Book Description

It seemed like a simple enough idea at the time. Now that their arch-enemy, Doctor Doom, had seemingly perished, the Fantastic Four would journey into his nation of Latveria, disassemble its war machine and set its oppressed citizens free. But what appeared to be a black-and-white situation quickly turns a murky shade of grey, and Reed Richards and his family find themselves besieged on all sides - both by those they thought of as their allies, and by the very people they are trying to save. And in the awful aftermath of their authoritative action, three of the Four must contend with the defenses of the afterlife - and storm the gates of Heaven itself to rescue a fallen teammate. They've faced Galactus, the destroyer of everything; now, they face the creator of everything, as the FF are reunited in the hereafter. Plus: The Fantastic Four have a lot to answer for - and when you're trying to regain the trust of cynical New Yorkers, is associating with a certain misunderstood wall-crawler really a wise move? Collects Fantastic Four #503-513. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Brilliant
Arguably the best storyarc to hit the Fantastic Four in years, Unthinkable solidifies Mark Waid (Flash, Kingdom Come) as one of the best comic writers in the business today.Doctor Doom returns to face the Fantastic Four, but unlike every other time he fought them this time he is using magic as opposed to his scientific prowess.He starts off by sending Reed and Sue's son Franklin to Hell to be tortured, while giving similar punishment to the rest of the FF.All this while Reed "Mr. Fantastic" Richards tries to find a way to stop him and save his family.Waid's characterizations of the FF and Doom respectively are nothing short of brilliant; Reed isn't just the super genious as he is known for as we see him blaming himself for the events because he thinks he's too idiotic to work magic.Waid's characterization of Doom is great as well as we see how hell bent for vengeance against the FF he is, and the shocker of an ending is brilliant as well.The art by Mike Wieringo is great as well, even if it looks a little cartoony.All in all, Unthinkable is one of the best storyarcs to hit the FF in years.

Unthinkably enjoyable
Well, where to begin?

I went into 'Unthinkable' thinking that Mark Waid, wahtever he had planned, was going to do this one just right.

I used to think Wieringo's art was too cartoonish, much like Ed McGunness, but then I wised up.

'Unthinkable' was by and far, one of the most wonderfully crafted Marvel books I've yet read. Ive only recently jumped on the Marvel bandwagon bgecause I realized that DC still writes stories that are ordained and meant fro children--despite the greats like Green Arrow's ward's drug addiction, the brutality of the Joker on killing Jason Todd and others. But Marvel's dogma is simply more adult.
Example: How many DC villains would voluntarily (much less inhernetly know how to) banish thier nemesis' son to Hell?
But all comparisons and contrasts aside, Unthinkable gave the reader a wonderful insight into the mechanics of Reed Richards mind--his disdain for magic, his analytical nature, his utter disgust at Doom. Waid himself said that 'Unthinkable' is one monumental character flaw--Reed Richards-wise.
Doom was, as always, impeccably well-written and drawn. Hard to believe his newest armor is made from his dead lover's skin!
The new spins on Susan, Ben, and especially Johnny were great. It's so nice to see Johnny and Ben just horsing around instead of actually fighting and ruining the good ol' Baxter Building. Plus, Ringo has a certain way of making Johnny look more...educated, yet adolescent...welcome additions all around.
Stephen Strange's presence was nice, and the segway by Grimm when the FF are on their way to Latveria is a good thing to establish character.

All in all, the arc that effectively puts Doom on the shelf for the forseeable future is a well-crafted piece of comic art. Mark Waid has done it again. ... Read more

Book Description

The mysterious Quiet Man's identity is finally revealed! Mystique is sent on a mission to find Shortpack, who has mysteriously vanished. But she has enough on her mind already: she has to figure out how to assassinate Professor Charles Xavier! Mystique has been caught between two masters long enough; now, the time has come when she can no longer serve both!Collects Mystique #19-24. ... Read more

Reviews (12)

This IS the Siegel and Shuster Superman
John Byrne does not reinvent Superman in this collection. He returns the character to what he originally was. He strips away much of the mythos which only came into Superman's life after Siegel and Shuster left DC (Superboy, Supergirl, Krypto, multi-colored Kryptonite, god-like power levels, and Kryptonian heritage), and leaves us with the character as he was meant to be when he was created.

The greatest version of Superman's Origin.
John Byrne has done to Superman what he needed to have done. All of the anoying, cheesy parts of the Superman Legend have been removed, while essential new parts (such as leaving his parents alive and a millionaire Lex Luthor) are so good, I don't see how they had been left out. John Byrne has given everyone a personality, and a likable one at that. He draws Superman the way he is meant to be drawn. Finally, a believable Superman.

The Iron Age.
There was the Golden Age, the Silver Age, the Broze Age, and then there was the Iron Age, possibly the most ill-concieved era in Superman's history. What Byrne essentially did with mos was strip all the awe, wonder, and grandeur of the character away and replace it with the mundane, ordinary, dull, and just plain repugnant.

First of all, the idea that Superman rose from hell rather than fell from heaven. Preposterous. Byrne intentionally created a Krypton that "deserved to blow up," creating a cold and sterile planet that has about as much charm as a pair of rubber gloves.

Secondly, there was the thing about making Clark a jock, which completely took away the audiences ability to relate to the character. Plus, the whole point when Siegel & Shuster created his dual identity was to show that within every meek and mild-mannered individual, there was, indeed, a Superman. Now, there was absolutely no difference between his personalities at all, making the character as bland as can be.

Thirdly, his depiction of Lois Lane doesn't exactly paint her in the best of lights. She comes off as a small and petty uber-witch who's only really attracted to men with a significant amount of power, either financial or physical.

Then there's Lex, who's reduced to a second-rate Kingpin wannabe, possessing not an ounce of the charm that the pre-Crisis Lex had and is a mere fraction of the threat.

As for Lana Lang, Clark's childhood sweetheart, Byrne writes her as a somewhat pathetic stalker, unable to move on with her life after Clark reveals his secret to her as teenagers.

And finally, possibly the worst line in comic book history appears at the end of this TPB. Contemplating his place in the world after discovering his Ktyptonian heritage, "Superman" utters something to the effect that while it's Krypton that makes him Superman, it's Earth that makes him human, completely disregarding his planet of origin. A true slap in the face to the Superman mythos.

My suggestion is this: if you want a tale about Superman's early years and origins on how he truly became the DCU's greatest super hero, pick up either the upcoming BIRTHRIGHT hardcover by Mark Waid or even Alan Moore's SUPREME. Don't let the title fool ya, despite it's SUPREME moniker, Alan Moore tells what has to be the best Superman tale of the '90s.

A more modern Superman origin, but Byrne's not at his best.
When Superman was first introduced, the primary electronic entertainment medium was radio. A lot's changed, and Superman has remained the same. Based on the introduction by Dick Giordano and John Byrne, the objective of this title is to polish the Superman mythology a bit - not rewriting anything, just making it more comparable to modern comic book story telling.

