#topcomicstories

[sjhawkins]

Top Comic Stories (Strikes Back… Again) - Day 60/61 - Favourite 2000-2013 Story

Favourite Cover from storyline: Green Lantern (2005) #41 Barrows Variant

Favourite Story: “Agent Orange"

Creators: Geoff Johns (Writer), Phillip Tan (Penciller), Eddy Barrows (Penciller), Jonathan Glapion (Inker), Ruy Jose (Inker) and Julio Ferreira (Inker)

Relevant Issues: Green Lantern (2005) #39-42

----

Oh my days, I’m so close to having completed this, erm, daily challenge now. I'm going to keep this one brief too, since I'm sure y'all have read this awesome little tale. If not, then go and rectify that. Now?

Anyway, today’s choice got me thinking for a bit, and left me stumped for a while. But then, on a second thought, a certain character sprung to mind. Larfleeze! I love Larfleeze, and this was his proper introduction into the Green Lantern line of books. From the days before the “Blackest Night”, this is when Geoff Johns was finalising his take on the emotional spectrum. And well, the introduction of Agent Orange was pure awesome.

But saying that, this storyline isn’t all about how darn awesome Larfleeze is. This storyline introduced the Orange light as being the power of avarice, and had plenty of awesome character moments throughout the four issue storyline. Taking place after Saint Walker had rescued Hal Jordan from the Red Lantern Corps, our hero was adorned with a Blue ring which he just couldn’t remove, which led to plenty of amusing moments as the ring continually asked him what he hoped for.

Add to that, the fact that this story really helped to shape up the idea of another Lantern corps in the Universe, alongside the fact that it teased us ever more slightly about just what was about to be unleashed with the “Blackest Night” storyline, and this four issue storyline is another shining example of just how good Geoff Johns has been on Green Lantern. Such a shame that in a month or so, it all comes to an end…

[sjhawkins]

Top Comic Stories (Take 4) - Day 52/61 - Doctor Strange

Right, lets try this again shall we?

Favourite Cover: New Avengers (2005) #51

Favourite Story: “The Order”

Creators: Kurt Busiek (Writer), Mary Jo Duffy (Writer), Matt Haley (Penciller), Chris Batista (Penciller), Dan Jurgens (Penciller) and Ivan Reis (Penciller)

Relevant Issues: The Order (2002) #1-6

——

I now remember why I was so easily put off continuing this, despite attempting a couple of revivals since I got my new laptop. Doctor Strange is why. He is not a character who really has an awful lot of good stories which spring to mind when I think of him, with the character mostly being associated with the New Avengers for me.

For some reason, I didn’t enjoy Busiek’s Defenders, but I did find The Order to be a good read. Essentially a spin-off from Defenders, this title so the original Defenders – Doctor Strange, the Hulk, Namor and the Silver Surfer go through some strange transformation, where the group comes to believe that the best way to protect the world is to conquer it. This alarms the other members of the Defenders, who soon seek to try and prevent the Order from bringing their plans to fruition.

It is one of those stories where it turns out that the Order aren’t entirely doing this of their own free will, having been manipulated into being aggressive than before, as made evident by the emergence of the Grey Hulk, and Namor and Strange altering their costumes to reflect their new outlooks. Whilst fairly standard, it was a pretty decent read, and probably stands out as one of the few stories featuring Doctor Strange which I particularly enjoyed. So there we have it.

[sjhawkins]

Top Comic Stories - Day 50/61 - Titans

Even later than the previous one, but details. This is all late now.

Favourite Cover: JLA/Titans (1998) #2

Favourite Story: "The Technis Imperative"

Creators: Devin Grayson (Writer), Phil Jimenez (Writer, Penciller), Paul Pelletier (Penciller), Andy Lanning (Inker) and Dexter Vines (Inker)

Relevant Issues: JLA/Titans (1998) #1-3

----

I’m somewhat cheating with this choice, since technically, I should be going for the Teen Titans, and not just the plain ‘ol Titans. However, I don’t think I have ever read any Teen Titans stuff, so if I was picking something for them – this choice would suck.

My reading Titans wise is hardly much better to be honest, since JLA/Titans is the only storyline where they have featured prominently that I have read. Fortunately, it is a pretty nifty story then (although not everyone agrees apparently…)!

“The Technis Imperative” revolved around the return of Vic Stone to Earth, after having departed some time previously as an integrated part of the Technis. As part of the collective, his personality is dormant however, with only his desire to be reunited with his old friends shining through – leading to their kidnapping and implanting into virtual reality to keep them happy. His old friends are of course freed by a JLA and newly formed Titans partnership – before the two clash over whether Vic is beyond help, or worth saving.

Personally I enjoyed seeing how the Titans were like a family, and unwilling to give up on their old friend, no matter what the evidence was saying. The clashes between the JLA and Titans led to some great little fights such as Batman and Nightwing, and overall it was a fun little mini-series. I still veered more towards JLA stuff afterwards though.

[sjhawkins]

Top Comic Stories - Day 48/61 - Dick Grayson

And here we are, as promised.

