The world of comic books have been thrust to the mainstream within the last ten years. People crave the stories of those who do what an average person cannot for the sake of good or evil. What seems to be forgotten, though, in this superhero renaissance, is the comic books themselves. We at Two Thirds have dipped our toe in the pool of comics before, but now we are ready to strip down and dive in headfirst. The DC Universe subscription service has opened its doors to almost its entire catalog and history of comic books and we are here and willing to take it all in. We have found that it is incredibly easy to become overwhelmed with the comic world, whether it’s the changing of timelines, perspectives, or alternate realities. We are ready to take a step back and keep it slow and simple. One or two comics every single day. We have found that it’s a realistic and accessible goal, and every month we are going compile all the stories that we finished and we are going to rank them, and talk about them. We hope people will enjoy coming along with us on this cosmic and heroic adventure, and maybe give us some recommendations along the way. THIS is the Two Thirds Comic Society.
5. Martian Manhunter: Revelations
Martian Manhunter #20-24
Author: John Ostrander
Artist: Tom Mandrake
Brandon:
Martian Manhunter has always been one of interest for me. I've been a fan of his ever since I saw him in the animated Justice League show. His powers are cool and his story is tragic. I was excited to finally dive into more of the comic book Manhunter and for the most part enjoyed what I saw.
Revelations is more of a series of one-off issues with a very small plot carrying through that it is a connecting arc. It's a collection of stories with other heroes told through the eyes of J'onn. For example, we get to see Clark grow up as J'onn works for his father. I normally love these kind of stories. It's a narrative twist instead of the same old rehashing. The only thing I feel it was missing was more weight. Instead of it just being a collection of unrelated short stories, I wish it was building towards something more.
Jon:
This one is a little weird to think of as a whole. Since it’s basically just a collection of standalone first impressions. Overall it was good, but got a little worse for me as it went, which hurt the overall product as far as our ranking. Since it’s an odd one to put into words, I’ll do what I do best and create a ranking. A ranking inside of a ranking? How much better can it get.
#21 Green Lantern - This was by far my favorite. I was expecting Hal Jordan, but instead, it’s Manhunter meeting his predecessor, Abin Sur, while fighting what I thought was a pretty interesting villain.
#20 Superman - Martian Manhunter keeps up with Clark Kent to ensure he is going to be a good boy when he grows up. Clark passes the test and together they beat up some racist hillbillies along the way.
#23 Batman - Double M is always serious. The Dark Knight loves brooding as much as I love melted cheese (and Batman broods a lot). So it’s less fun, but still interesting to see which of these two can take life most seriously.
#24 The Spectre - This is part zombie, part gang crime and altogether fine enough. I don’t have any Spectre knowledge at this point, so seeing these two meet didn’t do a whole lot for me really.
#25 Dumb - I mentally don’t consider this part of the “Revelations” arc. It’s got the name on it, but aside from Booster Gold and Blue Beetle being kind of funny, this issue should be skipped. If you don’t believe me, it’s Martian Manhunter getting super upset about cookies. Dumb.
4. Nightwing: The Boys
Nightwing #25
Author: Chuck Dixon
Artist: Scott McDaniel
Brandon:
The Boys was exactly what I wanted it to be and also not what I wanted. Needless to say I have mixed feelings about it. I love the idea of a little slice of life between Dick and Tim, but for me, the conversations were not as good as I'd hoped for. They spend a decent amount of time talking about Bruce and girls. The relationship between the two is wonderful, Tim being able to talk to Dick about whatever is on his mind is wonderful. No one understands what Tim is going through as Robin quite like Dick. It's just that I wish I had a little more something not Batman or Robin related. These characters are more than just Bruce Wayne's sidekicks but this issue doesn't dive quite into what I wanted. It's not bad ,but it definitely felt lacking.
