KRYPTON CHRONICLES

DC COMICS: Superman Presents the Krypton Chronicles - 3 issues mini-series
60 Cents
Writer: E. Nelson Bridwell
Penciller: Curt Swan
Vol. 1 No. 1 - September 1981 - Cover Art: Buckler & Giordano
Vol. 1 No. 2 - October 1981 - Cover Art: Andru & Giordano
Vol. 1 No. 3 - November. 1981 - Cover Art: Andru & Giordano

I am a DC fangirl and I’d say most of my comic book collection is made up of DC books. The “S” section alone is filled with oh so many SUPER titles and to me that is a good thing. Of course with so many books I’m always adding more then I have time to read because I have this collector, complete-ist mentality where I want it all.

Going through my books I came across a three issues mini-series KRYPTON CHORNICLES from the 80’s, which I had not read! It’s was totally awesome, well at least a lot of fun, and so different from what’s going on now. How times have changed, and I know Krypton history has been updated since this little book.

It all begins when the owner of the Daily Planet Morgan Edge (still a good guy at this point of the DC timeline) calls in Clark Kent and Perry White to his office. Mr. Edge explains he wants Clark to go to his best friend SUPERMAN and get the 411 on the Superman Family Tree so they can put together a “ROOTS” like mini-series and bring in the ratings!



Of course Clark/Superman is all for the idea since he too had been wondering more about his past. From there we go to the Fortress of Solitude to being an “epic voyage of discovery” for the Krypton Chronicles!

At the Fortress of Solitude Supergirl is waiting for Clark as it happens to be the day the COSMIC AXIS shifts and KANDOR* is in Earth’s dimensional Plane!

*Krypton Glossary Time! The mini-series features a KRYPTON GLOSSARY at the end of each issue where the Kryptonian names and words are translated and explained as needed. i.e.: KANDOR: “The Former Capital of Krypton until it was stolen, shrunken, and placed in the bottle by the space-villain Brainiac. After defeating Brainiac, Superman kept the bottle-city in his fortress until he found a way to enlarge it on another world. “



Supergirl and Superman travel to Kandor and visit the House of El, which houses the statues of their ancestors. Using Kryptonian technology ala Mind-Tapes, Superman begins the history lesson. Along with him we learn of the Krypton race, how they came to be so technologically advanced, building the first cities, and about their God Rao.



Later Superman moves on to using the HEADBANDS worn by his forefathers to learn about the days Krypton was enslaved by the Alien VRANGS! Next it was of the findings of Sur-El the glassmaker who created the telescope! If only the Kryptonians had headed Sur-El’s warning of incoming invaders they may have been able to fight off the VRANGS from the start. Now, it just goes to show that Kryptonians have always doubted the facts and they tend to back the wrong scientists until it’s too late, I mean look what happened to their planet, right?



During the first two issues, there’s also a side story of a shadowed figure that is trying to sabotage Superman and Supergirl from leaving the planet. This mystery woman was Zora a.k.a. Black Flame. She was using her vibrator ray, (yes, vibrator ray) to trap the SUPER duo in the museum so she could escape to Earth and take Supergirl’s powers. Of course Supergirl caught on and captured Zora instead, just in the nick of time so that they can leave Kandor to continue their history research elsewhere with another new gadget!



In issue #3 Supergirl and Superman complete their KRYPTON CHRONICLES using a “LIGHT SEEKER” which was designed to “Reach out for great distances… and pick up light…to give a complete picture,” but without sound they have to practice their lip-reading for whatever it is they see. This actually was the most reliable plan because Superman rejected the time travel possibilities since Krypton’s Red Sun would take away their powers.

We learn of more Kryptonian science discoveries, witness the great Flood (very similar to Earth’s Noah story) and meet Kal-El’s own ancestors who began the house of El.



The series was quite informative and fun while I can’t help but find some things silly/cheesy yet it was the beginning of the 80’s after-all and Superman was quite wholesome.

The Ad’s in the book were awesome, especially the HOSTESS comic page. Issue #1 featured WONDER WOMAN Versus THE ROBOT MASTER and she foiled his plans with Twinkies! Issue #2 BATMAN stopped some bad movie pirates with HOSTESS Cup Cakes and Issue #3 the RED TORNADO used the Cup Cakes in a “Clean Sweep”. It all just proves that no villain or super hero can resist the allure of sugar filled cakes and now I crave Twinkies.



Reading through this book I also realize that my own use or sometime overuse of exclamations points must have been influenced by comic books. On the covers there are always exclamation points and most conversations are ended with them. So that’s another thing I have to thank my comics for! Yup!!!!

