Bento Review: Blackcross: From The Pages Of Project Superpowers

Project Superpowers was a series from Dynamite Comics that used Golden Age public domain heroes to tell modern stories.  These were heroes created by old comics publishers that went out of business and no one bought the rights to their characters.  Technically, anyone can use them.  Dynamite did.

Blackcross is a spin-off mini-series from the looks of things involving a super powered serial killer who is on his way to the mysterious town of Blackcross in the Pacific Northwest.  Some folks there have had weird things happening lately…

Bento Review: Stumptown: The Case Of The Baby In The Velvet Case

I love Greg Rucka’s work.  Comic Bento sent me what was actually the second volume in his Stumptown series, explaining that the first volume wasn’t needed to enjoy the work.

That was largely true, and then I discovered a second treat when I did a little research into the series itself.

Tom Recommends: Astro City

In this space last week, I recommended the comic book series Planetary, the deconstruction of the superhero genre and pulp literature in general.

This week, I’m going to recommend a book that comes from the opposite end of the spectrum when it comes to taking a serious look at the superhero genre, namely Astro City.

Tom Recommends: Planetary

The deconstruction of the superhero genre is something that has been going on for a few decades now, and is often rather repetitive.  Generally, it is an excuse to show classic or recognizable characters doing things that normally they wouldn’t, often of a more R-rated variety.

That said, when the deconstruction is done right, such as in Watchmen, the work says something about the genre’s conventions and tropes in a way that can be highly entertaining for the reader, while also giving the reader a chance to think over the sorts of things that are taken for granted.

But one of the best deconstructions out there doesn’t just cover superheroes, but pulp literature and genre storytelling in general.  That would be the comics series Planetary, written by Warren Ellis and illustrated by John  Cassaday.

Slightly Misplaced Comic Book Hero Case Files #13: Ravage 2099

Yes, this looks like a respectable businessman.

 

Comic book universes often look to the future for more superhero adventures.  Some timelines are rather popular and some last a good long time, like the Legion of Superheroes for DC and the original Guardians of the Galaxy for Marvel.  Marvel tried another future in 1992 with its 2099 series.  This series of titles was actually somewhat successful with four initial titles, three of which showed revamped, futuristic versions of Marvel characters:  Spider-Man, Doom, and the Punisher.  The X-Men were added later, but among the original four was a single original hero without an existing Marvel hero to base himself off.

That hero was Ravage, a character who morphed multiple times into something new only to be shot off into space and never heard from again.

Ten Best Deconstructive Superhero Stories of All-Time

 

Would this be a work of construction deconstruction superheroes?

I have a reputation on Gabbing Geek as a guy who doesn’t like comic books.  This knock is generally well deserved.  I don’t like much anymore.  But there is a certain kind of comic that even to this day will cause me to get dressed, get in the car, head to the comic shop, and buy a comic sit in my underwear, fire up the ol’ tablet, click Comixology on my browser, and download a digital file.  What are these amazing tales you ask?

Podcast Reaction: The Recommendations Edition

You should read this.

Let’s hear it for peer pressure.  After Watson, myself, and a podcast listener told them so, the crew of Gabbing Geek will be reviewing Close Encounters of the Third Kind.

In light of people giving and getting recommendations, here’s my recommendations for reading, watching, and playing.