilities he takes on, and his ultimate reluctance to succeed; he’s a great character and this is his finest moment.
The TPB: 1.5
Not a hard series to track down, but there is a certain appeal to having stories like this collected as one volume.
Overall Grade: 4.5
Ok, going to call it a column a tad early this time around so that I can devote all of my next effort to the JLA, with a complete TPB guide and hopefully some other fun stuff.
Until then, keep the feedback coming and remember:
“ ‘In a world on the brink, humankind’s time is running out, but deep in the jungles of South America a solution is being forged, a solution that will bring about a grand new utopia – and that solution is Adam Warlock!’ That is the most brilliant bit of copy I have ever read. Seriously. Like world wide.â€
-Tim Stevens
