Reviews (6)

pretty good
in case you were wondering, this collection includes 10 issues:

Uncanny X-Men 210-213
X-Factor 9-11
New Mutants 46
Thor 373-374
Power Pack 27

technically an issue of daredevil also tied into this crossover, but it's not included here.

crossovers are always fun, but as another reviewer mentioned they tend to meander. the writers didn't seem overly concerned about keeping the crossover self-contained, so a lot of the comics bring up events that don't get resolved until after the events in the books contained here. most of the backstories are explained enough that newbie readers shouldn't be too clueless, although if you're new to the x-men you should start off w/ the essential x-men series.

highlights: great fight w/ psylocke, wolvie, and sabretooth; apocalypse assembling his four horsemen; angel getting overwhelmed by the marauders.

minor gripe: WHY does thor not have a beard on the cover when he does at the time of these comics??

Really complete
If you want complete stories, then you are not going to do much better. If you want to see the X-Men in a state of war, then this is a far better storyline than the X-Tinction Agenda. Lots of mutants, lots of fights, and lots of poignant moments, from the injuries that led to the creation of Excalibur and Archangel, to Psylocke joining the X-men, to the death of so many Morlocks. The inclusion of Thor and Power Pack was well-handled. This novel can not be more highly recommended.

Mutants aplenty
Excellant graphic novel. One of the better X-men novels. Allstar cast includes X-men, X-factor, New Mutants, Power Pack, Morlocks, Marauders, Apocalypse and the beginings of his four horseman, and the Mighty Thor. Only dissapointment was not seeing Thor pummel the overrated sabertooth like the insignificant flea that he is, who comments that he would have torn Thor to shreads. All in all I highly reccomend this.

Good Story With Too Many Extras
I'm a comics fan and like most people I got my comics start with Marvel. I eventually bought more than Transformers and G.I. Joe and I got into X-Men. I think this graphic novel epitomizes my feelings about Marvel in general and the mutant comics (X-Men, X-Factor, etc.) in particular. The story here is a compilation of all comics from the storyline. The story is straight forward, a group of mutants has set out to kill all other mutants but in the process the story has to conveniently cross-over into Thor, Power Pack and more. Marvel does this to increase their readership on other titles. Since this is a trade paperback you get everything in order for one price. When reading the story in this fashion I began to see how annying this was since the story meandered due to the cross-vers that were barely related but I also felt sorry for those who bout the cross-overs off the shelf since they spent a ton more than they probably intended to.

The story itself is good but reads more like it's for the die hard fans, not really for comics and graphic novel fans looking for something more to read.

Good story, lots of action, & Sabretooth vs. Wolverine!!!
A good story with good art, featuring the first appearence of the Marauders, the foundation for Excalibur, the loss of Angel's wings, and the deaths of most of the Morlocks! There are two Wolvie vs. Sabretooth battles and some sub plots featuring X-Factor, Power Pack, Thor, and the New Mutants. ... Read more

Reviews (36)

Something I thought not possible...
The Death of Superman sure surprised a lot of people, comic fans and the average joe. Who would have thought that the Man of Steel could even be beaten let alot die. The media storm that these issues built up were something unaccounted for in the comic world for a long time. People started thinking how could DC, the comics' publisher, kill off the first superhero icon, an American icon similar to McDonald's and Coca Cola, but the did and they sure did it with good storytelling and incredible art. First people should understand that this a tradepaperback collecting the comics in which Superman valiantly fought to fend off Doomsday from Metroplois. The book is not a graphic novel, thus does not read like one. Through that, the editors performed a solid effort to bring in the storyline, which is written by a group of people and the artists, thus at times, the story would be faster and then slow down. This is only due to the different creative teams responsible for bringing out the book and should not be held against them. If the comics were read individually, it would have meant a whole lot better, but since those issues have become a rarity, collecting them was the right choice all in all.

The story introduces Doomsday, a character so bestial and primal he'll make any horror monster run for his money and teh cruelty he portrays is somewhat disturbing. Not much is said about the monster's origin and that could be held as a downpoint to the story, but as mentioned since this was part of an ongoing series, his origins are mentioned and delved in deeper later on. The intrigue on why he wanted Metropolois and why Superman had to stop him are all set in motion here, but are tackled later in future issues not collected here.

All in all, this collection is a must have in the Superman mythos and those interested in Big Blue. It portrays his heart and determination to beat the odds in which he does, even though it meant his life. It is recommended that you check out part 2 and 3 of the trilogy, World without a Superman and The Return of Superman to truly comprehend the big picture of things. This book alone holds true when it comes to standing alone, but do you really want to stop there?

DC embarked on a great risk with this direction, but truly put out an actionpacked, hold on to your hats effort. They're commended for taking the big step and bringing us a good, highly acclaimed form of entertainemt.

It delivers what it promises
The death of superman is exactly what it sounds like...the death of superman. In this story, Superman fights an unknown creature called Doomsday (who is for one reason or other hell-bent on destruction) and falls in battle. The story is fast paced and has pages filled with superman and Doomsday swapping hits and all-in-all racking up a huge amount of collateral damage. In the end, Big Blue dies. This story came out when I was in junior high and at that time I felt it was the best book I had ever read but now, it is hard not to look at the numerous plot holes and loose threads in the story. But comics has matured and has come a long way but this story is still worth picking up for the buzz it generated. It's fun to read but don't expect anything Alan Moore-esque or Jeph Loeb type writing.

It's was like watching Muhammed Ali VS Mike Tyson.....
The absolute best fight in Sperman's existance!!!!!
Picture this; A creature of pure strength, power, rage. (No, not the Incredible Hulk, but at a very close proximity). On a path for an unknown reason to Metropolis. A team of powerful (even though uncoordinated) superheroes literally ripped apart by this creature (Named Doomsday by Booster Gold before he also got the ultimate beatdown). Everything and everyone in his path is destroyed and killed at a blink of an eye. One man, the ultimate boy scout, Big Blue himself is left to fend off thhis creature.
First he underestimated Doomsday's power and that changed Real Quick!!..The battle crossed all across America and the focal point is in his hometown Metropolis..When it come down to it, Superman knows that this is the fight of his life. And as the title goes, it will be his life. Once you get past the side story in the beginning you'll be in for a wild (and painful) ride of your life.

One of the best grapic novels ever
Like I siad before, I hadn't read the entire book intill the other day and still I loved it. I bought this at a book fiar for a decint price, I might have found it at a comic shop signed, by the guy behind the counter! The story is rich in creativety, art and charcter useage. The best part in the story is when the JLA got the crap bbeatin out of them by a Super-Super-Super Villian named Doomsday, Then Superman comes in and kills Doomsday and himself, at Metorpolis. This is the only D.C. comic I have but its great.

What Does It Take To Kill The Man Of Steel?
"The Death of Superman" was one of those times when a comicbook storyline became a media event. In the uncertain and cynical early 1990s, it really looked like the poster-boy for idealistic, traditional morals and the voice of paternal authority may really be headed towards oblivion. Image Comics was booming with their anti-heroes and kids were really digging the songs of Kurt Cobain. Does Superman still have any relevance in the 1990s? In fact, that was one of the underlying (yet often ignored) subtle themes in this storyline. Teenagers in school were supposed to tune in to a Superman interview on TV but many of them were uninterested in listening to a "washed-out has-been", preferring instead the obnoxious and cynical Guy Gardner. In fact, Superman's only "fan" in the story seems to be this little black orphan called Keith.

