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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 Tuesday, April 8, 2008
Walt Disney's Uncle Scrooge is back after a several- month delays, just in time to celebrate its title character's 60th anniversary. Issue #372 [Gemstone; $7.99] kicks off this year-long celebration of the world's richest duck.
The Marco Rota cover showcases the anniversary with several images from Scrooge McDuck's life. Fittingly, the issue leads off with a reprinting of "Christmas on Bear Mountain" by Carl Barks. In this 1947, Scrooge was different from the character he would become, but it's still a classic - and very funny - story. I've read this tale countless times, but I never fail to laugh out loud when the happy Scrooge proclaims: "Boy! Am I havin' fun! Wow! Here, Don, have another peanut!"
From 1953, we get "Still the Champion" by artist Tony Strobl and an unknown writer. It's a minor effort, but it does have a good scene with the surprisingly picky Beagle Boys.
Don Rosa's "The Treasure of Croesus" spans history and the world as Scrooge and his kinsmen seek the fabled riches of a ruler who might have amassed more wealth than Scrooge himself. Fascinating facts combine with action and humor in a tale that also features Magica De Spell. Rosa also contributes the issue's back cover, the first of a series of posters commemorating Scrooge's anniversary.
Gyro Gearloose makes an appearance in "Projected Poverty" by Evert Geradts with art by Mau Heymans. It's a fun story revolving around Donald and the boys trying to come up with a great birthday gift for Scrooge despite their decidedly less-than-great means. I got a kick out of it.
Add three pages of informative text material, one including a Carl Barks poem, and Uncle Scrooge #372 looks all the better to me. It earns the full five out of five Tonys.
I revere the original Bat Lash comic books of 1968-1969. I don't use that word lightly. There may have only been eight issues back then - eight amazing and different from anything else on the stands issues that combined the talents of Sergio Aragones, Denny O'Neil, Joe Orlando, Nick Cardy, and Mike Sekowsky - but they were instant classics. Indeed, I even wrote a Bat Lash tribute story for my long-time pal Carl Gafford's Minotaur fanzine, which Gaff painstakingly drew and then transferred to ditto masters for publication. I wish I could find my copy of that zine, but, alas, I think it was lost somewhere between Manhattan and Medina. The point is...anyone attempting a new Bat Lash series, even creator Sergio Aragones himself, has to compete with my memories of some of the greatest comic books of all time. Part of me has always longed for a new series and part of me has always feared it.
It took me a few months to work up the courage to read Bat Lash #1-3 [DC; $2.99 each]. I'm here to say that, while these issues don't fulfill my longing for the Bat Lash that was, they did not send me fleeing from my reading chair in terror.
Writers Peter Brandvold and Aragones present a Bat noticeably darker than in his original series. The humor is still there - I love the banter between Bat and the Comanches - but the violence is more prevalent. The flirtatiously sexy moments of the originals, so brilliantly and lovingly drawn by Nick Cardy, have given way to a more traditional passion. And there was nothing in the originals as brutal as the attempted rape of Bat's girl, nor the callousness with which her father manipulates the aftermath of that assault to achieve his land-grabbing ends. These are well-written comics, well worth reading. But the original series was a unique treasure and this new series has a long way to go before it can measure up to its birthright.
No review of Bat Lash #1-3 could be complete without a mention of artist John Severin. At 86, he is still drawing comics that are the equal of the comics he was drawing half-a-century ago. He is a grandmaster of storytelling, realism, facial expressions, and the human figure. He pulls readers into the story and compels our attention and involvement. He is one of the past and present wonders of the comics world.
My love for the original Bat Lash series admittedly influences my judgement when it comes to this new series. Even so, it earns an impressive four out of five Tonys.
******
TONY POLLS
New Tony Polls questions are posted every Tuesday for your voting entertainment. I would tell you all about this week's questions, but I haven't written them yet. Hopefully, they will be incredibly amusing and interesting. Whatever they turn out to be, you can cast your ballots by going to:
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Thanks for spending a part of your day with me. I'll be back tomorrow with an all-new TOT.
Tony Isabella
<< 04/07/2008 | 04/08/2008 | 04/09/2008 >>
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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.
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