Last week RJ and I reviewed the comic that introduced the new DC Universe to readers old and new alike, Justice League #1. We were, in a word, underwhelmed. Immensely. To introduce the DCnU in a comic that was just banter and nothing else was nothing short of disastrous, in our humble comic book blogger opinion.

Action Comics #1 was how they should have introduced the new universe. Aside from the obvious parallels – the original Action Comics #1 in 1938 introduced readers to an exciting new character, Superman, who would be the world’s first super hero – the relaunch introduces a radically different Superman, one who takes a more proactive approach towards social justice as opposed to the “big blue boy scout” that we all know and love. (continue reading…)

We’ve often talked of sexual tension in the comics we read, mostly because your Comicgasm editors are such immature man-children. We would never let anything vaguely resembling homosexual relations between your favorite superheroes pass for a cheap joke. You’re welcome.

Anyway, one of the greatest comic book bromances rivalries of all  time would be between Superman and Lex Luthor. However, it can get pretty old and stale, and you wouldn’t fault Superman for looking somewhere else. Somewhere like General Zod’s direction. Also, there’s the reboot. [/cheap shot]

The rest of the story of Lex Luthor being a jealous bitch on Facebook after the cut! (continue reading…)

Wait. Wait. Wait. So Kon-El/Conner Kent – the Superman-Lex Luthor hybrid clone (he’s Clark and Lex’s son, if you think about it in a creepy way), the modern Superboy is going to show up on Smallville. Before Clark Kent becomes Superman – YOU KNOW, THE GUY WHO INSPIRED KARA ZOR-EL AND KON-EL TO BE A SUPERHERO.

Goddammit, Smallville. I tried giving you a chance.

Also, he’s played by that gay kid from High School Musical.

I haven’t really been shy of telling everyone how much I love Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely’s epic miniseries chronicling the Man of Steel’s final days, All-Star Superman. There’s really no doubt about it: ASSM is the best Superman story ever, bar none. It takes all that is great about Superman (and his many incarnations and versions) and condenses it into twelve amazing issues. Morrison and Quitely cut to the heart of the character and present it in a way nobody else can. It’s no secret that we at Comicgasm are Grant Morrison fanboys, but what the hell.

However, All-Star Superman is such a dense work that I really find it hard to imagine how anyone can translate the story into a cohesive movie, much less retain everything that makes it so great. I’m a huge fan of Dwayne McDuffie, but even with him writing the adaptation’s script and with Bruce Timm as producer I wasn’t so sure. ASSM was 12 issues of Superman thinking of ways to solve problems, being nice and kind, and generally avoiding punching stuff unless the situation really calls for it. That would be a pretty boring way to pad out a movie. So color me pleasantly surprised when the animated adaptation of All-Star Superman delivered. (continue reading…)

Hello folks! Here we have guest writer Janina Joves, a nerd from Australia that plays World of Warcraft with Greg Rucka. She recently attended the Australian premiere of Grant Morrison: Talking With Gods that showed at Melbourne on the 28th.  I somehow managed to convince her to share her experience watching the Sexy Bald Scotsman. Here we go.

Scene 1

A shadowed silhouette of a man, standing against a dark wall. His ghosts weigh on the back of his suit jacket, but he does not let it show. A glint of light frames the sunglasses resting on his Scottish nose.

It seems as if he is waiting for something, yet as the dull roar of noise slows down to something more comprehensible, a voice starts filtering through, heralding his fame, his achievements, his status.

The Rock Star of Comics.

MR. GRANT MORRISON.

Scene 2

The scene pans to a ComiCon panel, and GRANT is walking, not confidently, but not meekly either. He walks as he is muddling through the surprise of it all, and is slowly accepting that this is reality for him. The reality where he made magic happen.

In front of him is his legion of fans, all cheering at his arrival on stage.

The scene is still set in greyscale, all black, white, and grey.

Scene 3

We are behind GRANT, looking into the crowd. In attempts to thank everyone for everything, GRANT lets out a gem of a statement in his distinct Scottish brogue:  “I’ll try to show my thanks in form of interpretive dance.”

Scene 4

We see him dancing awkwardly, but his demeanour shows no self-consciousness.

A TOTAL FREE SPIRIT.

IN A SUIT.

NonCanonical, a Melbourne based weekly comics podcast, presents Grant Morrison: Talking With Gods – a documentary of how the being named Grant Morrison, the described Rock Star of Comics, came to be. It delves through his backstory, sifting through the truths and obscured myth, attempting to separate fact from fiction. Friends of Grants shedding light with their own personal experiences, supplementing Grant’s own monologue.

The film runs as if going through a biography of a rock star – overladen and overlain with imagery – images within images – which seems to enhance the aura of mystery that just envelopes Grant Morrison’s head like a cloud covered mountain top.  (continue reading…)