Then, Doomsday happened! A monster fights Superman for dozens of pages and Superman dies defending his beloved city, Metropolis, against said monster. That's all there really was to the plot.

But suddenly we sat up and took notice. Suddenly we realized just what we have lost. A symbol. A hero. An icon. And we see it most starkly through the teary eyes of "Superman's Girlfriend Lois Lane" and "Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen".

DC Comics returned to iconic heroism in comics in the mid-1990s. But in the early 1990s, they had to shock the readers into realizing their folly for ignoring the "originals" - thus, Superman got killed, Batman got crippled, Wonder Woman was replaced, Aquaman lost a hand, Green Arrow died and Green Lantern went nuts. But don't blame DC. It was what the disloyal, Image-buying fans deserved... and it was what they ultimately got. This story, "The Death of Superman" is the clearest example of DC's "shock-treatment" event. It is a product of its times. ... Read more

Book Description

Now unto us is born...the magician! The Master of the Mystic Arts' earliest adventures continue as Strange stands as mankind's last, best hope against the dark otherworldly forces that conspire to steal the life of the conscious world - including Nightmare, Dormammu, Lord Nekron, and the Sons of the Satannish! Featuring the origin of Dr. Strange... and Strange and Clea's first kiss! Plus: Strange takes on a new, masked costume! Guest-starring the Avengers! Collects Doctor Strange #169-178, 180-183, Avengers #61, Sub-Mariner #22, Marvel Feature #1, Incredible Hulk #126, and Marvel Premiere #3-10, 12-14. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Cape & Cowl
Don't you just love it when two great athletes team up?

Batman and Superman have been around for decades. Two of the main reasons people still read comics today, these two icons have appeared in -- literally -- thousands of stories ... facing threats to themselves ... challenging threats to world peace ... and making the world safe for the rest of us at the risk to their own personal safety.

However, PUBLIC ENEMIES -- under the guidance of Jeph Loeb -- takes the old and makes it new, bringing a remarkable freshness to characters who have seen some great days and, undoubtedly, have greater ones to come.

A huge meteor is hurtling across space, taunting the destruction of the planet Earth. No big deal, you say? Just send Superman into space to knock the rock off its trajectory? While it sounds like a good idea, you have to remember that the author of this work is Jeph Loeb, arguably one of the best minds working in comics today (and, for those of you in the know, he's also a consultant for the WB's hit SMALLVILLE): this meteor is a hunk from the planet Krypton ... making it Kryptonite ... and meaning that Superman is absolutely powerless against it! Its radiation threatens the survival of the entire planet, and only these two superminds and supertalents combined can find a way to save the day and put right all that has been thrown into chaos since Lex Luther was elected President of the United States.

What? Lex Luthor? President?

Clearly, PUBLIC ENEMIES is not necessarily a great 'jumping on' point for new readers. There may be some resulting confusion due to storylines hinted at that occured before this tome (Lex Luthor's election as President of the United States, Luthor's attempt to wrest control of Gotham City from billionaire Bruce Wayne, Commissioner James Gordon's retirement from the police force, etc.), but these hints serve moreso as nods to other great Batman and Superman stories for the newcomer to go and explore. Also, ENEMIES is replete -- one may argue too much so -- with guest appearances (Captain Atom, Major Force, Solomon Grundy, **drool** the lovely Power Girl, etc.) from the whole pantheon of DC villains and superheroes ... so many that that the final showdown between Luthor and Superman does feel a bit rushed to get this entire story told in what was originally six issues of the new Batman/Superman comic book, but that's a minor critique easily dismissed thanks to the strength of Loeb's work. The real magic of PUBLIC ENEMIES is that it should be considered on its own and of its own merits ... of which there are (thankfully) plenty.

Also, Ed McGuinness deserves a nod for delivering some stunning artwork to back up Loeb's epic storyline. The drawings are crisp and fluid, the coloring is dynamite and eye-popping, and the layout is exceptional.

ENEMIES is a friend worth finding.

Excellent Story, Beautiful Art
Jeph Lopeb has outdone himself on tackling arguably two of the most popular heroes in pop culture, the Man of Steel and the Dark Knight. Now, many attempts at the team-ups between the two titans have been done, some with mediocre success and some with no success. Jeph Loeb's story is a far cry from any of the older World's Finest type stories that have featured the two heroes. It is very well plotted and is executed to near perfection.

The story starts off with a large chunk of kryptonite on a collision course with Earth. Luthor uses this to his advantage and puts a $1 billion bounty of Superman's spit-curl and even hires a meta-human team boasting the inclusion of Green Lanter, Powergirl, Captain Comet etc. And add to that the JSA also sends Hawkman and Captain Marvel after them and they get into a showdown. And if that wasn't bad enough, an older Superman (the Kingdom Come version) drops into the bat cave and beats the tar out of Superman and Batman. This is done in order to ensure that no one dies from the mistakes made here and now.

There are also sub-plots that include possible information as to the identity of the murderer of Bruce Wayne's parent (yeah I know...I thought Batman knew the killer, but this was apparently all debunked in the pre- and post-crisis stuff) brought forth by Superman.

Now, the amount of stuff touched on by Loeb in these first few issues just goes to show you that the man got a million ideas in his head. Hopefully they will come to fruition in the future issues.

And finally the art....I have not been a big-fan of Ed McGuinesses' work (dating back to his earlier work on various Superman series). They always looked too cartoony, in a bad catoony way. But this time his art was perfect. It was still cartoony but it was good cartoony (make whatever you want out of that).

If you like tight story-telling with a lot of action with a lot of substance (and who wouldn't want that?) this book is for you.

Almost Perfect--I Can't wait for the next one.
Another lame team-up between the Man of Steel and the Caped Crusader, you say?

Not so! Public Enemies presents an original story of, you guessed it, saving the world from, you guessed it again, Lex Luthor. As unlikely as an original story on that material may seem, Jeph Loeb delivers here, giving interesting insights into the history and development of the relationship between these two brightest stars in the DC universe, while rolling in other characters, many seldom seen in recent years.

Ed McGuinness' art is wonderful, though don't expect the edgier look of Loeb and Jim Lee's "Hush." The two-page action spreads acattered throughout are great, and don't make you feel like the story is suffering so the artist can have more room to draw.

I especially liked how Loeb showed Batman's and Superman's thoughts about their situations and each other parallel on the page. I like how the ending was left open for another confrontation down the road, but my one complaint is a rather important gap in how Batman and Superman get from fighting Hawkman and Captain Marvel in Japan to busting into the White House. Superman explains it, but I would rather have seen it, personally (although I guess that would take away some of the surprise).

Another great book from Jeph Loeb, and cheers for Ed McGuiness.
BUY THIS BOOK. It will not disappoint.