I bought this book with very little knowledge of the subject matter, and almost solely because I'm a big fan of Byrne's artwork. My hope was that I'd be able to provide my sons with a decent introduction to Superman when they're old enough to be interested. I was pleasantly surprised that the book starts at the very beginning, on Krypton and progresses through Superman's first meeting with Batman. It was like starting from scratch.

The stories are very basic, but they do convey who the key players in the Superman story are, and a deeper sense of what their relationships are. That said, I was underwhelmed by Byrne's work on this title. It really didn't compare to his work on X-men or the Fantastic Four. I suspect that the gritty, raw quality of the art is intentional, given the history of the character and the subject matter. And really, I know it's a small thing, but did Lois Lane absolutely have to wear that dress with the plunging neckline?!? It seemed pretty out-of-place in a set of tales that are otherwise completely innocent by today's standards.

he's just so..superman, it's great
the past few years superman has been written so poorly, the art has tried to make him more manga or just trying weird styles, people have written superman as everything but superman.

but in this book from 1986 we see superman, simple yet oh so effective, we believe he is superman, you see the man in the superman, the man who loves his parents, they love ihim, a lois who is strong but not the annoying lois we so a lot today.

superman was bogged down by being overpowerful, too alien and not very human, then Byrne come along and give us the human superman, the man who was clark kent first and superman second.

sadly dc comics is changing it back with a superman who is more wrapped up in being an alien, his father is not helping his son create a costume but becoming upset over it.

so if you want the great superman, get this and leave the newest books alone, and i assume the birthright story will become a trade soon, if you see it leave it be and let this be the only origin of supermans you read. ... Read more

Amazon.com

In many ways, Season of Mists is the pinnacle of the Sandmanexperience. After a brief intermission of four short stories (collected as Dream Country) Gaiman continued the story of the Dream King that he began in the first two volumes. Here in volume 4, we find out about the rest of Dream's Endless family (Desire, Despair, Destiny, Delirium, Death, and a seventh missing sibling). We find out the story behind Nada, Dream's first love, whom we met only in passing during Dream's visit to hell in the first book. When Dream goes back to hell to resolve unfinished business with Nada, he finds her missing along with all of the other dead souls. The answer to this mystery lies in Lucifer's most uncharacteristic decision--a delicious surprise.

There is something grandiose about this story, in which each chapter ends withsuch suspense and drive to read the next. This book is best summed up by a toasttaken from the second chapter: "To absent friends, lost loves, old gods, and theseason of mists; and may each and every one of us always give the devil hisdue." --Jim Pascoe ... Read more

Reviews (32)

Amazing Modern Mythology
Upon my first reading of this story of The Sandman series, i was struck by how simply and profoundly Gaiman interwove so many mythologies, all the while writing the most original modern myth of our time -- dare i say _all_ time -- something that a dust cover blurb would say "if William Blake and Mark Twain colaborated on the story of what Lucifer is doing these days..." Everything from the Angels, Duma and Remiel (quite wonderful choices -- check out G. Davidson's "Dictionary of Angels" for how accurate!), to the enraged expelled demons, Azazel and company, and the self-admitted profound absence of the Greek dieties. With each successive reading, i found these threads are strung together into an amazing story of what might happen should the Ruler of Hell abdicate. Told through the perspective (and responsibility) of the Prince of Stories, the Lord Shaper Morpheus himself. i found this to be a as great a starting point as any for the series, if for no other reason, because of the wondrous introduction of Dream and his family, The Endless. The resolution of plot and every subplot, is quite tasty, and having Lucifer acknowledge the beauty of sunsets that The Creator (and his nemesis) provides daily, gives me chills just to think of it. And the bookended cliche phrases of "Once Upon A Time" and "Happily Ever After. In Hell." Give this esoteric mythos tale the finishing air of mundanity (?) that place it within the realm of each and every one of us. Aside from being my own personal favorite longer story within the series, it is in my opinion, the best. ["The Kindly Ones" would be a close second.]

Excellent...as usual from Gaiman
_Season of Mists_ (volume 4 of 10) isn't my favorite installment in the Sandman series, but it's a very good one. The story is exciting, cool, and intelligent, as expected, and the ending made me cry. I like the way this story introduces some important themes (like the beginning of the change in Dream's character, Lucifer abandoning Hell...) which you probably won't see the significance of until much later. There's always more to discover...

The only thing I don't like about this story is the art. While the prologue and epilogue are very well drawn, and the interlude is okay, Kelly Jones, who drew the rest of the story, is my least favorite Sandman artist. In one panel Dream grins like a chimpanzee. Death is just weird, and bears almost no physical resemblance to her usual self. And what happened to the Lucifer from issue 4? He was cool, but I don't like the way he looks now. BUT...none of this should impact your enjoyment of the story. Can't judge by appearances, and all that, yes? Season of Mists remains one of the best Sandman story arcs (aren't they all). And *you* may like the art; some people consider it the best in the series. I just don't, that's all. Definitely, whether you're new to Gaiman or already a fan, pick up Season of Mists; you're in for a really great read.

Gaiman is brilliantly
Uhm...this guy is like really really good. Favorite book of the series. Thank you.

Where Dream Meets Myth
With this fourth instalment to the Sandman series, Gaiman finally takes the time to introduce us to Dream's elusive siblings, the Endless. Although we briefly encountered several of them in The Doll's House, Gaiman allows us to spy in on the family dynamics as all six (or is it seven; note the one empty chair) sit around the table together and bicker and argue as most families are wont to do. The brief little write up for Desire, Despair, Destiny, Delirium, and Dream in the introductory chapter is most welcome, but why not one for Death?

Although the art was generally good, I found it a little off, at times. In particular, I didn't like the depiction of Dream or Death. I much better preferred how they appeared in Preludes and Nocturnes. To compound this problem, the text oftentimes had inconsistent images of both Dream and Death. I'm not sure why Dream sometimes appeared strikingly different in different cells on the same page, and I must say I found such occurrences distracting.

I have no complaints on the story, however. Gaiman raises the bar here, and deeply immerses the text with the various myths held by civilizations past and present. Gaiman is obviously very familiar with these themes; his firm control of the narrative and adept insertion of these various complicated mythologies provides the reader access to people and places no other graphic novel does. Further, only someone with as puckish a sense of humour as Gaiman could contrive a situation where the Norse God Thor would put the moves on the Egyptian cat Goddess, Bast. Thor appears to be quite the party animal, too: drinker, swearer and maker of rowdy jokes.

Like the other texts in the Sandman canon, I highly recommend Season of Mists. It is with this tome that Gaiman flaunts his 'literariness' and proves that comics are capable of high art, too.

Easily the Best of the Sandman
...While the first volume was easily the weakest, right next to "World's End." Still, any of these books are so much better than those Marvel superhero special FX fests you see in Hollywood movies.

