Category Patrick Ehlers

Patrick Ehlers, Co-Editor-In-Chief
patrick@retcon-punch.com

Location: Los Angeles

History With Comics: Patrick came late to the comics game. After enjoying adaptations of Batman, Superman and the Justice League, he was finally tricked into picking up a set of graphic novels after seeing Robert Rodriguez’ Sin City. Naturally, this lead to further exploration of Frank Miller’s work, specifically with Batman. But it was not until an unexplainable desire to read Blackest Night that Patrick began purchasing the trades of Geoff Johns’ run Green Lantern. With a convenient new entry point and a handful of friends to follow him into the madness, Patrick began reading monthlies with the New 52’s Justice League #1.

New 52 Favorites: The Flash, Swamp Thing, Batwoman

Other Favorite Comics: Usagi Yojimbo, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Saga

Jun 11 2012

Batwing 10

Today, Drew and Patrick are discussing Batwing 10, originally released June 6th, 2012.

Drew: Art is repetitive. Analysts like Joseph Campbell and Heinrich Schenker acknowledge that, if you zoom out far enough, most works of art resemble each other. This is true of most narratives, and especially true of superhero comics, where the beats of secret identities, costumes, fighting crime, etc. are near-universal. What makes them interesting are the details around those universals, the details that make Superman different from Batman or the Flash. What drew us to Batwing in the first place was it’s potential for interesting details — as a new title, it had yet to establish just what those details might be. Ten months in, I’ve yet to see those details effectively explored. In fact, this issue turns the focus so sharply from those details that I’m starting to think they just aren’t coming.

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Jun 8 2012

Legends of the Dark Knight I: The Butler Did It

Legends of the Dark KnightToday, Patrick and Drew are discussing Legends of the Dark Knight I: The Butler Did It, originally released digitally on April 7th, 2012.

Patrick: We blather on about the traditional forms and functions of comic books on this website like we know what we’re talking about. We do it all the time – even though most of our editors have been actively reading monthlies for less than a year. You could call that precocious if we weren’t also grown-ass men and women with educations and jobs. In the DC Universe specifically, but also in comics generally, we are always playing catch-up, assuming that our keen powers of perception and articulation can help us bullshit our way through an article on a subject we actually know very little about. Superhero comics have become so much a part of my life now that the only way to properly express it is to use the phrase “down the rabbit hole.” I suppose “through the looking glass” would also be appropriate – but that’s my point: my experience exploring comics has been like that of Alice exploring Wonderland. Every time I think I know what to expect, a new issue or series or event comes along to dissolve that illusion. Legends of the Dark Knight, the digital-only adventures of a young Batman, has done just that by defying my very base expectations of a modern comic book.  Continue reading →

Jun 8 2012

Animal Man 10

Today, Patrick and Drew are discussing Animal Man 10, originally released June 6th, 2012.

Patrick: For a guy whose soul is trapped in the physical manifestation of animal life, Buddy Baker’s actually having a pretty good time. What could have been a dire slog through dense dense mythology is transformed into a pretty kickin’ adventure thanks to some warrior dog-men, a wise-crackin’ goat pal and humor ahoy. Coming in off the death of Animal Man, this is exactly what this series need to keep from teetering off into the abyss.

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Jun 7 2012

Before Watchmen – Minutemen 1

Today, Peter and Patrick are discussing Minutemen 1, originally released June 6, 2012. Minute Men is part of DC’s Before Watchmen prequel series. Click here for complete Before Watchmen coverage (including release dates).

Peter: Watchmen is, to many, the best comic book ever written. The trade paperback is the #1 best-selling comic book. The feature film was overall well received by audiences and critics. DC Comics has made the decision to resurrect the franchise, leaving some fans excited, some skeptical, and some outright pissed. Minutemen 1 is the first of 35 books to come detailing the prequel tales of the Watchmen Universe. Hopefully it will be as well received the original material. Several months ago, Retcon Punch gave it’s initial reactions to the Before Watchmen project that you can find here.

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Jun 6 2012

Chat Cave: What Superpower Would You Have?

We’ve all this conversation before: “If you could have any one super power, what would it be?” That’s a fun exercise in an of itself, but the answers too frequently default to flight and/or invisibility. Given the assets and liabilities of the various superpower sources in the DC Universe (magic, speed force, being a God, whatever), which one is the most personally appealing to you? Welcome to the Chat Cave.