I really do want to dig into more back issues, get the history straight, but it has changed so much since things like Earth 2 and all the crisis’s that have gone on! But comics are able to do their reboots more often aren’t they? Most folks keep on reading for the stories, right? Well, I’m having fun doing so and will be back with some more!!

COMIC BOOKS KICK ASS!

THE DESTROYER

Comic Book: THE DESTROYER: The Adventures of Remo and Chiun
Vol. 2 Issue #1 - March 1991 - Marvel Comics
Cover Art: Joe Jusko

Now I was first introduced to Remo Williams by the movie, REMO WILLIAMS: THE ADVENTURE BEGINS starring Fred Ward and Joel Gray. A cop is framed for murder and executed, but he didn't actually die. That man, Remo awakes to discover he had been recruited by Harold Smith to a super secret agency called CURE. Chiun, the Master of Sinanju, trains him to be the world's greatest assassin to protect the Constitution and keep America safe.

The film is based on THE DESTROYER book series which began in 1971 as written by Warren Murphy and Richard Sapir and the series still continues today with THE NEW DESTROYER. I'm quite fond of these books and love how the second chapter always begins with the line "His Name is Remo..." (It's the best!)

I've slowly and surely been making my way through the series, I've got #36 POWER PLAY in my purse. It's mostly political satire and action, the early books actually hold up well and hit some familiar relevant topics. The series focus is the relationship between Remo and Chiun, it's Student/Master and Father/Son with a lot of bickering going on. Chiun has a superiority complex and Remo is just the average know it all American guy who happens to be well suited for the powers of Sinanju.

Now there's been a few comic books series for The Destroyer all from Marvel and the Magazine Destroyer comics are one of my favorites, especially with art and story. Right now now though I must focus on the issue at hand, #1 which is a one shot following the Magazine set of nine issues.



Drive-By Heaven
Story: Will Murray
Art: Lee Weeks
A street gang in Detroit got their hands on a Flexible Fifty machine gun and they venture into the rival gang hood and go on a drive-by rampage. Remo and Chiun are in the neighborhood to put an end to the shootings and take the streets back! Of course Remo must explain to Chiun about the cultural differences of Ghetto neighborhood while Chiun insists he already know it all as previous Sinanju Masters had history with African tribes. The issues of race is a constant Destroyer topic, as Chiun compares everything to his Korean ways. (Don't expect political correctness with Chiun though he really is a good guy just a bit selfish being the Master.)



Chiun and Remo have their usual pick on each other banter and the wrongs are righted with bloody violence by way of Sinanju martial arts.



This book also features a second story:
TERMINAL VELOCITY as written by Will Murray with Art by Steve Ditko!


Using Terminal Velocity and lofting quarters from a blimp up in the sky there's a killer on the loose targeting some mobster types. Smith sends Remo and Chiun to investigate! This little tale ventures into the more fantastical side with a killer using a strange weapon of destruction. The bad guy even has a DIME gun! And then the puns flow forth. "I'd say he's Cashed Out, Wouldn't You?" It's a good thing that Remo and Chiun have fast reflexes and smooth dodging skills!



This was a humorous read but as a DESTROYER fan the stories aren't exactly up to par with the big conspiracy type plots that Remo usually unravels. We get just a taste of Remo's true Sinanju skill. He's a guy who can really climb walls, dodge bullets and move faster than anyone, well except of course Chiun. At one point Remo does worry a bit unnecessarily about Chiun not dodging the killer change. Dude, it's Chiun!

The art was fine, Ditko's was fun and bright, very classic comic book. Though the cover with Remo is not how I picture Remo at all, he's got to be more rugged! Yup. Lee Weeks art suited Remo more but didn't offer much for Chiun. Oh Well.

I'm inspired to dig out my magazine issues of The Destroyer and revisit them, but my Magazine sized comic books haven't been sorted in a while. Actually, the magazine books are mostly old Conan isues and those are my dad's. I think I'll ask him if he's read any in a while.

Once again here's hoping I can get focused and read more, sadly I'm not even halfway through DESTROYER #36! Ahhh, can't be distracted, "must read, must read" that is my new mantra! YUP!

Now that Wednesday Comic Book Day has arrived I'm hoping to pick up my books tomorrow! I'll work on sharing my thoughts on my current pull list but my back issues need love too! I'm gonna try and pick what's next! Remember: COMIC BOOKS KICK ASS!!

2010 - The Marvel Comics Official Film Adaptation

"The Year We Make contact"

Comic Book: 2010 - The Official Comics Adaptation of the spectacular new film! A two issues limited series from May-June of 1985 written by J.M. DeMatteis and Layout/Breakdowns by Joe Barney & Larry Hama. The issues were 75 cents each.