The covers by Dave McKean are gorgeous, and if you're a sucker for worldly mythology, this is the book for you. It's a wonderful story that sets the tone for what's coming in the end of the Sandman. "Death: at Death's Door" is a cute retelling of this story from Death's point of view, which does not do it justice since it's much shorter, condensed and does not recreate the epic sense of mythology that the Sandman is. ... Read more

Book Description

The second collection of short stories by award-winning cartoonist Mike Mignola includes the 1999 hit series Box Full of Evil; "The Right Hand of Doom," which concisely and thoroughly examines Hellboy's history; and "Pancakes," Mignola's most hilarious and surprising story to date; and others - many presented here in color for the first time. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

A grand short story collection
"Hellboy: The Right Hand of Doom" is Hellboy at its finest. Like HP Lovecraft and Edgar Allan Poe, it is in the short story that Mignola really shines with his hell-born characters.

This short story collection contains a host of odd and enjoyable adventures for Anung Un Rama, otherwise known as Hellboy. Making his way through the mythologies and folklore of several countries, he encounters beasties like Japanese vampires, King Vold and Roger. Well-researched, Mignola threads together these various traditionals into a cohesive story, with the Christian God and Devil at the center, and Hellboy bridging the gap.

By far some of the most intelligent and well-written stories in modern comics, Hellboy never disappoints. Non-comics readers as well enjoy Hellboy, and my copy has been well-read by many people. "Hellboy: The Right Hand of Doom" is an excellent starting point, and can be read with no previous knowledge of the characters.

"He has eaten the pancakes. He will never come back to us now."

For any fan of the comic books!
When hellboy came out I thought he was one of the coolest things to come into the world of comics in a long time. I was takin a liking from the first page to the last and I have alot of the hell boy editions but this one is just as good as the others but it's certainly not the best!

A Remedy for Even the ParaAbnormal
The Adventures of Hellboy have gone through many different venues, from short stories collected in obscure DHP issues to one shot trials that are oftentimes easy to miss. Still, many of these are important when trying to understand the entirety of the Hellboy saga, and other, less crucial stories are still worth reading. That's why I'm glad to see the Trade Paperbacks The Chain Coffin and Others and The Right Hand of Doom. Between the two, you can find so many things that are nearly impossible to find.
In the Right Hand of Doom, you get:
1) Pancakes, a short comical approach to Hellboy's youth involving pancakes and hell's fate. Also, it appears in color for the first time here.
2) The Nature of the Beast, a DHP story involving the testing of Hellboy, a dilemma with a dragon, and blood that turns into lilies. Definitely good, and in color for the first time.
3) King Vold, a tale meshing many Norwegian tales together into a very entertain story pitting Hellboy against man's great adversary, human greed.
4) Heads, from Abe Sapien: Drums of the Dead (a comic you should definately pick up because the Abe Sapien story hasn't been reproduced), involves Hellboy's encounter with Japanese folklore and floating heads. Its really nice looking.
5) Goodbye, Mister Tod, from Gary Gianni's The Monstermen, a tale that meshes more Lovecraftian themeage than normal into Hellboy's life.
6) The Varcolac, a completely redone piece that first appeared in Dark Horse Extra, something nice in its new version but not as good in its original. Here's a tale involving Romanian vampires that, according to Mignola's knowledge of folklore, "eats the sun and the moon and is able to cause eclipses."
7) The Right Hand of Doom, a story leading into a pivotal part in the understanding of just what's going on in Hellboy, mentioning his hand and its origins. It makes its first appearance here in color.
8) Box Full of Evil, a wonderful story that explains the "beast of the apocalypse" connotations floating around Hellboy all the time, complete with an extra four page epilogue to help out with clarity.
This is a wonderful collection of tales, and is really worth reading for the Hellboy fan and newcomer alike. To say it strays from the atypical would be an understatement.

A great place to start
When I first saw this book at the library, I wasn't sure what to expect. I thought it was going to be another one of those: "lets kill a bunch of people, in-between stupid wise-cracks, because that's what the kids think is cool today." Thank God I was proven wrong. This is one of the best books I have ever read. Hellboy is a paranormal investigator who also happens to be the son of the Devil. In this collection we follow Hellboy's journey, from his earlier days when he first taste of pancakes costs Hell the grip on his soul--to his later years where Hellboy learns that should he ever lose control he will bring about the Apocalypse. All the stories are good, most are modern retellings of old folklore stories ("Heads" for example is an old japanese ghost story about a group of headless ghouls who lure strangers to their home, and then eat them. This story along with many others in collection can be found, in their original form, in Time-Life's Enchanted World series--particularly "Ghosts", "Night Creatures", and "Tales of Terror".) My favorite story is the one about King Void-- The Wild Huntsman who every night rides forth seeking the souls of damned. Less psychotic than John Constantine, more grounded than Fox Maulder, Hellboy is without a doubt one of the most original characters in comics today. The artwork alone by Mike Mignola is worth 5 stars. ... Read more

Book Description

This hardcover volume features many key introductions, including Proteus (the evil son of Professor X), Gambit (who enjoyed a large fan-following in the hit X-Men cartoon) and Phoenix (the dark split personality of Jean Grey). The X-Men are cut to the emotional core as they battle their way through an obstacle course of deadly trials. First, Professor Xavier -- the mentor of the X-Men -- is forced to confront his past sins when his own son explodes into a destructive force. The question is, will he sacrifice his team to save his son? Then, the X-Men face another internal conflict when Jean Grey turns to the dark side.To save themselves, and the world, will the X-Men strike down their own teammate? ... Read more

Reviews (9)

New generation of writers out to destroy comics....
These new stories by Millar contain terrible Kubert drawings and story plots that go no where. They play more like a video game rather then a comic and are the work of people who are more like internet geeks then serious writers. No wonder comic book sales are dead and less then 2,000 comic book stores are still open nationwide.

Los mutantes recontados
La idea del Universo Ultimate que tan bien le esta saliendo a la Marvel, es adaptar sus historias clasicas al entorno actual con la finalidad de atraer nuevos lectores. Es decir, todos sabemos lo geniales que son los mutantes de Stan Lee pero reconozcamos que no atraen lo suficiente a nuevos lectores.
Asi, esta version Ultimate incorpora varios cambios menores que al final hacen un gran cambio, por ejemplo en las personalidades de los personajes, su origen, etc. Y todo eso hace una gran lectura. El escritor es Mark Millar, la actual estrella de la editorial Marvel que ademas ha escrito a los geniales Ultimates y los dibujantes son los hermanos Adam y Andy Kubert que se complementan muy bien el uno al otro. En resumen, buenos autores logran una estupenda historia.
Este tomo de tapa dura tiene los primeros 12 numeros de la coleccion Ultimate X-men:
- del #1 al #6: Tomorrow People, como se reclutan a los nuevos X-men y la pelea contra la version mas malvada de Magneto que se haya visto.
- del #7 al #12: Return to Weapon X, con la aparición estelar del Ultimate Samuel Jackson, perdon, quise decir Nick Fury.
Altamente recomendable para quienes pensaron que no se podian hacer nuevas historias de mutantes, para quienes no tienen nada de los X-men en su coleccion y para quienes llegan a los X-men por la pelicula.

