On Comics.

Comics are cathartic for me. They conjure up images of the impossible. It is a fantasy that strikes at the heart of social and political change without even trying. It bundles escapism with reality--and does so elegantly and masterfully. It is an underappreciated art with very few equals. I am hopeful that the film industry can revive the crippled comic book industry by injecting some cash into its dwindling coffers.

It is such a fascinating industry, and it would be an incredible shame to have it lost to capitalism and poor support. I am a creative writer at heart, meaning dusty ol’ tomes are my bread and butter, but being uttered, I have read some of the most innovative literature and viewed some of the most stunning pieces of art within the pages of a comic.

We have literary giants among us, but they get overshadowed by the misconceptions of the masses. Comics aren’t for kiddies anymore, kiddies. They’ve grown to encompass American culture and thus cultures across the globe. They hit on hard topics before society even recognizes them as a ‘hard topic.’ They’re cutting edge, and almost everyone seems interested (due to the films), yet like most-things Americans they tackle it with apathy and feigned knowledge.

Comic books have the amazing ability to bridge the large with the small. They find context within chaos. At a personal level, I rely on them. I find personal solace within the twenty-or-so pages of glossy awesomeness. They are nuggets of escapism. You can devour the by the truckloads or read one or two between coffee breaks--revelatory moments captured in mere minutes.

I’ve been a bit behind on comics over the past several months, and it has been my own undoing. I’ve let my greatest hobby slip away from me as-if it were nil, and I deeply regret it. I’ve yet to crack an issue of “Age of Ultron” and I am more than a month behind on all of my comics, but my goal is to catch-up and begin producing strong, well-structured articles--to get a conversation going, again.

I was busting out several articles a week without a sweat, yet now I can barely get one out a month. My personal life has been tumultuous to say the least, but in times of strife we should all fallback on our greatest loves--partners, family, and the arts.

At the writing of this I have a wall of comics to my left, a head full of ideas, and a heart finally ready to get back into the game. From henceforth, I intend to be a bit more personal. I’ll be writing my usual comic book news and reviews, bit every once in a while I’ll throw an editorial piece this way to let you know what is going on either in the industry from an opinionated source or about my life and comics from an incredibly opinionated source.

Cheers,
      A.R. Schultz

(SOURCE: On Comics.)

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Splish Splash: Incredible Hulk #12

"If it was Thanos or Dr. Doom breaking into your secret old underground prison, you'd get Captain America and Thor. But when you got a Hulk problem... You get us."

In "The Incredible Hulk #12," writer Jason Aaron wraps up his five-issue story arc ("Stay Angry") with another moment of the Hulk waking up in a strange situation and piecing together Bruce Banner's evil plot.  In this issue the Hulk awakens in a forgotten S.H.I.E.L.D. prison nestled deep within the confines of Antarctica; he realizes that his plan of 'staying angry' has not worked out quite as planned, and is promptly pitted against Wolverine and The Thing in an all-out slugfest.

Unsurprisingly, the Hulk does a lot of damage; there is a lot of pain for all parties, lots of stabbing, and lots of punching.  It is an action-packed issue that instantly becomes the highlight of Aaron's story arc.  By bringing Wolverine, the Hulk and Thing together for an all-out brawl it has a sort of throwback feel to it.

Overall, I really enjoyed this issue--more so than the last few.  I had never really considered myself a huge Hulk fan up until reading Aaron's run, however, with his writing and  the stellar art it's hard not to be a fan!  In particular though, this issue caught my eye--from page two onwards (which features Wolverine and The Thing heading into the prison discussing their reason of being there).  Carlos Pancheco's art and Frank Martin's coloring are spectacular, and at its heart is the inspiration for this post.  That coupled with the line above really sets the tone for the whole issue.

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Batman & Robin: War of the Robins

"And this is to prove what exactly?"

"That I am the best Robin, of course."

The 'War of the Robins' is a sort of mini-event that began in issue "Batman & Robin #10," where young Damian declares that he is the best Robin.  He promises to best Nightwing, Red Robin, and the Red Hood at their own game by taking something precious of theirs.

The current Robin has some major shoes to fill,  having his father as Batman and three prior Robins, but Damian, the tough assassin, ends up outsmarting both Tim Drake and the Red Hood; however, at the end of issue #12, Nightwing is no match for Damian.  Instead of fighting him, Nightwing merely gives Damian his Escrima Stick and a few words, essentially stopping Damian in his tracks, making him rethink his purpose of defeating the Robins at all--as Nightwing implies Damian is already apart of the legacy.

This is incredibly understandable when considering that Nightwing used to be Batman and Damian was his Robin.  Even in the new DC continuity, their relationship is unique, and represents one of the few instances that falls outside of the Wayne legacy.  The respect that these two share for one another straddles that line between father and son, as well as brothers.  Nightwing inevitably puts Damian in his place, but what Damian failed to realize beforehand is that he had already come into his own--he is a Robin.

I really enjoyed Patrick Gleason's panel in #12 (above), featuring the four Robins looking to the left in a "40's Aviation, Howard Hughes, looking to the future" sort of way.  It was what sprouted my excitement to do this post, and show a few of my other favorite panels.

Along with the art, writer Peter Tomasi does a great job of bringing the four Robins together, without disconnecting the reader from the primary plot.  I would have preferred more focus on the Robins, but if the rumor mill holds true, we may just be seeing a glimpse into the plans for a new reoccurring series titled, "The Robins."

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52 new #1′s debuting after Flashpoint #5

Everyone has been a buzz about DC’s new announcement that after Flashpoint #5 releases there will be a radical altering of the DC Universe thus creating 52 new #1 issues that could range from anything…to well, anything really.  The entire mythos of characters could be changed and new/old characters can and could be reintroduced with the sudden shake up of the universe.  Essentially it is anyone’s guess!  I very excited and scared to see what the new DC Universe has in store and what that will mean for longtime comic book fans.  I have feeling that my comic book budget might skyrocket during September of this year.  Nevertheless, check out this still of Justice League #1…the first of firsts if you will.

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