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Reviews and commentary by Tony Isabella
"America's Most Beloved Comic-Book Writer & Columnist"
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TONY'S ONLINE TIPS
for Thursday, January 31, 2008
Justice League of America #13-15 [$2.99 each] completes the Justice League/Injustice League story that began in Justice League Wedding Special #1. It's a big ass hero/villain battle, brilliantly choreographed by writer Dwayne McDuffie with pencillers Joe Benitez and Ed Benes.
One of the things I like best about this story is that Luthor and his Injustice League are scary smart in devising and following their plan of attack. I was especially impressed by Poison Ivy's takedown of one of the most powerful heroes and very much liked the Cheetah's interaction with Doctor Light.
For the most part, the super-heroes weren't slouches either. Batman, Black Lightning, John Stewart, and a hero I won't name here because I'm trying to avoid spoilers all come up with pretty slick moves. I also liked Geo-Force getting some of his own back after one of the villains threatened to eat him. Superman seemed a bit hot-headed to me, but, in his defense, Luthor clearly knew how to push Big Blue's buttons. I'm not much of a Luthor fan - the only villains as overused as Lex are Darkseid and the Joker - but he was uncommonly effective in this story.
In typical DC fashion, the ending leads into yet another mini-series and a particularly repugnant mini-series at that. However, in atypical DC fashion, that doesn't stop McDuffie from delivering a satisfying ending to this story.
Justice League of America #13-15 earn the full five out of five Tonys. McDuffie promises to be one of the best JLA writers in the history of the team. I hope he continues writing the title for a good long time to come.
******
BLACK LIGHTNING
In answer to the frequent question, I thought Dwayne McDuffie did fine by Black Lightning. I never doubted that he would, but as he's a friend of mine, I feel slightly uncomfortable critiquing his handling of my creation.
Black Lightning was a cool and savvy fighter here. He took on heavy hitters and did smart things that enabled the Justice League to carry the day. He stood toe-to-toe with Superman, as an equal; hat's how I see Jefferson Pierce. He's a man who quietly commands respect and usually gets it.
Did he take some hits? Against the Injustice League, it would have been unrealistic for him not to take some hits. This super-hero job isn't his preferred career choice - he will always think of himself as a teacher - but it's a job he's learned well over the years. Good writers get that.
There's an exchange with Hawkgirl in which Jeff seems a little harsh. That threw me for a moment, but I think I know what Dwayne was going for. As the youngest member of the League, Kendra could easily remind Jeff of his own daughter. Jeff lives with the fear that his daughter could be injured. It's not a stretch to see him unconsciously transfer that fear to Kendra.
After the general "how did McDuffie do" question, the specific question I was most asked was what I thought of Jeff's conversation with John Stewart over Jeff's shaved-head look. I thought it was hilarious.
Jeff was defensive about the look, as well he should be. I don't believe for a moment he really believes it looks good on him. But I have figured out why he shaved his head...
SUSPENSE BUILDS
SUSPENSE BUILDS
SUSPENSE BUILDS
It was something either his ex-wife or his daughter suggested. Jeff is and always will be in love with Lynn Stewart. Back during my second Black Lightning series, it was my intention to have them remarry. If Lynn thought it would look good, Jeff would have gone for it. Love makes you stupid sometimes.
However, my money is on this suggestion coming from his daughter Anissa. As the father of a teenage girl, I can confirm fathers are putty in the hands of their little girls. We want to protect them and stay close to them and connect to them. Not even our mothers and wives have this kind of power over us. The shaved-head look is dumb, but it could have been much worse.
In other Black Lightning updates...
DC Comics still hasn't paid me for that Black Lightning action figure they released many months ago. I'll let you know when they pay me. If they pay me.
Look for more Black Lightning stuff in future editions of this column. You ask and I answer.
******
BLOGGY BITS
This is the last of the January TOTs, though, since I'm still running a little behind schedule, it probably isn't going to post until February 1. It was my aim to write five columns per week for this website with a day off after every ten columns. I've pretty much reached that goal.
My goal of receiving x dollars in donations this month wasn't reached. As I write this, TOT readers have donated only 54% of the very modest amount I was seeking. At that level, as much as I enjoy writing these columns, I simply can't justify writing five of them each week.
I'm not pulling the plug on TOT yet. I expect to write five columns each week through February. Come the end of that month, I will assess the situation and make a decision.
Are there options to funding this column and my message board other than donations? Yes.
If I were to land some good-paying gigs, those would allow me to support TOT myself. I'd be most interested in writing for comic strips - my most recent good-paying gig - but I'm open to anything I can do from home and with clean hands.
If an advertiser stepped forward to sponsor TOT, that would be pretty swell, too. The only caveat is that the advertiser must be a good fit for this generally safe-for-work column. I might be for rent, but I'm not for sale.
That's all the bloggy bits for today.
******
COMICS IN THE COMICS
You know the drill. I love comic strips that feature guests from other strips or from comic books...and self-referential comic strips...and comic strips that otherwise comments on cartooning or comics fans. When I find them, or when TOT readers find them and send them to me, I share them with you.
We commence with John Deering's Strange Brew panel from January 2 of this year:
Blondie is currently credited to Dean Young and John Marshall. This strip is from January 10:
Scott Nickel's Eek! is one of my favorite current comic strips. This example is from January 10:
You can read Eek! online here:
www.gocomics.com/eek
Finally, this from Steve Kelley, who, after two decades as the political cartoonist of The San Diego Union-Tribune, moved in 2002 to The Times-Picayune in New Orleans:
Watch for more Comics in the Comics in future editions of this column.
