Top 10 Comic Book Quotes- Week of 9/7/11

Before we get to appreciating (and not appreciating) the next round of DC number ones, here's one last look at this week's comics. In no particular order, here are the top 10 comic book quotes of the week.

1. "I--I'm sorry, Daddy. I just wanted a pet of my own."-- Maxine Baker, Animal Man

2. "I told Batman that a man dressed as a bat will not instill fear in the average criminal in Africa. They have seen too much. He told me, "You just have to sell it.""-- David Zavimbe, Batwing

3. "Hey! Is that -- Green Lantern?" -- Random civilian on Booster Gold, Justice League International

4. "We used to have laws in this town. Like gravity. You remember gravity, right?" -- Detective Blake, Action Comics

5. "Jenny Q., out of all the Century Babies, I want you to know-- you're in my top eighteen." -- Adam One, Stormwatch

6. "Behold. I give you Superman. Stay in touch." -- Lex Luthor, Action Comics

7. "I know that my father, he was telling the truth. Because plants can scream. For me, they're screaming all the time." -- Alec Holland, Swamp Thing

8. "Not only do they get the handsome, brilliant, über-genius Virgil Hawkins...they also get the not-so-mild-mannered, super-cool, and fiercely awesome Static." -- Static, Static Shock

9. "I grab my favorite "Action Hero" cocktail of animal abilities...strength of an elephant, reflexes of a fly, speed of a cheetah...and the bark of a dog. That one always freaks them out." -- Animal Man, Animal Man

10. "What I want is your complete attention and for you to understand that your life is now mine. I am BROTHER EYE. And you and eye have much to talk about. But first, call your girlfriend, she's worried about you." -- Brother Eye, O.M.A.C.

By Marceline with 1 comment

Panels of the Week - Week of 9/7/11

A new week of comics is almost upon us, but before that starts, here's a countdown of this week's 5 best panels. A lot of this week's best moments took up an entire page, but DC put out so many enjoyable books this week it was still easy to come up with a list of single panels. So, without further ado, here are DC's Top 5 Panels of the Week!

5. Static Shock

This is a pretty simple panel, but there's really a lot going on here. Not only does this give new readers some Hardware backstory without breaking up the story, but it gives them a feel for both character's personalities and what their relationship is like. In a first issue, it's easy to spend too much time on exposition, and I appreciate any panel that tells readers what they need to know in a fun and streamlined way.

4. Stormwatch

This entire page, in which media manipulator The Projectionist searches the internet for mentions of Apollo, is terrific, but this panel is my favorite. The concept of photoshopped superhero fights feels so authentic, and I love that fans were given a look at a fantasy throwdown that will probably never be. Just being reminded that the two characters now exist in the same universe is pretty exciting for me. An honorable mention goes out to the panel just above this one, which discusses Apollo slash fiction.

3. O.M.A.C.

Not only does this panel showcase the kind of wacky, imaginative action that made the first issue of O.M.A.C. great, it's a direct reference to the first page of Jack Kirby's original O.M.A.C tale! For me, Build-A-Friend was the highlight of a wonderfully fun comic, and this panel in particular really made me smile. Also, as far as onomatopoeias go, FFRRAATZZ is a pretty terrific one. Something I could easily see coming out of the mouth of a Pokemon.

2. Action Comics

I love everything about this panel. The people of Metropolis fighting to protect their Superman, the reference to "leap tall buildings in a single bound", and just the sense of playfulness and curiosity about his own powers that this version of Superman has. I loved Action Comics from start to finish, but if I had to show people a single panel to sell them on the issue, it'd be this one.

1. Animal Man

This is why Buddy is great. This is why Ellen is great. This is why marriage in comics is great. I love that a story about a man who takes on the abilities of animals can be so down to earth and relatable, and nothing showcases that better than this panel. Animal Man's family is an essential part of his character, and in this one moment, new readers get that as much as long time fans of the character do. And that makes this my panel of the week.

By Marceline with No comments

Review: Static Shock #1

I loved many of the characters Milestone Media introduced to the world, but Static was my favorite. He felt brand new and familiar at the same time, like he was supposed to have been around a lot longer than he actually was. In the world of cape comics, new, original characters often lack staying power, but Static felt like he had a really chance of lasting. Static ended his 45 issue run in March of 1997, when Milestone's comic book division folded. While this might have been it for many other characters, Static lived on, getting his own animated series and even appearing in the DC animated universe.

In 2008, when DC announced the Milestone universe would be merging with their own, I was pretty thrilled. But while many characters were integrated into the DCU, and Static himself found a place with the Teen Titans, I wanted more. It may have taken years for Static to get an ongoing again, but so far, it looks like it looks like it was worth the wait.

