Moments That Made the Bronze (and Modern) Age: The New Teen Titans Begin

In the 70's and 80's, there were a few comics that I consistently picked up as much as my allowance would allow. Spider-Man, Marvel Team-Up, Uncanny X-Men, and then another title came along that pulled me to the DC side of things: The New Teen Titans.

In the 70's I had read a few issues of the Teen Titans, mostly when I saw Hawk and Dove in there. When DC decided it was time to recreate the team, they supplemented a few other comics with a special preview of the New Teen Titans comic.

There were those I recognized instantly (Robin, Kid Flash, Wonder Girl) along with new faces that I didn't (Changeling, Starfire, Cyborg, and Raven). But this series had so much going for it that it couldn't lose in my eyes.

First, the artwork. George Perez knocked it out of the ballpark with every issue he drew. The addition of Changeling's new name and costume (formerly Beast Boy) really caught me. I had never seen him before in his Doom Patrol days, but his ability to turn into animals intrigued me. I have never been a big fan of Cyborg, but this is where he got his start.

This series also launched a few other famous DC characters' careers. Deathstroke the Terminator was introduced in the second issue and quickly became a staple in the DC universe. Looking at how he's crossed over into so many titles (and now thanks to the reboot even has one of his own) it's hard to imagine his humble roots as a new villain from Teen Titans.

Another favorite DC character of mine was the Vigilante, introduced in the second Teen Titans Annual. He was DC's answer to the Punisher (who was Marvel's answer to the old Executioner novels) and had some pretty cool weapons going for him, including gold nunchaku and various guns. He got a series of his own that lasted for 50 issues or so before DC had him commit suicide to deal with all he'd done as Vigilante. That decision sucked, by the way.

Eventually, Robin even underwent quite the life-change by becoming Nightwing. And hey, who could ever forget "The Judas Contract", a storyline in which one of the team--Terra--actually betrayed them to Deathstroke and was eventually killed by the end of it all. That particular story was so powerful that twenty years later Geo-Force (Terra's brother) faced off against Deathstroke and tried to kill him for turning Terra and having a hand in her death. That, my friends, is a grudge!

There are so many other moments in the series that deserve noting, but taking it all back to the beginning I have to say picking up that sampler and eventually the first issue made me a happy camper in the 80's.

The Fate of Fathers

For Father's Day this year, my sons both made me cards. Khristian, a comic book fan who knew what his dad liked, drew me a card that said "Spending Father's Day with my dad..." and on the inside was a crying Batman that said, "Something I can do that even Batman can't!" It made me smile and gave both of us a fun afternoon of figuring out what other heroes had a similar problem.

Did you ever stop to realize how many superheroes are fatherless? It seems like a requirement before you put on the spandex!

Here's what we're talking about:

Peter Parker 

Though the fate of his real father is kind of convoluted (spies? Maybe, maybe not), let's look at the man who raised him: Uncle Ben. Here was this kindly old man who gave us the single most famous line of advice in comic book history ("With great power..."), and how does he end up getting repaid? Shot dead by a burglar in the first issue! Of course, that's a better fate than being run down by a car like a stray dog as he was in "Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark". Still, that single act changed the carefree direction Peter had taken with his powers and turned him into a superhero.

Tim Drake/Robin 2

This Robin (later Red Robin) actually started out with a fairly decent father relationship. His dad tried, if nothing else, to keep an eye on his son. Even when he eventually found out his little boy was fighting crime with Batman, he kept it cool even though he made it known often that he didn't like it.

Though the relationship had some very rough spots, it ended in a horribly painful way with Tim screaming into the phone for his dad while Jack faced a very out-of-shape Captain Boomerang in Identity Crisis.  In the end, the kid became an orphan with his dad dying in his arms. Captain Boomerang came back in Brightest Day, Tim's father did not.

Batman

Can there be any doubt that his father's death was pivotal in this character's development? His all-consuming battle with criminals everywhere began with Crime Alley and hasn't stopped since.

