Top 10 Comics since 19799. Daredevil #181: Last Hand

Marvel Comics
April 1982
Writer: Frank Miller
Art: Frank Miller
Finished Art
& Colors: Klaus Janson




Frank Miller, over the course of an almost 30 year career in comics, has been many things: ugly, misogynistic, excessively violent, and sensationalistic.
He is also one the undisputed masters of the form, and holds a complete understanding of comic's strengths and weaknesses. His work envelops you into a world of sight and sound: a total sensory experience. You can hear the voices of his Hell's Kitchen street thugs, you can feel the chill of the night and the steam rising from the street.
His hard-boiled writing style works sometimes and sometimes it falls flat. But, where his characters may lack depth emotionally, he makes up for it through his art that allows you to feel the depth of their suffering.
Last Hand puts a giant-sized, 40 page capper on what may have been the best run of Miller's career: his re-invention of Daredevil. He took one of Marvel's goofiest ideas (a blind superhero. oh-kay...) and made you believe in it. By the time he was done, you had a clear picture of who Matt Murdock was, how his powers functioned, and what was at the seat of his compulsion to stalk the shadows at night.Issue 181 also features a heaping handful of Bullseye, maybe the most underrated, underutilized villains in the Marvel Universe. When the issue starts, he's in Ryker's Island prison, plotting revenge against Daredevil, who put him there. Bullseye is still suffering from his debilitating migraines, and the guards only toy with him, taking their sweet time giving him his medication.Miller turns his pain into a spiky, bright red halo, shooting straight up into the infinity of the panel gutters. This is Bullseye's life: unnerving pain and burning resentment towards the man that not only took away his freedom, but also saved his life.
Three pages later, Bullseye starts his rampage. He breaks out of prison during a live TV interview, and begins his hunt for Daredevil, killing indiscriminately as he goes. Over the course of the book, Bullseye kills at least six people on page, and certainly more off. This is Miller at his best. The fight sequences are kinetic and fascinating, the violence sudden and ugly.
Look at this sequence with Bullseye wondering to himself if Matt Murdock, blind attorney, could actually be Daredevil. It's essentially a splash page, right? Just one picture cut up into a few separate panels.But look at the divides: an empty bottle of booze lies on the floor, a bottle of pills lies spilled, cigarettes burn to their filters untouched. And, running again past the gutters into infinity, Bullseye's echoing, psychotic laughter. With this one page,and with those divisions of time, Miller tells us all we need to know about the character's single minded obsession.

Now, we come to the inevitable. The showdown between Bullseye, Daredevil's greatest enemy and Elektra, assassin for hire and former college lover of Matt Murdock.
Miller can't write women for shit. Elektra is never, at any point during this long arc about her descent from a privileged childhood to a life of vigilante revenge, a well-rounded and defined character. She exists, as so many women do in comics, solely to give the man in her life a stronger motivation for his deeds.
That said: this may be the defining moment in Daredevil's career. This happens right at the right-hand side of the page. When you turn the page, the very next panel, taking up the full left hand side, big as life:That hurts to look at. The same goes for Elektra's last stumbling moments as she makes her way step by agonizing step to Matt's door.Especially chilling: the blood pouring out of her in the first panel, and Bullseye calmly putting on his jacket in the next.

Daredevil and Bullseye meet, finally, in a six-page deathmatch, with Bullseye using Elektra's swords against her former lover. The above panels are among my favorite in the book. Bullseye is so iconic, with his logo well-defined against the black, and I love the frightening, animal ferocity with which he leaps onto the tracks below.
And here is a prime example of Miller's sensory overload:The sound of the train fills up the gutters, becoming an overwhelming roar. You don't need to imagine the sound, it's right there in front of you blocking out all other information, disorienting you just as it does the characters on page.
The climax of the fight comes with the two face to face on a wire high above the city. Miller slows down time, focusing on each second as Daredevil finally gains the upper hand, and again is about to save Bullseye's life.Bullseye would rather fall to his certain death than be in debt to his enemy again. When we see him for the last time he is in the hospital, hooked up to machines and in a full body cast. Even though we can't see it, we can imagine him with an evil grin of satisfaction.
"Maybe I didn't get you this time Daredevil, " he says in the narration, "But I got her, didn't I? I got her good. I wish that hurt you. I wish she's been yours, so that you'd spend long, lonely night staring at the ceiling, thinking about her...but ya can't win 'em all...Meanwhile, there's your buddy Murdock, who helped you beat me. How does he feel?""
Daredevil has won nothing. Bullseye will be out of prison again, Elektra will even rise from the dead. But there is still no victory, the fight simply goes on. Matt Murdock stands at Elektra's grave until he is as still and snow-covered as the tombstones that surround him. As a much better writer than Frank Miller once said:

"His soul swooned slowly as he heard the snow falling faintly through the universe and faintly falling, like the descent of their last end, upon all the living and the dead."