Brilliant
Jeph Loeb is the best writer to tackle Superman OR Batman in many a year, and putting them together in one series has been a magnificent success. Buoyed by wonderful artwork by Ed McGuiness, in this volume President Lex Luthor cons the Earth into believing that Superman is responsible for a planet-killer sized asteroid of pure Kryptonite that is falling towards the planet. Superman and Batman, with their few loyal allies, have to avoid the heroes trying to capture them, bring down the corrupt Luthor, and save the world from the meteor.

The key to this book is contrast. Superman is bright and hopeful. Batman is dark and cynical. Somehow, together, they WORK. And they work BEAUTIFULLY. Read this book and find out why this crimefighting duo will always be the World's Finest. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Great promise of things to come
I thoroughly recommend this book to Spirit fans, but not necessarily as the ideal introduction to the Great Spirit.
This volume is The Spirit's springtime.
"The Spirit" at his greatest was characterised by excellent stories, well paced, superb viewer angles in the art-work, and wonderful tension built by the ambiguity in the relationships between the Spirit and the regular characters.
In this volume the stories are good, and the pacing and the angles are developing. The cast of characters is only in its infancy.
The masterpieces are yet to come in future volumes.

Not the work of Eisner, but includes some of the BEST!!!
Eisner contributed only plots and some loose layouts to the stories in this volume, but some of the strips still rank among the best Spirit stories. Now, the OVERALL quality of the strip isn't as good as the post-war Eisner years, but certain individual ones are as good as it gets.

A particular highlight is the Spirit's first encounter with Diana, the huntress who stalks him like a beast. It won't ruin you enjoyment of the story to tell you it's hilarious when the Spirit SPANKS her and sends her off crying. Not exactly politically correct. Heh.

The Spirit Archives Series
Will Eisner is the only comic book artist to ever have his work shown in a museum of art. His most important work is the Spirit. The Spirit Archives series has brought together all of his work, that was printed in a weekly newspaper insert. However, after the work found in volumes 1 and 2, Eisner was called to active duty and served in the army during World War II. The Spirit carried on, but it was drawn by other artists. Eisner's work does not pick up again until the stories found in Volume 12 of the Archives series. The work in Volumes 3-11 is fine, but it is not the work of Will Eisner.

return of the composer
It is already said by others here: Eisners return to the Spirit didn't pass unnoticed. You see the quality raise immediately.
His replacements during wartime where merely telling stories with pictures.

Will composes words and drawings to a never before seen unity.

The most inventive streak of the most inventive of comics
For the sake of completeness, DC re-issued all the previous sets of Sunday newspaper "Spirit" supplements created while the strip's creator, Will Eisner, was off serving during the war. But those comics by other artists (issued as #5-11 in the SPIRIT ARCHIVES series) are nothing compared to what Eisner produced before the war and certainly nothing like what he produced after it. The last book in the series ended with Eisner's return to the series with his "Christmas Spirit" story for 1945; this volume is all Eisner and shows how he had become if anything even more inventive both artistically and in terms of narrative during his absence from "the Spirit." The collection introduces (and shows the exeunt) of Blubber, Ebony's Aleutian Indian replacement as the Spirit's assistant, and it also introduces the great post-war villain, Mr. Carrion (and his pet buzzard Julia). But it is most noteworthy for some of the most inventive art and narrative that have ever been produced in the comics medium , particularly in the stories "The Fly," "The Last Trolley," "Magnifying Glasses" (a brilliant comics metacommentary on perspective), "The Bucket of Blood" and "The Rubber Band." This shows the beginning of probably the best work (and certainly the most original) done in the comics medium since "Little Nemo in Slumberland." ... Read more

Book Description

Magneto, the X-Men's deadliest villain, returns. They've faced the Weapon X program, Proteus and even the superhuman strikeforce known as The Ultimates. Now, still licking their wounds from their prior battles, can Xavier's mutant team possibly survive the return of their most powerful foe? ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Magneto is back for his rematch with the Ultimate X-Men
One thing that was always impressive about the X-Men was that it was one of the few superhero comic books where the definitive villain popped up in the first issue. Of course we are talking about Magneto the Mutant Master of Magneticism. The same thing was true for "Ultimate X-Men," where Marvel essentially restarted the series in contemporary times, reconceptualizing some of the core elements. For example, this time around the original X-Men combine Cyclops, Marvel Girl, Beast and Iceman from the first lineup with Storm and Colossus from the second (with Wolverine being recruited from the dark side so that he can appear on every cover of the trade paperback reprints). The result is a lot of familiar items are condensed into each story arc, which is then collected into a trade paperback.

"The Return of the King" is Volume 6 in the "Ultimate X-Men" series and the title, of course, refers to Magneto. In the first volume in the series the X-Men fought Magneto and not only defeated him, but also apparently killed him. However, this turned out to be one of Professor X's mind games; he convinced Magneto that he was Erik Lensheer, unaware of his past life as a mutant terrorist. When the Brotherhood of Mutants discovers Magneto is still alive they find him and remove the mental blocks Xavier had placed in his minds. We are now back to the beginning in many ways, except this time around both Magneto and all the homo sapiens are very wary. In fact, the Bush Administration has Nick Fury and S.H.I.E.L.D. going after all the mutants, including the X-Men. Since they already have Xavier in custody, stopping Magneto is going to be a problem.

Actually, stopping Magneto is always a problem. For a long time I have been convinced that Magneto would actually win and the reason I liked the first volume of this series so much was that I thought it recognized this fact by having Professor X and the X-Men going up against Magneto and the Brotherhood of Mutants go at it just once for all the marbles. In the end Magneto should have been dead because he should be unstoppable in a rematch; indeed, look at what ends up doing in this one, extending his magnetic reach across the entire planet. Besides, if you can explode nuclear reactors, why stop at just one? Magneto is simply the most dangerous super villain in the Marvel (or Ultimate) universe. When they were retooling him they should have ratcheted down his power level a couple of notches (Actually, they should do the same thing for Xavier as well).

But since Magneto winning would mean coming up with a new title for the comic book, Magneto has to be defeated. Once again the key is getting his helmet off of his head and while I like the way that happens this time around, I still do not really buy that anybody could get close enough to actually do it. Besides, as is often the case with these Ultimate titles, things end up reflecting the blockbuster movies (e.g., Magneto, living in a plastic cage). Clearly one of the defining elements of the X-Men today is the relationship between Charles Xavier and Erik Lensherr and the first issue of "Return of the King" provides an encapsulated version of their history (as well as a new explanation for how Xavier ended up in his wheelchair). Certainly there is something to be said for the ongoing debate that the pair have been having for over a decade.

Collected in "Return of the King" are issues #26-33 of "Ultimate X-Men," written by Mark Millar, and illustrated by Adam Kubert and David Finch, with Ray and Ben Lai. The most interesting addition to the X-Men mythos this time around is the sub-plot in which Wolverine finds a way to get Cyclops out of the way so that he can make a move on Jean Grey, especially given the intriguing idea that Logan and Scott are Charles and Eric, the next generation. Most of the relationships between the Ultimate X-Men (e.g., Colossus and Wolverine, Beast and Storm) are more interesting as well. Sometimes I think the "Ultimate X-Men" is overloaded with ideas, but for those who remember Marvel's Mery Mutants from the very beginning the changes are always something to think about.

