Dibujitos en Espiral

Mientras trabajaba en Taxee!, me di cuenta del problema que tiene el compaginar varios proyectos, se te olvidan los detalles de la ropa y la gente y tal, para Fósforo me hice estas hojas con los diseños de los personajes bien detalladitos. Los muchachos, me dicen que me gusta más hacer bocetitos y bobadas que dibujar... igual tienen razón. El caso es que quedan muy bonitos, y en adelante, no sólo porque me gusta, sino por necesidad, voy a tener que hacerlo más.

Salón del Cómic de Zaragoza

El sábado de 19 a 20 horas estaré firmando en el Salón del Cómic de Zaragoza, en la sala Multiusos, entrada gratuita. Firmarán conmigo Chus y Javi, oséa, como siempre.

Fiesta de fin de año

Pues ya está hecha, hale, ¡todos invitados!

Gracias por vivir

Anoche Nieves dijo: "Cagüen la mar, mira que morirse el único tío con sentido del humor".

Bueno, ya tengo otra cosa que agradecerle a Perrito. El domingo por la noche estaba yo muy malamente, pasándolo fatal por mis cosas, y en mi hora más oscura, en lo más crudo del crudo invierno, cuando ya nada tenía sentido, le pedí a Perrito algo bueno, no pasó nada, pero al rato me llegó la inspiración, la VISIÓN, una salida a mi desesperación. Sólo necesitaba un poco de toque Perro.

Así ayer lunes, comencé el día muy contento, con perspectiva, y fue todo mejor, puse mi plan en marcha, dibujé poco y me fui a comer con Chus, le comenté mi idea y no le vió el sentido, normal sólo tiene sentido para mí... lo sé sueno a esquizo, pero creo que no lo estoy (bueno, creo). Llegó la hora, el escenario era perfecto, un bar irlandés y la buena de Graciela, que se debe de pensar que estoy tarado, pero gracias, chata, eres de las buenas. Y en un momento de psicomagia, una chorrada para cualquiera, pero ayer vital para mí, todo recuperó el sentido.

Perro ha sido la persona con la mayor teatralidad que he conocido, lo siento, Lagartos, la cosa va así, Perrito tenía la capacidad de transformar cualquier momento insignificante en la mejor experiencia, bajar al súper, barrer la terraza... le ponía esa magia que ahora echamos de menos... qué vida tan maravillosa si cada segundo de tu vida es especial. Los que no tuvieron el privilegio de conocerle no lo entenderán y creerán que exagero, que es lo que se dice de la gente cuando se muere, les compadezco, ya es tarde para ellos. Perro fue un tío tan grande, que ha conseguido que el aniversario de su muerte sea una fiesta, imagínate.

Allí empezó la celebración de la vida de Perrito, yo me metí al cinto todas las Murphy's que pude, y Graciela, dado el ambiente, me acompañó con un tinto, de haberle echado coca cola habría sido perfecto, el vino no está mal.

Ya en casa vinieron los Sergios y dimos cuenta de más cervezas irlandesas, a este paso me voy a aficionar... Hablamos de las cosas de las que no se habla normalmente y bueno, estuvo bien. Muy bien.

No hubo partido conmemorativo, pero oye, no dio el tiempo a todo.

Perrito, se te echa de menos, te diría que volvieras, pero seguro que iré yo a verte antes.

Davizzz

Review CatWoman #72

CATWOMAN #72 REVIEW
Reviewer: Terry Verticchio terryvert@hotmail.com
Quick Rating: Very Good
Title: Crime Pays—Part One
Well Selina Kyle is ‘dead’, but that doesn’t mean all of Catwoman’s troubles are behind her.
Writer: Will Pfeifer
Pencils: David Lopez
Inks: Alvaro Lopez
Colours: Jeromy Cox
Letters: Jared K. Fletcher
Cover artist: Adam Hughes
Editor: Nachie Castro
Publisher: DC Comics
Selina is still having bad dreams. Even after being ‘killed’ last issue, she still sees all of her enemies coming for her and attacking her through her daughter Helena. So she goes asks Bruce for another favour, one that will hopefully but her mind to rest. But it doesn’t. And so that’s where Zatanna comes in. Selina wants to forget everything and even become a villain again.
Wow, if there is one put upon character in the DCU it has to be Selina Kyle. Will Pfeifer steps all over poor Selina and then he kicks in the head at the end. But it’s all great. I really feel for Selina, her pain and sacrifice is palpable indeed.
Again this issue isn’t very action packed. But the images were clean and crisp and the emotion put into Selina is real.
I think next month we might be moving on to more old-school action. But for a while there at least, Selina Kyle was truly a normal human being. Alas, we all knew it wouldn’t last.

http://www.comixtreme.com/forums/showthread.php?t=37208


NEWSARAMA > TALK@Newsarama > DC Comics
Catwoman #72 (major spoilers)
Wow, this is the best issue of Catwoman I've read in a long time!
The story begins like this:
A drunk, depressed Selina's sitting high atop a Gotham rooftop, and calls Zatanna for help. She relates the story of how Helena is gone from her life.
After the incidents of last issue, Selina visited Bruce in the cave and confessed to killing Black Mask. He knows, but accepts what she did as protecting the innocent. Selina tells him that Helena is innocent and looks at the Jason Todd memorial, noting kids aren't safe in their world.
Bruce helps Selina give Helena up for adoption. Depressed, Selina wants Zatanna to erase her memories of Helena, and also undo the mindwipe. Zatanna reveals she didn't really mindwipe Selina--she just nudged her in the right direction. She was already headed down a good path. Every decision Selina made was hers and not the product of a spell. Zatanna also implores Selina not to erase her memories of Helena--Helena deserves more than that.
Selina agrees and takes off into the night. Zatanna casts a spell that makes Selina dream of Helena. When she wakes up, her apartment's been stripped bare and she escapes just before a bomb goes off.
So this issue was a major pay off for about 2 years' worth of story: Helena is out of the picture. Bruce knows Selina killed Black Mask and it hasn't strained their relationship. And most importantly, the mindwipe didn't really happen, at least not in the way we thought.
All in all, a fantastic issue with more amazing art from the Lopez brothers. Now I'm excited to see where the new "bad" Catwoman goes.

http://forum.newsarama.com/showthread.php?p=4587630


Catwoman - #72 - Everything leading up to this issue has been misleading. XD The obvious DOES NOT HAPPEN. Even tho some of it does. :( Hopefully this wun lead to a very cliche plot happening in the future. :\ Sadly b/c nothing of note rly happens this issue feels very fillerish. :\ Other than some dialogue between Batman and Catwoman, it feels like a lull between plots but there's not a lot of real characterization either. :\ I was hoping for more but I was also fearful of more, so it's good that my fears didn't come true? XD Still I dun think it's that great an issue. :( 2/5

http://ami-angelwings.blogspot.com/


Catwoman #72 Review
DC's most consistly enjoyable title rattles on
by Dan Phillips

IGN Rating Scale
0.0 = WTF?
0.1 - 0.9 = Worthless
1.0 - 1.9 = Abysmal
2.0 - 2.9 = Terrible
3.0 - 3.9 = Awful
4.0 - 4.9 = Poor
5.0 = Meh
5.1 - 5.9 = Mediocre
6.0 - 6.9 = Passable
7.0 - 7.4 = Decent
7.5 - 7.9 = Good
8.0 - 8.4 = Impressive
8.5 - 8.9 = Great
9.0 - 9.4 = Outstanding
9.5 - 9.9 = Incredible
10.0 = Masterful

For the past few years, Will Pfeifer's Catwoman has been a consistent mainstay in my comic pile, a monthly title that I can always rely on to deliver engaging storytelling and pitch perfect characterization. Pfeifer has maintained the high quality of this series by keeping the focus squarely on the dichotomy between Selina's dual lives as a mother and the East End's resident guardian, and that struggle plays out in a more definitive and emotional way than we've seen thus far throughout Pfeifer's fantastic run. The result is a heart-wrenching story about a mother's desire to protect her daughter at all costs, and Selina once again comes off as one of the most relatable and sympathetic characters in superhero comics. It also appears like Pfeifer is using this tragic new turn in Catwoman's life to open the door for the character's return to villainy, and it's refreshing to see him build the foundation for this new path on emotion and characterization as opposed to, oh I don't know, a stupid personality-altering spell by Zatanna.
As he's done so many times in previous issues, Pfeifer also provides possibly the most convincing take on the newer, more sympathetic Batman we've seen from any writer thus far, painting Bruce Wayne as a genuine, caring protector of the innocent as opposed to a psychopathic jerk in tights. It's equally remarkable how Pfeifer is able to use Batman as a supporting character without making DC's most recognizable and popular hero dominate every scene in which he appears; it's a testament to both Catwoman's development as a character and Pfeifer's ability as a writer that our primary focus and concern always remains on Selina whenever she shares a panel with the Dark Knight. I'd absolutely love to see Pfeifer take on a Batman book - as long as he remained on this book, of course.
On a final note, kudos to artist David Lopez for taking a script with almost no action and turning it into a riveting page-turner. Lopez makes each of these conversational scenes as engaging as any superhero slugfest, providing twenty-two pages of the finest kind of emotionally charged storytelling. With these two creators clicking so effortlessly and consistently churning out top-notch work, it's a damn fine time to be a Catwoman fan. And from the looks of it, it's only going to get better.

