Amazing Spider-Man Annual #2 (December 1965)

Spider-Man. Doctor Strange. These two heroes, despite their being part of the same Marvel Universe, were about as different as one can be. Peter Parker got his powers from a spider that was enhanced by a scientific accident. Stephen Strange was a crippled surgeon that would go on to learn the ways of magic. Peter's villains, especially in the early days, tended to focus more on the mundane and scientific. Stephen's villains were cosmic and mystical.

Despite this, they did share something in common. They both sprung from the same minds: writer Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko. Peter first started slinging and swinging on webs in Amazing Fantasy #15 (August 1962), and Stephen starting slinging magic spells in Strange Tales #110 (July 1963). And since they were created by the same men, it made sense that they would eventually meet and have an epic adventure together. And that's what we're going to look at here!

The cover is...I'll be honest. It feels kind of lazy to me. Really. It's just a bunch of Spider-Men crawling around a large Spider-Man head and Spidey next to it. It's weird. Ditko was known for his crazy, practically psychedelic work on Doctor Strange, and the cover would have been a wonderful opportunity to give a tease of it. Show Spidey and Strange in a cosmic landscape while the villain looms over them. This cover feels like it was done at the last minute. "Ehhh, I'll just draw Spidey a bunch of times. Good enough!" Not a fan of the cover.

"The Wondrous World of Doctor Strange!"
Writer: Stan Lee (with Steve Ditko plotting)
Artist: Steve Ditko
Inker: Sam Rosen
Letterer: Sam Rosen
Editor: Stan Lee

Our story begins with Spider-Man patrolling the city.

Seeing no crimes, not even a jaywalker, Spidey decides to web off and call it a night. Sure, Pete. New York City having a night with no crime going on whatsoever. I get proven right here as unbeknownst to the Wall-Crawler, a man is walking towards a pool hall. And just as it goes in stories like these, there's a bar brawl going on. I think there's something in the drinks fictional bars serve that make people want to fight each other.

In the bar, the man finds exactly what he's looking for: two big strong dumb tough guys.

He approaches the dumb tough guys and basically tells them they will work for him. Being dumb, the dumb tough guys laugh at the man and tell him to beat before he gets a fat lip. The man basically tells the dumb tough guys to shut up. His name is Xandu, and he uses a hypnotic voice to make the dumb tough guys fall under his command.

He uses a magic spell to make the dumb tough guys even tougher and be able to feel no pain. He tests this by having one of the dumb tough guys smash an oak table with one Mighty Punch. Satisfied with this, Xandu heads back to his lair, the dumb tough guys obediently following him. It is then that Xandu reveals what he is up to: He wants half of a magic wand known as the Wand of Watoomb.

Yes, the Wand of Watoomb, which made its debut in this very issue. The Wand has appeared in various Marvel publications over the years, and even got an appearance in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Xandu has one half of the mighty magical trinket, and he knows who has the other: one Stephen Strange...the Sorcerer Supreme. He sends the mystically-enhanced dumb tough guys to fight Doctor Strange. You know, I'm gonna give them names. It'll make things much easier. The black-haired one is Bob, and the brown-haired one is George. Those are their names now.

In his Sanctom Santorum, Dr. Strange is examining a scroll, one of the many mystical artifacts stored in his Sanctum. I can't help but wonder, though. Where did he get all those things? Did the Ancient One entrust this stuff to him? Did he go around collecting these things after he was trained?

Bob and George bust in, despite the Sanctum's supposed mystical defenses. Strange tries to use a magic spell to send them packing, but evidently Xandu somehow made them immune to magic. Strange tries to confuse them with an illusion that makes it seem like there's lots of copies of him everywhere. I think this may have been the first time he used the Images of Ikonn spell, even though it was not called that here. That's what I thought of when I saw this.

However, Xandu is mystically watching over Bob and George, and is able to tell them where the real Strange is. The two are able to take down Strange...despite the fact that Strange is also supposedly trained in the martial arts on top of his mystical knowledge. Bob and George search the place, and find the other half of the Wand.

On their way out, they're spotted by Spider-Man. Spidey notes that Bob and George seem to almost be like zombies. He swings down to take a look, and Xandu orders the two hypnotized mooks to take the Webhead out. Spidey tries to fight back, but his punches, despite being quite a bit stronger than a normal human's, don't do very much against the ensorcelled mooks. Spidey tries to web up George, but he's easily able to rip them off him. The two mooks then beat Spider-Man into unconsciousness.