Final Question: Since the Ultimate version of Nick Fury is African-American (apparently there were Howlin' Commandos in the Vietnam War), does that explain why Colin Powell was omitted from the White House discussions while Dick Chaney and Donald Rumsfeld were not? Just curious at that rather interesting omission.

The Ultimate Tale of The Ultimate Heroes
This TP collection contains the finest story arc yet for The Ultimate X-Men. Magneto is loose. The Ultimates want him after he has massacred hundreds of innocents in bridge collapse, and they figure the best way to get him is through The X-Men. Meanwhile, romantic jealousies lead to tragedy and betrayal as the Wolverine, Scott Summers , Jean Grey triangle goes over the boiling point. This series coincided with The Ultimate War, which you should read as well. Heck, read The Ultimates so you understand what this is all about. Great art, breathtaking plot twists and the great dialogue that only Mark Millar can provide. Don't miss this collection!

Contains "Ultimate X-Men" issues 26-33 (Not Just for Kids)
I have the hardcover "Ultimate X-Men" volumes 1 and 2 [covering issues 1-25] and the paperback, "Ultimate War". The title page includes a brief synopsis that should help you understand what's going on if you haven't read the earlier volumes. If you want a roll call, this volume includes the "ultimate" line versions of Magneto, Professor X, Dr. Moira MacTaggert, Nick Fury, Sabretooth, Multiple Man, Mastermind, Nightcrawler, Forge, the Blob, Iceman, Colossus, Storm, Wolverine, Jean Grey, Cyclops, Shadowcat, Rogue, and a mutant called Detonator whom I have not run across in the regular Marvel X-Men, but I'm still catching up. There's also a cameo by another mutant, but I don't want to spoil the surprise.

This book opens by showing us how Magneto and Prof. X worked together, how their friendship deteriorated over several years, and, in more detail, how Magneto crippled Xavier. Then it moves into the present day and Magneto's progress on his refuge for mutants as well as the unpleasant scene where he deals with plans for a satellite mutant tracker. Meanwhile, the X-Men-in-hiding are dealing with Magneto's brotherhood in the hope of rehabilitating their image.

Is the rumor that Wolverine deliberately left Cyclops to die in the Savage Land true?

In the grand tradition of comic book villains, Magneto tells our heroes something of his frightful plan for eliminating the human-mutant relations problem. The X-Men have only a week to find Magneto's hiding place and save the world. (Let me just say that a machine, different from and much more powerful than the one used in the first X-Men movie, is involved.) The final battle certainly kept my interest.

During most of the action, Professor X is being held prisoner in a S.H.I.E.L.D. detention camp for mutants suspected of being terrorists. He refuses to betray his students, of course. I reread his words of encouragement to a fellow prisoner after rereading earlier volumes and those words became a little unnerving near the end. Why?

Because of what Prof. X tells Nick Fury and what he tells Magneto when they meet again late in the book. You won't have to have read the earlier volumes to speculate on whether or not Xavier is telling the truth. I'm afraid that he *is* telling the truth. If so, that would explain a couple of his moves in earlier volumes that I found incredibly stupid -- and would make this version of Prof. X a little scary.

Ignore the "9-12" age group recommendation. While they might enjoy the action, I think you need to be older than that to fully appreciate this book.

Covers Ultimate X-Men # 26-33
First keep in mind that this should be considered an alternate universe version of the X-Men. That way you won't be screaming about the differences from the regular comics. If you've already read through volume 5, "Ultimate War", the opening does not pick up where that left off. It traces the rise and fall of the partnership between Professor Xavier and Magneto for the first 20 pages or so.

Magneto is getting ready to destroy the entire human race, except for a token man and woman. The X-Men are in hiding, although they do make an attempt to rehabilitate their image and track down Magneto. Prof. X has been moved to that detention unit for mutants in Cuba that was threatned in "Ultimate War". Cyclops is not dead (was anyone expecting he would be?), but he's not in good condition. Of course the X-Men will save the day, Prof. X will escape, and Magneto will be foiled, but there'll be plenty of fighting, explosions, and a threatened nuclear meltdown.

Loved the part where Storm meets the Beast's parents, not to mention having my suspicion about Xavier's cat confirmed.

The final scene between Xavier and Magneto is my favorite part of the book.

X-cellent!
I enjoyed this volume greatly! This picks up from the very badly drawn volume five, the X-Men are recovering from their attack from the Ultimates, and Professor X is still held captive. Many things are revealed in this volume...and the action is extraordinary! I was a bit disappointed that the cover isn't how it's viewed on this page (of course it has Wolverine on the front; but that pic wtih Magneto rocks), but I got over it. Buy your copy today!!! ... Read more

Reviews (6)

One Of The Best Batman Adventures Ever Created
Batman: Hush Volume 2 is the sequel to Volume 1 of the mysterious and exciting Hush series which was a bestseller monthly title that was delivered for a year. Batman: Hush is written by DC COMICS legend, Jeph Loeb [The writer who wrote Batman: The Long Halloween and Batman: Dark Victory, considered some of the best Batman tales ever written] and illustrated by Jim Lee [An artist whose artwork was so amazing that a completely new series of X-Men comics were created to showcase it]. Volume 2 showcases Chapters 6 to 12 in the Hush saga. In the first volume, the Batman nearly fell to his death but after being helped by his childhood friend, Doctor Thomas Elliot, he is restored and takes up his cape and cowl to figure out why his enemies have been overstepping their own customary boundaries. You can expect to see a cast of familiar and fascinating villians of the Batman Universe including The Joker, Harley Quinn, Ra's Al Ghul, The Riddler and a couple of more. The entire Hush storyline is captivating, and very mysterious as readers struggle to discover the identity of "the bandaged man in a trench coat" who colides with the Batman in a few exciting sequences. If you're wondering wheter to buy this book or not the answer is simple...buy it in hardcover. It is awesome and awe-inspiring and with one of the best comic book writers and artists creating it, it becomes a very exciting read to read over and over and over and over [You get it] again.

Batman Hush
Batman Hush was extremely dissapointing for me since I am a huge fan of his previous stories. Many comic book fans were dissapointed since they expected a classic. We didn't get a classic but we did get an average story. Batman Hush is a mystery and you'll probably try and figure out who's beneath the bandages unless you collected the issues a year ago.

A great part of this book is the art. Jim Lee is a great artist in my opinion and I hope that he'll work with Jeph Loeb in the near future. The only problem is that lots of the characters look the same. Harvey Dent looks like a bald version of Bruce Wayne while Lex looks like a slightly fatter version of Thomas Elliot.

Another good thing about this story is the relationship between Catwoman and Batman. Batman reveals to her that he is Batman and then things get a lot more interesting until the end.

The end is actually this story's downfall in my opinion. I believe that the story could've been much better if Jeph Loeb had been allowed to write a couple more issues so that he could explain everything a bit more.

