Category Archives: Comics
Of Mice and Monsters, by Mr. Galambos ’90
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Review: V for Vendetta
V for Vendetta is a graphic novel published in 1988 by Alan Moore and illustrated by David Lloyd and Tony Weare. It is full of symbolism, open to various interpretations and, despite its age, it has messages that still apply today.
V is set in a fascist Britain after a nuclear war destroyed current governments. The comic (and movie) are most well known for the seminal Guy Fawkes mask worn by V, the vigilante protagonist; however, although V’s story is important to the overall plot, the comic juggles the stories of many characters. This ensures that the reader sees this unique setting from all sides, and, although it takes time to establish the personalities of all these characters, they all have arcs of their own that make sense by the end. The dialogue is a highlight, with each character having not just their own voice, but a voice that changes throughout the story. This is complemented by the art, which, though occasionally dated, provides a certain roughness to the story’s setting.
All that said, what sets V for Vendetta apart is how many ways it can be interpreted. Of these, three stand out in particular.
The first looks at the story the way it was written, as a warning to a world barely out of the Cold War. In this interpretation, the story is a grim warning of what could have been. It also serves as a tale about fascism as a whole in a world that had already seen the rise and fall of things like the Nazi Party. It shows how a party like that comes to power, but also its flaws and, in a way, its inevitable downfall. Moore also took things farther by showing what everyday life would be like within this regime. V has the censored media depicting people of color as villains, the government eliminating all art from the pre-fascist world, placing people under constant surveillance, tolerating and encouraging corrupt officials, and the people simmering in rage.
The second looks at V with a modern lens and analyzes how it applies to today’s world. This is notable in the Norsefire government’s use of propaganda. In V’s world, posters supporting “unity and purity” cover the streets and people speak in hyperbole about the responsibility of every man to “make Britain great again.” This speaks to us now, as we enter an election full of media coverage and bold proclamations (though we’ll avoid specifics). Furthermore, V‘s world has “resettlement camps” for people of color, different sexuality, and non-Christian religions. This is obviously referring to concentration camps, but in our world, where politicians are calling for a database of Muslim citizens and that they carry ID badges, it fits as well.
The third interpretation, which is much less politically charged, is that V for Vendetta (at least early on) follows the formula of a slasher film from the ’70s and ’80s. It introduces a group of people, then a man in a mask, and then the man in the mask proceeds to kill off those people over time. The metaphor does not last the entire book, but it is interesting to think about.
Though all of these interpretations and its themes of anarchy and moral ambiguity make V for Vendetta a classic graphic novel, it does have flaws. For example, due to the racism of the setting, many of the lead characters are Caucasian men. When coupled with the aforementioned slightly dated art, all of these characters start to blend together by the end. Nor is V for Vendetta a good read for someone looking for action and mystery. The action is more of the tense and slowly-building type, and the mystery is more in the motivations of the characters than in discovering what V looks like under the mask.
However, these flaws barely detract from an engaging read with multiple layers and mature themes that do not pull punches.
Colony, Reboot pgs. 4-7
HeroViews #4: Aquaman
No, Aquaman’s not the pathetic loser that society presents him as. He is a legitimate superhero with great powers and abilities, not to mention he commands an army and rules the oceans – you know, seventy percent of the Earth’s surface. He totally kicks butt and, not to mention, he is a boss with a trident. Here are some comics (and other things) in which he is a beast:
THE TRENCH
The first of Aquaman’s comics in the New 52 reboot, this features a host of stereotype-combating elements. He is asked “what are you doing here? you can’t do anything!” and proceeds to mow down the entire swath of enemies attacking civilians. The cops make fun of him, saying, “Were we just upstaged by Aquaman? Chief is never going to let us hear the end of this.” He also lifts up a truck and throws it. That’s, like, Superman-level (not to mention he has gone one-on-one with the Man of Steel, but that’s for another time). His wife, Mera, also is featured, and her ability to control any kind of water makes her a vicious opponent. All in all, this was one of the better New 52 comics.
THE WATERBEARER
This is a somewhat unique comic in that Aquaman loses what makes him so amazing: his kingdom, his army, his trident, and his wife. He has been exiled from Atlantis and will be immediately killed if he sets foot in the ocean. In his quest to find water away from the ocean, the key to his survival, he stumbles upon a freshwater spring, the last waters of truth. This is where the Lady of Truth grants him a mystical hand of water to replace the one he had lost. Aquaman becomes the Waterbearer. This new hand gives him the ability to control water like Mera. It is just such an awesome comic.