Another Take
from Jesse Schedeen
I'll agree that Catwoman has been consistently good for a while, even as it has also been consistently ignored by most DC readers. It's a shame, because, as Dan points out, it does a lot of things better than the various Batman books do, particularly with the portrayal of the kinder, gentler Bruce Wayne we were supposed to be getting after Infinite Crisis. Moreover, Catwoman rides high over the rest of the street level crime books at DC, with only series like Manhunter and the odd issue of Detective Comics ever providing much competition.
As much as I'm currently enjoying Catwoman, I do feel a bit concerned over the direction DC seems to be steering Selina Kyle in. It's no spoiler to say she seems headed back towards villain territory. I, like many readers, have greatly enjoyed following Selina over the past few years as she's morphed from career criminal to devious anti-hero to reluctant do-gooder. I'm not sure I'm ready for a return to crime. One of the biggest travesties to occur in the Bat books in the last couple years concerns Harvey Dent. I was pleasantly surprised to see an unscarred Dent appear in the pages of the “Hush” storyline. While Dent stayed hidden for another three years, I was even more pleasantly surprised to see him reappear as Gotham's newest defender in James Robinson's “Face the Face” storyline. Unfortunately, by the end of that arc Dent was essentially back to square one.
I'm not saying former villains can't or shouldn't return to villainy, but at the very least I want the journey to happen in due course. From what I've read of Will Pfeifer's Catwoman work, I don't think this will be a major problem. He's put too much time and effort into Selina Kyle's story to just yank the rug out from under us. If you're not reading the book, hop on board with issue #71 and see why I, Dan, and the rest of the Catwoman fans enjoy this series so much.
Jesse's Score: 8.4
IGN's Ratings for Catwoman #72
Rating
Description
out of 10
click here for ratings guide
8.8
OVERALL
(out of 10 / not an average)

http://comics.ign.com/articles/828/828202p1.html


17 October 2007
Babies in Refrigerators
By: Alex Zalben
If you're regularly reading Lying in the Gutters, and you should be, you might have caught this item:
Catwoman. She's was a villain, then an anti-heroine but of late she's been a bit too much of a hero. That's all changing. The current arc "Mother's Day" will see something very unfortunate happen to her daughter, Helena, which will tip Selina back over to the dark side. It's time for Catwoman to be a bad girl again. How small do they make refrigerators?
Catwoman writer Will Pfeifer has taken the time to respond over on his blog, saying:
"There's been some speculation about this issue on the Interweb, and all I can say, is give it a read before you make your mind up about it. Not everything you read online is 100 percent accurate, you know. Still, the attention is always nice."
Having read the issue, I can say that Johnston is being a bit of a tease, as usual. The issue is heartbreaking, but not in the way he seems to suggest. I'm not usually a reader of Catwoman, but I think this is a great issue to check out, and a good jumping on point. Catwoman #72 hits stands today...

http://www.pulpsecret.com/post/3380/babies-in-refrigerators


Catwoman 72
I got sucker punched by this. I knew Selina was giving up Helena. It was so logical. I thought she'd get Zatanna to wipe her memory of Helena. So far, I was batting a thousand. Then Zee talked her out of it, and told her, when Selina asks to have her mind restored to her bad gal self, that she'd already been on the path to good. The scenes with Zee and Selina were emotionally wrought and I loved Zee sitting in mid-air while they talked. And she gave her the gift of a dream. This was powerful stuff. And seeing a version of a grown-up Helena was wonderful. Oh, and Robin watching Helena so Selina and Bruce could talk, via flashback, was cute. So, what leads Selina down the dark path broadly hinted at in the Countdown promos? That's where the sucker punch comes in. Selina waking up in a completely empty apartment except for the blanket she's lying on and a bomb. Wow. Talk about "can't wait to find out what happens next" moments. Oh, and another awesome AH! cover. Hughes draws emotions like no one else. And his characters look real.

http://shellyscomics.blogspot.com/2007/10/reviews-reviews-reviews.html


Catwoman #72 - Pfeifer…man…no matter how much I wanna leave this title you keep sucking me in with your writing. Another great issue. Selena decides the only way for her child to have a safe life is by giving her up to others, not in the type of life she’s in. Selena, gets help from Bruce to help make arrangements and though she knows what she did was probably right…feels so horrible she asks Zatanna to make her forget about her child. There are nice little moments throughout this story, Selena has flashes of what life with her daughter, grown-up, would be like, and it’s just told in a very unique way…the writings got a feel that’s great but hard to describe I guess. I had one problem with this story…not even so much a problem just my own views on Batman’s personality. I have a problem with the fact that Batman is somewhat alright with Selena killing a Black Mask.
When has Bruce…ever…EVER cut anybody slack for killing a villain…just saying…it’s funny how everything is all OK, when it involves a past lover…grrr. Lopez art has really grown on me, it fits this title well. For those that thought this series was cancelled (and apparently there are these people), start picking up this title.

http://comicoverload.com/?cat=5


Catwoman #72 – Selina Kyle has managed to let the world think she is dead. The last issue implied she was also giving up her baby and that just leaves her as Catowman. This has been a terrific series and Catwoman continues to be one of DC’ s most consistent series.

http://comicsand.blogspot.com/2007/10/what-im-getting-wednesday_15.html


Catwoman #72 - Very good issue – sad and poignant story about Selina giving up her baby.

http://comicsand.blogspot.com/2007/10/best-to-worst-of-last-week_23.html



CATWOMAN #72 - I was really impressed with this issue. In my previews, I was concerned they might try and use Zatanna to mind wipe the baby and all character development over the past several years away in favour of some editorial mandated decision. What we got was a great tale that showed how much Selina has changed and how much she cared about her child. It was both sad and heart felt and one of the best issues in a long time. Sad to see the baby go, but there's hope we'll see her again in the future.
Verdict - Must Read

http://www.weeklycrisis.com/2007/10/weekly-crisis-comic-book-after-shock.html


Review by Binkley (e-mail)
There really is nothing surprising in this issue; it seemed fairly obvious a while ago that Selina was going to give up her baby, so seeing it happen is just the culmination of what Pfeifer has been writing since the One Year Later leap. What makes this issue work, however, is Pfeifer’s characterization of Selina after giving up her baby. Being a parent is not easy; it involves contradictory set of emotions. You want to be the one to protect them, guide them, and nurture them. But on the other hand, you need to step back and let them develop on their own, to allow them to make their own mistakes and learn from them without their parent’s interference. As a parent, you want to hold on tight, but at the same time you know you must let go. This conflicting emotion shines through in this issue, showing how much it hurts Selina to let go even though she knows it was the right thing to do. It is gut-wrenching to read this issue and in this case, that is a good thing.
The key to the issue, however, is that Pfeifer manages to avoid using Zatanna as a way to reboot the Catwoman character while at the same time actually managing to reboot the character. It would be easy for Zatanna to wipe Selina’s mind, which would allow Pfeifer to start anew with any baggage. But with Zatanna’s refusal and then the bomb, Pfeifer manages to get Selina where he needs her to be without sacrificing the character that he has written so well for the past several years. It shall be interesting to see where this leads...
The previous issue was a titled “Mother’s Day, Part 1” but there was no Part 2 as this issue is called “Crime Pays, Part 1”. Obviously this is some kind of mistake, but is the title to this one a mistake or should the previous not have been labeled as part 1?

http://www.dcu-reviews.com/Catwoman/072.htm


Catwoman #72
Cover by Adam Hughes
DC
“Even with a high degree of visual complexity, Hughes delivers a cover that challenges the viewer not to look. The two sides of Catwoman—the happy-go-lucky thief and the tortured soul—are represented as posters in the hands of Zatanna. The expressions he manages to capture are amazing. Anchoring the piece is the ridiculously sexy image of Zatanna. As a female superhero costume, a top hat, tuxedo jacket and fishnets are quite the statement. Ooph.”

http://www.wizarduniverse.com/magazine/wizard/006166474.cfm


The first of the unbelievably excellent comics this week is, perhaps not surprisingly, Catwoman. A different commenter on this here blog (in the same thread on which I was insulted!) called Pfeifer “mediocre,” but I can’t believe that person has read this comic. Despite Pfeifer’s attempts to defend Amazons Attack! and the fallout from that ill-conceived series, Catwoman just keeps getting better. In this issue, Selina decides that she simply can’t keep Helena anymore because of the danger. She calls on Zatanna to make her forget about Helena, telling her in flashback about her appeal to Bruce Wayne to set up an adoption for Helena. Again, we see that Pfeifer gets Bruce. Selina confesses that she killed Black Mask, and Bruce tells her that he knew - of course he knew! He tells her that he didn’t take her down because what she did protected the innocent, even though he disagrees with her methods. Bruce is angry at Selina, but he realizes why she did it. He helps her, of course, and when Selina gives up her baby, her devastation is palpable, and López’s wonderful full-page panel showing her collapsed on the floor is brilliant. And then, Zatanna’s “gift” to Selina is fantastic, too. This is a heart-breaking issue, but it follows logically from what has come before. Pfeifer recently adopted a daughter, and he writes a very good parent - both Selina and Bruce, as Tim’s “father.” He also does a nice job with Helena telling Tim his costume is “wed,” and then repeating it over and over. Yes, that’s what small children do.
The big debate about whether Selina will become “evil” again rears its head, but she’s not becoming “evil” just for the hell of it, so I doubt it’s going to take. However, Selina is going someplace not very nice, and I’m looking forward to it. It’s an excellent comic book.

http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/2007/10/18/what-i-bought-17-october-2007/


Saturday, October 20, 2007
Catwoman #72
Writer: Will Pfeifer
Artist: David Lopez
Arc: Crime Pays (Part 1)
I think I might be hooked on Catwoman. I love comics where there is a strong emotional presence on each page (see my Four Women review as a good example). Bendis added emotion to each page of Daredevil with perfection. Pfeifer isn't that good, but he is good enough. Catwoman has a child, and it isn't easy for her. This issue looks more into what steps Selina has to do to ensure her child remains safe. Catwoman is stressed and worried, and it shows through out the entire comic. You can feel her pain as she tries to protect her daughter from unknown threats. Selina asks friends for help, and she just seems so vulnerable opening up herself to other people. Don't worry action fans, there is a nice cliffhanger at the end of the comic. One of the major differences between this emotion driven Catwoman and Daredevil is the art. Maleev could draw Daredevil in such a way that if you hadn't read an issue you'd know what the guy was feeling. Lopez does a better job here than he did in the last issue, but he still doesn't convey the amount of emotion that Pfeifer needs.
Plot: 4
Catwoman having a child is putting her through the ringer emotionally, and it makes for a very solid comic book.
Story Arc: 4
This is the beginning of a new story arc which doesn't get started until the last couple of pages, but Selina's child plot line gets pushed heavily here.
Lasting Appeal: 3
It is a good read, but not good enough to bring me back.
Anticipation: 4
There is a cliffhanger here, and it is good.
Art: 3
A better job than last time with portraying emotion but not there yet.
Overall: Mighty

http://comicfever.blogspot.com/2007/10/catwoman-72.html


Catwoman #72 -- And creators wonder why readers don't believe they're really going to do anything different... this issue reverses everything that made the recent run of Catwoman so interesting and unusual. Baby? Given away. New identity? Lost in a drunken haze. Stand-alone stories? Let's truck in Zatanna and yet another Identity Crisis reference. Life in her neighborhood? Blown up with a convenient bomb. Complicated morality? Replaced with a vengeful vow to quit being a good guy. Looks like next issue, we're back to a simple anti-hero with no family ties and nothing complicated. Borrrrrrrring.
Oh, and at her turning point, Catwoman in the Batcave stares at the costume of a dead Robin, talking about how their lives aren't safe for kids, at the same time she's ignoring the live one babysitting her daughter. Why is absolutely no one in the DCU optimistic any more? I don't want to rate this, because I get tired of marking most superhero books Eh, but that's my overall take on them. They don't aim for much, and they achieve it.

