Comic Book Coffee Break #46

 Thanks for joining me on my Comic Book Coffee Break! It's Mother's Day so went out and got some Starbucks.  I'm having an iced coffee, black.  Good stuff.

Let's talk Comic Books!

So May is Asian American and Pacific Islanders Heritage and I decided to let that steer the ship this week.  

Marvel Comics

I finally got my hands on the original 3-issue run of Sunfire & the Big Hero 6.  I only saw the movie a few years back, and I really liked it.  I read the Chris Claremont redo (as discussed on the All the Books Show), then the 2 part manga (which we detailed in issue 11 of CBCB), but this original story remained illusive. It was fun to read. It's really Hiro's story with Sunfire's journey playing out in the background of the 3 issues. My experience with Sunfire is really limited to playing him in the X-Men Legends game on Gamecube. ("I require additional energy to do that.") I found myself rooting for his resurgence and curious about the events that got him here.  I really liked the story and would read more.  But alas, I've read all of Big Hero 6. It did make we want to track down for Sunfire stories though. 

Next came Agents of Atlas by Jeff Parker and Leonard Kirk. I was only familiar with Jimmy Woo from his appearances in Ant-Man & the Wasp and WandaVision. I don't remember having bumped into him in comics ever. Atlas sees and aging Jimmy Woo rebooted as his younger, 1950s-era self. The story is entertaining enough, and I do like the 50s callbacks, but it still feels a little like if Doom Patrol was a network television series in 2003. It didn't grab me, but the premise is interesting. I might check back in later on.

DC Comics

I picked up the Cassandra Cain Batgirl series with v.3, Death Wish by Kelly Puckett & Chuck Dixon, art by Damion Scott. I read v.2, A Knight Alone, a full 10 years ago, but I was able to pick it right up. I like the character, but this art was rough. It's done in a very purposeful style and is very consistent, but it just doesn't work for me. I know that's subjective, but it really sort of ruined the story for me. My favorite issue was the Spoiler team-up, but that was not enough to raise it a star.

Finally, and I feel like this is a wild card among wild cards, I read Beware the Batman.  This is a 6-issue series based on the short-lived cartoon of the same name. In it, a younger Batman is partnered with Katana rather on one of the various Robins or Batgirls.  It's an unusual pairing that really brings out a new vibe for a Batman title. Katana is used well, particularly in issue 5 which is written by Katana creator, Mike W. Barr. There's also an issue that features Barbara Gordon/Oracle and Tim Drake. I don't recall these characters appearing in the show, but I don't think I ever finished it. 

I really like the Katana in this book.  I wish both the series and the comic had been given more time to grow. It feels incredibly original which is hard to do in a Batman story anymore.

Next time...

I plan to read some of the Ryan Choi/Atom series by Gail Simone and I might pick up Wolverine & the Agents of Atlas as well. What about you?

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You can find back issues of the video version of Comic Book Coffee Break here.

The audio version of Comic Book Coffee Break is over there. 

You can find me as the co-host of 9021 Here We G0: A 90210 Rewatch Podcast for the Radio Meanwhile Network. 

I also host Howe's Things, the podcast and radio show of the David A. Howe Public Library.