Patrick: I love Batman. I love all the Bat-allies. But I could never ever ever be a Gotham City gadget-based hero for one reason: Batman seems like a terrible boss. He may keep you well-funded and impeccably trained, but the man’s expectations are essentially psychotic. Can you imagine fighting crime all night and then still having to go and help him out of a jam from time to time? Plus, you have to keep up a secret identity, and all without the aid of proper staff. Batman only has Lucius and Alfred on payroll – that’s not a proper support staff. Continue reading →

Jun 6 2012

Arkham City: Harley’s Revenge

Today, Peter and Patrick are discussing the Arkham City DLC: Harley’s Revenge, originally released May 29th, 2012.

Peter: If you have not played Batman: Arkham City, or the new downloadable content Harley’s Revenge, do not click and read any more of this article. This is Retcon Punch’s reaction and review to the new content and our post contains LOTS of spoilers. We don’t want to be the people that ruin your gaming experience by spoiling anything. We love this game, and we love our readers, so we don’t want to hurt you in anyway. If you have played, or you just don’t care about spoilers, go ahead, click the link, and enjoy.

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Jun 5 2012

Captain Atom 9

Today, Drew and Patrick are discussing Captain Atom 9, originally released on May 16th, 2012.

Drew: Comics are an interesting medium for exploring time. We experience them from beginning to end, but we’re also able to flip back and forth between pages and issues to refresh and contextualize our reading. Combine that potential with the ability writers have to splice up their own narratives, and you have unlimited possibilities for explaining the impact a single moment can have. In Captain Atom 9, J.T. Krul and Freddie Williams II continue to explore these ideas both narratively and thematically, and continue to yield mixed results. Continue reading →

Jun 4 2012

The Vault – Green Lantern Oath Cross-Stitch

The Retcon Punchers spend an awful lot of time looking for ways to celebrate our nerdy obsessions. This means a lot of time sunk into scouring Etsy, Deviant Art, Think Geek or whatever. Sometimes we see things so great we just have to share them… and then clutch them fiercely to our collective chest. Throw it in The Vault.

Website: Etsy

Who Would Love This: Shelby.  Or, nerdy grandmothers.

Price: $3.63 (which is less than I spent on a blended chai this weekend)

Since the common man has long-since lost his ability to chisel his most solemn prayers and aphorisms into stone, we have developed the technology of “cross-stitch.” Normally, you’ll see the Nicene Creed on a pillow on your grandmother’s couch, or a pithy little statement about the value of family framed in your aunts den, but why not broaden that? Why not add the battle-cry of the Green Lanterns to that list? And at the low low price of “basically nothing,” what have you got to lose?

Jun 1 2012

Animal Man Annual 1

Today, Patrick and Shelby are discussing the Animal Man Annual 1, originally released May 30th, 2012.

Patrick: All good modern-epics have have nearly bottomless backstories: histories that stretch on further than any of the characters can remember. “This has all happened before and it will happen again.” I do not quote the sacred text of Battlestar Galactica lightly; the war between The Rot, The Red and The Green has a history that literally (and necessarily) spans all life on Earth. Ever. We’ve gotten glimpses of this history in Animal Man and Swamp Thing, but this is the first time we’ve gotten an extended look at one of the previous incursions by The Rot. We don’t get the whole picture, but we do get some remarkable personal insight.

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May 31 2012

Batman Annual 1

Today, Drew and Peter are discussing Batman Annual 1 originally released May 30th, 2012. This issue is part of the Night of the Owls crossover event. Click here for complete NotO coverage.

Drew: Let’s talk about baggage. Comics (especially comics with 70+ year histories) have a lot of fictional history that fans have long demanded that creators adhere to. DC’s relaunch promised to shake that status quo up a bit, freeing up editors, writers, and artists to keep what works and jettison anything that doesn’t. Of course, Batman being Batman, damn near everything about him worked. Writer Scott Snyder has revealed a lot of new information, largely by focusing on things that aren’t Bruce (or his core relationships), but much of what we knew about Batman has remained true. This makes any changes that are made — like those revealed towards the end of Batman Annual 1 — particularly effective; especially when they play so brilliantly against what we expect. Continue reading →