Tag Archives: Scott Snyder

Aug 1 2013

Batman Annual 2

batman annual 2

Today, Mikyzptlk and Scott are discussing Batman Annual 2, originally released July 31st, 2013.

Mikyzptlk: In what seems like a parallel universe now, I was once a Psychology student. I learned a lot about how the body and mind interact, and how Psychology impacts our lives every day without us ever even realizing it. One of the lessons that stuck with me was about a study conducted by a group of very brave Psychologists. They wanted to check to see how patients in mental hospitals were treated, so they decided to commit themselves voluntarily to find out first hand. What they discovered truly saddened me. It seems that, for the most part, the patients were completely ignored by hospital staff. Well, the quiet patients anyway. The Psychologists learned that if patients wished to get any attention at all from hospital staff, they would need to learn to start acting up. In other words, they’d need to dial up the “crazy.” I’m not sure if the writers of this Batman Annual are aware of that story, but it seems they have just given voice to a controversy that surrounds mental hospitals to this day. Continue reading →

Jul 11 2013

Batman 22

batman 22

Today, Shelby and Scott are discussing Batman 22, originally released July 10th, 2013.

Shelby: There’s a special kind of arrogance that comes with being in your early twenties. We all knew that one guy, fresh out of school, who was convinced he knew it all, that his way was THE way and if you didn’t agree than you were wrong. It comes in part from being freshly educated. You’ve got all this new knowledge, this new way of viewing the world around you; you think you have finally figured everything out when actually you’re just beginning to figure out how to think. It also comes from the new-found independence of college life. Whether you enjoyed the pseudo-independence of the dormitory lifestyle, or had more pressing concerns like rent and the electric bill in an apartment, it’s probably the first time you’ve been solely in charge of yourself. If you’re thinking to yourself, “Wait, I didn’t know that guy…” then there’s a chance you were that guy. Fear not! Bruce Wayne’s behavior this issue of Batman shows us you’re in good company.

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Jun 28 2013

The Wake 2

wake 2

Today, Patrick and Drew are discussing The Wake 2, originally released June 26th, 2013.

Patrick: Michael Crichton made a career out of crafting exposition that was interesting in and of itself. Starting with Congo in 1980, all of his books hinged on impossibly high-concept ideas that were so close to being fact that reading his books felt like learning something. You know that moment in Jurassic Park when Jeff Goldblum’s character edges forward in his seat as he listens to Mr. DNA’s explanation of the cloning process? That’s what 90% of the experience of reading Crichton’s books is like. The science, the history, the psychology — it all manages to contain just enough truth to spark a reader’s imagination. Reading the book becomes an act of discovery, both in terms of the fictional world and your real world. The effect is propulsive, and makes even a simple dinosaur adventure seem revelatory. Scott Snyder employs the same trick as he anchors his monster in myth and evolutionary science. Not a whole lot happens on the page, the story instead plays out in your own head. Continue reading →

Jun 14 2013

Batman 21

batman 21

Today, Spencer and Drew are discussing Batman 21, originally released June 12th, 2013.

Spencer: Two gunshots ring out in a dark alley. A string of pearls falls to the ground. Sound familiar? It should — Batman’s origin story is one of the best-known and most beloved in comic book history. It’s been told and retold countless times, and while many of these stories are flat-out classics — Year One, Batman Begins, Mask of the Phantasm — one still wonders: Is another Batman origin story really necessary? Can Batman’s origin still be retold in a fresh way that doesn’t rehash or invalidate those earlier stories? The jury’s still out on the first question, but in Batman 21, Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo prove that they’re capable of telling a Batman origin story the likes of which we’ve never seen before.

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Jun 13 2013

Superman Unchained 1

Alternating Currents: Superman Unchained 1, Drew and Scott

Today, Drew and Scott are discussing Superman Unchained 1, originally released June 12th, 2013.