Did I just quote James Joyce in a critical analysis of a Marvel comic? Oh, you bet your ass I did.

Finally, a use for Garfield

I knew something this horrible had to be modern art in disguise. Garfield's true purpose revealed here.


I can't say it's at all surprising that Jon Arbuckle is really a Son of Sam style psychopath.

Seriously: someone needs to do do this every day. This is fucking brilliant.

Top 10 Comics since 197910. Identity Crisis #5: Father's Day

DC Comics
December 2004
Writer: Brad Meltzer
Penciller: Rags Morales
Inker: Michael Bair






If you ever want to pick a fight at a convention or a comic store, just mention Identity Crisis. Little in recent superhero territory has been as controversial, or as critically acclaimed.
At its most basic level, Identity Crisis is a murder mystery, written by Brad Meltzer, veteran of the genre. Someone is threatening those closest to the DC heroes, which means that someone knows the secret identities of even top tier good guys like Superman; and during the course of the investigation it is revealed that the Justice League has been performing magical lobotomies on C-list villains for decades.
The mystery is a good one, but the story functions best on a basic human level: Superman rushing out the door of the Kent's farm and into the Smallville sky, "Pa, do me a favor and lock the doors."; Ralph Dibny, the Elongated Man, rushing to his wife's smoldering corpse, his arms and face drooped to their limit with grief; the Atom shrinking away into oblivion, destroyed by his wife's betrayal.
Meltzer does first and foremost what any good novelist should do, which is get you deep into the heads of the characters. Green Arrow, political conscience of the JLA, is the pivot point for the big reveals in the book, but Meltzer also breathes life into previously irredeemably goofy characters like the Captain Boomerang and The Calculator.
Rags Morales provides the art, and he's spectacular here. In his theatrical expressions and open layout he's very reminiscent of the great Will Eisner. Also, he has Eisner's sense of using posture as a way to convey character (usually only animators do this well, for some reason comic artists usually don't bother). Without Rags' contributions Identity Crisis would have still been a good read, but with him it's a classic.

Father's Day is the fifth of seven issues. The previous issue ended with Lois Lane receiving a note that read: I know who your husband is, You're Next.
Five opens with the fallout: teams of adrenaline crazed superheroes on a rampage, desperately hunting for information.
Meltzer and Morales create a palpable tension, and a real sense that every hero is at their breaking point. Finally, there is a casualty in the rushing confusion, as Firestorm is pierced by Shining Knight's sword and explodes in the sky above his companions.I have no particular affinity for Firestorm, but the sequence is heartbreaking. Look at the way Morales plays with time in his panels, holding onto those last moments of his flight as Firestorm becomes just a glowing ball over the horizon (Scott McCloud would surely have a thing or two to say about how only the medium of comics could have portrayed this scene in this way, with that kind of lingering impact. Lucky for you, I'm not Scott McCloud).
Then the gorgeous, silent supernova as a hero dies.

The bulk of Issue Five is given over to the story of two sets of fathers and sons. First is Captain Boomerang, Flash's long suffering nemesis, and his son Owen, who he's just recently reunited with. Second, Tim Drake, the current Robin, and his father Jack who has just learned exactly where it is his son goes at nights.
While the Boomerangs gleefully toss their razor tipped and explosive namesakes around in the park; Jack frets endlessly over news coverage of the recent deaths. He is torn by fear and admiration. His son is a hero, a superhero even, and he has at a young age become a man his father has never been. He wants his son safe, but he knows the world is safer with him out fighting for it.
Captain Boomerang is given new life by his son's pride. He's no longer a has-been or a never-was, he's an immediate and terrifying danger.

The horror of this moment is made all the more real by how mundane the set-up is. Jack says goodbye to his son and shuffles into the kitchen, and within moments is crouched on the floor; in one shaky hand a gun, in the other Tim's Teen Titans communicator. Oracle patches the feed into the Batmobile, and it becomes a panicked race against time to get Tim home.
In his fear and vulnerability there is no more Robin, only Tim Drake, tiny and helpless, listening to his father die.
Rags handles this moment perfectly. He shows, for the first time in the book, just how young Tim really is:But, more importantly, the expression on Batman's face when he sees how young Tim is, and remembers not only his own loss, but Dick Grayson's and Jason Todd's. Bruce Wayne, eternally cursed to relive the tragedy that drove him to the shadows. Batman, more than any other hero, wallows in his suffering. He has become his grief and rage. He bears the collective guilt of the DC Universe on his shoulders. He chose to fight crime, but in fighting crime he only ever brought it to his doorstep. That guilt is what Identity Crisis is about. As he drives Tim home, with each moment knowing it's a futile effort, all Bruce can say is, "Not again."The power in the final moments of the book lie in their deafening silence. It's a great comic writer who knows when to trust his artist, and Meltzer lets Rags tell the story. The snarling pride in Captain Boomerang's face as he crashes through the door. The tears streaming down Jack Drake's face as he fires.
The ultimate futility of both men caught in a snare larger than either of them imagined, bleeding their life out together.