http://www.savagecritic.com/2007/10/johanna-catches-up.html


Catwoman #72
Yup, this was one of the tear jerkers this week. Does it require having kids of your own to cry at this issue? I’ve heard, no, but I’m just wondering.
I came into this story knowing I was going to hate it, and it was going to be a total cop-out. Piled on with Black Canary giving up her daughter for the greater good (read: lazy writing) it was just going to be too much for me to bear in a short period of time. At least it would provide a clean break for the title, I thought.
In reality: wow, Pfeiffer takes it to the edge of that story and then made it something else. Something altogether better and less of a comic book. It’s still a cop out, even Pfeiffer isn’t so good to dodge that bullet for DC. But what he did: forcing Selina to remember and to make up her own mind about whether to stay on the side of the angels was spot on.
Unless Pfeiffer continues to write this, I find it likely I will quit on Catwoman for the time being. It seems like Will was just tidying up his run and letting the next body come on and regress Selina back to the skanky badguy she used to be (or the morally gray Outsider that I wasn’t too keen on either). Isn’t it okay if just one character changes every once in awhile? Or is that only good for Green Arrow?
Applause to you Will Pfeiffer, it’s been a hell of a run, and you made me all weepy.

http://grebok-sod.livejournal.com/2007/10/25/


CATWOMAN #72 $2.99 - Very fearful of the giant Reset button being punched soon.

http://forums.comicbookresources.com/showthread.php?p=5662997


Pretty much all good:
Art and story. Fun Robin. Appreciated visual representation of the real difficulties of identity falsifying. Emotional parting splash! The mindwipe angle. Batman and Zatanna roles played. The dreams 'and maerd'. The mystery of who would do that at the end.
Except:
-the implied SPOILER foreshadowing of this arc having read the new BATO#1
-that Canary/Arrow more or less JUST did this plot idea with Sin
-don't know anything about Chateau Le Pin Pomerol but dislike another recent issue that has Zatanna considered an aloholic (drinker not drunk)
-unclarity of the coincidence that the thief took advantage of a spell induced sleep (would Zatanna be that careless again?) or if the thief was THAT good
-the debatable (though story touching) crime confession (though story effective) that Batman uncharacteristically felt better overlooked

http://www.comicboards.com/batman/view.php?trd=071020201430


Sunday, October 21, 2007
Feeling Mixed Emotions: Catwoman #72
Catowman #72
Originally uploaded by Heidi Meeley
If making a reader feel uncomfortable and upset is a writing feat, Will Pfeifer has scored a home run with me. Catwoman #72 broke my heart. After seeing Selina reach for the heights of goodness as a new mother to knowing that she is destined to go back to a life of crime, my emotions ran the gamut.
Adam Hughes' amazingly fitting cover and David Lopez' incredible interiors only served to heighten my already distraught feelings. Selina's feelings of helplessness and her ultimate decision put me on a roller coaster ride.
At the end of this issue, part of me was furious. How dare Pfeifer do this to Selina? After all she went through to become a mommy and the nostalgia of her feelings for the father, it flat hurt to watch her do what she did. How is Slam going to feel?
The writing is on the wall and on the "...and evil shall inherit the earth" poster. Selina is going to be a criminal again. It makes me sick and it disgusts me but I know I will continue to pick up the book to witness the journey. I care about the character and want the best for her, so knowing that she is going back to her old ways is sad.
Is it strictly plot license or is it a more permanent change? Only time will tell. This is one time that I am willing to sit back and buy a ticket for the ride.
Posted by Heidi Meeley at 5:17 PM

4 comments:
Nick said...
No matter what people may think, Pfeifer can write a good story, even if it does tear at your heart.
Selina did the right thing though.
6:46 AM

Heidi Meeley said...
Nick, I have to agree. A story that can get me this worked up has to be at least partially because of the excellent execution of it!
My heart aches for Selina, as giving up a child would be the hardest thing I could ever think of doing. Was it right? Probably. Do I like it. Nope.
Great writing and great art. Tough story to take.
8:08 PM

Melchior del Darién said...
Yeah, CW #72 broke my heart, too, especially due to the care that the artist has been taking to provide Helena with "realistic" facial expressions and reactions since she showed up OYL.
On the meta/big picture side, though, my emotions were undercut somewhat because I could kind of see this coming, and the baby was being deployed as a plot complication that needed to be resolved somehow down the line ...
My feeling is that it would have been worthwhile to see Selina be both a (good) mother and Catwoman. Since the DC folks made the decision for her to have a child, I think they should have followed through with the concept and allowed us to read stories about a smart, talented, modern woman doing her job (kicking evil doers' asses) and raising her daughter, too.
3:52 PM

Heidi Meeley said...
Melchior, you said it so well here. It cuts both ways. I would have loved to have Selina be a mom for a bit longer, but I do prefer this solution to having Helena die. That would have made me furious!!
Your comment made me smile because I feel so similarly.
8:31 PM

http://comicsfairplay.blogspot.com/2007/10/feeling-mixed-emotions-catowman-72.html

Transformers

Debo ser un fricazo (que lo soy), pero me ha gustado...

Ayer, domingo tarde, con unas patatuelas y unas gaseosas me lo pasé como un tonto viendo los transformers, qué de acción, que de tortazos, qué de coches, qué de todo...

En un ataque de consumismo desaforado, el viernes, armado de una tarjeta de crédito pasé por la fnac (ese templo!) y no pude resistirlo, los amigos eran bastante unánimes, que si menuda mierda, que si vaya timo... pero chico, es que es una película de robots gigantes que se pelean y rompen cosas... no puede ser tan mala. Y eso, me la compré.

Domingo tarde... robots gigantes... tortazos... nostalgia... el adolescente alelado que se liga a la tía buena... Un camaro amarillo que es tu amigo! Debo ser idiota (que lo soy), o debía tener muy claro qué iba a ver, pero me encantó, entre tanta crítica y saña de la muchachada no oí a nadie decir una verdad como un templo ¡LOS TRANSFORMERS EXISTEN! no han podido hacerlos por ordenador, están perfectos, se mueve todo, se transforman de manera súper natural, están integrados perfectamente... Y matan y destruyen y la polla en verso.

Vamos, que mañana me compraba todos los juguetes y los vídeo juegos.

¿Pegas? Ninguna, es como si te vas al macdonals y te quejas de que engorda, creo que fue Fernando que dijo que era una mierda que se transformaban tan rápido que no veías bien cómo... tal vez tenga razón, pero bueno, sí que se ve cómo... se transforman muy guay, tío.

Igual ha sido porque tuve alguno de juguete y me leí unos cuantos tebeos, pero ¿nadie se ha fijado que es un empacho de robots gigantes que se pelean?

Davizzz

Dibujitos

Estoy preparando la edición del nuevo Espiral, y además de "Taxee!", una historia de 70 páginas, estoy haciendo otra, de 13, preludio del siguiente, "Fósforo", aquí la promo:



Además me ha dado por escanear dibujos de libretas viejas con bocetos de "Taxee!".

Éste era para probar qué tal llevaba la acción, he cambiado mucho mi manera de enfocar este tipo de escenas, y principalmente gracias a estos ejercicios.



Éstos eran para una escena onírica que al final no salió, pero me gustan.



Aquí pruebas para trabajar con tres tintas.



Aquí la entradilla para una posible historia, para más adelante, pero creo que no irá a ningún sitio, para entenderla habría que empezar a hacer flashbacks para entender que Ana tenía un gato y le quería mucho... eso salía en las historias de las fotocopias (hace 10 años!) y no tiene cabida ahora.



Aquí una micro secuencia, cada página es del tamaño de una cajetilla de tabaco en el original.


¿Por qué todo esto?

Pues porque he estado visitando blogs y webs de dibujantes por ahí y me ha dado envidia, un sentimiento que me hace ser bastante productivo, en especial recomiendo el de David Güell, no tiene mucho colgado, pero sí que todo es fantástico.

Ya que estoy, recomendar dos grupos que no puedo dejar de escuchar "Cansei de ser Sexy" y "Soho Dolls", electro pop fersquete y sin complejos, con nenas, como a mí me gustan.

Davizzz

Cumpleaños

El sábado celebro mi cumpleaños con cena fría a eso de las 9 y copas a partir de las 12, ya sabéis, todos invitados.

Pasa la vida

Puf... hoy es 27 de Octubre, año 2007.

Para estructurar los recuerdos siempre pienso en momentos que me hayan marcado, y creo que ninguno fue más duro que el de hace quince años, es curioso, la muerte me enseñó a vivir...

En los últimos seis meses han pasado muchas cosas, más importantes o menos importantes, en eso creo que consiste...

El primero fue cuando me vine a Zaragoza (por tercera vez), abrupto y sin avisar... pero bueno, parece que no ha sido tan malo al final.

Pasé el verano bastante encerrado trabajando como nunca en mi cueva, nueva cueva.



He batido mi récord de producción de tebeos, en Agosto se publicaron cuatro tebeos míos en DC, CatWoman, CountDown, el anual de Batman y el segundo recopilatorio de CatWoman.

En Agosto también nacieron Iune y Mai, dos perlitas preciosas que se unen a la familia.

Mi madre cogió una nueva gata.

Septiembre fue más bien tranquilito, pude disfrutar de unos días de relax, diez días de estar tirado por la casa, eso son vacaciones y no irse por ahí a estresarse...

Octubre llegó lleno de cosas, el concierto de los héroes, las visitas de Iván y de Bertxo... el Pilar más salidor que recuerdo...

Y el otro día me enteré de otra muerte Juan Antonio Cebrián, me dejó tocadillo, al fin y al cabo he pasado muchas horas escuchando a este señor, y ya era como un compañero más... Bueno, tendrá a Jiménez del Oso para hacerle compañía. Una tragedia.

Por el lado más positivo, ayer, a las siete y media de la tarde, por fin, tras más de cinco años de trabajo, terminé "Espiral: Taxee!", una alegría y un dolor de cabeza que no os podéis imaginar, lo he hecho muy desordenadamente y he pagado por ello, pero bueno, creo que ha merecido la pena...

Esto es lo que he hecho en seis meses... bueno, un par de cosillas más que me guardo, pero ya es hacer...

¿Qué he hecho en los últimos quince años?

Vivir.

Y el sabor de la vida es muy dulce.

Gracias, Roge.