In conclusion, I believe that fans of comic books should give this a chance since it is extremely popular and lots of people still talk about it right now. I suggest that you read The Long Halloween, Dark Victory, Daredevil Yellow, and When In Rome when it comes out. TLH,DV,and DY are all much better then HUSH and I suspect that When In Rome will also be better since it deals with Catwoman. Jeph Loeb always does well when he's writing about Catwoman.

For the love of God, don't read this book!
Looking for a good Batman story? Well, keep looking, because "Hush" isn't it. No, this is by far one of the worst Batman stories I've ever read. The likely fact that it was produced purely to make money and quite obviously devoid of any actual desire on the part of DC or Loeb to create a good comic is made obvious by the fact that a 12-issue story was published in two money-making volumes rather than one.

"Hush" has more holes in its plot than a piece of swiss cheese. The main villain remains a complete enigma even after the story is over. All the other villains that show up have an extremely strong feeling of "I'm just here so Jim Lee can draw me" behind them (I mean, did we REALLY need that sudden, unexplained, and way-too-short Scarecrow cameo?) Same for the needless appearance of Superman and the countless other guest stars. Events happen with no explanation, and by the end the "story" (such as it is) has become so muddled and, quite frankly, stupid that the ending doesn't even matter. The last page could have been a two-year-old's drawing of Batman taking a poop and it wouldn't have made the story any worse.

You want the truth about "Hush"? (Or at least what seems the likeliest explanation for this abomination?) DC wanted a way to boost sales of "Batman." They decided to team up two fan-favorite stellar creators: Jeph Loeb and Jim Lee. All fine and good...or so one would think. What seems most likely is that either DC or Lee chose what characters would appear in the story so that Jim Lee could draw as many people as possible. Loeb was then left to create a story that would fit the umpteen-million characters in for Lee to draw. I guess he didn't try too hard, because this is all he came up with.

So, if you like stories that don't make sense, stories where Batman doesn't act like Batman, or stories that feature so many guest stars it feels more like a gallery than a story, then this just might be for you. If you like real, character-based, plot-driven stories, pass this by. PLEASE.

Or you can just be fooled by the pretty artwork (overrated, in my opinion) like everyone else.

Killer Art by Jim Lee continues...
I used to assume that given his flair and elegant drawing style, there's no way Jim Lee could tackle the dark, grim and gritty portrayal of Batman's world. Yet Hush shatters all my doubts. This guy rocks man! I could spend hours savoring the illustration alone and not caring about the story but the story is also top notch.

Loeb Does it Again! Lee's Art is Outstanding!
Batman: Hush Vol. 1 & 2, are a nice collector's edition. It should not, however, stop someone from collecting last years monthly story. Loeb is one of the few who can create a tight story with a good plot and has a nack for using multiple characters out of the DC universe. Who is the responsible villain this time: Ivy, Two face, Joker, Riddler, or is it someone else, deep from Batman's past?

This story is a little more predicatble than "The Long Halloween" and "Dark Victory" but still is engaging enough to bring the reader in and hold his or her interests until the final pages, even if they figure it out. Again, Batman gets pushed to the edge in a believable way (yes, even though it is a comic, some resemblance of realism must still take place for the reader to enjoy the story).

An overall great story that all can enjoy! ... Read more

Book Description

Babylon 5 creator and Amazing Spider-Man writer J. Michael Straczynski presents a new vision of a world about to give birth to its first generation of super-heroes! Follow the origins of these new heroes and anti-heroes - from their birth through adulthood - and examine how their lives and abilities change and shape the world around them. The god-like Hyperion discovers his whole life has actually been an elaborate government-made lie, and his reaction could mean the end of the Earth! Do the world's other super-powered beings have any chance at stopping Hyperion if the truth sends him over the edge? ... Read more

Book Description

The ULTIMATE titles are well-known for adding a unique twist to classic Marvel characters...and you better believe they're about to get a whole lot more twisted!One of the most ruthless villains in the history of the Marvel Universe, the fan-favorite Carnage, gets the Ultimate treatment!And though young Peter Parker has proven himself time and time again on the field of battle, can even he hope to defeat this heartless killing machine? Collecting ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN #60-65. ... Read more

Reviews (13)

Almost unbearably fantastic!
Loeb has proved himself to be one of the best Batman writers around, and Lee was already a comic book legend after his run on X-Men. Together, they have created one of the most intriquing Batman stories in recent memory, at least one that takes place in the actual continuity of the Bat-books.

Vol. 1 collects the first five issues in the 12-part "Hush" storyline. This first installment sets up much of what is to come in this storyline, introducing Bruce Wayne's boyhood friend Tommy, and the mysterious bandaged stranger unofficially dubbed Hush, who really, really has it out for Bats and can get at him (I spoil nothing for anyone by stating that my prediction is that Tommy and bandage-face will turn out to be the same person).

Lee's take on the world of Batman is simply stunning; he is producing the art of his career on this run. I love his take on Killer Croc, who finally actually looks like a monstrous human crocodile the way Lee draws him. Superman pops up, and while it's cool to see Lee draw him as well (before he takes over the artistic reins on a Superman comic after this Batman run), I'm sick of Batman and Supes getting pared up, it's been done TO DEATH! ENOUGH ALREADY, THEIR CONTRASTS AS CHARACTERS AREN'T ENOUGH TO WARRANT THESE ENDLESS TEAM UPS!!! Ahem. Anyway, I can't wait to read the end of this storyline in a few days and find out who this 'Hush' guy is...

A great story!
This book is the first in a series that teams up Jeph Loeb and Jim Lee in a new DC adventure. In this story, when Batman discovers Killer Croc involved in a kidnapping, he realizes that there is more here than meets the eye. When Catwoman enters the fray, he realizes that something very strange is going on. And, when the trail leads to Poison Ivy and Metropolis, things begin to get downright weird! Old enemies put in an appearance in this story, as do old friends, and sometimes it's hard to tell who are the friends and who are the enemies!

This is a great story! I loved the storyline, with all its twists and turns, and found the illustrations to be absolutely excellent! My son and I both loved this story, and highly recommend it. We're also breathlessly waiting until we can see the sequel!

Candy For The Comic Fan
The average comic fan struggles between trying to "look" mature and giving in to their childhood fantasies. Having said all that, the average comic fan is actually far more intelligent than most people think. I mean, the world is only now discovering things like the "Matrix" films and these are things that comic readers have taken for granted for years.

I, and many like me, have been "seduced" by the intellectually satisfying and literary rich writings of post-modern comic scribes like Alan Moore, Neil Gaiman, Grant Morrison and Warren Ellis. These masters of deconstructionist, post-modern writing always seem to come up with new ways of reinventing the entire comic genre. However, all that said, there is still that part of me that is a lot less cerebral and a lot more visceral... or more romantic. It's that part of me that gasp with bated breath when Green Lantern takes his oath or when the Batman swoops down unto the roof of the GCPD in answer to Commissioner Gordon's call. And for that, I turn to Jeph Loeb and Jim Lee's "Batman : Hush".