Now, I must first admit I've never watched all of 2010. I recall bits and pieces that I watched with my dad on T.V., but never have I seen the film from beginning to end. What I remember most are visuals from the ending, a pet dolphin and the scene that was re-created and acted out during the Universal Studios tour where two astronauts are stuck in space moving between ships while freaking out. But now I can say I've read the comic book adaptation!

The artwork is solid, the characters look like the actors from the film. There's good detail and style, with lots of panels crammed in there.


For a 116 min movie condensed between a two issue arc it seems a bit rushed with just the main story highlights, not much of the drama. There's a single page recap of the events from 2001 about space, monoliths, HAL-900 and Commander Dave Boaman's last message "...the monolith...it's full of stars..."

Now it's 2009, Dr. Heywood Floyd is charged to find the answers though there's an impending war on earth between Russia and America; will they manage to make peace or end the world? What are those strange monoliths in space? What happened to HAL 9000? Can the Dr. help save the planet for the future of his son? So off into space they go and the year is finally 2010 when they get there!


The pet dolphin is in the book, the scene with freaked out astronauts is not. And I still don't understand how world peace was achieved with (SPOILER WARNING) (SPOILER WARNING) now having two suns in the universe. Did I miss something? I will say that I was glad Dave and Hal-9000 made up!

I'm pretty sure I got these two issues during my early comic buying days, I knew my movies even back then and just snagged 'em up because I love movies.

One of my favorite things about comic books are the ads found within. They are time capsules, showing off what was popular at the time, other comic books (Secret Wars II, Cloak & Dagger), T.V. shows, and Candies or Food (Fig Newtons, Bonkers! Fruit Candy).


Where else could you buy shark teeth, Learn to Breakdance or get Texas rattlesnake eggs?


Also there's important and serious Public Service Announcements. In issue #1 the POWER PACK and The Amazing Spider-Man shared "TIPS ON WAYS TO PREVENT SEXUAL ABUSE." Sincerely, big issues were addressed! Was that comment too much of a downer?

I'm still deciding if I give ratings to the comic books I read, I'm pretty generous with my opinions. Honestly, I just love giving myself the chance to read what I can (time just flies by on me) and then share the thoughts. I will say 2010 gets the *thumbs up*.

With that, the reading will continue, I will make a dent in my ever growing "to-read" pile, oh yes, I will! Though I was a bit delayed with this post, (disappointing myself) I'm already better organized and planning the next blog. Yup!

COMIC BOOKS KICK ASS!

Cat Reads Comics Begins!

This is the year I give my comic book collection some long overdue attention. Being the movie going fanatic that I am my comics have gathered some dust and my "read-it" pile grows even higher.

Now, I've been collecting comic books since I was a young girl and it all began with Book Castle in Burbank who sold comics for a quarter each, four for a dollar! That fateful day that I began flipping through their rows of long boxes I found some Superman books and an Action Comics issue with BOOSTER GOLD beating up SUPERMAN. I wondered who could be doing such a thing to the Man of Steel and before long I was on a mission to collect all 25 issues of the Man of Gold!



I kept going to Book Castle, buying more and more books, mostly old DC and Marvel books; Team-Ups, Two-In-Ones, Batman, Superman, Fantastic Four, Angel Love and I'd read this and that. It wasn't really until THE DEATH OF SUPERMAN that I got myself a bit up to date and really started buying new books each week, mostly at GOLDEN APPLE on melrose. When I went off to college I continued buying books weekly thanks to LEE'S COMICS in San Mateo and that's where I got into more indie titles.

There came the day that I really had to organize my collection and things got bagged and boarded and boxed in long boxes. I went to comic book conventions and dived into the back issue bins filling in gaps and appeasing my "collector mentality" as I strived for complete runs on old series. I still love going to conventions, like San Diego Comic Con where I splurge on lots and lots of comic books!

I just recently filed away a mountain of comic books, including my haul from this past Summer's COMIC CON adding 3 long boxes to my collection. That brings my grand total to 67 boxes, each one filled up!



Now, here at this new blog spot, "CAT READS COMICS," I hope to get myself focused on reading my comic books! I do love reading my comics, I just get distracted quite easily.

I've filled up a short box with a few different comic books and the reading has begun! Each Wednesday I plan to post about a series I've just read. I'm going to be going through some old books and be catching up on current story-lines. You can expect a few ramblings on my favorite BOOSTER GOLD, I warn you now. I'll also do write ups about buying comics at cons, and sharing cool covers I come across.

Over on the sidebar I'll update my weekly pull list and you can see what I regularly collect. Perhaps when I buy I'll say which shop I went to as I like a few different stores here in Los Angeles.

Tomorrow (January 13th) I'll put up a comic book post and I hope who ever reads this enjoys my take on comic books!

Up, Up and away!!

Comic Books Kick Ass!!