Review Batman Annual 26

Batman Annual #26: Head of the Demon
Peter Milligan & David Lopez
CHRIS: This is apparently the “definitive” NEW EARF origin of Ra’s al Ghul, leading into this fall’s “Resurrection of Ra’s al Ghul” Bat-event. This has two strikes going against it from the outset: I don’t think anyone wants another big Bat-Event, and Peter Milligan’s got a pretty shaky history on big work-for-hire books (check out his runs on X-Men and Elektra if you don’t believe me; better yet, don’t). On the plus side, it’s a big Bat-Event masterminded by Grant Morrison, who managed to run a tight ship and make the behemoth DC One Million more coherently and enjoyably than it ever should have been, and it’s a Bat-Event written by Morrison, Milligan and Fabian Nicieza, who can all write a good superhero story. Plus, it’s written by Peter Milligan, who missteps aside, also wrote X-Statix, Human Target, Enigma, Shade the Changing Man, and even a series of pretty enjoyable Batman stories for DC back in the early 1990s. If there was any way to make this sort of thing work, DC has put together the proper scenario for this occurrence.

http://www.funnybookbabylon.com/


Batman Annual #26

This is quite possibly the worst Batman story I’ve ever read. So bad, that you would almost have to think it was done on purpose. This is lampoon, pure and simple. If it wasn’t intended as satire, then it only goes to highlight the disassociative mess of a character that Batman has become.

Ra’s Al Ghul comes off as a bad Vampire: The Masquerade character. He won Waterloo! He slept with Napoleon’s woman! He married the only independent woman in Araby! I like Ra’s Al Ghul, but seriously, this was hard to take. I'm also not keen on the idea of Damien, and this did everything to justify why. Which is a shame b/c, I guarantee (sight unseen) he’s a better character than this when Morrison is writing him.

Gaze upon the travesty that is Batman Annual #26: Resurrection Shuffle (which is even a terrible name), written by Peter Milligan and drawn by the brothers Lopez.

”Do very important men look at me while they’re talking?”

Let’s start with this. Isn’t it more suspicious that Batman investigates Wayne interests all the damn time? Two ecologists have gone missing? Isn’t this a better job for Mr. Wayne himself, dressed in something breezy? Or don’t shave, put on a hat and latex scar and go as Matches McGivesacrap, Private Dick. Don’t pretend like you don’t do undercover.

Thanks for the lesson Smarty McKnowstuff.

Batman is exactly that asshole who saw some special on the Discovery Channel last night and can’t wait to drop his new fact on someone at work the next day like they’re the idiot. We all know that Batman is smart, this is just egregious showboating.

And why was he just standing on top of that rock? Just to cut a silouhette in the setting sun. No. For real.

Showoff.

Let it be on record. I hate the Batplane. Hate it. The Batmobile is about alls I can stand when it comes to the extended bat accoutrements. Are you the subtle fear who moves with the night? Or are you a showy playboy who wastes his money on Bat-themed vehicles for all seasons?

”Could you turn off the lights by the Jukebox? I want to skulk to the bathroom.”

Ugh. This is what I’m talking about right here. Batman is standing in the 2x2 square of darkness between the window and the doorway like he’s being stealthful. This is as ridiculous as Batman hiding behind a gumball machine in Heroclix. Just approach the bar, for Christ’s sakes. You’re not scaring anyone. You just look silly.

"I'm sorry, could you differentiate yourself from our other customers who dress up like mammals?"

Okay, so in two panels, we learn that no one in Asswater, Australia knows who Bruce Wayne or Batman are. Are you feeling at least a little stupid, Bruce?

"Nah, mate, I'm saying y'look queer. Get me?"

In case you didn’t already think it was ridiculous to be standing in the middle of a desert expanse in full Bat-gear, here’s Johnny Wirrabara to point it out for you. I usually appreciate when an artist recognizes something silly about what they’ve written. And by drawing attention to it, you can give my suspension of disbelief something to hang its hat on. In this case, it only draws attention to how ludacris this all looks, even in comic book world. If every Aussie is just going to make fun of Batman for wearing his whole kit, then maybe you should've written it differently.

“That? That’s a… that’s a metaphor. A metaphor for how much he'll love him-- and you-- when he gets back to life and all.”

Since when is Talia the idiot broodmare around Al Ghul manor? Talia should be cutting this jerk’s manriki gusari off, letting him know the price of looking at her funny without the initials B.W.

These ninja are the equivalent of #21 and #24 on the Venture Brothers.

Finally, Talia isn’t just wasting her time having babies. She runs the League of Assassins (when Batgirl isn’t --shrug). She’s the only person who gave Ra’s lip on a regular basis. She was on the Board of the Society. She fights Batman. She doesn’t take crap from Mr. White the 11th Hour sycophant.

World’s Greatest Detective, huh? I’m guessing its the guy in all white with the white hair, Bruce.

Is this just a comment that this douchebag holds zero significance to the Al Ghul mythology? You just spent this whole issue telling me the opposite. Seriously, is this supposed to be comedy? Irony? What?

”Should I fluff your nuts for you, sir?”

Ugh, Alfred as droll yes-man? Just… yech.

And note, Batman, nor Bruce Wayne really gave a crap about those ecologists he went to find. He left those hippies facedown in a Lazarus stream. They were just the barest MacGuffin to explain why Batman bothered to fly to Australia in full costume to happen across the badguys.

Worst. Batman. Ever.

http://grebok-sod.livejournal.com/2007/09/02/


Batman Annual #26 by Peter Milligan, David López, and Álvaro López. $3.99, DC.

I imagine this is setting up the new Ra’s al Ghul that Morrison will be writing about in the main title, so we get an origin story with an ambiguous ending. It’s not a bad story, but it lacks Milligan’s flair, so it’s simply a story that needed to be told to lead to other things. Batman heads to Australia to investigate the disappearance of two ecologists who worked for the Wayne Ecological Foundation, while Talia and Damian learn the history of Talia’s father. Batman figures out that there’s an underground Lazarus pit in the area, and he arrives at the scene a bit too late. Ra’s al Ghul’s right-hand man, the White Ghost, has plans for Damian, but they go awry and he ends up in the pit, his fate … unknown! So there’s that.

López, as usual, does a fine job with the art. He draws the action scenes very nicely, and he also has a good eye for features that make each character unique. The story contains some of Milligan’s oddities, like his portrayal of the Duke of Wellington as a whiny coward at the Battle of Waterloo and the weird old guy who was transported to Australia as a prisoner some years before. Of course, I spent six months in Australia and never heard anyone say “fair dinkum,” but I suppose our Aussie readers can say whether people actually use that term! And I like how the Aussies living out on the outback are at the Hewlett place - a reference to Jamie Hewlett, perhaps?

Damian remains a problem, because he’s really a whiner. I mean, he was bad enough when Morrison wrote him, but shouldn’t Talia slap him once or twice? She just puts up with his poor behavior, and I don’t like this Talia. She always seemed stronger than this. Come on, Talia!

It’s not really that necessary of a book. It’s an okay story, but nothing spectacular.

http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/2007/08/30/what-i-bought-29-august-2007/


Triple Frown Achievement in Bizarre Dialogue - Batman Annual #26

I know for a fact Peter Milligan is a good writer, so what's up with these cringeworthy exchanges?

"We don't want you skipping to the end!" Huh? She's calling the White Ghost on his confusing (and stilted plot necessitated) actions and he retorts by seriously saying (while wearing a white robe in a cave guarded by ninjas or someshit) that he doesn't want her reading ahead? I think a certain amount of solemnity should be required when one is torchlit. And then their little "embroidery" exchange? It sounds like a student film.

I could say the same about you, you little scamp. Forgivable because it's just the kind of thing an adolescent could think sounds cool but is actually incredibly stupid. Like when I told my mom "Time is money, and you owe me a lot.

""By the look of these droppings the bodies have been here almost two weeks." WHAT?! What droppings?! Are the droppings on the bodies? Are they the droppings of the dead ecologists? There are two dead bodies in a creek, what the shit kinda excretory evidence can he possibly be referencing?

http://geekanerd.blogspot.com/2007/09/panel-discussion-scans-from-this-weeks.html


Batman Annual #26
From: DC Comics
Written by: Peter Milligan
Art: David Lopez & Alvaro Lopez
Reviewed by Tim Janson

I freely admit it…I am a bit of a snob when it comes to comic books. I’ve been reading them for a long time, and I’ve taken the time to learn about the history and heritage of the titles, characters, and stories, of those books that came before I began reading comics. For example, I still think that no writer and artist has ever done a better job on Ra’s Al Ghul than Denny O’ Neil and Neal Adams, who introduced the character back in 1971. He’s always been an enigmatic character…usually an enemy but sometimes an ally to Batman. And unlike most of Batman’s villains, Ra’s isn’t unbalanced, relatively speaking, unless one considers the pursuit of immortality to be unbalance.

Batman Annual #26 advertises itself as featuring the origin of Ra’s Al Ghul, seemingly implying it’s the first time the origin has been told, or perhaps I am just inferring that is the case. His origin had already been told in depth in the Birth of the Demon graphic novel from 1992, again written by Denny O’ Neil. Milligan’s story offers little new information about the villain referred to as the Demon.

The book begins with Ghul’s daughter Talia meeting with a man in hooded robe as she learns that historical documents about her dead father still exist. She is to read these documents to her son Damian so he can learn about his notorious grandfather. Theses segments are told in flashbacks as Ra’s comes to an old man to learn his knowledge. The old man makes Ra’s marry his daughter Sora as payment for his teachings. Ra’s will uncover the mystical equations that the old man was working on that will eventually lead to his discovery of the Lazarus pit, the secret to his immortality. This is all basically covered in Birth of the Demon. We do get to see that Ra’s was involved in the defeat of Napoleon at Waterloo, however. This is where we meet Ghul’s confidant and servant referred to as the White Ghost.

The White Ghost is the man in the hooded robes and he is preparing the Lazarus pit for Ghul’s resurrection. Damian needs to learn all about his grandfather because he will be confused when he is born and only a male of his own blood can help Ghul recover his memory….right….I think we’re all seeing where this not too clever plot is going.