Jon:
Brandon’s a hater and I knew this would happen when I picked this issue for us to read. Granted there is some bias on my side. I have a Robin problem. It’s an unhealthy and irrational infatuation with the boy wonders. I know that sounds wrong but hey it’s true. I don’t know if it’s that they basically always seem like the only innocent beings in the city of Gotham, or that someone as cold and calculating as Batman decided he needs a teenager by his side to balance himself out. Either way I’m fascinated by them and their different progressions from child sidekick to adult hero. The Boys is just one issue where my two favorite Robins, Dick Grayson and Tim Drake, freely and openly talk about some of their feelings toward Batman and the personal things that go on in their lives that they can’t normally bring to light because of the shadow put forth by the Dark Knight. I would read a hundred issues of all the Robins sitting around talking about seemingly nothing, and that may make me the weird one, but I am what I am. A Robin believer.
3. The Swamp Thing: Anatomy Lesson
The Saga of the Swamp Thing #21
Author: Alan Moore
Artist: Steve Bissette
Brandon:
This issue includes A LOT of words and a decent amount of science / medical terms that I’ll never understand or pronounce correctly. However, that didn’t stop this from being an enjoyable creep fest. It has all the makings of a classic monster movie. Old rich man hires scientist to look at a specimen he knows nothing about and, well you can probably guess the rest. The art was fantastic and the narration only added to the horror. We get the inside thoughts of the scientist who’s going mad while trying to figure out what makes this thing tick. That thing of course being Swamp Thing. I am very much looking forward to more of Alan Moore’s run with the Swamp Thing as this ticked off ALL the boxes I wanted it to.
Jon:
I don’t like my comics to be overly wordy. When this happens, I find myself looking past a lot of the artwork in order to take in the story and the dialogue. When Anatomy Lesson began, I felt that it was going to be hindered by this, but as the issue went on, I found myself enraptured by it. I came in knowing absolutely nothing about Swamp Thing. I didn’t know if it talked, or felt, or grew, or if it was even an it. It’s a thing, but is it a he? Or an it? So I came into this expecting there to be some guy who was mutated into some swamp plant, but instead we got something pretty damn creative as far as an origin. I won’t spoil it, but it’s definitely not just a typical “guy becomes mutated after an experiment gone wrong” story. The story turns into something of a horror story. An old tyrant alone in an empty building with a monster on the loose, and it’s either escape or be killed. I’ve rarely had one issue evolve in my mind like this one did. Now, after being content knowing nothing of the Swamp Thing’s story, I welcome the thought of taking in Alan Moore’s entire run.
2. Green Lantern: Rebirth
Green Lantern: Rebirth #1-6
Author: Geoff Johns
Artist: Ethan Van Sciver
Brandon:
After a lot of thought and consideration, this is my going to be staying in my top three at least for a while. It also ironically includes a scene where Hal knocks the snot out of Batman, obviously a sign from the universe that Batman is the new number two. Admittedly, I was confused after reading the first issue was confused, which is 100% on me. Having not yet read the prior arc where Hal was possessed by Parallax I was a little lost. As the series went on, though, I gathered enough understanding that it didn't hinder my enjoyment. Once Rebirth ramps up, which is pretty quickly, it is a non-stop thrill ride. It has a lot of fantastic action sequences spanning from space fighting seems right out of Dragonball Z in the best way possible. That’s not all of it though there is Lantern ring fighting, close combat fighting, oh and someone gets their hand chopped off. Seeing most of the key Lanterns team up with Hal commanding the ship had me smiling the whole time and I want to read more issues where that happens.
Rebirth offers more than flash and fireworks though, it has a lot of deeper emotional moments. John Stewart and Oliver stanning for Hal because they knew who he was before the Parallax contamination, is heartwarming, and seeing them go to the extent they do to help a friend in need is wonderfully portrayed. I’m also a huge fan of the dynamic between Batman and the Green Lantern core. What is Batman when fear and intimidation isn’t enough to get the job done? In this case he puts his mortality out there, in albeit a douchey way. I can see where he’s coming from, though, as someone without powers, Hal Jordan could obliterate Batman if he indeed was still infected with Parallax. Making sure the real Hal is back isn’t such a bad thing. This interaction among many others felt real and in as ungrounded of a story as you can get, that's important. The characters stand out just as much as the meteors slamming into Hal. That's why Rebirth quickly jumped up to being one of my favorites.
