“Lessons from a comic book superhero”
“When the cosmic rays made his body malleable and stretchable, Dr. Richards didn’t adopt a lame superhero name like Plastic Man. He called himself Mr. Fantastic.”
“Batman Begins: The comic book finally grows up”
“I have never enjoyed a single one of these bombastic optical orgies. Comic books on screen are essentially lies. They try to create an illusion of multi-dimensionality for what is predominantly a uni-focal experience. The characters therefore appear more chic and stylish than substantial.”
“Everything silly is serious again”
“…The grittiness that had entered comic-book storytelling through [Frank] Miller had diffused from Batman into other storylines, and what had been unique to Batman quickly came to characterize the industry. Specialty shops became lone sanctuaries for proponents of that industry, and comic book readers became laughing stocks in the eyes of the mainstream.”
Upcoming happenings on Smallville
“Then [Tom] Welling added that this year, ‘Smallville’ is digging deeper into the comic book’s lore by having Clark explore the Fortress of Solitude and meet the lamest superhero* ever, Aquaman.”
“Want his attention? Send up a bat signal”
“Be it Batman, Superman, Deathstroke or Green Arrow, [sports agent Drew] Rosenhaus knows his superheroes. His research material – stacks of hundreds of comic books – is piled high only a few steps away in the walk-in closet.”
“In Brightest Day, In Darkest Night”
“Believe it or not, some people think comic books are stupid.”