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Wonder Woman: Earth One Vol 1 Graphic Novel Review

Wonder Woman: Earth One Vol 1Erica gives this comic one star.Wonder Woman: Earth One Vol 1 by Grant Morrison
Art: Yanick Paquette

I did not go into this book and expect to like it. It sat on my shelves for months. I even took it on trips with me. (Usually on long flights, I like to break up my prose reading with at least one graphic novel.) Nothing could get me to read it until I suggested it for ladies comic book club.

And then I felt really guilty when no one liked it. (Except one woman, we’ll give Morrison his one fan.)

Before I dive into the writing — which fits my theory that Morrison writes comic books thinking about the graduate school papers that will be written on them — I want to talk about the art. Yanick’s gotten a lot of praise for this book, and for the most part, it’s pretty art. It’s bold. It’s Wonder Woman and on brand. Nathan Fairbairn’s colors give it the primary-colored superhero journey. I particularly adored Etta as the plus-sized hottie with her Texas attitude.

I really loved how Yanick simplified Diana’s first Wonder Woman costume and gave her pants. More artist should look at this and consider that it’s actually somewhat easy to do this. Too many have overthought what she should wear, but Yanick captures it brilliantly. Continue reading “Wonder Woman: Earth One Vol 1 Graphic Novel Review”

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Batman & Robin: Batman Reborn Graphic Novel Review

Batman and Robin: Batman RebornErica gives this comic three stars

Batman & Robin: Batman Reborn by Grant Morrison
Art: Frank Quitely, Philip Tan, and Jonathan Glapion

I enjoyed this book much more as a study in how Dick and Damien are compared to who Bruce and other Robins have been in the past. I also liked it as a comparison of Dick and Jason and the possibility of what kind of psycho one can be: Damien or Scarlet. And who finds true redemption and goodness in the end.

What I disliked was the villains: Professor Pyg and the Flamingo. I’m not sure what Morrison’s obsessions with ripping off faces to either transplant new ones or eat them. Actually, I do know. Since this is all about identity, faces are the main source of identity, and well, I’m just not enthralled.

I expected the villains to be deeper than they are written. Professor Pyg rather reminded me a little too much of The Twilight Zone episode where the person has surgery to fix his face to make it that of a pig. Pyg seems to have no motivation to make his doll-people besides that he wants mindless automatons to do his bidding.

The Flamingo seems to be nothing more than an over-the-top gross villain who would make other bad guys shake in their boots. I’m really freaking glad that despite his flamboyant appearance that Morrison decided not to make him gay. Continue reading “Batman & Robin: Batman Reborn Graphic Novel Review”