Oh yes, although it seems almost an afterthought, Batman does appear in his own annual although he’s resigned to a supporting role, traveling to Australia to help locate a couple of missing ecologists who work for the Wayne Foundation. Batman’s appearance in Australia, and the lair of the White Ghost and the Lazarus Pit are all a bit too convenient and Batman has little to do in the story until the last few pages. Ra’s Al Ghul is set to return to life this Fall but unfortunately this Annual was a bit of a clumsy and contrived attempt at setting the table for that storyline. On the plus side, the art of David and Alvaro Lopez was very good and keeps the book readable. Great cover, too, by Brian Stelfreeze.

http://forum.newsarama.com/showthread.php?t=127806


07. Batman: Annual #26 (05)
Peter Milligan (W), David Lopez (A), Brian Stelfreeze (C)
Well, this was…interesting. I think it is great that Ra’s Al Ghul is making a comeback and I think that using Damian as a proposed host (finally, a use for the character that isn’t going to bore me), with Talia and Batman both at odd’s with the “deceased” villains lackeys is a good way to jumpstart the storyline. Unfortunately, this issue was entirely too long and the “coincidence” of Batman finding a Lazarus stream at the exact same time that the White Ghost’s plot was unfolding was a little hard to swallow for me. The art by David and Alvaro Lopez was good, but it doesn’t live up to their work on Catwoman. If you are a diehard Ra’s fan, I’d recommend this one, otherwise I think you’d be fine giving this one a pass.

http://forum.newsarama.com/showthread.php?t=127374


Batman Annual #26
Written by Peter Milligan
Art by David Lopez
Rating: Check It
Dan's Review: Batman Annual #26 uses a rather pedestrian murder mystery as a backdrop for the retelling of Ra's Al Ghul's origin story, as told by Talia to her and Batman's son, Damien. If you're looking for a riveting and near-masterful version of the origin of the Demon's Head, then I suggest you pick up Birth of the Demon, written by Ra's Al Ghul creator Denny O'Neil and beautifully painted by Norm Breyfogle. This annual serves as merely a brief summary of that work, sort of like C.B. Cebulski's "Album" retellings of Marvel books like Runaways and Astonishing X-Men, among others. Writer Peter Milligan does introduce a few inspired gems to the Ra's Al Ghul mythos, such as the introduction of Ras' longtime aid and mystic, the White Ghost, and the revelation that Ra's' Uncle stole his life's memoirs and sold them under the pseudonym H.G. Wells, but these brief additions are few and far between. Milligan also sets in motion the events that will eventually lead to the resurrection of arguably Batman's greatest foe, which is one - and probably the only - reason this book will serve as a must have for diehard Batman and Ra's Al Ghul fans like myself.

Regular Catwoman artist David Lopez handles the art, and while I've regularly applauded his clean and straightforward artwork in the pages of that series, Lopez' style doesn't seem to fit the tone of a Ra's Al Ghul story. Still the artwork is far from a weakness, and I suspect that my love for Norm Breyfogle's stunning painted work in Birth of the Demon (and throughout his run as penciller on Detective Comics and Batman, in general) was the perfect match for a tale detailing the rise of the greatest eco-terrorist and global tyrant that ever lived (albeit over and over again). The most disappointing aspect of the issue is the rather anticlimactic finish, which leaves more than a few questioned unanswered, threads that will undoubtedly be picked up on in the upcoming Return of Ra's Al Ghul crossover event throughout the Bat-books.

If there's one reason this annual is absolutely necessary, it's to send both new and old Batman fans digging back to discover - and rediscover - O'Neil and Breyfogle's classic from the early nineties. Other than that, you can count this book as a starting point - issue #0, if you will - to the upcoming Batman event.

http://comics.ign.com/articles/816/816891p2.html


REVIEW: Batman annual 26
"Is Ra's Al Ghul immortal? Are his methods supernatural?" Deze oneliner uit de film 'Batman Begins' vat eigenlijk perfect samen waar deze annual over gaat.

DC loopt er langer dan vandaag mee te koop dat het aartsvijand Ra's Al Ghul weer wil doen terugkeren, nadat hij in 'Death of the maidens' aan zijn einde was gekomen. Natuurlijk gebeurt het in comics wel vaker dat personages niet dood blijven, maar in het geval van Ra's is het nog aanvaardbaar. Zijn verhalen hebben altijd al over het omzeilen van de dood gegaan. Dit keer zal het verhaal dus wat overtuigender zijn dan de vreselijke terugkeer van Jason Todd.

Het verhaal van de echte terugkeer van Ra's begint in 'Batman 670', maar deze 26e annual werkt eigenlijk als een opstapje naar dat verhaal. Bovendien wordt de origin van Ra's nog eens uit de doeken gedaan. De reclame voor deze comic dat die origin nu voor het eerst wordt verteld, klopt van geen kanten. Schrijver Dennis O'Neil schreef begin jaren '90 de origin al eens neer in het prachtige 'Birth of the Demon' met knap artwork van Norm Breyfogle.

Gelukkig spreekt het verhaal in deze annual dat meesterwerk van O'Neil niet tegen. Integendeel, schrijver Peter Milligan vat het eigenlijk mooi samen én verwerkt er recente gebeurtenissen in. Zo worden Damian en Ra's dochter Talia opgevoerd, en klaargestoomd voor de aankomende crossover. De plot werkt op zich dus wel aardig, en de personages zijn ook vrij goed geschreven. Zo wordt Talia eindelijk wat meer dan de volgzame slaaf van haar vader, en zien we dan Damian nog steeds de etter is zoals Grant Morrisson hem introduceerde in 'Batman and son'. Jammer genoeg is het schrijfwerk niet over de hele lijn even sterk. Met name de dialogen zijn behoorlijk zwak en knullig. Hier en daar was beter een tekstkader gebruikt, in plaats van de personages zelf te laten zeggen wat er gebeurt. Dat is namelijk nogal retro en ... tja ... knullig.

Het artwork is van de hand van David en Alvaro Lopez. Deze twee broertjes zijn tegenwoordig ook de vaste tekenaars van 'Catwoman'. Hun tekenwerk is helder, maar mist helaas sfeer en persoonlijkheid. Het blijft allemaal een beetje oppervlakkig en kan de lezer niet doen opgaan in het verhaal. Er zitten trouwens nogal wat harde, donkere en mysterieuze scènes in deze comic, maar die missen eigenlijk elke keer hun effect door de té brave tekeningen.

Deze annual is dus absoluut geen must. Alleen wie de origin van Ra's Al Ghul nog eens wil herlezen kan met deze comic aan zijn trekken komen. Al is het in dat geval echt wel beter 'Birth of the Demon' te lezen, maar die is helaas zeer moeilijk te vinden.

Nog een vreemd detail: DC kondigt deze comic al maanden aan met een 'exclusieve cover' van Tim Sale, maar uiteindelijk is het een geschilderde cover geworden van Brian Stelfreeze (bekend van de covers van 'Shadow of the Bat') die trouwens sterk doet denken aan de cover van 'Birth of the Demon'.

2,5/5
01-09-2007, 18:58:59

http://the-batcave.skynetblogs.be/post/4928670/review-batman-annual-26


Man, Batman's only been around 26 years? Seems longer.

Batman Annual #26: What we have here is a warm-up book, designed to get the reader ready for bigger, related stuff down the road. Sometimes it seems a lot of superhero books do this constantly on a grand scale, but this one’s more specific - it serves to give the reader a quick refresher on the highlights of Ra's al Ghul's origin, since the villain will soon be headlining a two-month Bat-crossover. It's not so much a prologue as the stuff some other author might tell you about in the Forward, but I suppose it wraps itself into an Annual neatly enough.

I suspect it’ll work better the more you already know about the villain; jumping around events and highlights in the character's history, writer Peter Milligan (in straightforward superhero mode) doesn't manage to convey much of the tragic sweep it’s apparently poised to suggest, although enough facts get out to keep things comprehensible. These exploits are being recounted to dear lil' heir Damian by mother Talia, at the behest of the White Ghost, a director of the Demon who has a nasty plan in mind. Meanwhile, Batman wanders around the Australian outback investigating some disappearances, and amusingly fails to grasp much of the larger plot swirling around. David Lopez and Alvaro Lopez provide efficient art. Nothing much is resolved. Hey: crossover coming.

There are some fun details, though. Milligan characterizes the White Ghost as a sort of ultimate Ra's al Ghul fanboy, so determined to carry on his hero’s story that he’s possibly moving into the realm of fanfiction. Combine that with Damian’s near-total disinterest in old grandpa stories -- a life-saving instinct, it turns out -- and you’ve got a strangely conflicted subtext at work. It doesn’t make this more than OKAY, but it adds needed spice to the summary.

Labels: Jog

http://savagecritic.com/2007/09/jog-reviews-829-batman-comic-jog.html


Batman Annual #26

Posted: Tuesday, September 4
By: Bryant Frattalone
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Writer: Peter Milligan
Artist9s): David Lopez and Alvaro Lopez

Publisher: DC Comics

Plot: Batman investigates a case of two of his employees missing in action in the Australian Outback. In the process he discovers a mystery around the unusual longevity being given to the local flora and fauna. All signs point to the possible resurrection of Ra’s Al Ghul.

Commentary: I picked up this annual with anticipation. To me killing off Ra’s Al Ghul was a mistake and rectifying it would be a good thing. DC has tried to replace Ra’s with a spurned female version in recent years but no one else can match the presence and threat that Ra’s himself is. The cover is great with omens of greatness yet to come. The annual does feel a bit rushed in its execution. It’s odd to me that Morrison didn’t write it. All the more reason for me to believe it was rushed to coincide with Morrison’s own run on the core Batman book. Another thing is that the art is kind of simple and sketchy though competent.

Milligan and Lopez do manage to tell the story in acceptable fashion here. I was a bit concerned that Milligan was the writer on this considering the twisted debacle he made of a certain X-team of marvelous origin. Nonetheless Milligan has written some solid stuff in the past and does so again here. He gives us a Batman that hearkens back to the days when Ra’s was first introduced. By and large in this story he is, “The Detective.” This is how Ra’s always preferred to address him and so the emphasis on this aspect of Batman is fitting. Batman’s skills of deduction are highlighted here to good effect. Some might say the fact that Batman doesn’t suspect the physical, literal resurrection of Ra’s as the ultimate end to what is happening is a mistake on Milligan and DC’s part. It is well established by now that Talia and Damian are determined to be heirs to Ra’s empire and so it is reasonable Batman would suspect their involvement and not suspect an attempt to resurrect Al Ghul. Furthermore Batman most likely considers the utter destruction of the Lazarus Pits the final nail in Ra’s coffin and so his resurrection seems very unlikely.

Milligan also gives us a bit of globe-trotting adventure which works so well in a Ra’s story. What is a bit of a problem here is the introduction of a heretofore unknown character from Ra’s history, The White Ghost. First of all, it’s a rather obvious name for an albino character. If he is supposed to be shadowing and maneuvering from the background why should his name be such a dead giveaway of his normal appearance? The introduction of characters like this almost always seems like lazy writing to me. They did it in Spiderman 3 with the introduction of the butler who told Harry Spiderman didn’t kill his father. We never saw this butler lurking in the background in the other films. They just needed a means to let Harry know the truth and so contrived one. Here, The White Ghost almost seems like that kind of contrivance but, a better contrivance than most resurrection vehicles in comics. So, if it brings back Ra’s I’m willing to be forgiving.

