Archive for March, 2008

Harley Quinn: Preludes And Knock-Knock Jokes

March 10, 2008 | Trades

Harley Quinn: Preludes And Knock-Knock Jokes Karl Kesel, Terry Dodson, Rachel Dodson DC Comics $29.99/$24.99 US (Hardcover) **** (out of five) From vamp to villainess to would-be hero, Harley Quinn sure has come a long way over the years. Originally created by Paul Dini and Bruce Timm as a character for Batman: The Animated Series, Harley’s role as the over-the-top vamp alongside the Joker quickly earned her a place in the hearts of scores of fanboys. She became so popular, in fact, that the powers-that-be at DC Comics decided to write her into continuity — a very rare feat indeed! While she made an impression with a few early appearances, Harley Quinn, A.K.A. Harleen Quinzel, didn’t really take that next step until she stepped out from behind the shadow of her “puddin”, the Joker, in the first issue of this collection of the first seven issues of her own series. Writer Karl Kesel, with a great deal of assistance from the incomparable husband/wife art team of Terry and Rachel Dodson, really captures Harley’s wild impetuousness as she breaks out on her own and finds mirth and mayhem in Gotham City pulling off crazy crimes, including the ultimate B&E of Wayne Manor! It’s about time this series, which first saw print in 2000, started getting collected and hopefully Preludes And Knock-Knock Jokes is just volume 1 of many to come.

Wonder Woman: Amazons Attack!

March 10, 2008 | Trades

Wonder Woman: Amazons Attack! Will Pfeifer, Pete Woods DC Comics $29.99/$24.99 US (Hardcover) *** 1/2 (out of five) Tens of thousands of sword-wielding, super-strong Amazons, backed by magical creatures and protected by the power of one of the most evil sorceresses in the world have declared war on America. Good thing the U.S. has more superheroes per capita than anywhere else on Earth. When Hippolyta, queen of the Amazons, discovers that her daughter Diana, A.K.A. Wonder Woman, has been captured by the U.S. (as seen in Wonder Woman: Love & War), she decides to do every thing in her power to set her free. This begins with an invasion of Washington, D.C., continues with attacks in California and the mid-West and includes not one, but two deadly alliances with former enemies of the Amazons. Meanwhile, Wonder Woman and the rest of the heroes are trying to save lives, stop the female warriors’ advance and figure out exactly who’s the person behind all this chaos. Amazons Attack, written by Will Pfeifer (Catwoman) and illustrated by Pete Woods (Action Comics), is a bit like Star Wars: The Phantom Menace. There’s a lot going on that, in the end, doesn’t really add up to much. It is, however, yet another piece in the puzzle of DC’s upcoming epic, Final Crisis, and as such may be considered required reading.

Batman: Rules Of Engagement

March 10, 2008 | Trades

Batman: Rules Of Engagement Andy Diggle, Whilce Portacio, Richard Friend DC Comics $29.99/$24.99 US (Hardcover) *** 1/2 (out of five) Bruce Wayne, A.K.A. Batman, is a master martial artist and detective and one of the smartest people in the world. Lex Luthor is a master manipulator, criminal and also one of the smartest people in the world. When both men’s corporations vie for a huge military contract, they find themselves both as friendly rivals in the boardrooms and as combatants as hero and villain as Lex unleashed a nefarious plot to destroy his competition. Collecting the first six issues of Batman: Confidential, written by Andy Diggle (Hellblazer, The Losers) with art by Whilce Portacio (Wetworks) and Richard Friend, this adventure is set early in the Dark Knight’s career before Bruce Wayne had an answer for every situation and teaches him a hard lesson about men with power and how they can abuse it.