Jon:
Man, do I wish I had a better grip on what happened with Hal Jordan’s past. I had a general knowledge of his becoming of Parallax, and being turned into a murderer, but that’s roughly all I knew. With more background, I think this would have bolted up to an all timer for me. With the little confusion I had in the beginning of the story, though, Green Lantern: Rebirth is just going to have to settle for being super super good. It’s a tough slide I know.
This story is awesome, plain and simple. Hal Jordan has always been one of the characters I’ve been most interested in, and this run shows me why. His friendship with some of the more entertaining members of the Justice League make for fun character interactions that aren’t able to be in a lot of comics. Between Hal, Oliver Queen, Wally West, and Guy Gardner, there’s a lot of people interacting with each other that don’t take things too seriously. And this catches the ire of the one who takes everything too seriously: Batman. I am filled with frustration towards Batman when he is in a lot of Justice League settings. I get it, he’s smarter than everyone, but does he have to be such a prick about it? I love that Hal is one of the few that doesn’t put up with him and when he basically tells him to fuck off here, I couldn’t hold the grin off my face. Aside from the multitude of characterization, the artwork is fantastic. Seeing the streams of all the Lantern’s is surreal as they zip around sky and space. As far as cosmic battles go, I couldn’t have hoped for better. This is the first of any Green Lantern stories we read, but thanks to Rebirth, it won’t be even close to the last.
1. Batman: The Long Halloween
Batman: The Long Halloween #1-13
Author: Jeph Loeb
Artist: Tim Sale
Brandon:
This is comic book perfection in my eyes. I have nothing bad to say about any of it. The art, writing, and story arc are phenomenal. I love myself a good “who done it” and this one is superb at keeping me invested in the killer plaguing Gotham. After all, if the World's Greatest Detective can't solve it then who can. I found myself rethinking things through and trying to pick up the pieces of the puzzle as it progressed. Watching Harvey, Gordon, and Batman struggle to solve the case and see how it affected their home lives was incredibly well done. The shots of Gordon coming home late again and again, but Barbara still having dinner ready or getting to spend time with his child, is heartwarming in an otherwise mob murderfest.
The Long Halloween also let some more minor villains get some spotlight. I never thought I needed a Scarecrow and Mad Hatter team up but now that I have, I want more. I loved the April Fool's issue where the Riddler and Batman are trying to find out who Holiday is. Jumping back and forth while giving the reader more insight into the crimes was done perfectly.
The art is gorgeous. I found myself in awe at how cool the shading, lines, and use of color blended together. Villain designs were some of my favorite (yes even with the Joker's extreme teeth). Again, everything about The Long Halloween is perfect and I see it sitting on the top for a long time.
Jon:
It’s hard to find any real negative on this story. The art is absurdly cool and the story caught me instantly. Brandon and I talked constantly over who we thought the killer was, and we repeatedly changed our minds and in the end we still ended ended up wrong, and then kind of right again? It really takes some turns. Along the way we get drop ins from all sorts of Batman regulars. Catwoman, Poison Ivy, Joker, and more all make their appearances and they don’t stay too long to pull away from the main storyline, rather they are peppered in at a good enough rate to keep us on our toes and keep anything from growing stale.
I normally think Batman is kind of a dickhead, but his stories and side characters always balance him out. The Dark Knight is slightly less prickish in this story, though, and he is elevated by those around him. Jim Gordon, who is slowly becoming a favorite of mine, and Harvey Dent, who is slowly unraveling from the realization that the baddest bads can’t be put away through an honorable system, make a great team with Bats of the only noble people in town. This trinity of justice strives to find the holiday killer without resorting to any actions that would bring them down to a villainous level. The push and pull of what would be crossing the line is always interesting in Batman stories and it plays very well here.
There’s so much good going on in this story that it would be easy to ramble on about all the things I loved, but I really, really would rather have everyone go out there and experience it for themselves. Do yourself a favor and if you haven’t experienced The Long Halloween yet, go get it.
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