Milligan’s writing of Talia and Damian is well done. Ultimately Talia is a mother who loves her son and has suffered enough pain in the past not to allow him to be sacrificed on the altar of her father’s resurrection. It adds depth to the character; the fact that she can recognize what is about to happen and forestall it through she and Damian’s martial prowess was a nice touch. A slight problem is that Bruce seems to dismiss the White Ghost as quickly as he found out about him. Even though Bruce suspects the resurrection of Ra’s is a product of the White Ghost’s madness I don’t think Batman would leave this stone unturned without an investigation into the White Ghost’s background. Since the next issue of Morrison’s Batman is called “Lazarus Rising” I suspect in some way this slightly out of character ending will be rectified. I look forward to how Morrison picks up the potential return of Ra’s and runs with it from here.

Final Word: All in all a solid story with some slight contrivances which set us up for some more interesting developments in the core Batman title.

http://www.silverbulletcomicbooks.com/reviews/118893220672270.htm


Batman Annual #26

Posted: Saturday, September 1
By: Ray Tate
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Writer: Peter Milligan
Artists: David Lopez(p), Alvaro Lopez(i), Trish Mulvihill(c)
Publisher: DC

In searching The Phantom of the Attic for books to add to my meager two issues, I considered The Batman Annual. Peter Milligan wrote a spectacular short run of stories in Batman long before No Man's Land marked the moment where all sensibility went screaming out the window. David Lopez handled some issues of Fallen Angel, when it was still part of DC, and his artwork if anything looked even better that I remembered.

Surprisingly, I really didn't expect to like The Batman Annual. I've been so divorced from Batman and his world that most Batman stories no longer make any sense to me and don't make my heart beat faster. While I'm mostly enjoying Dini's run on Detective Comics, it more often feels like an echo of the animated series I'm trying to recapture, and usually when he co-mingles continuity into the mix, the exercise just deadens me more.

Another strike against The Batman Annual was that it appeared to be relating the secret origin of Ra's Al Ghul. On the whole, I just don't care that much about villains. I'm in comic book fandom for the heroes, but Milligan pulls it off. The Batman Annual isn't just a great story. It's not just a great detective story. It's a great Batman story.

Milligan's Batman is the Batman I remember. He travels to the Outback to investigate the disappearance of two scientists in the employ of Wayne Enterprises. Batman cares. Batman looks after his employees.

He meets up with Ms. McMurphy, another ecologist, and treats her with respect. Batman isn't a sexist pig. He's polite. He recognizes Ms. McMurphy's intelligence and her experience in dealing with the deadly Australian landscape. He discerns clues from her knowledge and combines that knowledge with his own.

Batman's pursuit of the missing scientists takes him to an old mining town. There he intimidates a real battle-axe and some uncooperative coots. Batman is a figure of fear. He can at one moment look like a man in a costume, but he can also blend with the shadows and use his white slits to pull the truth from you. Fear tidies the mind considerably, and Batman instills fear to jar the answers out of people.

Batman follows the clues. Batman is "the world's greatest detective," and he pieces together the answer to what appears to be a simple puzzle that is in actuality tied into Ra's Al Ghul's possible rebirth. This is Batman.

Milligan does not just throw together a Ra's Al Ghul story. He takes Ra's Al Ghul through history. We see time's personages mingle with Ra's, and we see his impact on a recognizable history. This isn't about Al Ghul's influence on the all-new Atom's foray into an Elizabethan Age overrun by Monitors. This is about Ra's colliding with real people from the past, such as H.G. Welles.

Milligan juxtaposes Ra's effect on real history with Batman's contemporary interference in his long-reaching plans. These plans involve Talia, who is depicted as almost sane, and Damien, Batman's and Talia's son from Son of the Demon, as well as a new character who appears to be Elric's brother. Elric you may remember is an incarnation of Moorcock's Eternal Champion. This character, also an albino, is the eternal champion of Ra's Al Ghul.

Batman's hunt for the truth forces him to contend against the League of Assassins, and upon reading these scenes, I almost wept. Too often, writers depict Batman as a mere bruiser or a skillful boxer. Batman is bar none the best martial artist on the planet. In The Batman Annual we see that prowess. Milligan treats the so-called Society of Shadows as mere annoyances to Batman. The Dark Knight dispatches these ninja rejects with ease, and that my friends, is how it should be.

The ending of The Batman Annual recalls Batman's very first appearance in "The Case of the Chemical Syndicate," and Milligan's story spans all the facets that make Batman so fascinating. His cases often involved pulpy science fiction or the occult. Batman must think beyond the mere improbable. He often must consider what would normally be impossible and imagine how what was once thought of as impossible may become possible. This is what makes him the ultimate detective. His humanity arises in the reason why he is the ultimate detective. He hopes that his ratiocinative abilities will save lives and make the world a better place. For this, he is in addition a super-hero but as well a vigilante who works in the shadows to solve the cases that are beyond the ken of police.

Milligan's Batman Annual is quintessential Batman, but the Lopezes are not considered quintessential Batman artists. They damn well should be. David Lopez's Batman is scaled tall and sinewy. He moves quickly, furtively and purposefully. He fights like he's about twenty steps ahead of his opponent, and he can merge with the shadows one moment and issue classical heroism the next. Lopez roars an old Batman friend through the sky, and his illustrations of the regular folk Batman meets on his journey and Ra's Al Ghul's quest for world dominance are perfectly constructed, even when the anatomy leans toward corpulence or age. The historical figures are suitably elegant at times as well as mortal. Lopez gives several well-known heroes feet of clay, and meeting the needs of Milligan's script, real heroes are made by the results of their deeds not their airs.

Lopez's pencils enjoy a rich luster from Alvaro Lopez's lush inks. They make Batman's cape and cowl look leathery, but it's soft leather that flows from his shoulders and looks comfortable. Trish Mulvihill's colors exquisitely bake the Outback, green the forests and add an eerie glow to the Lazarus Pit.

While DC, surprise, surprise, did not hype The Batman Annual, Batman fans must not miss this book. I want Peter Milligan, the Lopezes and Mulvihill back on a Batman book right now.

http://www.silverbulletcomicbooks.com/reviews/118870069970435.htm


Batman Annual #26
Review: Nick Marino Date: Sep 02, 2007

I don’t know where to place this annual tale by writer Peter Milligan in the general scheme of things. Is it happening now? Did it already happen? I feel like it takes place in the past, prior to Grant Morrison’s introduction of Damian Wayne. I must admit that I’ve read only a couple of Morrison’s Batman issues. But considering this is an origin story, the present time isn’t that important. It’s more important to recognize how Ra’s Al Ghul himself spans many time periods, as seen in the flashbacks that explain his earlier years. It’s an okay origin; not very inventive in my opinion. In fact, I see no reason for Ra’s to have such a mundane foundation of character as witnessed in this issue. Why not take a few chances and make his start rather exceptional? Instead, he’s a man that winds up in a loveless marriage that eventually tugs at his heartstrings as he’s already begun his descent into his more familiar villainous persona. It’s the research of his father-in-law that sparks the flame Ra’s has for eternal life. After a few unimaginative tragedies he has enough bitterness in his life to warrant his moral decline into a mercenary opportunist.

While we witness Ra’s slash his way through history, we watch Batman in Australia on the trail of Ra’s in the now. But he’s chasing ghosts, quite literally. Ra’s trusted aide – the White Ghost – is the closest the Dark Knight gets to his immortal antagonist. But hidden within the flashbacks and Batman action is some character development for both Damian and his mother, Talia. As they recount the history of Damian’s grandfather piece by piece, they also formulate a plan in secret. In fact, the plan is so secret that we don’t know they had one until the end. The White Ghost fails to transfer Ra’s into the body of his grandson and the mother-son team split before Batman confronts the White Ghost at the Australian Lazarus Pit.

The art is clean and unique. At first, I found it reminiscent of Paul Smith’s early 80s work on Uncanny X-Men. Even when it’s busy, the pages look a bit sparse – in a good way, I might add. Penciler David Lopez has excellent command of negative space, using it to create an amazing tension between the shadows and the lack thereof. If you could imagine a collision between the techniques of Frank Quitely, Paul Gulacy, and Paul Smith, that would give you a good idea of Lopez’s strengths. Alvaro Lopez inks over David with a strong line that catches the varied thicknesses and nuances of the pencil work very well. The colors of Trish Mulvihill are decent, exceeding especially well when working in shades of brown, purple, and yellow. Phil Balsman’s restrained letters match the art, blending the dialogue into the images with success.

This issue really managed to save itself. I had my first few lines all picked out. The review would have read something like this: “I really don’t think Ra’s Al Ghul is a solid antagonist for Batman. And this annual tale does nothing to change that opinion.” And truth to be told, I still don’t care much for the character of Ra’s Al Ghul. But I find the concept of the Lazarus Pits and those who would exploit them to be wonderful adversaries for a mortal man that loves to play invincible by means of technology and determination (that’s Batman I’m referring to incase you had some trouble following my line of thought). In this issue’s exploration of how the Lazarus Pits are almost their own sly and silent yet not unseen enemy, this story is a success.

http://comicnewsi.com/reviews.php?catid=253&itemid=10318


Batman Annual #26 - I'd probably have more critique if I'd had my Birth of the Demon handy, but I didn't. That said, I didn't find anything really wrong with this origin of my favorite character. It filled in gaps and fleshed some things out. I dig Milligan and he didn't mess up my favorite character. And how great are Lopez and Lopez? They've been working on Catwoman since OYL and managed to do this annual without missing an issue.

