Weekend Reviews of Two Comics (Summer 2016)

Yesterday I posted on “Spurgeon on Preachers Reading Outside the Bible and Theology.”  One commentator, patrickhawthorne01, wrote “Does this mean I still get to read the comics?”  So its probably appropriate to have my weekly Friday evening book reviews of leisure reading to be on comics!

Jeph Loeb. Superman for All Seasons. New York, NY: DC Comics, September 25^th 2002. 206 pp.

5 out of 5

Funny as this may sound this is my first Superman comic that I read.  That’s largely due to the fact that as a kid I found Superman to be cheesy.  So when I give this book a rating of 5 out of 5 I hope readers would understand that I really thought this book was good.  It surpassed my expectations!  When the writer Jeph Loeb and the artist Tim Sale team up they are incredible and this is another example of great comic art and story just like their other work: Batman: The Long Halloween and Daredevil Legends, Vol. 1: Yellow.

This is the story of how Clark Kent became Superman.  The comic covers one year broken down into four chapters based upon four seasons of the year (Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter).  Readers who have read Batman: The Long Halloween will see the beauty of Loeb’s story telling chronicled by a “calendar year.”  Loeb does a good job with character development as the story progresses.  We see Clark Kent transition from a young high school senior uncertain about himself to become a man who is compelled to protect and help people with his incredible strength.  The artwork is incredibly beautiful. I love the details in the background of everyday objects that takes us back to an earlier time in America’s twentieth century and how everyday items gives us the appropriate mood of how we should feel.  There’s a reason why this is dedicated to Norman Rockwell.  I also love how Tim Sale portray small town “Smallville” with the farms and the fields and the drawings of country folk.  There is certainly a nostalgic feel here.  Readers will also appreciate the artistic contrasts between Smallville and the city of Metroplis.  In fact there are so many wonderful foils and contrasts in this book to enjoy for those who pay attention to the details!

It is a clean comic which I commend since these days some people think you have to have immoral filth in order to sell comics.  This is a wonderful story about heroes, principles, calling, family, home and love.  I highly recommend it.

Purchase: Amazon

 

Brian Schirmer. Black Jack Ketchum. Berkeley, CA: Image Comics, July 5^th, 2016. 128 pp.

2 out of 5

I got an electronic review copy of this book through Diamond Book Distributors and Net Galley because I was perked with the idea of a Western that has the name of an infamous historical criminal name Black Jack Ketchum.  However this work was rather bizzare and truth be told it felt pointless.  You wonder what is real and what is a dream.  You follow along a story and then suddenly we see a transition of another scenario.  I love the color, the illustration and the historical facts given but the story was out there for me personally.

NOTE: This book was provided to me free by Diamond Book Distributors and Net Galley without any obligation for a positive review. All opinions offered above are mine unless otherwise stated or implied.

Purchase: Amazon

 

If you are interested check out our Collection of Posts: Superheroes, Comics and Worldview Series.