Keep it real
The creators of Ultimate X-men did a very smart thing. They started all the way over. Considering Ult. X-men starts off anew, they can do what they wish with the story. Unlike X-treme and New X-Men which have plots so Twisted, it doesn't feel like the X-Men at all. They changed a few things in this series, like how Wolverine joined. Also Colossus and Storm take Angel's place as one of the first X-men. Making a team of 6 instead of 5. Magneto and the Brotherhood are pretty much the same. These books are solely based on story. Theres action, but its kinda far between.

The Weapon X Program tries to "recruit" the X-Men
Despite the title and the cover art for this second trade paperback volume in the "Ultimate X-Men" series (collecting issues 7-12), "Return to Weapon X" does not focus on the character of Wolverine. True, he is a key part of the solution for the predicament our Merry Mutants have found themselves in this time around, but Weapon X is now a big time secret government program run under the auspices of S.H.I.E.L.D. and Nick Fury that has a rather impressive little roster of mutants in its service: Juggernaut, Rogue, Nightcrawler, and Sabertooth. Think of them as the government's answer to the X-Men and the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants, and that pretty much accounts for all of the mutants belonging to groups at this point in the series.

Despite being on a first name basis with the President of the United States, Xavier's School for Gifted Children is hit by Colonel Wraith and his shock troops, both human and mutant. Now Cyclops, Marvel Girl, and the others will serve the greater good and help the government fight fire with fire (the only good mutant is a mutant with a neural implant). Of course, since this is a comic book, the person in charge of this government program is psychotic and perfectly willing to do anything to do anything to get the job done (or did I mention already that Wraith was in charge?). The main part of the story arc has to do with the X-Men regaining their freedom, but this is also mixed up with Wolverine's search for his past and Nick Fury's search for an illegal genetic operation violating the Superhuman Test-Ban Treaty.

I think that one of the main strengths of the Ultimate comic books is that they emphasize story arcs that take multiple issues (six in this case) so that a dozen issues into the series we have only dealt with two major stories instead of a self-contained episode with a new villain every single month. This should help the well from running dry too quickly. Writer Mark Millar along with Penciller Adam Kubert (with Tom Raney & Tom Derenick) and Inker Art Thibert (with Scott Hanna, Joe Kubert, Danny Miki, & Lary Stucker) are having fun tweaking the "original" X-Men stories and creating some new dynamics (e.g., Storm is interested in Hank McCoy, Nightcrawler does not speak English) so I think that those who have been reading the X-Men since issue #1 of "The Uncanny X-Men" (or issue #1 of "The Giant-Size X-Men") will enjoy the differences more than neophytes and appreciate the way key stories resonant (e.g., Jean Grey is Marvel Girl and not Phoenix when she steps over the line this time around).

"Return to Weapon X" is not as good as the first volume in the series, but it is hard to compete with Magneto when you talking about the X-Men, whichever version of the group is involved. Millar's story is certainly complex enough and you can see all sorts of things being set up for down the road. As long as you are not offended by the very existence of the series, you should find "Ultimate X-Men" or any of the other titles in the Marvel series to be at least entertaining and quite possibility compelling. At the very least, you should be able to appreciate the tweaking.

Awesome!
An alternate X-Men universe is perhaps the best way for newer readers to come to terms with the characters that have amazed many throughout the years. The familiar characters get a stylish upgrade. Jean Grey with red, spiky hair? Cyclops with a goatee? Iceman with a bandana? You get them all here! Fantastic artwork with a reasonably paced storyline. The X-Men's battle with Magneto's Brotherhood of the Evil Mutants opened its first chapter. A highly recommended read. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

How do you kill a man without fear?
This five part storyline is even more solid proof that Brian Michael Bendis is a modern day visionary. Not since Frank Miller has anyone painted a more gritty, realistic portrait of the Man Without Fear. The last part of Bendis' long time run on the Daredevil series, Hardcore finds the blind vigilante even more popular with the people of Hell's Kitchen now that his identity has been outed, and this story contains some of the most memorable scenes and moments to happen in the pages of Daredevil in quite some time. After dueling with The Owl, we see our hero being attempted to stay at bay by Wilson Fisk who is trying to reclaim his mantle as the Kingpin of crime. Daredevil has a run in with Typhoid Mary, followed by one of the most violent and memorable fights with Bullseye that must be seen to be believed. The final battle with the Kingpin seals up this package, the conclusion of which for now (I should say forever, but this is the Marvel Universe after all) changes Daredevil forever. Bendis' knack for gritty storytelling is at his best, while the art by Alex Maleev is superb as always. Appearances by Luke Cage and Jessica Jones (from Bendis' other series Alias, no, not the TV show either) are featured here as well, and this storyline is a fine swan song for Bendis and Maleev. ... Read more

Book Description

The return of the Canadian super team Alpha Flight... but do they return as friends or foes? The hunt for the mysterious religious sect known as the Church of Humanity concludes, but what secrets will they have in store for one of the X-Men? Plus: A wedding between two of the X-Men's longtime members! ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Beware, true X-men fans!
The character of Sammy is one of the highlights of this story arc, but any REAL X-men fan should RUN! QUICKLY! at any sign of the name Chuck Austen on an X-men comic... See other reviews for additional details, I can't bear the memory of having paid money for this...

Uneven art, Poor Story
Since Austen's run on the book started, it has gotten steadily worse, so it shouldn't be a surprise that this, the third collection gets a one-star rating. The artists are Ron Garney, who's capable of some good work, but is not at all at his best here, and Philip Tan, who might be good with more practice. As usual, the plots are contrived, the characterization randomly changes to fit these plots and the dialogue is some of the worst I've read.

There Are Several Storylines in this Book
Their titles in the original issues were "Rules of Engagement" [421-422], "Holy War" [423-424], "Sacred Vows" [425-426], and "The Dead Have No Rights" [427]. The Lorna-Alex-Annie triangle takes up more of the book than anything else, so I guess "Holy War" made the title because its issues were the only ones with Wolverine on the cover. It certainly isn't the best story.

My preference is for the ongoing reformation of the Juggernaut subplot [see UNCANNY X-MEN: HOPE and UXM: DOMINANT SPECIES]. Cain Marko takes a big step in the opening story. I know from early back issues that Professor Xavier has long wished that he and his stepbrother could truly be brothers. Their scene together has a really nice ending. I'm happy for both of them.

Alpha Flight was at a disadvantage in their fight with the X-Men. I think on some level they figured out that their deal with the Governor of New York wasn't as clean as they thought. (The Governor wants to use the riot [see NEW X-MEN: RIOT AT XAVIER'S] to shut down the school.) Unfortunately for Alpha Flight and the cops, the Juggernaut is an extremely loyal friend -- and he considers some of the people at Xavier's to be his friends. (Can you say, I sure hope Prof. X has his checkbook handy? I thought you could.)