Bob and George go on their way. However, Spidey's not quite out of it yet. He's able to plant one of his Spider-Tracers on one of the mooks' leg. Bob and George return to Xandu's lair and give him the other half of the Wand. Xandu assembles it, and feels the Wand's power coursing through his veins. Showing off its power, Xandu casually opens up a few portals to other dimensions, one of them giving him a view of the still out cold Doctor Strange.

Thanks to the Spider-Tracer on George's leg, Spider-Man is able to follow the mooks to Xandu's lair. Xandu tries to blast Spider-Man with the Wand, but Peter Parker's spider-powered agility allows him to dodge the attack and web up Xandu's face. This makes Xandu drop the Wand. Deciding not to play around, Xandu casts a spell to trap Spidey in another dimension.

However, before he completely fades out, Spider-Man is able to use his webbing to get the Wand of Watoomb in his grasp, taking it with him, to Xandu's rage. He sends Bob and George to the dimension to get the Wand back, knowing they were able to deal with Spider-Man last time. Spidey finds himself in a new place, and rather disoriented.

This panel here? This is a better idea of what the cover of this comic should have looked like. It definitely would have stood out in the newsstands better than other superhero books of the time. I know I would have gotten it if I saw this as a kid in 1965. And hey, look! Saturn can float!

Bob and George follow Spider-Man into the dimension and Spidey engages them, saying that he's ready for them this time. Yeah, I get that Spider-Man would learn from the last time he fought Bob and George, but there's another problem. Spidey is in completely unfamiliar terrain. And since we can assume he was only there for about a minute or so, we can safely assume that he never got any real time to learn about this strange world he's in. He still would have some problems. Despite this, Spidey engages Bob and George, seemingly being able to better fight them off this time.

Back in his Sanctum Santorum, Dr. Strange wakes up, and realizes that Xandu has assembled the Wand of Watoomb. Strange uses the Eye of Agamotto to find Xandu, and grabs his Cloak of Levitation. In the strange dimension, Spidey does his best against Bob and George, but like last time, Spidey's blows have no effect. Xandu presses his two ensorcelled mooks along, saying that even Peter Parker's spider-enhanced stamina can only last so long.

Doctor Strange shows up, and he and Xandu have a magic fight.

Xandu is unable to stand against the Sorcerer Supreme, but then Spidey, Bob, and George return. This distracts Strange, allowing Xandu to get his hands on the Wand of Watoomb.

His power boosted by the Wand, Xandu is able to thrash Strange. Strange realizes he needs to take another approach. He finds somewhere to hide, and uses astral projection to scout around. His spirit sees Xandu using the Wand to try and find him. Strange then spots Spider-Man valiantly fighting Bob and George. Strange telepathically tells Spidey to grab a nearby power line and use it to shock Bob and George. He has no idea if this will stop them, but it's worth a shot. Spidey shocks them and...by the power of plot convenience, it works.

Bob and George wonder what's going on, and why they are so tired. Spidey decides to go after Xandu, as Bob and George are no longer a threat. Strange knows Spidey is in over his head, and rushes back to his body to help. Spidey returns to Xandu's lair. Xandu prepares to blast Spidey with the Wand of Watoomb, but the Webhead is saved by one of Strange's spells. Spidey and Strange use their powers to keep Xandu off-balance.

The plan works. Spidey webs up Xandu's legs, making him stumble and drop the Wand. Before he can retrieve it, Spidey shows off his webshooting skills by webbing up Xandu's hands. Strange then uses the Eye of Agamotto to drain the power from the Wand of Watoomb, turning it into a simple trinket. I did ask myself, why didn't he do this sooner, until I remembered Strange only had one half of it. It could be presumed he had no idea where the other half was, and couldn't drain the power from it until it was whole. Because magic trinket.

Strange then uses his magic to read Xandu's mind to find out why he wanted the Wand.

He learned of the Wand's power and wanted it himself. However, Xandu's future battles with Spidey and Strange would reveal his desire for the Wand's power was for more than just simple power lust. More on that later. Strange uses his magic to make Xandu forget this battle and his evil intentions. Strange then compliments Spidey on his courage and tells him he has a friend in the Sorcerer Supreme. The two heroes part on good terms, Spidey telling him "And may your amulet never tickle!" ...I think Peter Parker said that very line when he and Strange teamed up in the 90s Spider-Man cartoon. Had no idea that was a nod to the comics at the time. Nice.