This was fine in a wholly throwaway but still entertaining sort of way. Would've liked to see Milligan cut loose with it though.

http://comicsnexus.insidepulse.com/article_v3.php?contentid=70263&rssZone=1


BATMAN ANNUAL #26: Pretty much scene-setting for the upcoming Batbooks crossover next month, I'm not sure how true the cover blurb ("The origin of Ra's Al Ghul") really is - we see parts of his past, sure, but I don't really feel as if I've learned that much more about his motivations or exactly how he went from idealist to psychopath... Cutting to Talia explaining that his wife got killed and that "darkened his soul" doesn't really do the job for me. Again, Peter Milligan playing it straight is curiously unsatisfying - he doesn't really hit the petulant child mark for Damian, surprisingly - but David Lopez's art is nicer than his recent Countdown efforts. Okay, overall.

http://savagecritic.com/2007/09/surrounded-by-me-and-my-gang-your-life.html


JUN070164 BATMAN ANNUAL #26: HEAD OF THE DEMON
DC Comics $3.99

Peter Milligan kicks off the return of Ra’s al Ghul with his origin retelling in “Head of the Demon”. David Lopez illustrates, and it will be nice to see him drawing something other than that awful CATWOMAN book.

http://www.popimage.com/content/viewnews.cgi?newsid1188352476,72969,


Batman Annual #26 Head of the Demon
Adan: I really hate that Damian “Son of the Bat” kid.
It just doesn’t matter what he’s doing, what time period he’s in, or who he’s written by, that kid is just bad news. Every time he shows up, you know you’re in for a subpar issue. And boy was this is ever subpar. Every plot twist is telegraphed about five pages before the “reveal” and the jumps back and forth in time are muddled and confusing. This is touted as the “Origin of Ra’s al-Ghul,” but we learn very little of consequence. So he fought in Waterloo against Napoleon. Who gives a damn? So he was in Whitechapel while Jack the Ripper was doing his thing. Oooh, spooky. None of this matters to the character of Ra’s. In fact, all this “origin” story really does is introduce the documents that contain Ra’s “origin” story. It’s a sort of self-perpetuating MacGuffin that does an awful job of motivating anybody to do anything. And hey, another albino bad guy. Way to be original. What happened to you, Milligan? You used to be awesome. You know what, I’m gonna say editorial got in your way, and fucked you on this. This can’t possibly be your fault.

And why is nobody all that afraid of Batman in the Outback? Why’s he even out there as Batman? You’re a little out of your jurisdiction, mate.
At least the art’s pretty cool. David and Alvaro Lopez have a style reminiscent of Darwyn Cooke body types with Gary Frank faces. Regardless, they do share the blame for timejumps as their transitions could have used work (but I did like the panel borders differentiating past from present).
You know, maybe it’s nobody’s fault that this issue sucked.
Maybe it’s just Damian.

http://www.popcultureshock.com/pcs/columns/


Batman Annual #26

I was really happy to see Team Lopez doing the art on this book. Those guys draw a nice Batman.

Alright, do we need another Ra's Al Ghul origin comic? Maybe not, but it doesn't hurt. And this was entertaining, nice-looking, and will bring new readers up-to-speed. I know some hardcore fans don't like updated versions of stories that were don't right the first time, but it is important to consider new readers. I'm just sayin'. The real challenge of re-telling an origin story is to make it both informative for newbies, and interesting for long-time fans. I liked reading this, and I definitely liked looking at it. Plus it's not a bad idea to incorporate Damian into the re-telling of Al Ghul's origin. It's a good comic. I've got no complaints.

Incredible Change-Bots by Jeffrey Brown

http://livingbetweenwednesdays.blogspot.com/2007_08_01_archive.html

Review Batman Annual 26

Review CatWoman #71

Catwoman # 71 Review

Posted by EvilOmar on September 21, 2007 1:13 PM
Author: Will Pfeifer
Penciler: David Lopez
Inker: Alvaro Lopez
Cover: Adam Hughes

It's the beginning of a new story arc for Catwoman and it's been a long time since I reviewed a Catwoman book, I believe OYL was the last issue I reviewed. It peaked my interest if this title was still going on after Dan thought it was cancelled. I haven't read the book for almost a year, but I went back and re-read all the books in that gap. All I have to say is how is it possible the same writere is responsible for the last great years of Catwoman sotries also be responsible for the horrible Amazons Attack mini?

If only all the DC titles had managed to sustaing the same One Year Later storytelling momentum like Catwoman did. With the exceptioin of Aquaman, I can't think of another character being effected so long and drastic as Cawoman has. Selina is trying to keep a balance between being a mother and having to don the Catwoman outfit knowing it could endager the life of her child. There is a wonderful moment with Selina and Bruce/Batman which really reminded me of how much I missed their relationship they had back in Hush. A perfect understanding of how much Batman has changed since Infinite Crisis is show in one great panel of Bruce holding Helena. She wants to destroy the persona of Catwoman, even if it means destryoing her old life and going into hiding leaving her child without a mother.

I love the way that Pfeifer shows the moral complexity of Selena Kyle. He's got me wondering if she will actually give up the mantle and I worrying about the future of her little girl. David Lopez's art is always a joy to see, though his proportions on his facial expressions shift a bit throughout the issue. His backgrounds are truly amazing, if comics didn't work for him the guy could be an architect. It's really amazing to see this relationship between mother and daughter grow and to see the lengths that Selina is willing to go for Helena. A-

http://aboutheroes.com/content/2007/09/catwoman_71_review.php


Honking Horseman
joined: Jul 2005
Location: Bahamut's Lair
Posts: 2,706

Catwoman #71 Spoilers & Discussion
Another cool issue by Pfeifer, Lopez and Lopez. Again solid art and story telling from the team, I'm particularly liking Lopez's depiction of Batman.

This issue carries on the story of Selina trying to find the right way to keep her child safe. The issue starts with a nightmare Selina has in which all her foes are taking turns holding Helena. After waking she calls Bruce and asks him to 'swing by'. Bruce and Selina get a nice scene together with Bruce looking in on and then holding Helena which was really nice

Selina wants a new start for herself and Helena and asks Bruce if he can help 'kill' them both. Bruce agrees and complies by becoming a mad costumed terrorist for an afternoon, during which he takes Selina and Helena hostage in the middle of a busy street. The terrorist's explosives go off too soon and the onlookers are shocked to see the madman and his two victims dissapear in a huge explosion.

That evening Irina and Helena Dubrovna's deaths are reported on the news and Selina, now staying at Wayne Manor, asks Bruce to do 'one more thing'.

I imagine that the other thing Selina wants Bruce to do is help with Helena's adoption. Even though the big One Year Later change of Selina's pregnancy is kind of being 'undone' it's interesting to see her in this period of transistion. Selina explaning to Batman how her friends are slowy moving away (on a great page layout!) was cool and I'm wondering how much that has to do with her future return to being a thief. Zatanna's appearance next issue and the hype of Selina Kyle saying a 'painful, final goodbye' (to Helena?) and 'Catwoman's return to Villainy' makes me hope they don't sweep certain things away with a mindwipe or similar.

I still wonder how long her new 'villainy' will last and how that will mesh with her appearances in the new Outsiders team.

http://www.comicbloc.com/forums/showthread.php?p=1169230


13. Catwoman #71 (12)
Will Pfeifer (W), David Lopez (A), Adam Hughes (C)
I think I would like this issue a lot more if I didn’t feel like DC is getting ready to push the reset button on Catwoman’s One Year Later changes (which, thus far, have been the longest lasting and most drastic changes that any DC book, except Aquaman, faced). While I can see how Helena limits the type of stories that can be told with Catwoman, I’d rather see Pfeifer push for more creative ways to use the addition instead of writing her out of the book after just over a year. That being said, I really liked the interaction between Batman and Catwoman, which reminded me a lot of their relationship in Hush (which I loved). David Lopez’s art is as enjoyable as ever, though his proportions shift a bit throughout the issue. Still, it’s a nice story that shows the lengths that Selina is willing to go for Helena, but I’m not sure I’m fond of the direction that the book is heading into.

http://www.comicbloc.com/forums/showthread.php?p=1169427


Catwoman #71
Written by Will Pfeifer
Art by David Lopez
Rating: Must Read
Dan's Review: I don't think I'll ever understand just how in the world the same writer responsible for the past few wonderful years of Catwoman was also behind the endlessly dreadful Amazons Attack miniseries. The truth of the matter is, writer Will Pfeifer's Catwoman is (and has been since the day Pfeifer took over the book) as delightful as Amazons Attack was painful. Consider this: Catwoman was the one and only series that survived Amazons Attack's insidious touch and actually managed to tell a compelling Amazons tie-in story. Pfeifer managed to pull off that seemingly impossible feat the same way he managed to make Catwoman the one and only title to sustain the storytelling momentum created by DC's failed line-wide "One Year Later" jump -- by continuing to focus on Selina Kyle's struggle to balance her identity as Catwoman with her new life as a mother. Thanks to Pfeifer's ongoing, pitch-perfect examination of the rich and morally complex character that is Selina Kyle, DC's decision to make Catwoman the mother of a one-year old girl has turned out to be a huge success - at least in this critic's eyes. Pfeifer hasn't really hit a single false note when developing this new aspect of Selina's character, coming up with endlessly inventive ways to provide a believable reason why Selina must don her Catwoman outfit even though she is fully aware that doing so will endanger her child.

Thankfully, Pfeifer uses this issue to at least temporarily lay to rest the device of putting young Helena in harm's way, and it's a testament to the writer's skill and timing that he does so at the precise moment this storytelling angle was beginning to grow old. It's also a real treat to watch the writer examine the complex and loving relationship between Catwoman and Batman, and I'd go so far as to say that this issue does more for the new and improved, kinder Bruce Wayne than any other writer - Paul Dini and Grant Morrison included - has managed thus far. As far as character driven, one-and-done issues go, you're not going to find a much better issue than this installment of Catwoman, and judging from its conclusion, it looks like Pfeifer has plenty more of these fantastic character pieces in store for the future. For the thousandth time - get on board Catwoman if you want to read a DC book done right.
Jesse's Take: Catwoman is a book I've enjoyed off and on since the One Year Later revamp. I managed to avoid nearly everything Amazons Attack-related, so I have no particularly ill feeling towards Will Pfeifer. It's fascinating to see how the birth of a baby can so dramatically impact a character's life.

Selena Kyle is a woman who spent much of her adult life leaping across rooftops and clashing with Batman. Heck, she started out her career as a prostitute if you believe Frank Miller's comics (not generally advisable anymore). This issue in particular is an example of how older age and motherhood have mellowed this femme fatale out. It's also supremely satisfying to see Pfeifer portraying the happier, more pleasant Batman we were supposed to be getting One Year Later. Most of DC's books seems to have lost that memo. Selena seems poised to hang up the Catwoman mantle forever, and Bruce is just the person to help her destroy her old life and go into hiding. Pfeifer left me wondering what direction Selena will head in. Will she actually give up the mantle? Wil her baby wind up motherless? I want to know, and I want to know now!