Speaking of Prof. X, Sage has suggested that Xavier, Jean, and Emma are too powerful to be trusted [see X-TREME X-MEN: SCHISM]. Perhaps that's why Prof. X doesn't use his telepathy at all during this crisis. Instead, he spends most of it on the phone with his lawyer. (At one point, the tone of X's politely understated request to Mr. White reminded me of CPT Kirk's famous suggestion when he's about to be sucked into the Doomsday Machine.)

Because I'm Catholic, I expected to be deeply offended by "Holy War". I found myself laughing instead. Besides the "The Rapture" error, Mr. Austen has Catholic characters quoting from THE NEW REVISED STANDARD VERSION BIBLE, which is Protestant. The Church of Humanity's discarded plan, which involved Nightcrawler, demonstrates no understanding of how our Pope gets elected. (Not to mention that it would have been more likely that people would have recognized Nightcrawler and wondered what the X-Men were doing than to have had the effect the C of H wanted). The facts that Mr. Austen needed are readily available on the Internet, so there's no excuse for his lack of research.
Not even the aftermath of a sickening attack on the school at "Holy War's" beginning can save it from being the stupidest story in the book.

The runnerup for that title is "Sacred Vows". Even though there's no indication that Cyclops told Prof. X about the way Lorna was acting in "Holy War", her behavior in NEW X-MEN: NEW WORLDS and UNCANNY X-MEN: DOMINANT SPECIES should have made Xavier suspect that Lorna might need therapy before getting married. Alex's spectacularly bad timing didn't help.

Except for the very unsubtle last panel, "The Dead Have No Rights" is a pretty good story. Jubilee has to deal with a bigoted cemetery manager while Husk guards their late mutant friend's grave. I'm assuming that the bigot believes that bodies must remain intact for the Resurrection of the Dead at the Second Coming of Christ. Otherwise, his refusal to wait to see if Xavier will pay doesn't make sense. Archangel gets to do a noble deed that I don't think was very wise, considering the way his power works.

Other bits of this book that I also liked were Lorna's wedding plans phone call with her mom, a joke about Kurt's tail, the bachelor and bachelorette parties, Cain and young Sammy's disagreement over who's the best-looking lady at Xavier's, Alex's kindness to Cain and Cain's repayment, Cain's reaction when Chamber and Husk have an argument while Husk is trying to unbury the big guy, and Cain's gentleness with Carter and Sammy. Some fans might enjoy Stacy X's farewell video to Warren.

I'd recommend buying this book for the Juggernaut reformation subplot. If you enjoy reading jaw-droppingly stupid stories that you have to wonder how they ever got past an editor, you might want to buy it for "Holy War". I'm a little surprised that Marvel allowed those issues to be reprinted without adding a page apologizing for that story's errors of fact as well as the implicit assumption that we Catholics are blithering idiots.

Austen's writing is offensively bad
In this storyline, we not only see Austen's inability to write convincing dialogue or understand a character's personality (especially Havok and Nightcrawler), but also his incredible anti-Catholic bias and his complete refusal to do even the most basic research. In this story, Nightcrawler essentially loses his Catholic faith and ends up in the "messy middle," with a vague belief in something good out there that kind of hopes we'll be nice. Meanwhile, a villainess gets her driving motivation from having formerly been a nun who was raped by a priest, then forced to get an abortion. Add in references to the Crusades and the Inquisition, and we're right in the middle of a huge anti-Catholic rant.

The story hinges on a fringe group's desire to take advantage of the Catholic dogma relating to the rapture. Surprise! To the Catholic Church, all forms of millenarianism (such as the rapture) are not dogma, but heresy! Pretty big plot hole. Keep this one in the warehouses, where it belongs.

not bad, but definately not the best
I agree that the whole plot with Lorna was a bit over the top and kinda shallow. Plus Nightcrawler, my fav character btw, is shown as kinda a whimp, which is absolutely not his character. The only good plot i can say is the one with Sammy. He's a really cool and interesting addition. It's worth a read bc it leads up to the current story line "Draco", which has been pretty good so far, along with some excellent artistry. So go to borders and read the book, then start collecting the current issues. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

An Excellent Compendum
This Masterworks edition features The original X-Men series (later titled 'The Uncanny X-Men' numbers 22-31. For $35, it is definately a great buy. Although Stan Lee ends his run as writer with issue 22 (taken over by Roy Thomas), the stories remain great and Jack Kirby's artwork is impressive, even for 30 years ago.

Unlike the Essential X-Men series, these Masterwork editions are in full color with glossy covers. If you're looking to elarn the histroy of the X-Men or are new to the series and can'ty afford spending the money to buy all the old issues, this is the place to start. I definately recommend getting the first three Masterwork editions and then following up with the Clarement "Essential" books later to learn all the important storylines. ... Read more

Book Description

Kir Kanos is the last surviving member of the elite Imperial Guard. He`s on the run -- and the Empire will stop at nothing to destroy him! It`s the combined might of the Empire against a single man. Crimson Empire combines the dynamic artistic talents of comics superstars Paul Gulacy (Batman vs. Predator III) and P. Craig Russell (Elric: Stormbringer) and featuring a new cover painting by master Star Wars illustrator Dave Dorman. ... Read more

Reviews (19)

I LOVED IT
I heard the audio cassete version of this story by checking it out of the library. My mom, not even really a great fan of Star Wars, listened to it with me and we finished it the same day. I am now listening to it again. The actors do a wonderful job and as always the music and soiund effects make it sound like the battle is in your own room. This is the best! Great to see Wedge Antilles at the end. Mirith Sinn is the most idiotic character I have ever seen. How many times did Ki Kanos warn her that they were not allies? Not enough I guess. Still one of the best.

A very good story . . . if you like the Crimson Guard
While this story was not a complete loss, both the story line and the art were unremarkable. The story was definitely not a major event in the Star Wars universe, and it will probably not be one of the talked about story lines in the years to come. Overall it is just below average for a Star Wars tale. ALTHOUGH, if you are a fan of the Crimson Guard, this book is very enjoyable, and worth the money. The reader gets to see inside their training, and learns of their fate after the Dark Empire story line. Add to that several great action sequences of the Guard, and you have a great story for any lover of the Crimson Guard. (I am a fan of the Crimson Guard, hence the 4 stars.)

One of the Best
Having read a lot of Star Wars Graphic Novels, I can safely say this is one of the best if not the best. Crimson Empire delivers the goods. Period. There's a reason almost all the reviews here are 5 stars: this story is unique, captures the essence of SW and takes you on a ride that is as enjoyable as the original films. BOLD. NEW. EXCITING. Read Crimson Empire.

You must purchase this comic series.
...I'm glad someone decided to give these Royal Guardsman their fame by publishing this comic series. The drwings are great. And tt gives you in depth perspective on how these guardsman train and use their force pikes. And how they train and are also force users.
It shows how these guardsman (former elite storm troopers) show up to the training facilities, and their strive to become the beat guardsman. And the cost of that is having to ultimately killing another top contender which was one of your own fellow trainees you trained with.
That's totally compelling.

