Runboard.com
Слава Україні!

runboard.com       Sign up (learn about it) | Sign in (lost password?)

 
Artsta Profile
Live feed
Blog
Friends
Miscellaneous info

The Watcher

Registered: 12-2008
Location: Jacinto
Posts: 446
Reply | Quote
Superman & Batman: Public Enemies - Review


Superman & Batman: Public Enemies
By: Jeph Loeb & Ed McGuiness

I picked up this TPB last week and I gotta say fantastic story. While Ed McGuiness' artwork verges between cartoony and realism, it fit well with Loebs writing.

The story starts off brilliantly splitting between Bats and Supes in each panel letting them describe in their own words how their lives have gone as they've grown up.

For instance in one panel Superman says:

"Suddenly, in the dream, I can see myself -- older -- as I watch Ma and Pa come into my life... At that moment my childhood began."

Then in the next panel Batman says:

"Unexpectedly, in the nightmare, I can see myself -- alone -- as I watch my Mother and Father leave me forever... At that moment my childhood ended."

The whole book basically goes like this playing off the thoughts of Batman and Superman and how they see each obstacle that comes in their way.

The main basis of the story is there's a giant piece of krypton heading towards earth that will destroy it. Lex Luthor, (who's president i might add), sees this as the perfect opportunity to frame Superman for crimes against America. The big rock is kryptonite, Supes is vulnerable to it, so there for it must be coming to earth to kill Superman.

So he puts a bounty on Supes head and he becomes a fugitive. Superman's only ally being Batman. Wonder Woman decided she's not getting involved in the matter whatsoever. Anyways, they obviously want to prove Lex is lying and manipulating the American ppl. With the bounty on Supe's head though it brings on a pretty big battle. And I gotta say, it was actually pretty sweet. Kudos to Ed on the fight sequences, very well done.

There's also a side story that the book starts off with that has to do with Metallo. Unfortunately that's something we're not gonna find out about in this book.

Overall i thought it was pretty good. It's def. got me more interested in the Superman & Batman series. I had already read the next arc which is drawn by Mike Turner with the coming of Supergirl. That one I highly recommend.

You guys should check this one out.

Image


Last edited by Artsta, 12/13/2008, 12:43 pm


---

12/13/2008, 12:35 pm Link to this post Send Email to Artsta   Send PM to Artsta
 
EJMorges Profile
Live feed
Blog
Friends
Miscellaneous info



Registered: 12-2008
Location: New Rochelle, New York
Posts: 193
Reply | Quote
Re: Superman & Batman: Public Enemies - Review


Jeph Loeb hits a sore spot with me. He's one of those writers that perpetuates the kind of thing that Red, Nar and I hate about comics.

http://www.runboard.com/b1narcomicunderworld.f4.t49

What killed me about this story is that Lex brands Superman and Batman as fugitives and then Members of the JSA go hunting them down like they really are fugitives. Loeb completely misses the dynamic of the friendship that Superman has forged with so many of the DCU heroes that this scenario is completely dissolves everything that happened before. Superman is revered and respected by everyone and a presidential mandate isn't enough to sever the bond of friendship that these characters have created.

What's really funny about this writer is that he's writing everything that I'm reading at this point, Hulk, Ultimatum and Ultimates 3. I can't get away from this dude. But if you look at the art on any one of those titles, you can see why I'm buying it.

---

12/15/2008, 10:18 am Link to this post Send Email to EJMorges   Send PM to EJMorges MSN Yahoo Messenger
 
Artsta Profile
Live feed
Blog
Friends
Miscellaneous info

The Watcher

Registered: 12-2008
Location: Jacinto
Posts: 446
Reply | Quote
Re: Superman & Batman: Public Enemies - Review


yeah i do agree with that. the only heroes who showed loyalty were the one's immediately connected to batman or superman which was a bit lame.

except for wonder woman who they claim just decided not to take a part in it whatsoever.

i still enjoyed it though. thats how they tend to write these days i guess. i mean how often do we see the xmen ready to stop wolverine at any costs and then the next day he's chillin' in the mansion by the pool like nothing ever happened.

i think loeb and other writers are able to play on stories like this because i don't know about you, but i started reading comics when i was like 5. maybe it's some sort of way to draw in new comic book fans that aren't familiar with past history, therefore the inconsistencies mean nothing to them. they wanna see a epic fight. so why not throw in 2 not so popular characters to new readers like captain marvel and hawkman to fight what the book described as their equals, superman and batman.

Last edited by Artsta, 12/17/2008, 10:56 pm


---

12/17/2008, 10:53 pm Link to this post Send Email to Artsta   Send PM to Artsta
 
EJMorges Profile
Live feed
Blog
Friends
Miscellaneous info



Registered: 12-2008
Location: New Rochelle, New York
Posts: 193
Reply | Quote
Re: Superman & Batman: Public Enemies - Review


I get that from the story.
And I have to give Loeb credit that it worked to tell his story. It's not that I don't like his writing, i don't like his characterizations of well established comic icons.

He does it all the time and that's what kills me.

If either DC or Marvel decided to reboot their universe then Loeb can go in and get crazy with what ever he wanted to do and I wouldn't care, then he's not resting his stories against decade upon decades of character development. I Like Ultimatum it's fine with me. I can't wait to see what happens in the next issue. I'm not really familiar with anything that goes on Ultimate Marvel side. So If Magneto kills 4 million people by flooding New York City I say holy !@#$ this is a big deal.

I the title that you're featuring here, the characters were made outlaws and no one questioned it then they were hunted down by their friends. . . didn't sit well with me. Ed McGuinness RAWKS! though.

---

12/18/2008, 6:40 pm Link to this post Send Email to EJMorges   Send PM to EJMorges MSN Yahoo Messenger
 
jokesterjmac Profile
Live feed
Blog
Friends
Miscellaneous info



Registered: 03-2008
Posts: 13
Reply | Quote
Re: Superman & Batman: Public Enemies - Review


this is on the 30 must read list.

---
ZUR EN AHRR

12/19/2008, 9:10 am Link to this post Send Email to jokesterjmac   Send PM to jokesterjmac
 


Add a reply





You are not logged in (login)