Batman: The Long Halloween

A heavy source of inspiration for Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight , this collection of a 13 part mini-series has distinct style and storytelling. Like a classic 30s mob story, Gotham City's crime families are caught up with a "Holiday" killer, while the three good guys, Batman, Jim Gordon and Harvey Dent, attempt to keep pace.

As a self-contained story, this one is epic and delivers wonderfully.  Tim Sale's use of panels and darkness gives a cinematic feel to the Loeb story structure.  Though i'm hesitant to make the comparison, The Long Halloween reminds me at times of Watchmen, in how the concept and layout appear to be meticulously planned and designed.  There is no filler here, nor no stone left unturned.

Though not breathtaking or stunning from a visual standpoint, it is as solidly created a Batman adventure one could ask for.  It definitely deserves to be ranked amongst the most definitive renderings of Dark Knight lore by providing a stellar account of the Bat's early years in Gotham.

5 stars out of 5

Scalped: The Gravel in Your Guts (Volume 4)

A little more sparseness on the dialogue doesn't stop this series from continuing to be an engrossing read, as the pictures do the talking.  There is an air of ominousness from the opening panels that follows the characters throughout this arc.  Focusing on some of the characters introduced earlier in the series shakes things up a bit, but i do admit to missing Dashiel's character, who seemingly disappears for awhile (though considering the direction his character takes, it is appropriate from a pacing and chronology perspective).  Continuously gritty with a great intro that rightly connects the comic to its noir roots.

4 1/2 stars out of 5

Scalped: Dead Mothers (Volume 3)

This series just keeps getting better and better.  As the story progresses, the characters become richer and more complex, and the stakes higher and more personal.  The writing is sharp and the artwork a completely immersive experience in atmosphere.  All the praise i heaped on run of the mill Batman and Daredevil collections earlier on this blog seem foolish in light of reading this original, one of a kind series.  It's one thing to take a beloved superhero and make them look good within their element.  It's an entirely other level of art form to take a situation like real Lakota historic elements and wrap it up in an original, breathtaking piece of real crime drama and tragedy.  Scalped is essential reading.

5 stars out of 5

Batman: Hush Volumes One and Two

Some more great artwork from Jim Lee and a surprisingly suspenseful story by Jeph Loeb that only suffers from the need to wrap things up too tidily.  It's always great to have a new character introduced into a long running series, especially when they can stand alongside traditional rogues gallery villains.  Loeb writes in a ton of cameos for Lee to draw, and while some add great depth and personality to Bruce Wayne and his storied relationships, others are just throwaway visits that do little to boost the story line.  All in all, a very welcome take on Bruce Wayne and Batman that exists within "continuity" which offers some intriguing complications to the story line.  A good read for anyone interested in "jumping in" to comics.

4 1/2 stars out of 5

All-Star Batman & Robin, The Boy Wonder Vol. 1

Perhaps the best looking comic book i've read in the past decade.  i seriously could not put this down, reading it in its entirety in one sitting, while often pausing to just stare at Jim Lee's amazing artwork.  i never cared for his mutant series work, but to see what he does with Batman and Robin, not to mention Black Canary, Batgirl, Joker, Superman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern and Plastic Man, is purely stunning.  Frank Miller's take on a sophmore Batman is as dark as you'd expect, with a nice subtle humour that doesn't take the bat mythos too seriously, while reinventing it in Miller's sparse and violent writing style.  There's a reason why this series is called "All-Star"; there's a reason why people are deemed Legends.  All-Star Batman and Robin, The Boy Wonder Vol. 1 proves it.

5 stars out of 5

Daredevil Visionaries

WOW.  No wonder Kevin Smith has been allowed to write comics for almost a decade now.  If this was his first forray into the medium, he nailed it.  Not without a lot of help from the amazing artwork by Joe Quesada and Jimmy Palmiotti, which has such rich tones and beautiful framing, it makes it hard to move on to the next page.  However, Smith's story arc makes sure you can't resist turning the page to see how the story of a baby antichrist coincides with a new beginning for Daredevil. Amongst the return of many fabled characters, Matt Murdoch remains central and Smith's initial attempt at the character is grounded in Frank Miller inspired story elements.  Smith knows his red devil history, and the religious underpinnings of classic Daredevil stories, and cements himself a comic writing future with this awesome tale.  The only fault would be a conclusion that wraps everything up all too tidy for the fall out that started it all.

4 1/2 stars out of 5

Club Dead

The Sookie Stackhouse series kicks into high gear with the third novel.  Inserting a third potential mate for Sookie in the form of Werewolf Alcide and some shady character deficiencies to Vampire Bill really put the relationship and romance in question, adding a nice backdrop to the non-stop action and danger Sookie finds herself in Jackson.

These books have already been in the variety of "can't put down" but Club Dead truly keeps the reader glued to the page.  The best i've read yet.  Can't wait to dive in deeper as this series really gains some steam.

4 1/2 stars out of 5