In later years a miniseries called "The Untold Legend of the Batman" would show how Bruce's father was actually the first one to put on a Batman-type costume at a costume party just before they died, which Bruce would later say gave him the subconscious push for his own costume design.

In a very cool twist, the Flashpoint Batman series allowed Thomas Wayne to survive the mugging encounter, with young Bruce dying. In essence it gave us a new angle on the old Batman myth. Apparently, that moment in Crime Alley was destined to create a hero.

Superman

This guy wins the big prize because he lost not just one dad, but two! And not only that, but Pa Kent has died more times than Aunt May so Supes just keeps getting gut punched reboot after reboot!

Originally sent to Earth from Krypton by his biological father, Jor-El, Superman only later learned how his father had sacrificed his own life to save his son. Fortunately, the Kents found young Kal-El and he was assured a happy life forever.

Nope. Pa Kent has died in the comics, cartoons, Smallville and even the movies. No matter how many times he comes back, it seems the writers are determined this man must stay dead for Clark to carry on as a superhero.

Dick Grayson/Robin 1

A circus acrobat...what could be safer? Well, if the mob moves in on your circus, accidents can happen.

Dick and his parents made up the Flying Graysons, a trapeze act that was the hit of the circus. Unfortunately, one night the wires broke and Dick joined the ranks of superhero orphans. Robin was brought into the Batman comics because they were trying to reach a wider audience, and it actually worked. Soon every major hero seemed to take on a child sidekick (Captain America had Bucky, Captain Marvel had Captain Marvel Jr., Sandman had Sandy, etc).

Daredevil

Jack Murdock was a fighter who ended up on the wrong side of some gangsters by not throwing a fight. As a result, they killed him all kinds of dead while his blind son could do nothing to help him. Later on, Matt Murdock would put on the red spandex (or red leather if you saw the movie) and fight crime to avenge his dad's wrongful death.

While by no means a saint, Matt's father showed true character in his death, which is sort of an underlying theme throughout most of the fathers' deaths on here. There was some sort of selfless act that caused it.

Green Lantern

Hal Jordan's dad was a test pilot for Ferris. That meant he got to fly a lot of unstable planes because he was the best pilot there was. See the possibility of problems here?

His dad was a test pilot. Hal himself would grow up to be a test pilot...for the same company. Sounds a little crazy, I know, but it led to him being considered fearless enough for a green power ring when the time came for a new Green Lantern.

The death of Hal's father left a gaping hole in his life, and it motivated him to do some crazy stuff before he got the ring. Even after the ring, though, his father's legacy continued to push him to be a better man. Though we barely even saw the man, his "blaze of glory" moment reverberated through the DC universe for decades.

So Many Masks

Several weeks ago we had a poll asking which type of mask you'd wear if you were a hero. You never really realize how many there are out there until you break them down...which we'll do right now.

Domino Mask

Worn by: Nightwing, Green Lantern, Robin, etc.

Probably the most famous type of mask, it also covers just about the least of the face. I still have a hard time believing this would fool anyone, but it apparently has for years.

The mask begs the question "What in the world is keeping it on your face?" First of all it has to be something that will stay on in the middle of a fight no matter how sweaty you get. But then it has to be removable without ripping the skin around your eyes off.

Yes, I know Green Lantern's mask is created by his ring and is therefore part of the costume, but Nightwing, Robin, Red Hood, and many others have had this little thing stuck to their faces for years without a problem or reasonable explanation.

Cowl

Worn by: Batman, Nighthawk, Red Robin, etc

The most popular choice in our poll, the cowl serves this purpose of keeping the hair covered at least. Now it's not necessarily as easy to figure out who you are under the mask as the domino mask would be.

Add to that a certain streamlined effect and you have a pretty cool look. The fact that it's attached to the flowing cape doesn't hurt either. All in all it can be a fairly intimidating appearance when it's done right.

There's a reason Batman's iconic look has stayed with pop culture for decades. It's an old faithful design that just works.