This issue is...pretty enjoyable, although there are moments that do make me scratch my head. However, there is something that has to be kept in mind here. This was a story that is 50 years old. It's really unfair to try and hold it up to modern storytelling standards. For what it is, it's perfectly fine. The story does have its flaws, including what could be considered moments of lack of genre-savviness from Strange and what could be considered a moment of power abuse from Strange. Otherwise that, I liked this story for what it was. It was not meant to stand up to serious critique, just tell kids a fun story, and I felt it did that. Steve Ditko turns in some good art for this issue, and we do get a hint of the psychedelic, imaginative stuff he regularly did for Strange at the time.

The really cool thing about this story? It ended up becoming a decades-long epic tale of sorts. Yup, over the next few decades, the story would be followed up on a couple of times. Marvel Team-Up #21 (May 1974) would go more into depth as to why Xandu wanted the Wand of Watoomb. Marvel Fanfare #6 (January 1983) would also drag the Scarlet Witch into it, and the saga would reach a climax and ending with the 1992 Graphic Novel Spider-Man/Doctor Strange: The Way to Dusty Death and Secret Defenders #7-8 (September-October 1993). You can find a more detailed write-up of Xandu's history here. Kind of interesting how one Annual can lead to a decades-spanning saga, isn't it?

Next time, we'll come back to Earth-712 and see more into the lives of the Squadron Supreme...

The Last Jedi Trailer, My Thoughts

In December, the Star Wars sequel trilogy will be brining to the world the second installment: The Last Jedi. We're continuing the adventures of a new generation of heroes introduced in The Force Awakens (See my review of that movie here), and they've released a new trailer! Here it is!

The trailer begins with someone looking through a window at what looks like a factory or something like that. And there's a voice-over with what I think is Snoke talking to Kylo Ren.

Ooh, AT-ATs.

Kylo Ren leading some stormtroopers. He likes to make an entrance, even if it's a milk run for Hux and Phasma. He grabs his lightsaber...only to switch to Rey activating hers.

Rey's been spending some time training. Looks like she's improving. Good for her. And Luke is freaking out. He explains that he's only seen power like hers before. I think he's hinting about Kylo Ren. We do see a scene with a hooded figure bursting out of rubble, the robotic hand clearly Luke's. And then we see a hooded figure collapse in front of a building.

That's clearly R2-D2 there, so that has to be Luke. Maybe this building was some kind of facility? We know Luke tried to start a new Jedi Order, but it ended in disaster. Maybe this is a flashback to it? Maybe that building was a training facility/monastery meant to train new padawans.

Kylo Ren is furious. And it's not surprising that he'd have his own cruiser, the big Darth Vader fanboy he is. I am wondering if we'll see some ort of confrontation between Kylo and General Leia. Speaking of those two, I have a bit of a theory as to why Ben Solo fell to the Dark Side. Think about this. Imagine you're a child in the Star Wars universe.

But you're no ordinary child. Your parents were the last of a planet's royalty and a notorious smuggler that became major heroes of an intergalactic rebellion. Your uncle is a man who managed to keep alive an ancient order of space knights/wizards at a time when it was practically extinct. They're regarded as legends. Imagine growing up in their shadow, these three legendary people. It must have been really tough for Kylo to grow up in the shadow of Luke, Han, and Leia.

Maybe that's why he turned to the Dark Side. Growing up in their shadow must've made him feel immense pressure to measure up. This is probably how Snoke was able to get him to fall. By convincing him he could escape their shadow by following him. Just a thought.

And it does look like Kylo has doubts, as he might show some reluctance to attack the ship his mother is on. At least, it appears that way.

Is that penguin-like critter with Chewbacca one of those "porg" things everyone is going nuts over? It's kind of cute.

Oh, I am just HOPING SO MUCH we get a full-on fight between Finn and Phasma. I know Phasma must be itching for a rematch with the former stormtrooper after the events of TFA.

That space wolf thing is awesome. And it's rather...bittersweet seeing Leia in this movie.

And Rey turning to Kylo Ren for help...hmmm...interesting. It could be some creative editing, but it could also make sense. Maybe Luke is reluctant to train her for fear she could become another Kylo Ren.