Jesse's Rating: Must Read

http://comics.ign.com/articles/821/821006p1.html


Catwoman 71
A not unpredictable fake her and Helena's death for Selina (guess that's another spoiler), not unlike the recent faked death of Sin in the Black Canary mini, but here, Selina instigated it and there Dinah was kept in the dark. But if anyone hadn't guessed before the reveal that the nutjob with the bomb was Batman acting on Selina's request, I think you might be working with a more befuddled brain than I do most times. Because it was obvious to me. And almost as obvious, I fear and hope I'm wrong, is that Selina is going to give up Helena. BTW, while the art is nice, as usual, just how many teeth do David Lopez and Alvaro Lopez think toddlers have, anyway? On the next to last page, Helena seems to have almost a full set.

http://shellyscomics.blogspot.com/2007/09/quite-haul.html


CATWOMAN #71 Written by Will Pfeifer. Illustrated by David Lopez & Alvaro Lopez. Cover by Adam Hughes. This title delivers month after month with one of the most solid creative teams in comics right now, and with the added bonus of covers by Adam Hughes. Things have been slowly building towards a significant change for Catwoman for some time now, and you should check this one out as the climax nears.

http://www.elfsar.com/Elfbytes%20Articles/July_2007.htm


Catwoman #71 – Will Pfeifer and David and Alvaro Lopez have made this one of the most consistent well done series at DC. Every issue moves the story forward and continues to bring you back for more. The official hype for this issue “Selina Kyle has to say goodbye to the most important person in her life! And when all that was caring in Selina is gone, Catwoman will be at her most unexpected, her most unpredictable and her most dangerous!”

http://comicsand.blogspot.com/2007/09/what-im-getting-wednesday_17.html


CATWOMAN #71 REVIEW
Reviewer: Terry Verticchio terryvert@hotmail.com
Quick rating: Very good
Title: Mother’s Day—Part One

Can Selina remain being Catwoman and still be a mother?

Writer: Will Pfeifer
Pencils: David Lopez
Inks: Alvaro Lopez
Colours: Jeromy Cox
Letters: Jared K. Fletcher
Cover artist: Adam Hughes
Editor: Nachie Castro
Publisher: DC Comics

Selina is having bad dreams. They involve all of the nasty freaks and villains she’s run across in her time as Catwoman and her daughter, Helena. It seems these people can’t keep their hands off the baby and Selina is powerless to stop them. So she decides that to ensure her dreams don’t become a reality there has to be big changes in her life and those changes involve Batman in no small degree.

This is more a epilogue to what’s happened to Selina since she’s had her baby, rather than a beginning of another story arc. I especially like the interaction between Selina and Bruce in this issue. Will Pfeifer makes their relationship real and profound. Both characters have a love and respect for one another. And Bruce’s solution to her problems is a treat to behold.

The art is good. The lines are clean and the figures bold. There isn’t much in the way of action, but the art remains well rendered.

Catwoman is one of those nice little niche books that remains consistent month after month, with believable characterisation and great stories.

http://www.comixtreme.com/forums/showthread.php?p=526558


Catwoman #71 Spoilers & Discussion
Another cool issue by Pfeifer, Lopez and Lopez. Again solid art and story telling from the team, I'm particularly liking Lopez's depiction of Batman.

This issue carries on the story of Selina trying to find the right way to keep her child safe. The issue starts with a nightmare Selina has in which all her foes are taking turns holding Helena. After waking she calls Bruce and asks him to 'swing by'. Bruce and Selina get a nice scene together with Bruce looking in on and then holding Helena which was really nice

Selina wants a new start for herself and Helena and asks Bruce if he can help 'kill' them both. Bruce agrees and complies by becoming a mad costumed terrorist for an afternoon, during which he takes Selina and Helena hostage in the middle of a busy street. The terrorist's explosives go off too soon and the onlookers are shocked to see the madman and his two victims dissapear in a huge explosion.

That evening Irina and Helena Dubrovna's deaths are reported on the news and Selina, now staying at Wayne Manor, asks Bruce to do 'one more thing'.

I imagine that the other thing Selina wants Bruce to do is help with Helena's adoption. Even though the big One Year Later change of Selina's pregnancy is kind of being 'undone' it's interesting to see her in this period of transistion. Selina explaning to Batman how her friends are slowy moving away (on a great page layout!) was cool and I'm wondering how much that has to do with her future return to being a thief. Zatanna's appearance next issue and the hype of Selina Kyle saying a 'painful, final goodbye' (to Helena?) and 'Catwoman's return to Villainy' makes me hope they don't sweep certain things away with a mindwipe or similar.

I still wonder how long her new 'villainy' will last and how that will mesh with her appearances in the new Outsiders team.

http://www.comicbloc.com/forums/showthread.php?p=1171950


13. Catwoman #71 (12)
Will Pfeifer (W), David Lopez (A), Adam Hughes (C)
I think I would like this issue a lot more if I didn’t feel like DC is getting ready to push the reset button on Catwoman’s One Year Later changes (which, thus far, have been the longest lasting and most drastic changes that any DC book, except Aquaman, faced). While I can see how Helena limits the type of stories that can be told with Catwoman, I’d rather see Pfeifer push for more creative ways to use the addition instead of writing her out of the book after just over a year. That being said, I really liked the interaction between Batman and Catwoman, which reminded me a lot of their relationship in Hush (which I loved). David Lopez’s art is as enjoyable as ever, though his proportions shift a bit throughout the issue. Still, it’s a nice story that shows the lengths that Selina is willing to go for Helena, but I’m not sure I’m fond of the direction that the book is heading into.

http://forum.newsarama.com/showthread.php?p=4443072


Catwoman #71: Those of you who followed the rage that consumed the internet in the wake of the not-that-bad Amazons Attack may recall that even the folks who were frothing at the mouth over how Will Pfeifer had totally ruined Wonder Woman were generally pretty positive towards his run on Catwoman, which just goes to show one thing: Even the most bat-shit crazy comics reader can occasionally recognize when something’s awesome.

Such is the case here. Every month, Pfeifer and Lopez deliver a book that’s easily one of DC’s best titles, even in an issue like this, which, to be honest, didn’t strike me as Pfeifer’s best work. It might just be me, but Batman’s tactics for faking Selina and the baby’s death seem a little overboard, not to mention traumatic for the witnesses, but the more I think about it, the more I’m coming to realize that’s probably the only way it could’ve happened: big, noisy, and memorable in order to throw off suspicion. And besides, I guess if you live in Gotham City, seeing a super-villain explode is probably just something you have to factor into your daily commuting time. Slam Bradley in AA, however, just doesn’t seem to fit with the character.

Even with my misgivings about that, though, Pfeifer doesn’t disappoint. The scenes with Batman and Helena are just fantastic, and in a panel as simple as Batman smiling down at a baby, Lopez’s art carries so much emotional weight that it becomes something that really humanizes the character, which–aside from Beechen’s great portrayals of him in Robin–is really something we don’t see enough.

http://www.the-isb.com/?p=149


Catwoman #71 by Will Pfeifer, David López, and Alvaro López. $2.99, DC.

As I will prove to my good readers below, Judd Winick is not a good writer. Will Pfeifer, even if you hate what he did with the Amazons, is. How can I tell the difference? Because of the way Pfeifer writes Batman. He understands that Batman is not only about righting wrongs, but also, as Selina puts it, “protecting the innocent.” Some of the best Batman stories are when we see the positive impact of what he’s doing, and not just the hard-ass. He can be hard-ass all he wants, but when Selina needs his help, he doesn’t hesitate, except to cradle her daughter for a moment because Helena is an innocent and Bruce Wayne wants all children to remain that way - at least until they can handle the truth about the world. So he helps Selina disappear like she asks, and we get a beautiful portrait of a relationship that has moved past the usual bullshit and is founded on something strong. It’s interesting reading this comic and the Wedding Special on the same day. Pfeifer writes a real relationship; Winick writes a cartoon one.

Selina still has one more thing to ask of Bruce. What it is, we’ll find out. It doesn’t sound good.

Man, this is a good comic.

http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/2007/09/21/what-i-bought-19-september-2007/


Catwoman 71
A not unpredictable fake her and Helena's death for Selina (guess that's another spoiler), not unlike the recent faked death of Sin in the Black Canary mini, but here, Selina instigated it and there Dinah was kept in the dark. But if anyone hadn't guessed before the reveal that the nutjob with the bomb was Batman acting on Selina's request, I think you might be working with a more befuddled brain than I do most times. Because it was obvious to me. And almost as obvious, I fear and hope I'm wrong, is that Selina is going to give up Helena. BTW, while the art is nice, as usual, just how many teeth do David Lopez and Alvaro Lopez think toddlers have, anyway? On the next to last page, Helena seems to have almost a full set.

http://shellyscomics.blogspot.com/2007/09/quite-haul.html


Catwoman #71
Written by Will Pfeifer
Art by David Lopez
Rating: Must Read
Dan's Review: I don't think I'll ever understand just how in the world the same writer responsible for the past few wonderful years of Catwoman was also behind the endlessly dreadful Amazons Attack miniseries. The truth of the matter is, writer Will Pfeifer's Catwoman is (and has been since the day Pfeifer took over the book) as delightful as Amazons Attack was painful. Consider this: Catwoman was the one and only series that survived Amazons Attack's insidious touch and actually managed to tell a compelling Amazons tie-in story. Pfeifer managed to pull off that seemingly impossible feat the same way he managed to make Catwoman the one and only title to sustain the storytelling momentum created by DC's failed line-wide "One Year Later" jump -- by continuing to focus on Selina Kyle's struggle to balance her identity as Catwoman with her new life as a mother. Thanks to Pfeifer's ongoing, pitch-perfect examination of the rich and morally complex character that is Selina Kyle, DC's decision to make Catwoman the mother of a one-year old girl has turned out to be a huge success - at least in this critic's eyes. Pfeifer hasn't really hit a single false note when developing this new aspect of Selina's character, coming up with endlessly inventive ways to provide a believable reason why Selina must don her Catwoman outfit even though she is fully aware that doing so will endanger her child.

Thankfully, Pfeifer uses this issue to at least temporarily lay to rest the device of putting young Helena in harm's way, and it's a testament to the writer's skill and timing that he does so at the precise moment this storytelling angle was beginning to grow old. It's also a real treat to watch the writer examine the complex and loving relationship between Catwoman and Batman, and I'd go so far as to say that this issue does more for the new and improved, kinder Bruce Wayne than any other writer - Paul Dini and Grant Morrison included - has managed thus far. As far as character driven, one-and-done issues go, you're not going to find a much better issue than this installment of Catwoman, and judging from its conclusion, it looks like Pfeifer has plenty more of these fantastic character pieces in store for the future. For the thousandth time - get on board Catwoman if you want to read a DC book done right.

http://comics.ign.com/articles/821/821006p1.html


Catwoman #71 – Will Pfeifer and David and Alvaro Lopez have made this one of the most consistent well done series at DC. Every issue moves the story forward and continues to bring you back for more. The official hype for this issue “Selina Kyle has to say goodbye to the most important person in her life! And when all that was caring in Selina is gone, Catwoman will be at her most unexpected, her most unpredictable and her most dangerous!”

http://comicsand.blogspot.com/2007/09/what-im-getting-wednesday_17.html