Full Face Mask

Worn by: Spider-Man, Union Jack, Deathstroke, etc

For a real mystery man look, it's hard to go wrong with this type of mask. Covered completely, heroes sporting this look have that mystery surrounding them that leads a lot of people to wonder what person is really under all that.

Truthfully though, it's hard to imagine Spider-Man without his full mask. And Deadpool just doesn't seem as funny any other way. Union Jack was able to use the look to his advantage to fool Baron Blood into thinking he was an old man when in actually he was young Joey Chapman.

There are a lot of advantages to going this route...though the cost of material goes up a little. That, and it's hard to figure out how you can breathe that well in a tough fight with cloth on your face.

Goggles

Worn by: Booster Gold, Blue Beetle, Plastic Man, Vigilante, etc.

Now this one is hard to pull off right. The first time I read a Plastic Man comic in the 70's I couldn't figure out what was going on with his eyes. Which way was he supposed to be looking? Eventually I figured it all out and the craze seemed to catch on.

Now heroes like Booster Gold and the Blue Beetle have added to the mix of using a functional mask. I mean, when it's raining outside which hero can still see in a torrential downpour? Try that Spider-Man!

Seriously though, I think this could be considered cheating just a little.

Sunglasses

Worn by: Nomad, Hitman, Blade, etc.

If you're not up for goggles, there's always a cheaper way out through sunglasses. While I consider Jack Munroe's Nomad to be one of the best heroes out there and best costume for a casual hero type, I've never been one to follow how he kept the sunglasses on. Also, how are they handy in a fight indoors?

It's really hard to see a hero pull this off and not look like someone off "Jersey Shore", but it's been done. Oddly enough, this is the one look that looks best in the movie versions of the characters. It's hard to pull off a mask on a real person, but sunglasses always look tough.

I almost threw Cyclops in with this group, but I'm not really sure it would be fair. I think he'd fall more under a mixture of the goggles and sunglasses crowd.

No Mask

Worn by: Superman, The Sentry, Punisher, etc.

Of course, there are those who skip masks altogether and just say "Here I am. Look at me!" It's usually done by someone with nothing to hide because their identity is public (like the Punisher) or they look differently when in their secret identity (like DC's Captain Marvel or The Sentry). And yes, Superman hides behind glasses (even dumber than a domino mask) and still folks can't figure out who he is.

Whatever the reason, this is the easy way out. Fight as hard as you want to and never worry about someone seeing your face because your mask got shredded. I can't say I'm a fan of this though. For me, I think it's always cooler to see a hero in some form of mask. The only exception I'll give is the Punisher. I think he'd look a little weird wearing one for some reason.

Helmet

Worn by: Ant-Man, Iron Man, Doctor Fate, Forbush Man, etc.

For real protection, it's hard to go wrong with a good old-fashioned piece of metal on your head! Whether you're using it to control an entire suit of armor like Iron Man or just to hide your identity like Red Hood, you can't say anything about the functionality of one. However, hiding the costume takes a lot of creative thinking when you can't just cram it all under your tuxedo and walk in.

I've always  thought artists probably love drawing helmeted characters more than anything else. No worries about emotion on the face or anything...just a blank slate.

The only character easier to draw would have to be the Question.

Hood

Worn by: Green Arrow, The Spectre, Moon Knight, etc

While hiding identity, I have to say this one would be hard to justify as safe. Think about it: your peripheral vision is absolutely shot. True, you're ready for a rainstorm, but if someone comes at you quietly from the side you are dead.

Also, how do you keep this on your head while you're running after (or away from) a bad guy? When I have my hood on and I go running to my car in the rain, it always flies back and lets me get soaked.

Functionally, I have to say this one is at the bottom of the barrel. Yes, the "mysterious stranger" look works when stepping out of the shadows...but it's not the best choice in a fight.

Over-the-Head Mask

Worn by: Captain America, Hawk and Dove, the Atom, etc.