This was quite an interesting trailer. It raised a ton of questions, and it's gotten me very curious as to how things will go down for our heroes, old and new. Can't wait to see this movie.

Runaways Trailer, My Thoughts

When you're a teenager, life can seem worse than it actually is. And every teenager has had conflict with their parents at some point. Sometimes, the parents feel that the kids are too stubborn for their own good. And sometimes, the teenager feels the parents are an evil force out to ruin their lives because reasons. Well, for six teenagers...their parents are an evil force. And when they discover this, the only thing they can do...is run. Run run run run run-runaway...apologies to Del Shannon.

The Runaways, debuting in 2003 under the pen of Brian K. Vaughan and the pencils of Adrian Alphona, have become a rather popular group of characters. The group has survived death, betrayal, romance, and the perils of living on the streets in a superhero universe. Last month, YA novelist Rainbow Rowell and artist Kris Anka relaunched the series, reuniting much of the original members.

In February 2017, filming started on a television series adaptation of the comic. And now...it's coming to Hulu. And here's the trailer!

The trailer begins with what looks like Alex Wilder looking at a photo of his friends on a phone. His father is telling him no one will know him they way his friends know him again. Considering Alex Wilder's fate in the comics, I can't help but think it might be a bit of foreshadowing...

We next see Alex opening the door to his friends...and their parents getting ready for a ceremony of sorts. Yeah, spoilers if you haven't read the comics, the Runaways' parents are part of an evil occult group known as the Pride. The Runaways witness them sacrifice a girl as part of a ritual, and run away.

And it appears that it will stick to the comic when it comes to the origin of the Runaways here. There's not much else to say about the trailer, really. It's really just a bunch of random scenes all set to music. We do get a brief glimpse of Lucy in the Sky showing her alien nature, that's neat.

It's an interesting trailer, and it does cover the basics of the Runaways' origin. I am kind of sad that it's not going to be on Netflix. I think it would be a surprising fit alongside the other Netflix Marvel shows. I also wonder if this series will be set in Los Angeles, like the comic was. I also wonder how they're going to adapt in Leapfrog, Old Lace, and even Klara Prast. People whine about the Inhumans, I can bet they'll find some way to complain about those.

Retro City Rampage DX Retail Trailer

We're making a return to the 80s/90s-themed city of Theftropolis, baby! I've played and enjoyed this game on the Xbox 360, and it was a ton of fun. And now, those who own the Nintendo Switch...will get to enjoy the crazy retro-style action!

I have to admit, seeing the game on the Switch is awesome. It's a great game, and it deserves a ton of fans and support. It's been a while since I played the game, but it seems to look more...colorful. I'm guess that's the "DX" part of it. It is an enhanced version, after all. I wonder if it has more stuff, like missions and weapons and vehicles. That would be nice.

I loved rampaging with the tank in the game. Blasting everything in my path with shells, it felt like doing one of the Mayhem missions in Saints Row.

I think it's neat that the retail version has a reversible cover. And it pays homage to boxes for Master System games, complete with the grid and picture of "The Player" done in a simple style. I think the font is a bit off, though. I don't remember Master System boxes having that font.

Wait...it'll have an instruction manual?! An honest-to-God instruction manual?! Hey, those bring back memories! I used to read through the instruction manual to Super Mario All-Stars all the time because they had beautiful illustrations. I still have it...although it's a bit beat up. And the cover's a great homage to the American Super Mario Bros. 2.

You also get a CD, which I'm assuming will have the soundtrack. Maybe there'll be a way to download the songs to iTunes or something like that. I also like the keychain.

And the inclusion of 3-D glasses has me curious. I know the game has various filters that allow the game to mimic various consoles, so maybe this version will have one that allows 3-D with the glasses.

This looks awesome. I think I'll have to add this to the list of games I want for the Switch when I do get one...

Pokemon Ultra Sun/Ultra Moon Trailer

As I'm sure my blog readers know, I am a big fan of the Pokémon franchise. I've been a fan of it since they first released the original Red and Blue for the original Game Boy. I still have those cartridges, too. As well as their Game Boy Advance remakes: FireRed and LeafGreen. I admit, I was kind of sad they weren't giving those games another remake for the 20th Anniversary. But we did get Sun and Moon, which are a lot of fun, and really shake up the games' formula, so I can't complain.