YOUNG JUSTICE
What? A TV show? Yes, unfortunately, there are not many Aquaman comics at my local library. Fortunately, I have Netflix at my disposal. This show covers a group of sidekicks, like Robin, Kid Flash, Aqualad, and others breaking off from their mentors and forming a team of their own. In the episode “Downtime,” Aqualad descends back down to Atlantis to make important decisions. Aquaman has a large part in this episode, and he is solidified as a trustworthy and wise teacher.
INJUSTICE
Yes, this is a video game, and a pretty darn good one. First of all, Aquaman just looks straight up amazing. He is also a big part of the story, and a playable character for part of it, not to mention his epic invasion on the Regime HQ. He is sharp, intelligent, and has some awesome attacks.
Thanks for reading! Until next time, this is HeroViews.
The Colony, Reboot, pgs. 1-3
Abdul Teaches Music
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HeroViews #3: Superman
It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s your face! (Just joking, it’s Superman.) But seriously, I love this guy. He was pretty much the first superhero, which gives him a special place in our seriously nerdy hearts. He is pretty much invincible, with his only weakness being Kryptonite . . . which is found abnormally often, considering it is not native to Earth. He has recently lost some powers (specifically, hovering) that made him a little too OP. But now, comics!
ALL STAR SUPERMAN
This comic is about Superman surprising Lois Lane for her birthday. He develops a serum that gives her Superman’s powers for 24 hours. She becomes Superwoman and flies around with Superman, doing Superman-y things. At one point, they tangle with this pharaoh dude, of whose name I have no recollection. [Ed. Note – Ultra-Sphinx.] Superman solves this awesome riddle and all this other cool stuff. This comic is not groundbreaking or enlightening in any way; it’s simply entertaining.
SUPERMAN/BATMAN: PUBLIC ENEMIES
Oh! Hello again! You remember this one, hopefully. This comic has a great Batman element, but the Superman element is fantastic. He has always been the one in charge, but he concedes to Batman’s evidently superior intellect. It is amazing to see this realization in Superman as he admits that someone is better than him. As they charge through a series of corrupt Justice League members, notably Hawkman and Captain Marvel, they grow closer than they ever were before. The final battle is awesome. Just saying.
SUPERMAN: BRAINIAC
This just revolutionized Superman comics forever. Brainiac, from the planet Colu, has intelligence and mental capacity that cannot be imagined on Earth. He collects shrunken cities to study their cultural habits and languages. This separates people from their families and friends and devastates their communities. Superman sets out to stop this when he realizes that Brainiac has a new target: Metropolis. As you may have already concluded, this is a slight issue. After [CENSORED], Superman learns that not everything has a perfect clean-cut ending. This is really tough on him. I mean seriously, How would you like it if [CENSORED]. This comic is emotionally jarring. I actually almost cried. If you know me, you know that I don’t cry.
THE DEATH OF SUPERMAN
Oh man, this wrecked me. Seriously, this comic was harsh. Aidan Hood lent me this, so ask him where to get it. Superman finds an even match to his awesome power: DOOMSDAY. He is also from Krypton, so he and Superman have similar abilities. Back on Krypton, Doomsday was from a race of monsters that were known for killing people. When he got to earth, he began rampaging. Like, really rampaging. He took countless lives from areas surrounding Metropolis, devastating all who were in his path. This comic was really scary because Superman only managed to hurt him a couple minutes before his death. I don’t know how he managed it (that means I don’t remember), but Superman killed Doomsday before dying of exhaustion and blood loss. This is a seriously jarring comic, so watch out.
HeroViews #2: Spider-Man
We’re back, baby!
Today, you get a little taste of the Marvel universe: Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man. Like our last subject, this very well-known guy has an awesome origin story. He goes from a nerd who can’t throw a ball to save his life (me, basically) to a totally jacked buff dude with the fastest reflexes on the planet (me, someday . . .). This is all caused by the 00 subject of the Oz spider experiment.
Here are some comics that he is good (or bad) in:
BLUE
This comic is a lot less Spider-Man, and a lot more Peter Parker. It takes place when Peter is in college. He has known Gwen Stacy for a while now. He likes her, but has not had the courage to tell her. This is when a new variable enters the equation: MARY JANE WATSON. She is very flamboyant and, evidently, REALLY likes Peter Parker. The catfight between them is very entertaining. This is my personal favorite Spider-Man comic, and i really think you should read it.