Possibly the best of the comics
Wow. This is truly an original piece of work. With the exception of "Tales of the Jedi" series(s), this is my favorite Star Wars graphic novel. The story itself is told so skillfully, engrossing you in a world filled with characters, that you forget that they were not in the Star Wars movies (with the exception of Wedge.) The art is the best of ANY SW comic, including the drab and dull Dark Empire. It is a shame that the sequel did live up to this piece of work. ... Read more

Reviews (29)

"To me my X-Men"
After a series of convolted and plain old lame storylines (The Twelve, Operation: Zero Tolerance), Marvel finally had the good sense to get an acclaimed and truly gifted writer to take on everyone's favorite merry mutants. The great Grant Morrison, along with artist Frank Quitely began they're now classic run on X-Men (re-titled New X-Men) with E is for Extinction. Introducing us to Professor Xavier's evil twin sister Cassandra Nova and the mass genocide of the mutant populated island of Genosha was just the beginning of Morrison's brilliant run as the X-Men themselves are given a makeover. The spandex multi-colored suits are gone in place of practical black leather, and the attitude and tone of the book has become more adult as well. Many different themes are presented in this first collected volume: Cyclops and Jean Grey's marriage is under strain now more than ever, with Emma "White Queen" Frost in the middle of it. Beast grows more disenchanted, and Wolverine is at his berserker, claw popping best. We are also introduced to the mysterious mutant healer called Xorn; a character who would have a never even thought of impact before Morrison's run ended. Quitely's artwork is great and suits the book, no over muscled, cleavage busting (except for Emma that is) character models that were so apparent throughout various X-books during the 90's. All in all, if you were turned off by the X-Men a few years back after all the lame storylines, you should pick this book up and discover that Grant Morrison is the best writer to ever hit the X-Men since Chris Claremont.

The Atypical X-Men
Yeah this is the X-Men, there's no need to adjust the set. Yeah, they aren't wearing spandex, this is a good thing, believe me. Grant Morrison does the X-Men a good service and decides to take them in a surprising new direction. Gone are the overly complicated and boring stories of the last few years that leave dangling plot threads that get resolved years afterward.
So what do we get? A smaller, more manageable team, better characterzation (Emma Frost, written by Morrison is probably one of the most fun characters out there in comics), and then there's the actual story. E is for Extinction packs a good punch, especially the ending of the second issue (I'm not gonna give that away but it's a stunner of an ending). An X-Men story hasn't been this bold in ages.
I didn't use to like X-Men much, but now, it feels worth a look finally.
Oh and no matter what anyone says, the new costumes are better than the old. Would you rather wear skin tight spandex or something that can pass off as clothing?

A "NEW" beginning
E is for extinction is a good jump-on point for readers old and new. The X-universe is notorously complex but with a little patience it's a ride worth taking. Professor X has created a school were he helps young mutants learn to control their powers and abilities, unfortunatly mutantkind is curently under siege. Cassandra Nova, Professor X's evil twin sister, has aquired a dangerous new type of sentinel technology and is looking to destroy the mutant race. It's up to the X-men to stop her. The team consists of:1-Scott/Cyclops:Team Leader/resident hunk and husband to 2-Jean/Phoenix:The incredibly powerful girl next door and all around goody two shoes. 3-Emma/The White Queen:Conniving, ruthless, brilliant and beautiful. 4-Hank/Beast:The brilliant scientist that looks like a monster but has a heart of gold and 5-Logan/Wolverine:the other special man in Jeans a forbidden romance with the "wild and crazy overrated bad boy". The art in this first volume is pretty good, the storytelling is very good.Highly recommended. EP

I was very satisfied
Though I usually read hardcore sci-fi or cyberpunk books, such as "Stranger in a Strange Land", "Broken Angels", "Altered Carbon", "Childhood's End", "Neuromancer", "Cryptonomicon", "Cyber Hunter", and so forth, I still love graphic novels, especially when they are about such wonderfully rounded and believable characters, which have lasted for decades, as the X-Men. Highly recommended.

well done
This is a really well done book. I've been away from the comics for some time now, so I'm not sure what's been going on, but it is easy to pick this volume up and be back into it just that easy. They have a great new look and I love the uniforms. It's all very well written and the art is great as well. They keep you interested in the story. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Silly
This book is just plain silly. It's a parody that just doesn't work for me. As the President of the USSR, Superman creates a Utopia where it doesn't even rain unless Brainiac is sure everyone has an umbrella! He's waiting for America to collapse, but Lex becomes President (even though he hates the people) just to defeat Superman!

A Pinnacle of Superman writing
Red Son, for those not in the know, is the Elseworlds tale showcasing how the world would have been different should Kal El have landed in Russia during the beginning of the Cold War. What occurs during the three issues is the rise of the Superman, and the fall of the world under his boot. Oh, it's not a tyrannical rule; Superman has made the world a Socialist community, with only a dilapidated America under President Luthor standing up against the alien's involvement.

It's a heady case that Mark Millar brings, but the work stands as one of the best and definite works for Superman. You may ask, 'definitive for Superman? How? It's not a real story!" (...)! Millar defines his world using the very paradigm of who and what the Superman character stands for. Oh, our guy is most certainly there. It's just that we get to see how Superman would react given a different lot in life. He is still the highly noble, self-sacrificing hero that we all know and love. There isn't a person on this planet that doesn't know that familiar 'S'-shield, and each one can pick up on the familiarity with the character as he and his cast are presented here. After all, it's the classic story of invulnerable alien versus his greatest nemesis-a brilliant mortal flesh and blood human. Ah....but Lex gets it done. In a brilliant way, Lex gets it done.

Art wise, Dave Johnson and Kilian Plunkett share the art chores throughout the telling. Johnson begins the story for the first part, and is joined and later finished by Plunkett. Johnson's work heralds the Superman Fleischer cartoons from the 1940's, where our hero is a broad shouldered man of action, simple in wants and benign in deeds. His work directly expresses the innocence of the years, and it's slow decay as time marches on. Plunkett finishes the tale up, and his style shows a harsher, aged time for the world and Superman. The decay of freedom is complete, and our hero bears that weight in full force. You can clearly perceive the gloom that hangs over all, which is...until....

You read it for yourself. What, you think I was going to tell you? Ha! And ruin it? You're out of your gourd!

Superman: Red Son more than stands out this year as the story that none should miss. It succeeds on all levels as a defining work that grabs your attention and leaves you overwhelmed come story's end. There is nothing more that I can say that the book doesn't say for itself.

Not a cause & effect, but a complete overhaul
I am a big fan of Marvel's long-lost WHAT IF series, in which one small change in a familiar storyline would result in radically different outcomes for heroes or villains. When DC began their Elseworlds imprint, I took notice, hoping that this would satisfy my craving for more variants on the old standards. I've noticed more and more, however, that Elseworlds is not so much a continuation of the WHAT IF premise, but complete reimaginings of the DC Universe. What's more, they really don't make much sense, and that is no more apparent than with Mark Millar's SUPERMAN: RED SON.