I'm not sure of the official name for this look, so let's just say it's a cowl without the cape kind of thing. It's been popular for years with everyone from the Flash to Vindicator wearing one.

The thing that makes this one slightly less believable is the way the heroes usually have it during "casual times". Most of the time their whole head is through the mouth part with the mask laying behind their head until the pull it up over their head and on. That sucker would be so stretched out it would blow off in a light wind.

There is a variation of this mask where the hair is seen. Marvel's version of Captain Marvel and the original Captain Britain look are two heroes who go that way with it. Again, I'm not sure what it's officially called though. You know what I mean, right?

Weird Everything-But-The-Face Mask

Worn by: Puck, Justice, The Angel, Gambit, etc.

Ok, I had no idea what you actually called this one, but I've seen it from time to time. I guess this would be considered a "face frame" more than a mask.

I suppose this one would be more for those heroes who want to wear a mask, while still wanting people to know what they looked like underneath. This might even fit into the "no mask" category.

Maybe you're proud of your hair, or maybe you just like the way you look in the mirror, either way, if this is your choice it's not very functional for anything other than keeping your ears warm in the wind.


There are a lot of characters that fit into combinations of categories that I didn't cover. For example, Magneto would fit into the helmet/face-frame mixture. Doctor Doom would fit into the helmet/hood group. Deadshot would be an entirely new combination, with full-face mask/eyescope group. The combinations are endless.

As you can tell, it would be impossible to categorize them all. Hopefully I've covered the most often used ones though.

Heroes That Need Movies

When you think of superheroes who would get movies, guys like Batman, Spider-Man, and Superman all come to mind immediately. But when we find out Iron Man, Thor, and Green Lantern all get major theatrical releases this Summer, it gives hope for those lesser-known heroes to get some screen time. Here are my nominations for heroes who could probably hold their own in a movie:

Green Arrow

I know he's been a recurring role in the Smallville series, but how about giving the guy a shot at the big screen. I would go for a different feel for the character that was slightly more faithful to the comics version and I'd do a very condensed origin, but the guy has potential.

I know they were tossing around a movie called "Supermax" that would supposedly have Green Arrow having to escape from a maximum security prison filled with supervillains, but I'm not sure that's the best way to go. For one thing, in prison he obviously wouldn't get his costume or arrows (until maybe the last ten minutes of the film).

And definitely give him Deathstroke as his nemesis in the film. No one else would do.

Nightwing

I know you're thinking this could never work without appearing in a Batman film first, but it could be done. Consider the opening moments of the Birds of Prey series. We saw Batman, the Joker, and Barbara Gordon's infamous crippling shot all in a matter of moments in a blurry flashback. The same could be done to give any backstory necessary without changing the origin too drastically.

Why would this be better than just another Batman film? Well, Nightwing had a more light-hearted personality in costume than Batman. His fighting style was much more acrobatic as well. Now add to this the fact that Christian Bale is still up in the air about a fourth Batman film and you are paving the way to replace him in the fourth film without a reboot. Instead, Dick Grayson takes the mantle with an already-established film history.

The Invaders

Look, we have a Captain America movie set entirely during World War 2 and he flies solo the whole time? We established the CGI for a Human Torch in the Fantastic Four movies, so there's the big hurdle beaten down.

Let's go ahead and fill up the roster. Union Jack and Spitfire would be there, with the regulars of Namor, Torch, Toro, and Bucky. That should be more than enough fodder to make a great movie.

I think the key to this would be skipping the Red Skull as the villain. Instead, give us a straight-up confrontation with Hitler, Master Man, or Baron Zemo.

The Flash

Another hero from a series that has been rumored for a big-screen role, the Flash is long overdue for a film.

Ryan Reynolds was mentioned for the role before taking the Green Lantern part, and I think Bradley Cooper would be a great second choice. Their personalities would really mesh well for a team-up movie later on down the line if it came to it since Barry Allen and Hal Jordan were such good friends.