Speaking of the latest Pokémon games, they're getting follow-ups...of sorts. Described as "alternate stories" set in Alola, we're going to get Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon! And here's the trailer for it!

The trailer begins with the player character running out of their house. We see Pikachu and the starters...so far, it may start out like the original Sun and Moon. Okay. No need to shake things up right away, ease us into the new stuff. Good idea.

We get a glimpse of what looks like a grotto filled with Pikachu. I wonder what this is about.

Necrozma looks properly frightening here, floating over what I think is the portal to the Ultra Beasts' world. Maybe Necrozma is an Ultra Beast. Like other Ultra Beasts, it has a bizarre design that doesn't seem to quite fit in with the rest of the Pokémon. It's shown grabbing at Solgaleo, the legendary Pokémon and mascot of Pokémon Sun. I'm guessing that it has some plans for the solar-powered lion.

The trailer states Necrozma is the key to these games' story. That makes sense, considering the heavy emphasis the Pokémon gets here. We see what looks like cutscenes of Sun and Moon's legendaries, Solgaleo and Lunala, battling Necrozma. And then we what looks like Necrozma...merging with the legendaries, possibly allowing it to control them. Merged with Solgeleo, it's called Dusk Mane Necrozma. Merged with Lunala, it becomes Dawn Wings Necrozma. Huh. That's a different take on Pokémon forms. We're going to have to fight those things, aren't we?

Alola in these games will have a surf shop. Awesome. And say hello to the Valley of Pikachu! I wonder if that's all you can do there is talk to Pikachu? New clothing options. Nice. And also, they changed up how you choose a starter. Reminds me of Ruby and Sapphire.

Early buying incentive! A Rockruff that can evolve into a new form of Lycanroc: Dusk Form. I have to admit, it looks cool. It has a Z-Move of its own, it seems. I wonder if it has any unique attacks? And also, getting the digital version gets you 12 Quick Balls. It is also neat that Pokémon Gold and Silver are coming to the Virtual Console, but it would also be nice to see Black and White be compatible with Pokémon Bank. I know there's an app for it in Japan, it should be brought to the West. And if you get them, you can pay with Celebi in any of the Sun/Moon series. Cool.

New Ultra Beasts! UB Burst in Sun, and UB Assembly in Moon. Burst makes me chuckle. It looks like a clown crossbred with an ice-cream cone. Assembly is kind of funny, too. It looks like a walking castle tower with eyes. I get the feeling that when it comes to the Ultra Beasts, the designers were allowed to go a little nuts.

And evidently, they're putting out a Pokeball-themed New Nintendo 2DS. I just may pick that up next month.

This was an interesting trailer. Teased some new stuff, but not much revealed. And I am curious about Necrozma's role in these new games. Now, if you'll all excuse me, I gotta go finish Sun...

Batman #0 (October 1994)

Batman. The Dark Knight. The Caped Crusader. One half of the Dynamic Duo. First appearing in Detective Comics #27 (May 1939), Batman has become one of DC's most popular and beloved superheroes.

Before I begin this review, I have to talk a little bit about a little 1994 event known as Zero Hour. Subtitled A Crisis in Time!, it was meant to not only be a bit of a follow-up to Crisis on Infinite Earths, but intended to further help clean up continuity issues caused by CoIE's radical revamping and rewriting of the DC Universe's history. However, it did not quite work out. Hawkman's history ended up becoming even more of a mess (It got so bad that DC editorial actually considered the character "radioactive" for several years and forbade writers from using him in stories). It affected the Matrix/Linda Danvers Supergirl's origin, and like CoIE did about a decade earlier, it wreaked havoc on the history of the Legion of Super-Heroes. Yeah, it did a lot of damage for a event that that was supposed to help clean up history. 

In the aftermath, DC's main canon books relaunched with #0 issues, meant to tell the new origins and histories of the characters or teams they covered. This here is one of them.

And with that, let's take a look at the origin of the Batman after the time-altering effects of Zero Hour! Let's look at Batman #0!

The cover is well-drawn, if a bit basic. It just depicts Batman posing on a building, grabbing his cape, while the Bat-Signal shines in the background. As I said, it is well-drawn. It was done by Mark Manley, who also does the interior art. I can't help but snicker a bit as it looks like the wind is making Bats's cape fly out of control, and he's trying to keep it under wraps, as it were.