From reading the cover and introduction, the premise of this book appears to be "If Kal-El's rocket was off by a few minutes and landed in the USSR instead of the USA, how would that affect the DCU?". Reading on, however, I realize that the premise instead is "How would the DCU look in a world dominated by the USSR?" That's a whole different ballgame, and not nearly as interesting to me. The reason I say this is that Millar does not make it clear how the effects presented in RED SON are caused by Superman's existence as a communist figurehead. For example, why would Superman's not being in the USA make Jimmy Olsen decide to become a government agent instead of working for the Daily Planet? Why would a Russian boy with murdered dissident parents become Batman instead of Bruce Wayne? Why would Oliver Queen work for the Daily Planet instead of becoming Green Arrow? It seems to me that Superman's existence in the "regular" timeline had no effect on Olsen's desire to work at the Planet, the murder of Bruce Wayne's Parents, or Oliver Queen being stranded on an island; therefore, these characters should remain pretty much the same in this alternate timeline. All I can assume is that Millar wanted to give us more bang for the buck, giving us a quick thrill upon spotting familiar characters in different circumstances, but his cause-and-effect gets sloppy in the process. There are a few well-done moments, such as the creation of Bizarro and the release of the super-villains, but these were overshadowed for me by the little inconsistencies I mentioned before (and others) that just didn't add up. This is not a simple "alternate timeline" caused by a different destination for Kal-El's rocket... this is an complete reinterpretation of the DCU, and not much fun for me.

"Red" hot
Probably one of the best "what if" stories i have ever read. It has all the elements of a great grophic novel. Good story telling, good art, and exelent dialogue.

Superman Behind The Iron Curtain
I have enjoyed many of the Elseworlds books ever since the precursor, Gotham By Gaslight. This is probably the best Superman title and one of the best overall.

A few hours difference in the arrival of superman's space capsule could mean landing half a world away from Kansas and that is the premise. Superman has landed in the Soviet Union and has been raised by loyal Socialists. Superman's presence in the Soviet Union drastically alters the future.

Superman rises to power despite the conflict of political ideals and the Warsaw Pact signs on new members. We see the world change and see the lives of many familiar figures form the DC universe; Lois Lane, Lex Luthor, Batman, Green Lantern, Wonder Woman, etc.

This is more than just a remake of the Nazi Superman (Ubermensch) as seen on Saturday Night Live. The story is fairly believable and Superman is as true to his upbringing as in the regular DC universe. The story progresses nicely until we see the final surprise plot twist.

A wonderful story for Superman and Elseworlds fans. ... Read more

Book Description

Wolverine's 30th Anniversary Celebration starts off with a bang as the X-Men investigate a series of mysterious murders in New York City. All the victims seem to have been cut to pieces by blades...Adamantium blades! But if Wolverine didn't murder these people, then who did?! Plus: While on assignment to track down missing teammate Sage, the X-Men discover more than they bargained for: the birth of a newer and deadlier Hellfire Club! Collecting Uncanny X-Men 450-454, and X-Men #165. ... Read more

Amazon.com

When Brant and Charlene wreck their car in a horrible snowstorm in the middle of nowhere, the only place they can find shelter is a mysterious little inn called World's End. Here they wait out the storm and listen to stories from the many travelers also stuck at this tavern. These tales exemplify Neil Gaiman's gift for storytelling--and his love for the very telling of them. This volume has almost nothing to do with the larger story of the Sandman, except for a brief foreshadowing nod. It's a nice companion to the best Sandman short story collection, Dream Country, (and it's much better than the hodgepodge Fables and Reflections). World's End works best as a collection--it's a story about a story about stories--all wrapped up in a structure that's clever without being cute, and which features an ending nothing short of spectacular. --Jim Pascoe ... Read more

Reviews (13)

Eclectic Entertaining and Engaging Short Fiction by a Master
I guess one would be extremely hard pressed to choose which of the Sandman collections can be considered the best, but I'm going to choose this one. I'm a little biased, because it was these stories which hooked me on the Sandman when the series was still being published in the early 90s. Gaiman is an intensely storyteller with a wide bredth of mythology at his command which he weaves together in the individaul issues reprinted in this collection. The artwork but such luminaries like Mike Allred of later Madman fame (in the mesmerizing story "Prez") enhance the spellbinding words that Gaiman has meticulously crafted for the right affect.

The Sandman is best appreciated when read it order the magazine was publihsed, which is difficult to do in the TPB and hardcover editions because some of the stories are reprinted thematically, not sequentially. However, if you are not sure who you will respond to Gaiman, Dream and the rest of the Endless this edition will give you a satisfying glimpse of not just great comic storytelling, but great storytelling. I wouldn't call this fantasy, nor would I dismiss this as "a mere comic book." Gaiman helped elevate the medium with his creation, all fans of the written word and graphic art will enjoy this and all the volumes in the Sandman collection.

Touches of Sandman
This is not a Dream-centered books, you crazy women who are, admit it, a little stuck on the Sandman. This is a book about dreams...the lives, in essence, that he touches. He pops up in various places along the way, but this is more a collection of short stories. Two travelers get lost in a snowstorm in June and find their way to an inn of all worlds. Creatures from various times and places, caught up in the "reality storm" have come to this place for food and drink and rest from the icy storm, including Clurachan (sp?), a favorite faerie hedonist from other installments in the Sandman series.

My favorite story is inarguable "A Tale of Two Cities" when a very average man with a very normal job and a great love of his city finds himself, after falling asleep in the subway (see if you can't connect to an interest in subways overall by Gaiman in his book "Neverwhere"), that he has fallen into a dream of the city. Cities dream as do people...anyone who has traveled extensively knows that cities do have their own personalities. New Orleans feels nothing like New York, etcetera. He searches for months trying to find an exit from the dream of the city, only to find temptation to stay.

All of the stories are entertaining, but this one sticks out the most in my mind. I have a great love of cities, especially New York, and I can only imagine what she dreams.

A dark shadow plagues the end of "World's End"...a funeral procession...who this funeral procession is for, well...call it foreshadowing.

Gaiman does Chaucer
Like Fables and Recollections and Dream Country, World's End is a collection of individual stories that have little do with the Sandman arc. Unlike its predecessors, however, there is greater continuity between the stories, negating the impressions I had (particularly in Dream Country), that Gaiman just threw together a bunch of cool - but unrelated- ideas and constructed a book. The stories within World's End are all linked to a singular event: travelers gathering 'round and exchanging their weirdest, most interesting tales (admittedly, an almost done-to-death literary device). Gaiman breathes new life into this convention by inserting a dizzying amount of layers into the storytelling function. In a wonderfully witty Introduction, Stephen King compares the collection to "nested Chinese boxes:" stories existing within stories within stories. Gaiman really flexes his writing muscles here, constructing highly imaginative parallel universes that eerily mirror our own world (fans of Gaiman will note that "A Tale of Two Cities" borrows heavily from the essay he wrote for the SIMCITY 2000 game). He also inserts his most shocking plot twist to date at the end of the book, which forms the basis of the last two books on the Sandman collection and is guaranteed to pique the continued interest of the Sandman readership.