Static Shock opens with a page that gives you a feel for just about everything you need to know about Static. You get a sense for his powers, some of Virgil's natural skills and abilities, and best of all, you get to know and love his charming, goofball personality. It sets a lighthearted, fun tone, and it let me know that I was probably going to have a great time reading this issue.

Scott McDaniel's art has a few problem spots, but overall, he's a great fit for this book. It has this young, playful vibe to it that really works with the character, and his background as an electrical engineer is definitely an asset when drawing a character like this. Not everyone is sold on the costume, but personally, I love a good jacket, and I think the yellow really makes it pop.

There are many characters that I was hoping to see in the pages of Static, but I wasn't expecting to get to see Hardware so soon! This was a real treat, and seeing him serve as a mentor to Virgil is definitely going to be a highlight of the comic for me. The characters play off each other really well, and I'm hoping to see Virgil develop some of his own awesome tech under Hardware's guidance.

Even though Static has left Dakota and villains like Holocaust behind, it looks like he'll have no shortage of foes to fight. I'm not expecting too many of these guys to stick around, but more than a few of them seem to have some staying power. Still, I have to ask, what's with the Joker cosplayer hanging around in the background? It also looks like we might be seeing a certain mace-wielding hero in the not-too-distant future.

While this issue was clearly designed to introduce Static to a new audience, it was full of moments for longtime fans of the character to appreciate. I especially liked that they acknowledged Virgil's hatred of his middle name, something that appeared in the original Static #1. And while they wisely didn't spend much time on establishing Virgil's backstory, I still got a clear sense that his adventures in Dakota still happened, and I definitely feel like there's room to more of his old supporting cast in the future.

There were a few aspects of this issue that I question. While New York seems like a good fit for Static, I'm not crazy about the people of the city having it out for him. It's fine for a first issue, but Static has a lot in common with Spider-Man already, and I hope he proves himself to the people of the Big Apple in the stories to come. I also don't get why Static was given a second sister. I didn't see any need for the character, especially given how similar she seems to Sharon, and it seems superfluous given how many other changes have been introduced.

But none of those issues keep Static Shock from being a highly enjoyable comic that brings a much needed dose of fun to the DCnU. The issue isn't without moments of violence, but on the whole, it feels upbeat and is packed to the brim with witty banter. I'd recommend this issue to fans looking to fill the hole left by lighthearted books like Power Girl and Stephanie Brown's Batgirl, and to fans of both the cartoon and Static's original comic series. I'd also suggest that fans of Spider-Man give this series a go. Virgil may not have Peter's rogue's gallery or unusual troubles with women, but he does have smarts, a wicked sense of humor, and a keen interest in science- all things I think Spidey fans will be able to appreciate.

In a perfect world, the late, great Dwayne McDuffie would've been the one to bring Static back to life, but he's in capable hands with John Rozum and Scott McDaniel, and I can't wait to see what they do with him next.

By Marceline with No comments

My 10 Most Anticipated DCnU Comics (And Why I'm So Excited For Them)

With more than a month to go before the release of the first DCnU comic, there's not much to do besides think about how good or bad these comics might be. I really like keeping track of my initial thoughts about something before it comes out. It's fun for me to see where I really called it and where I really missed the mark. Before a new television series starts, I often make predictions as to how well they'll do, and I guess this feature is sort of like that, on a larger scale. I have a lot more to say about some books than others, but I have plenty of opinions about everything DC's putting out, and I plan to voice them all.

I'm a positive person, and it's always more fun for me to talk about things I'm genuinely excited about it. These are all titles I really want to see succeed, and I hope that in talking about why I think they'll be great I'm able to drum up a little enthusiasm for them among others. There are a lot of books I think have promise, but these are the ten that, more than any others, I really can't wait to get a chance to read.

1. Action Comics

Superman is one of my all-time favorite characters. Grant Morrison is one of my all-time favorite comic writers. It doesn't get much better than this, folks! The cover pictured above is very likely to be pictured on my wall, and every time Morrison's talked about his plans for the comic, he's managed to raise my already very high excitement levels to a fever pitch. Superman as a champion for the socially oppressed? Yes please! A comics with so much going on that there are no scene cuts in the entire issue? OH GOD WHY CAN'T THIS COMIC COME OUT ALREADY.

There's a part of me that wishes Grant Morrison would keep writing Batman forever. He's introduced so much to the Bat mythos, and I feel like a lot of that will never be fully explored, even with Batman Inc. coming back next year. But All-Star Superman has shown that combining Supes and Morrison results in pure comics joy, and if he can recapture even a little of that magic for this book, I'm sure it'll be one of my favorites every month.

By Marceline with No comments