Identity Crisis forever changed what was possible in the DCU. For the better or the worse is a matter of opinion. In fact, much of what is being termed as negative about the DCU (and therefore, in need of negation) over in the ongoing Infinite Crisis stems from the brutal drama of Identity Crisis. But the story is about the choices that people make, whether it's putting on a cape or signing divorce papers, and the very real consequences of even the smallest act.

(Hate Idenity Crisis? You're not alone...)

Next time, on GEEK USA...

I am facing that oh-so-dreaded thing in the world of blogging: down time.

LOST is repeats for a few weeks, it's another month until Infinite Crisis' (or is it Crisises?) wrap-up, Seven Soldiers hasn't been heard from in awhile, Marvel's Civil War isn't going yet (and besides, I'm tired of Iron Spidey), and DC's One Year Later books are just...ugh.

So here's what's happening here for the next week or two:

You fellow superhero geeks may have seen the latest issue of Wizard, in which they rank the top 100 single issues in comic books 'since you were born'. Which means approximately 1970 in their eyes.
It has been said that I waste my money in buying Wizard, and I wholeheartedly agree. But I tend to use Wizard as a tool for catching up on books that I'll never pick up. Old characters that while they may be growing tired and poorly used, I still have an affection for (Hulk, Iron Man, Silver Surfer. I used to be a big ol' Marvel Zombie, it's true). Also, during my reentry to the world of the spandex-clad after reading only indies for about ten years, it was a great source for all I'd missed in the 90's (admittedly not much, did you know Batman wasn't Batman for a year and Superman died?).

Anyway, I read Wizard and plan to continue. And, probably because I was out of superheroes for so long, I hadn't read most of the issues they picked. Also, I only go so far with Alan Moore. I think the beard disturbs me. They tend to like him in Wizard world, and a lot of other writers I don't have any particular use for: Warren Ellis, Garth Ennis and others whose names aren't quite so similar.
Another very important problem I had with Wizard's list is that the rules for inclusion stated that the issue had to be a self-contained story. This takes away what, for me, is one of comic's greatest strengths: the forever continuing narrative. There's nothing better than a truly great story arc, and my list contains only one one-shot story.

So here, then is my list of the top 10 comic books since I was born, which in this case is 1979.

1. The Invisibles #23
2. The Dark Knight Returns #1
3. Manhattan Guardian #4
4. Hourman #7
5. We3 #3
6. Chosen #3
7. Animal Man #5
8. Infinite Crisis #4
9. Daredevil #181
10. Identity Crisis #5

Over the next few weeks I'll be discussing (and if neccesary defending) these issues in ascending order, in my usual scan happy fashion. I'd love to get some feedback on my picks, sure, but mostly I want you all to chip in your two cents.
What's your list? What issues get your rocks off? I've shown you mine...you know how it goes.

Ok, thanks for listening. You can go back to surfing porno sites now.

New Comic Reviews:JSA and Infinite Crisis Secret Files

JSA #84

I picked up JSA #84 because I'm a huge Rags Morales fan, loved his work on Hourman and Identity Crisis. He's especially strong with expression, maybe because of the huge doe eyes he gives all his characters (in a good guy, it makes them seem more sincere; in bad guys it makes them seem completely bat-shit insane).
Also, I'd read the recent JSA: Classified Infinite Crisis tie-in Power Girl storyline and found the world of the JSA a pretty inviting place: interesting characters, fun villains, a good-time throwback.
But really: what is going on here? I know I walked in on Part Two of this story here, but I don't have any evidence that reading the opening chapter would have aided my understanding of this. I admit I'm not quite as up on the histories of Wildcat or Mr. Terrific as I am the more mainstream members of the DCU, but can any long time readers tell me what is going on here?

We have a LOST-style flashback to the origin of the Gentleman Ghost, and we have him bringing up specters of the JSA's past. This could be all right, but the dialogue is so pedestrian it's painful:
"Back for you in a tic, GL, after I get this Halloween horror locked up!" says the Jay Garrick Flash, who is given a time reference in practically every line. Once is cute, every time is obnoxious.