Favourite Cover: Batman: Battle for the Cowl (2009) #1 (Variant Cover)

Favourite Story: "Batman Reborn/Revenge of the Red Hood"

Creators: Grant Morrison (Writer), Frank Quitely (Penciller, Inker), Phillip Tan (Penciller) and Jonathan Glapion (Inker)

Relevant Issues: Batman and Robin (2009) #1-6

----

I must confess, I haven’t read as much material featuring Dick Grayson as I should have. Apart from a few appearances in JLA, the bulk of the stuff I have read featuring the original Robin really is when he stepped up to claim the mantle of the Bat after Bruce’s disappearance.

Out of all those stories, the one which still stands out is the opening storyline on Morrison’s Batman and Robin title (a series I appear to using a fair bit actually…). Within the opening six issues, Morrison established Dick Grayson as the new Batman, and as you would expect, it was a whole different reading experience with Dick behind the cowl. I really enjoyed the idea of him finally having graduated to take over the role of the mentor, with Damian Wayne being his Robin – and I especially enjoyed the reversed dynamic, of Batman being the lighter character of the two.

There was no better way for Morrison to reintroduce Dick as Batman than to see the former Robin face a somewhat twisted reflection of himself, with Jason Todd’s “no nonsense” style of crime fighting as the Red Hood rising its ugly head once again, seeing the two protégés of Bruce face off in #4-6. And as you can imagine, it was pretty darn awesome.

[sjhawkins]

Public Service Announcement

Well, more for AJ than for anyone else, but I'm going to resume TCSing from tomorrow.

I'll pick up where I left off, posting daily until I get to the end of the challenge.

[sjhawkins]

Top Comic Stories - Day 44/61 - Cable

Favourite Cover: Cable & Deadpool (2004) #22

Favourite Story: "The Burnt Offering"

Creators: Fabian Nicieza (Writer), Patrick Zircher (Penciller), UDON Studios (Inker) and Rob Ross (Inker)

Relevant Issues: Cable & Deadpool (2004) #7-10

----

Cable is a tough character for me to pick a favourite story for. Despite having read stories featuring him in X-Men, the bulk of Cable-related material which I have read is the excellent Cable & Deadpool series, which kind of focused more on Deadpool overall. (I do have the first three collected editions of the 2008 Cable series, but they are yet to be read…)

“The Burnt Offering” was probably one of the more Cable centric storylines of the series, seeing him reach the peak of his powers after having successfully suppressed the techno-organic virus which he had long suffered from. Having reached new heights power wise, Cable decides to set an example and lead the world to a bright new future, by acting both decisively and idealistically, trying to force people to adapt to living in a peaceful world.

This of course alarms a lot of people, seeing Nick Fury, the X-Men and countless heroes attempting to neutralise Cable, fearful of the power he now holds. It all leads to an epic battle scene on Providence, the floating island which Cable had crafted as the base of this utopian new future, where the Silver Surfer joins the fray to try and make Cable see sense.

This was a great little story which really showed how Cable, often depicted as nothing more than a battle-hardened soldier, thought of the world, and wanted to save it. Admittedly his measures were extreme, but it was sort of a Watchmen-esque plan, with him believing it would either work – or people would unite against him, paving the way for the future he was trying to build. In either case, he would win.

[sjhawkins]

Top Comic Stories - Day 39/61 - Hawkman and Hawkgirl

Favourite Cover: JSA (1999) #74

Favourite Story: "The Return of Hawkman"

Creators: David S. Goyer (Writer), Geoff Johns (Writer), Michael Blair (Penciller, Inker), Rags Morales (Penciller), Stephen Sadowski (Penciller) [and many more...]

Relevant Issues: JSA (1999) #22-26

----

Most of the Hawkman and Hawkgirl stuff which I have read has been within the pages of the fantastic 1999 JSA series. And well, for my favourite story featuring the pair, or even one of them – it had to be the certain lovely little “Return of Hawkman”.

I’m not entirely sure how to explain this little story, with it featuring quite a bit of the old Thanagarian lore and the resurrection madness that seems to be wrapped around these two characters. To be really brief and summarise however, this story sees the Kendra Saunders incarnation of Hawkgirl transported to a decimated Thanagar, with the ‘High Priests of the Downsiders’ seeking for a champion to turn the tide of the raging civil war. It isn’t Kendra they want however, but her link magical link to Carter Hall, in order to bring back Hawkman.

It sounds wacky, and to be honest, it is wacky. But this is a good kind of comics wacky, if you catch my drift. Seeing Hawkman resurrected was fantastic, despite knowing little about him, but I came to actually enjoy the character over the course of the JSA series. “The Return of Hawkman” reintroduced a fan favourite character back to the team, and in the capable hands of Johns it was enjoyable to see him try to reconnect with his reincarnated wife, Hawkgirl, despite Kendra being adamant of not wanting to pursue a relationship, during to not possessing the same ancient memories of previous incarnations like Carter. Add to this the fact that Dr. Fate was Hector Hall, the same of a previous Carter and Shiera, and you got one really odd family dynamic included in the team.

Just a shame that Liefeld touched the character in the New 52 really.