THE WORLD ACCORDING TO PETER PARKER, CHAMELEONS, THE DEATH OF SPIDER-MAN: PRELUDE, AND THE DEATH OF SPIDER-MAN
Yeah, I know. Long title. This is actually a collection of four different comic books leading up to the death of Spider-Man. It has great artwork, second only to War Drums (see last issue). I especially like the artwork for Gwen Stacy and Aunt May. But, my favorite character is by far Lana Baumgartner. This is a “sweet” and “innocent” girl who has a very secretive and interesting past. You get to know her in The Death Of Spiderman: Prelude. This series has a special “younger” feel to it, and the storyline is just great. Enjoy it.
SUPERIOR SPIDER-MAN
This has a great basic idea. The dying Doctor Octopus has switched bodies with Peter Parker, leaving him with hours to live. As Peter Parker in Doc Ock’s body lays dying, he is able to convince Doc Ock in Peter Parker’s body to be a good Spider-Man, and Ock becomes more than that: He becomes the superior Spider-Man. I personally didn’t like this one, but the premise is great, so I think you should give it a shot.
WITH GREAT POWER . . .
Out of the two origin stories I am writing about, this one is the worst. It’s just . . . boring. its so bland and doesn’t really capture the true feel of Spider-Man. It is just very to-the-point. I don’t like that. I like it when an author/illustrator adds that little something extra. This comic has none of that! Read this . . . if you enjoy disappointment.
POWER AND RESPONSIBILITY
Now we’re talking! This comic adds a little spice to the boring, humdrum origin story that we all know. It has great art and has a great script. It gives you a great, honest look at Uncle Ben, the real reason Peter became Spider-Man. This comic sat really well with me, as i hope it does with you.
HeroViews #1: Batman
Honestly, what isn’t there to like about Batman? He’s unique in being basically the only DC protagonist that has no superpowers and isn’t another species – you can’t say the same about Marvel heroes, now can you? He has a great backstory and a great set of tools: the Batarang, Batmobile, Batrope, Batcycle, smoke bombs, tasers, grappling hooks, and much more. He has worked his way from nerd circles into the great mainstream, with the highest-grossing movie franchise among superheroes. Here are a few of the most acclaimed Batman comics:
HUSH
A fairly new comic, and great to start off a comic “career,” if you will. It was the first comic I read, and it has a great opinion on Batman’s environment. It opens up a whole new perspective on how Batman thinks and feels. Hush goes a lot more in-depth with female characters, like Catwoman and Harley Quinn. It introduces new characters that you will love. It’s one of my favorites. Hush is a must-read.
KNIGHTFALL
My personal favorite. This is a great comic because it reveals Batman’s vulnerability. You see him become legitimately tired, then injured, and finally, literally, broken. Knightfall introduces Bane, a big new villain in the Batman universe, and deals with the true pain of fighting the same enemies over and over. This is another great starting point.
COURT OF OWLS/CITY OF OWLS
This story reveals what being Batman has done to Bruce Wayne. He slowly plunges into insanity as he fights the legendary Court of Owls. The art represents this perfectly. Greg Capullo does a wonderful job demonstrating the true pain of being a crime fighter. But be careful: this same art can be hard to understand. (Like, very.) This comic is a bit more mature and is definitely not for children under ten years of age.
WAR DRUMS
This comic has, in my opinion, the best art ever. It just resonates with me. It also has some great new characters, like the unknown female Robin (surprise), who is also Tim Drake’s girlfriend. The whole gang component makes the story more interesting. Plus, there are very few supervillains, if any, and this makes for an extremely unique story. It shows that Batman gets down and dirty with the true underlying issues of Gotham.
DEATH OF THE FAMILY
This is a truly classic Joker story. It has a great twist in the fact that The Joker goes after those who are close to Batman, instead of Batman himself: Batgirl, Nightwing, Alfred, Red Hood, Robin, and Red Robin. After Dollmaker removes The Joker’s face, he has a new obsession with the removal of faces. The infamous Joker toxin is treated very profoundly in this story. The true insanity and intelligence of the Joker is revealed, and it is mindblowing.
SUPERMAN/BATMAN: PUBLIC ENEMIES
This story takes place during Lex Luthor’s presidency. He declares Superman and Batman “public enemies” and then sends swaths of superheroes out to imprison them. The only people on their side are the Batman Family, Lois Lane, and The Toymaker (if you’ve never heard of him, that’s fine). This story is one that will hopefully be remembered for a long time.
The Shield 