The villain here is obvious: Professor Zoom. Most likely he'd be saved for a sequel though, and we'd get Captain Cold. He could give a few good moments in the fight, I suppose. I've never understood how a man moving so fast could have such a running dialogue with his rogues though. They'd carry on complete conversations in what was supposed to be the space of seconds while he's a blur. Go figure.

The Justice League of America

I know this is one that will probably never happen, but if we can get the Avengers I can't see why DC won't budge on this. After crafting the CGI for the Green Lantern film, I can't see anything to stop this.

Yes, the Avengers will be a geekfest for most comic fans, but to me this would be the franchise I'd love to see. The massive fight scene at the end of the film with Batman attacking from the shadows while Green Lantern and the Flash tried finesse, and Superman and Wonder Woman were taking the frontal assault, would be intense.

The villains to face? I don't think the Legion of Doom would be the way to go for the first film. In the old JLA comics they usually had one major villain that was enough to give the team trouble. My nominee would be Darkseid. I know he's in Smallville, but let's put him in the movie and show what a real invasion from Apokolypse would be like.

Looking Back at the "O*'s" - The 5 Best Stories of the Decade

While I blasted the worst stories last week, I wanted to point out the best this week. Here are the books you should have picked up (and yes, DC was the clear winner here):

1. - Marvel Comics - Civil War

There were rumblings and teasers throughout Marvel's titles for months, and even when it came time to spill the beans on their newest upcoming project, we had no idea where they were going with it. Heroes were supposed to die and some were supposed to turn into villains, but could Marvel pull it off?

Yes, they did.

In this one storyline, we saw Spider-Man unmasking publicly. We saw the return of the Punisher to the regular Marvel Universe. We saw "Thor" kill Giant Man, only to later be revealed as a clone. We saw Captain America turn on Iron Man, and we were loving every page of it. Though the ending was really a little anticlimactic, the story kept to a steady pace and the outcome paved the way for the Secret Invasion later.

2. - DC - Infinite Crisis

 The first issue of this series managed to pay homage to its predecessor (Crisis on Infinite Earths) while still establishing itself as an original plot of its own. Many heroes died here, and some came back (Barry Allen, even just for one panel).

I didn't like how Alexander Luthor and Superboy Prime were turned into bad guys at the end (I feel that was a cheap shot), but I liked this series for the most part.

By the way, find the one huge mistake they made on the poster for this one. It's fairly easy to spot, though the folks at DC never picked up on it for some reason. Did you see it? Explain why Jay Garrick, the golden-age Flash, would be fighting Wally West, the current Flash. It was supposed to be Jay versus Professor Zoom, but apparently the colorist didn't catch the memo.

DC had originally planned to kill Nightwing in this story, but fortunately they rethought that one. That left the character wide open to take part in our next winner...

3. - DC - Battle for the Cowl

How do you recover from the drug-induced haze of Grant Morrison's Batman: R.I.P. story? You give the follow-up tale to Tony Daniel. Rather than dig through years of comic history to find the most obscure moments and make them suddenly crucial to the story, Tony gave us a story that even a new Batman reader could follow.

Dick Grayson, the natural successor to the cowl, didn't want it (for reasons that became apparent later in the title), while everyone else did. Jason Todd steps in as a Batman you should seriously be afraid of, and in the end Dick Grayon's eventual acceptance of the mantle of Batman made perfect sense. The end result was the same as if you'd just had him take it, but the ride made the moment much more poignant.

4. - DC - Identity Crisis

While many have panned this, I have to say I loved it. It was the first time in a long time I followed a monthly series and really had no idea how it was going to end. It had some incredibly iconic moments like the death of Firestorm, Deathstroke versus the JLA, and of course the eventual revelation of Sue Dibny's killer.

This series has made three different lists in this blog based on some of the moments in it, so it stands to reason it would find its way here. This wasn't a comic book story...it was a full-fledged mystery that showed how ugly it can be to be a superhero sometimes.

Oh, it went too far in places. Sue Dibny's rape at the hands of Doctor Light was way over the edge and unnecessary, even though it was the catalyst for Elongated Man's determined attack on him. But this was a solid enough story to keep it interesting until the end. I never saw the end coming.