******
DERISION 2008
"Super Tuesday" is nearly upon us and, yea, verily, it shall decide which Democratic Party candidate will face off against which Republican Party candidate for the Presidency of the United States of America. Unless it doesn't.
TOT readers have been asking me to weigh in on this election and my only excuse for not doing so before this was the coma I fell into during the second or third round of debates. I remember the occasional thought of "Man, Dennis Kucinich has a hot wife" running through my head, but that was about it.
Seriously, or, at least, as seriously as I'm able to be at any given moment, the candidate I would have most liked to see as our President was Kucinich. On the issues, his views matched mine more closely than those of other candidates and we, as a country, could have had the hottest First Lady in our history. Although, in the right light and setting, Hilary Clinton...
My second choice was John Edwards, who I came to admire more each day. He raised issues that mattered to people and campaigned passionately on those issues. I still think this rich white male would have made a great President, but he was lost in the glare of the spotlights focused on Clinton and Barack Obama.
At the start of the primary season, I would have told you that I thought Clinton, Edwards, Kucinich, and Obama all had the stuff to be good and maybe great Presidents. Now that it's come down to Clinton and Obama, I'm backing Obama.
Clinton lost my vote when she and husband Bill went negative. I have been a great admirer of the Clintons. I think Bill was one of our better President. But, during the last few weeks of their campaigning, I began to see why some people hate them - though I'm still of the opinion that hatred is undeserved - and realize Hilary is too divisive a candidate to get elected. If she were to win the nomination, it would inflame those repugnant Republicans who have consistently set new lows in campaigning and governing. She might have the stuff to be President, but she could unite the Republicans more than any other Democratic candidate.
So I find myself in Obama's camp. I have some issues with his positions on the health care crisis in this country. I believe we have to provide universal health care to all Americans whether they can afford it or not. A number of far less affluent countries have managed to achieve this. It is intolerable that the United States has not. That enormous health-care and pharmaceutical corporations are among Obama's contributors concerns me. But, for now, on this and other issues, he's our best choice who actually has a chance of winning in November.
Moving to the Republicans...
I actually cheered when I learned Rudy Giuliani had gotten his ass kicked in Florida. "America's Mayor" was always a fraud and a bigger one than even the slothful Fred Thompson. But what I find alarming about the Florida results is...the Republicans are heading towards nominating their most electable candidate.
Eight years ago, I would've welcomed McCain over George Bush. I think most Republicans realize what a horrible mistake electing Bush was. They weren't decent/smart enough to back McCain in 2000, or demand a better choice than Bush in 2004, but, driven by voter's remorse over having backed Bush twice, they may come out for McCain this time around.
McCain's most dangerous running mate would be Mike Huckabee. Evangelical Christians would probably support a ticket that places one of their own a heartbeat away from the Presidency. For McCain, that might be the downside of Huckabee as his VP. There could be some Evangelical out there who could "hear" God telling him to kill McCain so Huckabee can become president.
You gasp at my seeming religious intolerance. Heck, I can do better than that for you.
Having read quite a bit about the history of Mormonism for a project I was once considering, I see it as a faith manufactured by a criminal con man, a faith less wacky than Scientology and lacking the Hollywood star power of L. Ron Hubbard's sci-fi mystery tour, but a specious creation nonetheless. I could no sooner vote for a Mitt Romney than I could for Tom Cruise.
Sadly, time does not permit me to go after Catholics, Muslims, Jews, atheists, other Christians, devil-worshipers, and Vikings at this time. Indeed, I find so many faiths lacking in morality and reason that I may have to start my own religion. Jesus and I talk about this all the time.
Getting back to why McCain scares me...
During the past eight years, McCain has done so much pandering to the religious right and to the Bush warmongers that I have great difficulty trusting him to do the right thing. While I don't have great confidence in the Democratic Party either, I firmly believe that my country's heart, soul, and well-being cannot afford another Republican in the White House at this time in its history. Since no third-party candidate has emerged to convince me that he or she could put the United States back on the decent track and win the election, I'm supporting Obama.
At least until the Stephen Colbert/Joe Quesada ticket offers me a sweet ambassadorship. I'm thinking someplace warm with great restaurants, beautiful women, no social unrest, and a comics shop with an ambassador's discount.
Thanks for spending a part of your day with me. I'll be back tomorrow with more stuff.
Tony Isabella
<< 01/29/2008 | 01/31/2008 | 02/01/2008 >>
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THE "TONY" SCALE
ZERO: Burn your money before buying any comic receiving this rating. It doesn't *necessarily* mean there's absolutely nothing of value here - though it *could* - but whatever value it might possess shrinks into insignificance before its overall awfulness.
ONE: Buy something else. Maybe I found something which wasn't completely dreadful in the item, but not enough for me to recommend it when there are better comics available. I only want what's best for you, my children.
TWO: Basic judgment call. I found some value, but not enough to recommend it. My review should give you enough info to decide if you want to take a chance on it. Are you feeling lucky today, punk? Well, are you?
THREE: This denotes something I find perfectly respectable. There are better books out there, but I wouldn't regret buying this item. Based on my review, you should be able to determine if it's of interest to you. Let the Force guide you.
FOUR: I recommend anything earning this rating. Unless you don't like the genre, subject matter, or past work of the creators, I believe you'll enjoy this item. Isn't it uncanny how I can look right into your soul that way?
FIVE: Anything getting this rating is among the best comicdom has to offer. You should buy/read this, even if the genre/subject matter doesn't appeal to you. It's for your own good. Me, I live for comics and books this good...but not in a pathetic "Comic-Book Guy" sort of way.
Please send material you would like me to review to:
Tony's Online Tips
840 Damon Drive
Medina, OH 44256
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