Jeph Loeb doesn't pretend to be what he's not. He's not from the fraternity of "2000 A.D." British writers who deconstructs superheroes to show them for the fascists they really are. Jeph Loeb is a romantic - of the "Casablanca" sort. He loves superheroes and it shows in his works (check out "Superman For All Seasons" and his Marvel "color" books for further evidence). And here in "Hush", we have Loeb writing a story that I believe he himself wanted to read. All the best writers write for themselves... for their own pleasure rather than for the approval of a board of critics. In short, Loeb writes as a fellow fan to fellow fans who want to see a great Batman-Superman bout, a Batman-Catwoman romance, a Batman-Joker fight-to-the-death, etc. - you get the point! More than that, he writes for the artist. In this case, Jim Lee. Jeph Loeb is as much a fan of Lee as many of us. So he writes the scenes that he himself (and most of us) wants to see Jim bring to glorious life with his pencils. For example, who doesn't want to see Poison Ivy drawn by Jim Lee?

That brings us to the artist. Need I tell you that Jim Lee is the creator of the highest-selling comicbook of all time (X-Men #1)? Need I tell you that Jim Lee is the founder of Wildstorm? But more important than that, we respect the man for his art - which can be summed up as merely a strong sense of the human figure and tight, super-detailed backgrounds. Having grown up with his work on X-Men and Punisher, I must say that he has improved greatly here on Batman, giving us (dare I say it) the most definitive Batman since Neal Adams in the 1970s. All that is brought to glorious life by the tight inking work of frequent collaborator Scott Williams and colorist Alex Sinclair.

This first of two volumes collects the first five parts of the Hush storyline along with an introductory "origin" of Batman told from Alfred's perspective. Jeph Loeb provides the foreword himself and the book includes biographies of the creators. I gave it four stars instead of five because the paper is awfully thin. Seeing that this is a hardcover collection of the highest-selling comic of 2003, D.C. should have used a heavier paper-stock - like they did on the wonderful Green Arrow hardcovers.

All in all, I recommend this book for those who grew up with Batman and those who would like a taste of the "real" Batman apart from the awful movies.

Delicious
Jim Lee.

He's the reason I am giving this book five stars.

Over the past year this story has kept comic books readers fascinated. It has almost held the #1 spot for the 11 months that it has been on sale. And this is due to Jim Lee's spectacular art work. In this book Lee pays a true homage, to my favorite comic book character. He is the reason I bought four copies of the book at a time. And he is the reason I bought this trade.

The story on the other hand is something else. Jeph Loeb's sense of storytelling is more of a "tell" than a "show". Most of the story is driven forward by the narration in Batman's head. The premise of Hush is supposed to be someone manipulating Batman's foes to get at him. But the truth of the matter is, with the exception of Killer Croc' (who is supposed to be too stupid to stage a kidnapping) it really isn't shown.

And of course there is Batman's "romance" with Catwoman.

Words can not express how put off with this part of the story. It's purely contrived and annoying. Catwoman comes on to Batman in one of the most sexually agressive moves I have seen in a mainstream comic book. And by the next issue he is in love?

Please

In other Batman books (including Dark Victory and The Long Halloween-also written by Loeb) he would have spurned her advances. To tell you the truth it is the portrayal of Catwoman that has ruined the book for me. The portrayal of Catwoman has to be the most annoying portrayal I have ever seen of the character. For the entire arc Catwoman behaviour alternates from bimbo to vixen. When she's a bimbo she comes across as comic relief in a tv sitcom. When she's a vixen, she comes across like the Baroness in the Sound of Music. I don't know what Jeph Loeb was doing as he's portrayed her excellently twice before. Her dialogue just grates on my nerves.

Still I must praise Loeb for giving such a great profile to Huntress. Another vigilante who gets along with Batman, like oil gets along with water. He portrayed her excellently , the fighter she is and how she will still do the right thing, no matter how badly she is treated by others.

Still I would recommend this book to Batman fans and collectors. Jim Lee's art work is worth every penny.

Just a good comic book
The art of Lee is nice like all his work men strong, women hot. I can't deny that, however, his Joker is the worst I've ever seen. But the story, well... maybe it would be great in 1 or 2 issues, but not twelve!!!! I think is sucessfull because Loeb know how to write the last page of each issue to keep you waiting for the next, but in two or three years when people can get the book all together, it would be forgotten. Batman look sometimes like a cyborg, sometimes like a fool, sometimes like the bad guy, but never like the DETECTIVE that he is. If you want a really great Batman's story read anything that Frank Miller had wrote. ... Read more

Book Description

The place is a world very much like ours. The time is now. The phenomenon is genetic mutation. It is a time of change. Humanity now faces mutants, a mysterious sub-species that is gifted with strange and frightening powers. Hidden among the population. they are feared and hated by their human cousins. As rumors and urban myths about their existence spread across the world, the US government creates its own initiative to deal with this threat: the Sentinel Project. Meanwhile two men wage a secret war for the hearts and minds of young mutants everywhere. Charles Xavier has recruited a cadre of students including Cyclops, Jean Grey and Beast, that call themselves the X-Men. But there are others out there, living in fear, struggling to deal with what they are: Ororo Munroe, Bobby Drake and another, more dangerous mutant named Logan. Simultaneously, the terrorist known only as Magneto has assembled The Brotherhood, a militant group dedicated to the overthrow of human authority. A war is on the horizon and these amazing young men and women will decide the future of all humanity!

Just as Ultimate Spider-Man reinvented and reinvigorated Marvel's flagship character, Ultimate X-Men promises do the same for comics' most popular super hero team. Streamlining the mutant heroes into a manageable core group, this non-stop saga action and intrigue takes place in a continuity recognizable to fans of this year's blockbuster smash X-Men movie. Ultimate X-Men is the perfect choice for anyone who can't get enough of the X! ... Read more

Reviews (27)

What the X-Men movie should have been.....
Marvel created the "Ultimate" line of books to try to entice new readers by scrapping decades of complex continuity in favor of a fresh start. Supposedly, no prior knowledge of the books or their characters are necessary for you to get a good read that won't leave you scratching your head in bewilderment. So....does it work?

I guess....I've been reading comics since I was 3, so I really can't say how a "newbie" would fare.

I CAN tell you that I loved this book!! I wish that the makers of the atrocious X-Men flick had filmed this for the mutant's initial big-screen outing.

Mark Millar and the Kubert Bros. story does a great job of getting you up to speed fast: People born with strange, potentially deadly, powers exist among us, and pose a very real threat to life as we know it. Two men, Professor Charles Xavier (Leader of The X-Men), and Magneto (Leader of The Brotherhood of Mutants), fight an idealogical battle to win the hearts and loyalty of their fellow Mutants. Xavier wants to help Mutantkind make peace with Humanity, while Magneto sees Humanity as an annoyance that must be disposed of, so Mutants can ascend to their rightful place. This take-no-prisoners approach doesn't sit well with president Dubya; he unleashes the giant robotic Sentinels on a search-and-destroy mission to annihilate all Mutants. The story follows the recruiting of The X-Men (Jean Grey, Cyclops, Storm, The Beast, Iceman, Colossus, & Wolverine), and their first confrontation with Magneto. (And what a confrontation it is!)