5. - DC - Green Lantern: Rebirth

We knew Hal Jordan was coming back. The question was how? Geoff Johns gave us a taste of how to write a return story with this one. Hal Jordan's Spectre comes back in a crazy way. Green Arrow uses a power ring. And these are all just moments leading up to the big return.

Some of the explanations were a little strange (like why Hal had gray hair at his temples), but for the most part we saw some incredible stuff from beginning to end.

The thing that set this story apart was how they were able to bring Hal back into the regular DC universe without killing Kyle or anyone else. And in the aftermath of this series we saw him confronting Batman (and decking him).

This will be released in an Absolute Edition early in 2010. If you haven't read it already, get that one on order.

BONUS: DC - Justice

This one didn't make the list because it's on another list I have coming up reviewing the "0*'s", but I had to mention it here.

What's there to like about this? Let's see...Alex Ross does all the interior and exterior work, the Justice League get the biggest smackdown to their abilities ever, Aquaman gets brutally attacked but gets his revenge, and the list goes on and on. This story took an incredibly original look at the Justice League while managing to pay homage to the old "Challenge of the Super Friends" cartoon series by giving us the Legion of Doom (plus some). It looked absolutely hopeless for our heroes until they were finally able to slowly turn the tide.

The "Absolute" edition of this is a must-have. The artwork looks even more amazing in this bigger, more-colorful size. The price may be a little steep, but it's definitely work the investment.

Honorable Mention: Blackest Night

While it technically began in the "oughts", it won't finish until 2010. That means it'll be making our list on December 22, 2019, so be sure and check us out then!

Next week, we continue our look back on the first decade!

The Greatest Fan-Made Movie Trailers

Ok, let's admit that comic book fans can be a little rabid about their favorite heroes from time to time. That being said, we're also an incredibly creative bunch. Thanks to the innovation of cool programs like After Effects, Photoshop, and hey, even Windows Movie Maker, we are able to see trailers for films that would be so awesome it takes the breath away at times. We'll never actually see these films, but at least for two minutes and thirty seconds we are getting our dreams fulfilled. Here's a quick list of some of my favorites:

Thundercats

I know you've heard of this one. It's arguably the first high-quality mash-up to get a lot of media attention. Brad Pitt as Lion-O, Vin Diesel as a bald guy with no discernable personality (a big stretch for him, by the way), and more!



Nightwing Vs. Batman: A Fallen Hero

For some reason, it looks like Nightwing remains one of the favorite cosplay heroes out there. And I know the acting in this one isn't so hot, but it's a fun concept.



The Greatest Fan Film of All Time

This is the preview trailer for it, but it's actually done. It lasts about 45 minutes, and there are some moments of absolute sheer brilliance in it! I don't want to spoil it for you, but any movie that has Stan Lee punching Galactus has got to be good. Seriously though, this isn't for kids. It has some bad language in parts, and the violence goes waaaaaaaaaay over the top in places, but I have to give them points for originality and guts. It starts out funny, but after the Batman/Joker scene in the blimp you see this thing take a serious turn to the dark side. If you have the time and the kids aren't around, check it out and stick with it until it gets serious.



Green Lantern

This one is only the end of a film the guy was putting together rather than a complete trailer, but it deserves mention because it's a CGI work that looks like it could have been pretty cool if he hadn't lost it when his computer crashed.



Grayson

In terms of sheer love for a character and cosplay galore, there is simply no greater film clip than this one. The guy put a long time into filming this and getting some great people to join with him. Kimberly Page plays Catwoman, and I have no idea who the Joker is but the man is scary sick at times. Unfortunately, the guy sold his suit and props on Ebay a while back so he has no plans of actually taking this trailer to full-length production, but you can download the entire screenplay on his website to see what might have been. I've read it, and it has some good moments--particularly the identity of Batman's killer at the end. Unfortunately, he makes Barry Allen's Flash look completely out of character and the ending is so abrupt it makes you think he just got tired of writing and quit.