Drew: When DC began its New 52 experiment in 2011, they made a point of putting their best foot forward. The first issue (and ostensibly their flagship title), Justice League 1, featured one of comicdom’s most popular writers paired with one of its most popular artists. It’s a bit strange that they would repeat the same big guns formula (even going so far as to tap Jim Lee again) for an entirely new title in Superman Unchained. Of course, the way the title features the standard Superman logo with “unchained” incongruously typeset below suggests that this isn’t so much a new title as it is the Superman DC wishes it could publish if it weren’t tied (chained, if you will) to Scott Lobdell. But here I am reading between the lines on the cover. What about what’s inside? Continue reading →

Jun 12 2013

Chat Cave: September is Villains Month

DC has staked their claim on the month of September. Two years ago saw the relaunch of the entire publishing line, and last year saw special “zero” issues for every series. This year, DC is releasing 52 issues featuring villains, old and new, from the DC Universe. There’s no one-for-one correspondence to existing series, and DC hasn’t been the most forthcoming with information about what exactly they’re putting out. There’s a lot to sort through here and no easy answers for what’s going to be worth our time and money. Welcome to the Chat Cave.
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May 31 2013

The Wake 1

wake 1

Today, Shelby and Drew are discussing The Wake 1, originally released May 29th, 2013.

Shelby: There are certain things you come to expect from stories. As an example, with a rom-com you know there’s going to be the initial meeting between protagonists, things will go well, then things will go poorly, then everything will fall apart (usually with a sad montage), and then everything is resolved in the end, often with some sort of grand declaration of love. Throw in a spunky, comic-relief sidekick bestie for each protagonist, and you’ve got the next big girls-night-out hit. Now, The Wake is certainly no romantic comedy, but I definitely had some expectations about the kind of story I would get. Underwater sci-fi horror means: a rag-tag team, a mysterious monster lurking about for a few issues, a gory reveal, and eventually a big final fight. Leave it to Scott Snyder and Sean Murphy to somehow give me exactly what I expected and still deliver something very fresh and new.
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May 10 2013

Batman 20

batman 20

Today, Spencer and Scott are discussing Batman 20, originally released May 8th, 2013.

Spencer: As a kid, Clayface was always one of my favorite Batman villains. Some of that has to do with the fact that he starred in one of the first cartoons that ever made me cry (Batman: The Animated Series’ excellent final season episode “Growing Pains”), but mostly it was just my young self finding this giant shapeshifting puddle of mud that could sprout blades out of his chest to be totally wicked awesome. I won’t even try to hide it, I still find those facets of the character just as fun as an adult, but I’ve come to realize that, beyond the standard shapeshifter tricks, there isn’t much to Clayface’s personality; usually he’s just treated as a device to serve some other villain’s master plan. Scott Snyder manages to wring a surprising amount of personality out of Clayface, but if the walking mud puddle isn’t your cup of tea, don’t worry: there’s plenty of other stuff going on too.

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May 3 2013

Swamp Thing 20

swamp thing 20

Today, Patrick and Scott are discussing Swamp Thing 20 originally released May 1st, 2013.

Patrick: What’s your greatest fear? It’s something that could happen to you, right? Your worst fear isn’t that you’re living the life you’re living right now. But that’s the case for Alec Holland – everything he had to lose, he lost. Can you imagine what a bummer it’d be to realize your worst fear was that you’d live your life as you had? Christ, that’s depressing. It’s regret at its most primal level, and it’s exactly what we’re dealing with in Swamp Thing 20. Continue reading →

Apr 12 2013

Batman 19

batman 19

Today, Scott and Drew are discussing Batman 19, originally released April 10th, 2013.

Scott: Who says Batman has to be complicated? Anyone who has read Scott Snyder’s series for the last year and a half has gotten used to arcs that take many months to unravel. First, it was Night of the Owls, then Death of the Family. Even the random peppering of Harper Row storylines feel like part of a grander scheme. Well, another multi-issue epic is on the way, in the form of Zero Year, but first Snyder has made room for a rather straightforward two-parter. The immediacy of the payoffs in Batman 19 comes almost as a shock, as Snyder reminds us how much fun it can be to watch Batman solve a mystery that feels only a couple steps –– as opposed to issues — ahead of the reader.

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