ORACLE: YEAR ONE (and John Ostrander)

[parsimonia.insanejournal.com]

This post consists of 6 pages (5 full pages and two halves of two different pages) from an 18-page story from The Batman Chronicles #5 (and a cover), called "Oracle--Year One: Born of Hope", written by John Ostrander and Kim Yale.

The story is supposed to take place after the events of The Killing Joke, where former Batgirl Barbara Gordon was shot by the Joker and her legs paralysed.

( How Oracle began... )

I'd also like to bring up something you may have already seen 'round the comics blogosphere, but writer John Ostrander has been battling with glaucoma, is apparently in danger of losing his eyesight, and is struggling to pay the medical costs. A website's been set up (www.comix4sight.com) with a longer explanation of the situation, but there's a online donation drive and an auction in August. Any money leftover is to be donated to the Hero Initiative.

Superman and Sgt. Rock team-up

[arbre_rieur.insanejournal.com]

When a sci-fi explosion knocks Superman back in time to World War II, he winds up joining Easy Company.

( The Miracle Man of Easy Company )

Golden Age Wonder Woman Bondage

[mosellegreen.insanejournal.com]

These are from Sensation Comics #11, 1942.

You know, the comic book writers and artists of the 40's didn't know that they were the Golden Age. I'm sure it never occurred to any of them that decades later, adults would be reading their creations, analyzing them and laughing at the plot holes. They were just trying to pay the rent. They had to make those kids hand over that dime which might well be a whole week's allowance, so they used the most eye-catching gimmicks they could think of. "People like cowboys/ancient Egypt/leopard-skin-clad jungle queens," they would say. "Let's build a story around that." And they would, however far-fetched the combination might be.

And it's lucky for us that they did so, because it gave the more serious comic book writers of today, who know that adults are going to read their stories with a critical eye, all kinds of crazy elements that they have to try to get to make sense. Today's comic book readers want to have our cake and eat it too; we want our heroes to be from other planets or from lost civilizations, we want them to be able to leap tall buildings in a single bound, we want them to run around doing good deeds in patriotically colored spandex... and we want the writer to make all of this make sense.

I love superhero comics.

Today's installment is basically The Story of O for kids. Really. No, really. It was very hard not to just scan the whole issue.

( Read more... )

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The last time the Joker thought Batsy was dead....

[benicio127.insanejournal.com]

This is a really, really great Joker story and sadly, underrated.

Going Sane was collected in Legends of the Dark Knight 65-68 (written in 1994 by J.M De Matteis) and can now be collected as a full trade paperback. The art is less than stellar, but the story more than makes up for it. (11 scans of a 100-page book)

I always thought this did an excellent job of showcasing the Batman & Joker relationship, perhaps IMO better than the Killing Joke. (There! I said it. Granted, if you can prove me otherwise, I'll gladly accept it.)



I can't imagine his breath would be nice.

( Going sane... )

An Alex Ross eye view on a certain little bird (and a bigger bird too... but not THE Big Bird)

[icon_uk.insanejournal.com]

Just found these up at Sal Abatinni's CAF page and thought you'd like to see them too.

( A practical, if potentially rather... chafing, addition to the costume )

Jason in Nightwing: Year One

[runespoor7.insanejournal.com]

Previous posts have already noted that there's a trend in canon retconning Jason has having been more violent, angrier and more of as street punk than he was originally depicted as in the handful of issues Collins was writing him.

One of the most blatant examples comes from Nightwing: Year One, which was published from March to May 2005 – for comparison, Under the Hood's first issue was published in February 2005, though the reveal that Red Hood was Jason was only published in August. I have no idea what the information sharing regarding Jason was at the time between editorial/writers of different title, and thus can't say if Dixon was even aware that Jason was in the process of being revived, much less if there were directives as to how depict him.

Some of these scans have already been posted in tsuki_the_geek's posts of how Jason gained the Robin suit and how his first night as Robin went, but I'm reposting here for the sake of clarity. If it is offensive I'll take the scans down.

( 22 pages from 4 chapters, not dial-up friendly )

Sharing is Love and So is JSA

[axolotl_lan.insanejournal.com]

I've been mulling over getting JSA for quite some time. JSA 'Darkness Falls' was proof that hesitation was silliness on my part. In the featured scans from the graphic novel there is subtext, Awesome Dinah, Wildcat on the phone with Selina and Jay being just wonderful!
Possible NSFW if Wildcat in a bathtub or towel counts as such for your place of employment.

( Read more... )

Added point is this is not even close to 1/4 of the awesome to be found in this graphic novel, so very worth it!

Return of the Shredder

[zechs27.insanejournal.com]

From TMNT Adventures #20-22. This arc has it all. Giant Monster Warrior Dragon vs Foot Ninja Bot, Cyborg TV News Reporters, bad art (well for one issue), ironic death traps for Splinter, Raph joining back up with the group after a brief adventure in space, and of course the return of the Shredder.

( Read more... )

Gotham City Sirens (sick of it yet?)

[kat8cha.insanejournal.com]

Okay! First post on SD (hi guys) and I'm sharing my fave pages of Gotham Sirens. Since I saw the preview art I had to run out and get it. As much as I generally don't buy single comics (so EXPENSIVE in the long run) I had to. I really, really, really enjoyed Gotham Sirens... and was at the same time very annoyed. ( the art's not TERRIBLE, but the characterization just seems so easy... )

The Celestials did 2001, and by extension, Machine Man.

[thanekos.insanejournal.com]

no, seriously.

that black monolith?

all them.

(  well, at least over in 616, they did...  )

"To the Father I Never Knew..." [Tim Angst]

[ar_feiniel_.insanejournal.com]

In Batman 480 Jack Drake was out of his coma and leaving the hospital. Tim struggled between his life as Jack Drake's Son and Robin.

( Sometimes I wish we could start over... )

In Honor of Sen. Jeff Sessions: Jesse Custer Wants Words

[jlroberson.insanejournal.com]

( Just one image but one I still love. )

Ms. Marvel. Misunderstandings and Love

[axolotl_lan.insanejournal.com]

The scans featured come from a few issues of Ms.Marvel I own... you know back when nobody knew who in the heck Ms.Marvel was leading to all kinds of Superhero confusion... and fights.
This spunky sometimes bellyshirted woman is why I love Ms.Marvel
(also when she faints she does so to fight supervillains with the power of her mind- which to me defeats the trope aspect, and SCIENCE IS FUN!)

posted for uhm requesty person.

( Read more... )

Tim and Jimmy vampire slayers.

[superfan1.insanejournal.com]

( Images under cut )