Day When Superman Die

The grammar here isn't the best, and the sound track is straight from the Superman movie, but you can see where this might have had promise if he'd stuck with it.



Green Lantern

And here it is: my favorite of this little collection. Another Green Lantern post? You betcha! Last year I put together my dream cast of a JLA movie, and my choice for Green Lantern was Nathan Fillion. Well, someone else had a similar idea except they ran with it in a big-time way! The quality on this video is really good, especially for a fan-made film. When you see the shots of the other GL's like Tomar Re and the little squirrel guy it makes you forget this is a fan trailer. It's too bad we'll never actually see this one for real. Nathan's a natural!



Hey, there are so many of these out there I'll have to do this again soon. Got any favorites you think should make the next list?

Jumping On Points for New Readers

One of the many contest entries we've gotten caught my eye this week and I wanted to take a look at it. If you haven't entered the contest yet, get to it! You've got until May 30th! I'll be listing the complete prize pack at the end of this posting.

One thing a lot of people seem to love about comic books is their rich history and back story. When the hero stands facing that same old villain, sometimes there is this sense of glee that can only be enjoyed by a true fan of the series who realizes that they're fighting in the villain's original lair, or perhaps the spot where the hero lost his sidekick years before, or something like that.

But there comes a time when it becomes so convoluted the casual reader can't understand what in the world they're reading. "Who's the guy in the Captain America mask?" "Why is the Hulk red?" "Where's Spider-Man's wife?" So for those who wonder, here's my take on safe titles for casual readers and those who are going to require some explanation.

Superman

Believe it or not, Clark's not working for the Daily Planet anymore. As a matter of fact, he's almost impossible to find in his own title! Instead, the world has been taken over by a bevy of Kryptonians, some good and some bad. Mon-El (from the Legion of Superheroes) has become Metropolis's protector while Supes is away. Flamebird and Nightwing are also there to help, along with a mysterious new Superwoman and the Guardian. If you're just starting in this title, you're going to need to go back about a year to catch up with the current storyline. You can pick up the "Superman: New Krypton" TPB to get up to speed.

Batman

Pity the fool who thinks they know enough about the character just because they've watched Christian Bale in action. Bruce Wayne is dead--twice--or he's trapped in the Stone Age somewhere. Anyway, since he's been gone we've had a little bit of a tussle amongst the folks who believe they should be the next in line for the suit.

Tim Drake (Robin) is wearing it out of loyalty. Jason Todd (Red Hood) wants it to make Batman the bad dude he's supposed to have always been. Meanwhile, the obvious choice, Dick Grayson (Nightwing) doesn't want the costume (yet) but doesn't want Batman's memory sullied by pretenders. That results in several versions of Batman running around at once and fighting each other.

If you're a new reader, you can possibly pick this up by just going back about six months. Take my word for it that Batman is dead, find the first two issues of "Battle for the Cowl" and wait for the third. If you want the backstory on who everyone is and why they're fighting, it's going to take a little while. Go back about three years to see the Jason Todd/Nightwing dynamic, and about two years to see the Tim Drake/Damian Wayne conflict.

Captain America

Steve Rogers is dead, but even the most casual reader knows this since it made national headline news when it happened. Bucky (his old partner who was considered the standard for dead characters for years since he never came back) has returned and now wears the suit. He was a bad guy named Winter Soldier, but he gave that up to honor Steve's memory. And yes, Captain America is carrying a pistol now.

To make things slightly more interesting while we wait for Steve's inevitable return, the Captain America from the 1950's is wandering around out there still thinking he's Steve Rogers as well. Both Caps have fought before, and it's safe to say they'll do it again.

You can catch up to this one with the Captain America Omnibus, and the two TPBs that follow. Or just remember that Bucky is Cap, Cap is dead, the Red Skull is behind everything, and Steve's coming back.