"Creature of the Night"
Writer: Doug Moench
Penciller: Mike Manley
Inker: Josef Rubinstein
Colorist: Adrienne Roy
Letterer: Ren Bruzenak
Assistant Editor: Jordan B. Gorfinkel
Editor: Denny O'Neil

The story begins with Batman swinging through Gotham, the Bat-Signal shining.

I don't know how he resists the urge to yell "WHEEEEE!" when he does that. Spider-Man totally would do that, and that's one way Spider-Man is cooler than Batman. Anyway, during his little journey to his traditional meeting with Commissioner Gordon, he starts having a flashback to his childhood, before the fateful day his parents were killed.

The young Bruce Wayne has fallen into a hole in the ground, which also had a nest of bats in it. The bats go nuts over the intruder in their home and start flying around all over the place, scaring the boy. Luckily, his father Thomas managed to come down and get him out. The young Bruce asked if he was in Hell.

In the present, Batman arrives at the Gotham Police HQ. Commissioner Gordon apologizes for keeping Batman from taking care of the "larger demons", aka his regular rogues' gallery. He needs the help, as his force is spread thin as it is. He explains that on his lap is a series of muggings. They would be random, but the forensic experts have discovered that the same gun was used in all of them.

Of course, for Bats, this triggers another flashback to witnesses his mother's shooting. Gordon explains the muggers have gotten about six hundred dollars...and put some bullets in their victims' hearts. Batman agrees to look into it. Gordon thanks him and shuts off the signal, only to see that in classic fashion, Bats disappeared. Heh.

Batman returns to Stately Wayne Manor, where he looks at a photograph of his parents. It triggers another flashback to him asking his parents about his family's wealth.

Martha Wayne tells Bruce that wealth is not important, it's what one does with themselves. Thomas is a doctor, for example. Even though he really doesn't need the work, he still does it because he wants to help people. Much like Martha does herself with her charity work helping the poor of Gotham. I don't think Martha's charity work was ever really explored, which is kind of a shame. It would have helped show why Bruce does so much charity work in his civilian life. It's something he got from his mother.

Bruce thinks about Alfred being gone. I think he had quit at the time because Batman was becoming more self-destructive thanks to the events of Knightfall. It causes Bruce to think to when he first entered the employ of the Wayne family.

Alfred does have a rather convenient set of skills, doesn't he? Perfect for helping out a rich superhero. Bruce goes down to the Batcave, which is smashed up to the point that it no longer feels like a sanctuary to him. I think this was not long after Knightfall, which dealt with Jean-Paul Valley's disasterous turn as the Dark Knight. It then causes Bruce to think about the night his parents died.

The choice of colors in this flashback is a good one. The shades of reds and pinks stand out from the other flashbacks, making it look like a major flashback, which is the point. This was the point Bruce Wayne died, and Batman appeared in his place.

The Tim Drake Robin appears and apologizes for not telling him about Jean-Paul sooner. Yeah, this is not long after Knightfall. Bruce reassures him it was alright, and that the fault was his own. In choosing Jean-Paul, Bruce ended perverting the ideals he was meant to employ as the Batman. He then thinks about what those ideals were, including his vow to never use a gun. Tim snaps him back to reality, and Bruce tells him to see what he can salvage, like the microscope. The Batman is going out as there's a crime to solve, and the game is afoot! I gotta pull out my copy of The Hound of the Baskervilles and read it again...

Batman investigates the crime scene, leading him to remember his parents' funeral, and his start to becoming the Batman. It shows that Leslie Thompkins was a counselor to him after his parents died. To me, Leslie is another unappreciated piece of the Batman mythos. She was the closest thing Bruce had to a mother after Martha Wayne's death, and likely helped play a role in helping Bruce maintain some sort of sanity after such an event. Bruce then gets to work preparing himself to become the Batman.

I love the last panel there. It makes me think of a description of Sherlock Holmes I once read, and it does feel rather appropriate. Like Holmes, Bruce Wayne is a genius who dedicated that brilliance to fighting crime. It gives me the idea that much like there is a link between Batman and the pulp characters that preceded him, Batman is also a bit of a spiritual successor to Holmes.

He finds some dried mud, some cigarette butts, and a book of matches a block from the actual shooting site. Bats gets suspicious and gathers the evidence. We get another flashback to Bruce's further training to become the Bat.