Magneto has never been better written; he comes across as both charismatic and chilling...a super-powered cross between Charles Manson and Hannibal Lecter. He also does something VERY original with The Sentinals...very clever, Mr. Millar! Xavier is more cold-blooded than he is in the "real" Marvel continuity; I don't totally trust him.(Did he tamper with Scott's mind to make him defect....? Hmmmmm.)

If I loved it so much, why just a Four? I didn't care for the portrayal of Colossus: When we meet him, he's a soldier for the Russian Mafia, selling a stolen Nuclear weapon to an underling of Magneto. This troubling "Character flaw" is never mentioned again. That just bothered me a lot...I guess I hold my heroes up to high standards. I was also kinda weirded out by the way Jean just lept into bed with Wolverine, and the strong language peppered throughout the book. I'm no prude, but X-Men is an all-ages type of book, and the language just seemed unnecessary.

Overall, a great read- I'm gonna stick around for more.

A Great X-Introduction
This is Volume 1 of Marvel's new "Ultimate X-Men" series, which has attempted to do away with 30 years of pre-existing stories and complicated events and provide a new generation with the story of the X-Men, without having to have any prior knowledge. I have been out of comic books for about 10 years, and never got into the X-Men seriously, but with the success of the movies, I wanted to pick up a few books and start reading. I bought all of the previous issues of the original X-Men series, however the idea of having to read through 30 years of comics and mediocre art from the '60s really turned me off. Not to mention all of the complicated story lines and past events. I was very pleased then to be able to pick up Ultimate X-Men and start completely fresh with the X-Men.

To start, this is an excellent series. I've read all of the issues so far and "The Tomorrow People" is definitely the best storyline so far. We are introduced to the current X-Men team, who are a bunch of teenagers. We're given some limited knowledge about their backgrounds and introduced to their abilities. Most you will be familiar with if you're read the original X-Men, although I've noticed that Wolverine is definitely darker in this book, as well as many other characters. They have no qualms about killing people off in "Ultimate," and nothing they do would surprise me. This is contrasted by the usual humorous elements of Marvel Comics, as well as the personal relationships and teenage romances they set up. In a lot of ways, this comic is like the X-Men Evolution cartoon series with their handling of the more personal side of the characters. It can be a bit of a soap opera, but it works very well.

The storyline of this volume is excellent. It's packed with a great introduction to the kids, as well as a Xavier that appears to be a bit more devious and "human" than seen in the traditional Comic. Wolverine is definitely the character they've played with the most. He is just absolutely dangerous in this series. I thought this was the same old Wolverine that I grew up with from the Marvel Universe, but "Ultimate" Wolverine is just a plain loose cannon. Like the other deviations from the traditional universe, this works very well in this series. It lends an aura of excitement that I can't recall feeling in the past. My one concession with this series is that the covers are really bland to me, and too much like paintings, and some of the artwork in later issues by Bachalo looks really bad. I mean Rob Liefeld-bad. Kubert does a great job with the pencils in this one however. If you're looking to get into the X-Men and want a good place to start, you absolutely can not go wrong with "The Tomorrow People," one of the best written, and easiest to read, comics I've come across in a long time.

a new breed of x-men
The Ultimate line is what Marvel created to try to bring new readers to Marvel. They created a great story here populated with characters that are familiar as well as fresh. I also liked the art. If you want to jump in at the beginning of the X-Men, this is a great new place to start. If you are an old fan, this is a great addition to what we already know and love.

A great series for X-Men fans and long time comic collectors
I'm currently reading the Ultimate X-Men trade paperbacks. I used to collect X-Men during the Jim Lee,Marc Silverstri and Whilce Portacio run but stopped after they left for Image. Comic books as a whole are stagnant but there are a few titles still worth collecting and the whole Ultimate line is worth it.
This series has a more updated harder edge to it plus there isn't all the convoluted X-Men history to wade through.

Good read as an updated version
There are some people who will have problem with the way the X-men are portrayed, but it is interesting. I wish the movies were more like this book. This book presents the opportunity to take the team in an entirly unexspected direction. ... Read more

Book Description

Few have made an impression on the comic book industry quite like John Byrne, from his legendary run on the X-Men to his ground-breaking Superman: The Man of Steel. When he took over Fantastic Four in 1981, the First Family was never the same. With riveting stories and cinematic storytelling, Byrne's run on the Fantastic Four redefined the characters themselves. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Byrne's real hallmark FF work was later...
The Fantastic Four were a major part of my comic collection growing up, and I remember how much I enjoyed John Byrne's run on the FF in the early 80s. Buying this book was part of my ongoing effort to collect some of the best stories I remember from my years collecting comics to share with my two sons. I really do feel that this time period was the golden age of comics, and I want my boys to see these stories along with standards-bearers like the Daredevil-Elektra and Dark Phoenix tales.

Unfortunately, I'd forgotten that the first few issues of Byrne's second FF run were really a set up to what follows. With the possible exception of issue #236's Dr. Doom tale, they were largely the kind of stories that filled a comic between longer epics, with less substance. As a result, what you really have in this book is a series of short vignettes spanning one, perhaps two issues. Most pay homage to the history of the Fantastic Four, which is great, and Byrne's illustration is as excellent as usual. In the end, I would've purchased this reprinting anyway, but the great stories - including the amazing Galactus tale and the Gladiator/X-men story of issue #250 - happen later in the run, which I believe is being released in July.

Byrne's Legendary FF Run Starts Here!
When I was in Grade School, every kid I knew collected Comic Books. We would all get together every Friday in the Lunchroom and swap Comics, try to get each other to try different books, etc. I remember the excitement that we all felt when the first issue of John Byrne's Fantastic Four came out....the feeling of greatness that we all got when we read it. Everyone agreed that there would be no passing this book around- we'd all have to get our own copy every month.

So, with a real feeling of nostalgia, I picked up Volume One of Fantastic Four Visionaries. The stories hold up amazingly well, even after Twenty years. Byrne doesn't do a flashy overhaul of The FF (Like he did with DC's Superman..); he simply returns the group to their most basic element: They are not a Super-Hero group. They are a FAMILY, and Byrne, for the first time since the Lee/Kirby run, has them ACT like one. They bicker. They squabble. They tease each other, but they do it with love. When one is in trouble, the others rush in to help. They have more at stake when they're in a battle than the fate of The Earth: They have to worry about the Family members they're fighting alongside.

The stories in this volume are really just warm-ups for the stories that will (Hopefully!) be included in Volume II. The FF runs into Alchemical creatures sent by Diablo; Johnny (The Human Torch) Storm tries to clear the name of a dead man; The Earth is saved by the most powerful man in the World, while The FF are battling The Living Planet, Ego. A strange alien is coerced by winos (!) into helping them rob Banks. The FF welcome a new member, and help the Inhumans relocate to the Moon. Most importantly, they have their fondest wish granted by their greatest enemy: Dr. Doom. This story is perhaps the most poignant FF story ever. The emotions that Byrne imbues the characters with in this story are totally believable. The only beef that I have with the book is this: It would have been nice if Marvel had re-mastered the color. (And Byrne's stories are too wordy!! But that's just a small quibble.)

Fans of The World's Greatest Comic Magazine will love this book!