Hulk

This one actually isn't that bad. Green Hulk is still around, and yes it's Bruce Banner. But there's also a Red Hulk running around as well, and we have no idea who he is yet. At one time it appeared they were going to make it Doc Samson, but that's been proven wrong. Now I have no idea. He's someone with some serious issues in the past with Bruce Banner, and he's someone with absolutely no qualms about killing or maiming.

If you want to follow this one, it's easy. A six-issue story arc has just ended this month, so pick up next month's issue and keep reading from there.

Spider-Man

Here's one you might be a little confused on if you haven't read it in a few years.

Mary Jane and Peter aren't married, and never have been, in fact. This is due to a deal with Mephisto that Peter made to save Aunt May. In order to make sure the old bat didn't die, he gave up his life with the woman he loved and all memory of it right to her face.

Now roughly the past 20 years of Spider-Man continuity is gone...but only in this book. Venom is still around with a hatred for Spider-Man that comes because the Symbiote used to be a part of him--even though it technically wasn't because it never happened. However, instead of losing this valuable character Marvel just figured the fans would be to stupid to figure it all out. Likewise, Harry Osborn isn't dead, and neither is Norman Osborn.

To get caught up to speed, pick up "One More Day", "Brand New Day", and everything in between. Roughly a year or so back to get caught up again.

The Flash

Barry Allen is back. This is the perfect time to jump into this series if you've missed it. With the "Flash: Rebirth" miniseries just starting out, even older fans will have something to grab on to. Barry Allen, Bart Allen, Wally West, and Jay Garrick are all actively involved in the title, so somebody named Flash is bound to be familiar to you!

You currently don't have to go back at all to catch up to this. Barry Allen was dead but is back. Bart Allen went through time and grew up, became Flash when Wally West disappeared, and then lost his powers and died when Wally came back...and now he's back as a kid again. Wally West was Flash, has kids, and is still Flash in a way. Jay Garrick is and always has been the Golden-Age Flash. Now you're ready for the next issue. This series has been throwing some wonderful bones to long-time readers lately, but it's not so impossible to follow you'll be lost or anything. Jump on in!

These are obviously just the big heavy-hitters in the comic book world. There are several other smaller titles that you can jump in on and not need to know a lot, but here are a few to avoid unless you want some serious back story reading:

* X-Factor
* Green Lantern
* Iron Man
* Wolverine (read X-Force instead)

And now, the contest prize pack! Don't forget, we're holding a drawing on May 30th for some great prizes. All you have to do to enter is send an email to me at ComicsInCrisis@yahoo.com with an idea for a future posting. I may or may not use your idea, but even if I don't you automatically get an entry into the random drawing and could win some great stuff.

Here's the Prize Pack:

* A digital copy of "Comic Book Confidential", the documentary about comic book history that includes interviews with Frank Miller, Jack Kirby, Will Eisner, and many other great artists and writers! You'll need an iTunes account to download the gift from the iTunes store, but the account is free and almost everyone has iTunes on their computer already.

* A copy of "Was Superman a Spy?", a new release book about comic book urban legends. Which white superhero was supposed to be the first black one? Which famous mutant was actually supposed to be an animal that evolved into a man? Who looked exactly like Mister Incredible with wings in his first incarnation over 50 years ago? All these great questions will be answered and a lot more. It's a fun read!

* A dozen different comic books from the Modern Age! These are from my collection and will hopefully introduce you to some titles you might have missed, along with some that are well-known like Spider-Man, etc.

* One mystery superhero action figure! This will be a superhero figure that is new in the package and in great condition. I don't know if you're an action-figure collector or not, but it would make a great gift for any comic fan you know who is.

* I'll also be throwing in a copy of my latest novel, "Stolen Lives". While this has nothing to do with comic books, you still might find it a fun summer read.

All this just for sending in one little email! So hurry up and get with it! We're on our last week of the contest. You can enter as many times as you'd like as long as you give me a different posting idea with each one. So if you've ever had a burning comic book posting question, now is the time to make it known!