"Everybody was Bat-Fu Fighting..."

The flashbacks all have different "tints" to them. More on that later. Bruce finds a partial print on the matchbook, not enough to make a ID. He does have more luck with the mud. He finds that it's got a lot of clay in it, which makes it from near the Gotham River. Its eastern bank has a lot of clay in the ground, whereas the western one is more sandy. I think we can assume the west bank of the Gotham River is the closet thing Gotham has to a beach.

The matchbook could be from anywhere. Batman decides to investigate this the only way he knows how: by assuming one of his favorite disguises: Gotham's most beloved ne'er-do-well, "Matches" Malone.

Batman collects a whole bunch of matchbooks from various bars at the East Wharves. He notices a man following him as he's getting some matches from a dispenser. It's circumstantial, but it's enough to get the Dark Knight's instincts flaring. We get another flashback to when a bat crashed into a younger Bruce Wayne's window, which was what inspired him to create the bat-themed costume that became the Batsuit.

We then get some VERY abridged recounts of his rogues' gallery, his recruiting of Dick Grayson as the first Robin, Grayson becoming Nightwing, the Joker killing the second Robin (Jason Todd), the recruiting of Tim Drake as the third Robin, and then the recent stuff with the Knightfall storyline.

Batman notices the man he encountered as "Matches" Malone. As he observes, he wonders if it's worth it becoming the Batman, all he has been through. A man and his son are walking into the alley, and the man Batman is observing pulls out a gun and demands the family's money. Batman strikes.

The mugger decides to shoot the father, only for Batman to swoop in like a vengeful angel.

I keep thinking that panel should have "REKT" as a sound effect, because that's exactly what happened to that mugger. Batman growls to him that criminals like him created and deserve the Caped Crusader's wrath. Batman ties up the mugger and hangs him from a lamppost. He tells the family to call the police and essentially wishes them well. I actually really like that little detail. I don't think you see little things that much in Batman comics anymore. Batman should ideally only want to scare criminals, not innocents. Him wishing the family well shows that to them, he's a protector.

He swings away, deciding that...yeah, being the Batman is worth it. If it can allow Bruce Wayne to prevent any more tragedies like he had to suffer through, then being the Batman was worth it.

But it does leave one question remaining. When the time comes, can he hang up the cowl and walk away? Honestly, based on the modern interpretation of the character, I think we can say...no. Not if he can help it. He's that obsessed. Well...at the version from recent comics.

This issue is...perfectly fine. The mugger story is a simple one, but the focus is really on the flashbacks talking about Bruce Wayne's past and history before he became the Batman.

What I thought was clever was that the flashbacks all had different "tints" to them, and one could argue they were symbolic. The flashbacks to Bruce's childhood before his parents die are golden-tinted. It gives off the idea we're looking at an old film, a nostalgic time. It's the only time one could argue that Bruce was ever truly happy. The ones depicting his parents' death are done in shades of pink and red, seemingly emphasizing the blood the Waynes shed. The flashbacks of Bruce's training to become Batman are done in blue, which I think could be symbolizing the gloom that Bruce lived under after his parents' death, and arguably still does in a way. And maybe it's also a nod ot the blue in Batman's suit at the time. No idea why the flashbacks to Bane breaking Bruce's back in Knightfall are done in green, though. May it represents illness?

I also liked that this issue got to show Batman being a detective. Sometimes, I do think his fighting skills can be overly emphasized at times, so it is nice to remind readers he does have a brain to go with his fists and feet. As for the art...it's perfectly fine. I have no real complaints about it. It's very well-done.

Next time, it's October, baby! As such, we'll check in on Spider-Man and Doctor Strange as they deal with the menace of Xandu and the Wand of Watoomb...

First Day of October

Hey there, everyone! Today is the first day of October!

I hope you all had a good day today! I know many of you are excited for Halloween, and so am I. I have to figure out what to dress up as this year. Last year, I was a monster with a fried-up face.

On the blog front, I am working on a Batman comic review, and I also do want to review something special for Halloween. I do want to also review some old movies, but my TV died, and this other TV I have has a missing remote, so I can't hook up my DVD player to it. Nuts.

I am still working on that Batman review, so I do have something in the works. I like to have things to do. Take care, and have a great October!