I really enjoyed the diversity of the art; to note, the visually arresting rectangular and vertically arranged panels done by Alec Stevens in the aforementioned lead story "A Tale of Two Cities;" John Watkiss' crispness and use of clean lines; the tasteful, subdued tones of Michael Zulli and frequent Sandman collaborator Dick Giordano in "Hob's Leviathan."

My only wish would have been for the book to be a little longer. Obviously, that's not a critique at all, but a compliment to Gaiman's skills as a writer. But, when you're plunking down $32.95 (Canadian) for a book, it's a little disappointing to get a relatively slim volume.

Another good one.
These are good stories. Properly speaking, they are barely 'Sandman' stories: I think the Sandman makes just one cameo appearance. They're still good stories.

The format is familiar: strangers wait out a storm at an inn unfamiliar to all of them. They pass the time exchanging stories. OK, it's an old bottle, but Gaiman fills it with new wine. The stories range from the biographical to the fantastic and satiric.

The most mythic story, I think, takes place in the politics of a world much like modern America, or maybe 70s America. Mythology isn't about distant times, it's about grand heroes and their quests - I like to be reminded of that occasionally.

I usually read comics for the artwork first and writing second. The various artists in this book are all capable enough, but that's not what carries the book. I was quite happy to be pulled along by the story-telling.

The construct is more important than the tale
Interesting structure to a series of tales told by travelers stuck at an Inn during a storm. Cantebury Tales was the inspiration and Gaiman employs many levels of stories within stories and even eventually brings the story full circle, which is cheeky. However it seems that the stories were given little precedence and therefore come off very weak. Now part of this is expectation. Fables and Reflections blew me away and may be my fav of the series so I expected this as a series of individual stories to be just as good. So with it being just average I was overly disappointed. There are some good moments and the few appearances of Death and the Endless are captivating. However they are not enough.

One note: the end of this book overtly hints at the plot of Kindly One's so if you want to be surprised, read this after that one. I wish Gaiman hadn't done that, myself. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Fresh Take On A Classic Character
This new Batgirl story really invigorates the classic character. All the classic elements of Batgirl's origin are here, but they are updated and fleshed out. I like how her relationship to Batman turns out. At first he tries to make her quit and give up being a superhero, but then he sees how serious and capable she is. The story gets 5 stars. the artwork gets 4, because, although it was fresh and sort of abstract, I think Batgirl was drawn too skinny. She did not look healthy. All in all this was a great story and made me miss Barbara Gordon as Batgirl even more than I did.

Terrific Update!
The writer and artist made a super update on the character and origin. The streamined art was perfect for the story... capturing a bit of old-fashionedness and nostalgia without looking campy and/or dated. Excellent correographed action, the storyline got confusing visually rarely. Barbara Gordan has spunk and in the would of Powerpuff Girls and realistic female heroes they showed her strong, compassionate, smart, and funny without dumbing her down. Brought some of the "modern sensibilities" of the current female characters to an origin story. Best mini-series of 2003.

A great update of the original Batgirl
Chuck Dixon, at the time this book was written, had spent several years chronicling Barbara Gordon as Oracle in "Birds of Prey." That combined with his own great work on "Robin: Year One" made him a natural choice to work on this volume. Together with Scott Beatty, he did a great retelling of the original Batgirl, getting rid of some of the campier elements from her 60s-era debut and making her a powerful female superhero. The writers also managed to work in some foreshadowing to future events in Barbara's life such as her relationship with Dick Grayson (a.k.a. Robin I, a.k.a. Nightwing) and set up the pieces for her eventual role in "Birds of Prey" -- also a great series. The artwork in this book has a very clean style, almost a hybrid between traditional comic book artwork and the style you see on "Batman: The Animated Series" People who like the character will be in no way disappointed... although I must admit, I find it very interesting (almost amusing) that Barbara Gordon's Batgirl seems to have a lot more fans now than she did before the Joker put a bullet in her spine in "The Killing Joke."

The Dynamite Damsel
The Batman family seems to do well by Year Ones, and Batgirl is no exception. These mini series are almost always superior to the regular ongoing series, as they are not tied down by subplots and the rush of a monthly deadline.

"Batgirl: Year One" is an excellent amalgam of the old and the new, incorporating important elements of Batgirl's mythology, such as Killer Moth and the costume party she makes the Batgirl suit for, while successfully incorporation new Batman lore such as the jump lines and modern technology. Gone is the Utility-Handbag and the Batgirl who would stop fighting the Joker (nice foreshadowing of the Joker, by the way) if she got a run in her stocking. The modern Barbara Gordon is a capable partner in crime fighting.

The art in the series is excellent, and stays in tone with the rest of the Year One series, maintaining a slightly retro-feel. The colors are dark and mysterious, lending a nice tone to the story.

An altogether excellent mini-series.

Winner of Wizard Magazine's Best Mini-Series of 2003!!
This is the collected volume of the acclaimed nine-issue "Batgirl: Year One" limited series published in 2003 by DC Comics. It features the beginning of Barbara Gordon's life as a superhero. While it is a deviation from the 1967 origin, the story is interesting, smart, and fun--making this volume a page-turner. Also, the art is very "retro" and appealing.

Batman, Robin, Firefly, Killer Moth, Alfred, Commissioner Gordon, Jason Barde, Blockbuster, Black Canary, Spectre, Wildcat, and Green Arrow make guest appearances, but what makes this book special is seeing Barbara evolve from a determined young girl who simply wants to help people into an all-out vigilante named Batgirl. Also, the fact that she and Batman are more rivals than partners adds a wonderful aspect of independence and competition to the story.

Plus, you get to see Batgirl kick a lot of things--always a good time.

Pick up this book and learn all about Batgrrrrrrrrl Power. ... Read more

Reviews (11)

pretty good. beginning of chuck austen's run.
this collection includes UXM#410-415. the first three (and also the fourth) form a story arc involving juggernaut soliciting the help of the x-men and a nurse named annie caring for the catatonic havok and joining the staff at the institute to care for him. the fifth issue focuses on northstar, who joins the the institute also. the issue w/ northstar is extremely well-done and makes the whole book worth reading, in my opinion. the last issue focuses on iceman and northstar.

Pretty Good Book
This is the first x-men book I've ever read besides the comic adaptions of X-men the movie and the X2 adaption. I think its pretty entertaining. My favorite part is the first section where a young aquatic mutant gets a ride on the X-jet and then realizes his true potencial when rescuing Juggernaut from drowning. Jean-Paul's attempt to save a young boy reminds me of Captain America dealing with the death of his sidekick Bucky.

uncanny x-men #410-415
I liked this story. There's a good tension that runs through it as well as a thread of hope (which explains the title). It's got some interesting twists in it. And the art is good.

A great read
This is a great book, it sets up all the characters ready for Chucks arc to begin. we get a refreshing new look at young mutants from Sammy and just from a misunderstanding we see the X-Men end up in a very dangerous situation.

Starts off with promise then goes downhill.
Chuck Austen's run on the book starts off l