Rags is one of the most dynamic storytellers in the business, but even he seems stymied by this incomprehensible plot.
Baffling, just baffling.

Side note: since we know Morales uses actors as character references:Drew Barrymore? Am I right, Rags? Do I get a no-prize? Or the DC equivalent?

JSA #84: D+

INFINITE CRISIS: SECRET FILES & ORIGINS 2006

Marv Wolfman was never a spectacular writer, but he has an uncanny ability to take a story overflowing with continuity and make it not only readable, but entertaining. There's a sense of excitement and depth that he brings to this issue that has been lacking from the overall tone of the other Infinite Crisis books. The main reason is that he's telling a full story, spending time with the characters and their motivations instead of just moving them around the chessboard randomly.
We see the sense of longing, and the arrested development, that drives Alex Luthor and, in turn, Superboy-Prime insane. Wolfman turns both our villains into true tragic figures. Alex, robbed of his childhood and locked in a 'heaven' of his own creation outside of time. Superboy, forever haunted by the death of everyone he ever knew; locked in eternal puberty.

There's something more than a little homo-erotic about Alex and Superboy's relationship, as when Alex strips to reveal his Anti-Matter body.What exactly are you 'funneling' into poor little Clark?

Regardless, this is a very good issue. It illustrates that the chief failing of Infinite Crisis is that there's too damn much of it. A self-contained year long event (like the original Crisis on Infinite Earths) would have been more than enough for this sometimes meandering, sometimes wonderful story.
Infinite Crisis Secret Files & Origins 2006: A

LOST recap: S.O.S.

Mike's back! Say it with me:

WAAAAAAAALLLLLTT!!!

I wonder if poor Harold Perrineau knew that his only contribution to the second season, after being one of the top three or four featured players in season one, would be running through the jungle shouting that exact line; over and over again.
I'm glad to see the Michael-Walt storyline addressed again, because as good as the second season has been it's been painfully obvious that they've written themselves into a pretty big corner here.
The bottom line is: the show has a short timeline, and Malcolm David Kelly will be growing much faster than Walt is. So the writers are faced with the choice of dumping the character or concocting a plot involving time travel or growth experiments that could strain credibility.
I think LOST in general is pretty fearless with their characters, so whatever's happening with Walt, they need to resolve it this season. Hopefully Michael's return is the beginning of that.

Rose and Bernard make me smile. I really, really love these guys, and I was jazzed to see they were getting their very own flashback episode; a nice breather from all the hot angsty flashback action we get with the younger, sexier island residents.

The problem with the episode is that it seemed like they just wanted to get their flashback out of the way, and so they ran through the entire length of their relationship: the meet-cute in the snow, the proposal at Niagara Falls, and the visit to the faith healer to explain their presence on an Australia to Los Angeles flight.
They're good characters, they deserve more than that, the same slow reveals that we've gotten with Sawyer and Locke.

And the visit with the healer was far too similar to Clarie's visit with the psychic in Season One.
There's also the hint that the island itself, and the the big giant magnets or whatever therein, may have healed Rose and Locke.
We also learn that Rose is the only castaway so far to know of John's previously disabled status. The moment with the two of them on the beach was nice (if a bit creepy). L. Scott Caldwell brings a quiet peace to Rose, (which is also needed when certain supposedly level headed 'leader figures' go off screaming in the rain like idiots), but we've seen that side of Rose. The flashbacks were a chance to see different, deeper Rose; and I don't feel like we got that.

We learned a lot here, so why does it feel that we're just like Rose in the snow: spinning our wheels?

In other island happenings; Locke's still throwing a little hissy girl fit about whether or not 'Henry' pushed the button . How about this evil smile:Love that Michael Emerson.
But it's a note too similar to the one Locke's been playing the last few weeks.

We also get Jack and Kate caught in a net together because, well, I guess that's the only way the writers could think to get them that close together. It was a cute moment, if a bit too sitcom-ish. But, for once, Jack actually out-testoseteroned Kate, when he shot the rope.
We also see that Jack still has his Season One crush on Kate, in spite of her stubborn disobeyance in The Hunting Party.

And lonely little Ana Lucia in the hatch: pobresita. She must be pining for the good old days of the Jack and Ana army of two. Maybe if you tried smiling, dear, the boys would pay attention to you.

LOST is all repeats and clip shows until May 3rd, so download the ones you missed kids: we're a-headin' for a showdown.

LOST Episode 2:19; S.O.S.: B-