Only the beginning...again!
I've always loved the Fantastic Four. To me they represent the very best of what the Marvel Comic universe is all about. Created by the legendary duo of Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, the Fantastic Four formed a thematic bridge between the Timely Comics era of B-movie style sci-fi/horror and the Sixties superheroics of the Marvel Age. They were pulp adventurers fighting aliens and subterranean monsters -- but with superpowers. They didn't even wear costumes in the their debut issue! Lee and Kirby did their best work on the book, introducing characters like Doctor Doom, the Inhumans, Galactus and the Silver Surfer to name just a few.

After Kirby left the art chores on the book and Lee later stopped writing, The Fantastic Four took a long (decades long), slow slide into complete generic mediocrity. In 1981 long-time comics fan-turned-pro John Byrne, hot off a pencilling stint on the ascendant Uncanny X-Men, decided to try his hand at his old favorites...The Fantastic Four. This was made more interesting by the fact that he intended to write and draw each monthly issue alone, with only a letterer and colorist assisting. Although he was a top young talent at the time, not many people believed he would keep a monthly schedule, let alone make the book interesting enough to read. But Byrne had a plan...

"Fantastic Four Visionaries: John Byrne" collects the first eight issues of his triumphant five-year run on the book, and highlights Phase One of the Byrne FF Plan: Get Back to the Basics. For his first several issues of there's not even a visual cue that the book isn't set in the Sixties; the street clothes, dialog, art -- even the coloring! -- is straight out of the Lee/Kirby days. In effect, it's retro yet so bereft of irony that it's classic! These issues are a love letter to the days when the book was great and also a little work therapy to get Byrne (and the book) in fighting trim for the real battle: returning the Fantastic Four to it's rightful spot as "The World's Greatest Comic Magazine". The pinnacle of this phase is the return of Doctor Doom in Byrne's now-classic 20th anniversary story, "Terror in a Tiny Town".

Byrne's sixth issue marks the beginning of Phase Two: Shake Down the Status Quo. After declaring that he's finally found a cure for Ben Grimm's disfiguring transformation into The Thing, the stretchable super-genius Reed Richards proceeds to screw him up even worse -- and permanently -- by 'devolving' Grimm back to the even uglier lumpy orange oatmeal look that he had immediately after his initial cosmic ray accident. Then the Inhumans are forced to move their entire homeland, to the Moon to escape death from the pollutants in Earth's atmosphere. Oh, and Johnny Storm's shy girlfriend turns out to have flame powers almost as powerful as his own!

My singular complaint with collection is that it ends just when Byrne is hitting his stride on the book and just before Phase Three of his Master Plan: Really Big Changes. Being arguably the best work of his career and definitely the best post-Lee/Kirby era for our titular heroes, I can only hope "Fantastic Four Visionaries: John Byrne, Volume 2" is coming soon!

Byrne fans won't be disappointed
If you're a fan of Byrne, these stories certainly will not disappoint you, although they could have chosen better yarns to put together in a TPB. Most of these are slightly above average -- the Ego battle, the revelation that Frankie Raye is a human torch, and the Inhumans moving Attilan to the Blue Area of the Moon -- but the others are just average. For a "Visionaries" TPB, you expect top-notch vignettes. You get it here....almost.

Fantastic Four Visionaries
I can't believe its been twenty years since this first came out. This book contains the issues #232 through 240 of FF where John Byrne assumes the roles of writer, penciller, and inker. The artwork is stunning and often reminds you of Jack Kirby and Joe Sinnott at their peak. Byrne's writing is inconsistent, though. While he has a lot of interesting ideas (Thing mutation, Frankie Raye transformation, and Doctor Doom anniversary story), his ideas become overly complicated and his stories tend to become very wordy, especially in sequences where Reed tries to explain things to the rest of the group. While the Doom and Inhumans stories contained here are great, the Spinnerette and Ego tales are uninteresting (not coincidentally, these two are not part of the regular FF rogues gallery).

This is, in essence, a microcosm of John Byrne's work. Great artwork, great ideas, but wordy and complicated stories...all of which are hallmarks of his career whether it be in FF, X-Men, or Superman. If they continue the FF Byrne Visionaries sequence, the next volume will contain better stories. ... Read more

Book Description

It is the moment you've all been waiting for! Gambit returns to Ultimate X-Men! Because the fans demanded it, the Cajun thief is back! But what is he going to steal? And can the X-Men stop him? It's all about the Ragin' Cajun as the mysterious Gambit gives hints of where he's been, what he wants and why the X-Men will not be happy about it. ... Read more

Book Description

Not since the days of Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, the trailblazers of the Marvel Universe, had someone so perfectly captured the intense mood, cosmic style and classic sense of adventure of Marvel's first family of super heroes. Writer/artist John Byrne launched the Fantastic Four into realms where few creators before had dared to go. Now, the collection of his classic run continues! Featuring the trial of Reed Richards - and introducing the newest member of the Fantastic Four! Plus, Reed and Sue place the fate of their unborn child in the arms of...Doctor Octopus?! ... Read more

Book Description

The heroes have arrived.You've watched them grow.You've learned their secrets.And now, you're about to see them change the world... for better or for worse!When a god-like Hyperion discovers that his whole life has actually been an elaborate government-made lie, his reaction could mean the end of the Earth!Do the world's other super-powered beings have any chance at stopping Hyperion if the truth sends him over the edge? Collects SUPREME POWER #6-12. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

DC's Modern JSA
This review is about volume 1 of JLA Archives.

I have to say I love the JSA better than the JLA. JLA, at the time it was made, seemed like a campy version of the modern JSA. Still the issues contained in these books are good and entertaining.

This book is written by Gardner Fox, the same man who wrote for the early JSA - so it really is like a historical prespective to compare the two.

Warning: If you are buying this book thinking you'll get issues with Batman and Superman - don't count on anything substatial. Batman and Supes usally take a side route in these adventures, not participating, or appearing very little at all. I at first didn't like these issues becuase of the lack of Superman and Batman - but after that inital disapointment the issues become enjoyable.

These issues show the first appearences of many villians - like Amazo

For those of you afraid this is like the Superfriends, it is and it isn't. It's much smarter than the Superfriends (No Legion of Doom or any dumb ideas like that) but don't expect it to be that smart or intelligent - I emphizise the word: Campy!
Still you don't nessisasrily have to have been born durring 1960 to enjoy these books. They are good and entertaining. (And starting with Volume 3 have regular guest appearences of the JSA)

When Heroes Were Heroes
This book recalls the days of the sixties, when heroes were heroes, villains were villains, and reasoning and deduction were more useful in defeating evil than fists, guns, and gore. A treat for those of us who preferred the clever plots and cheerful camaraderie of the DC comics of the '60s to the sappy soap opera and relentless angst of Marvel.

Completely inferior to Marvel. Only has nostalgia value
If you enjoyed "The Super Friends" cartoon, then this book is for you. If you like reasonably intelligent comics like Silver Age Marvel comics, then skip on this.

I understand some people like these comics because it reminds them "of the good old days." Anyone needing a reminder about the good old days should pick up some EC classics.