Superman / Batman : Sorcerer Kings TPB single Issues 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 Review

Rating 4 out of 5

You get 4 full stories in one TPB but they range from great to meh and I'm not sure if any will make it into continuity, especially the streamline continuity we have now in the DC universe {rolleyes}.

The stories are as follows:
 
1. "Who Would Win?"- Only 15 pages long in issue 78, but full of fun. Batman and Superman face off. Rating 4.5 out of 5
Writers: Joe & Jack Kelly, Artist: Ed Benes, Colorist: Pete Pantazis, Letterer: Swands, Associate Editor: Rex Ogle, Editor: Eddi Berganz

2. A World of Their Own - Only 8 pages long in issue 78. Has Huntress and Power Girl version of the S/B pair, It was kinda of a downer and felt unresolved. Rating 2.5 of 5.
Writer: Amanda McMurray, Art: Brett Booth, colors: Andrew Dalhouse, Letters: Swands

3.Worlds' Finest - Two issues long, Issues 79-80. Batman, Robin, and Superman from year One Million chase a time traveling criminal who runs to the past only to meet up with Batman (Bruce), Robin(Dick), and Superman (Clark). Rating 3.3 out of 5
Writer:  Chris Roberson, Artist: Jesus Merino, Colorist: Blond, Letterer: Swands

4. SORCERER KINGS - Four issues, Issues 81-84, This story is great! Rating 4.5 out of 5. Medieval Batman from the future recruits Superman from current day to help him correct what will be a pivotal point in time, while Batman of current day searches for Superman with the help of The Shadowpact. A good deal of Magic is involved.
Writer: Cullen Bunn, Penciller: Chriscross, Inker: Marc Deering, Colorist: Brad Anderson, Letterer: John J Hill

Hold on to your hat for the spot on Cameos in Sorcerer Kings:

Phantom Stranger
Blue Devil
Ragman
Warlocks Daughter
Detective Chimp
Doctor Occult
Felix Faust
Blackbriar Thorn
Brother Blood
Morgaine Le Fey
Klarion The Witch Boy (current)

Creeper (Alternate future version)

Klarion The Warlock(future)
Teekl (Klarion's cat)
Traci 13
Jason Blood/Etrigan
Arthur Curry
Stanley Dover and his Monster
Firestorm (alternate future version)
            AND

Batwing as a dragon.




SPOILERS for Sorcerer Kings:

The first time I read the story it was the Monthly issues and I had a long enough gap between issues it was hard from me to get into what was going on by the next issue and the action scenes I had trouble following, BUT when I read them all together it was a different story and I enjoyed it very much and with the action scenes when I followed the Sword of Superman they went a lot better.
Some of the things I didn't like is the future characterization of the Creeper as a bad guy, I just don't believe he would turn, but I got over it pretty fast.
Future Batman had a new partner called Nina, that was a change of pace from the brightly colored Robins, but I liked her from the beginning, even when she transforms into a ghoul.

With all that you get out of this trade, I think it's more then worth the price. Amazon currently has it for $13.94 new.

BATMAN: Legends of the Dark Knight BLINK 156 157 158 Action Comics 847 DC Comics presents TPB

RATING 3.3 out of 5

It wasn't bad but wasn't great either. The DC Presents BATMAN: Blink TPB actually has two complete stories. Both written by Dwayne McDuffie. One is actually a Superman story with no Batman in it. 

1. BLINK: Legends of the Dark Knight 156-158 Rating 3.4 out of 5
Penciller: Val Semeiks, Inker: Dan Green, Colorist: James Sinclair, Letterer: Kurt Hathaway, Seperations by Digital Chameleon, Editor: Andy Helfer

BLINK was well written but the story itself was unmemorable. I would say it wasn't very memorable at all, because I had read it once before and completely forgot about it.  The plot has Batman teaming up with a blind grifter who's an eye witness to a serial murder. The blind grifter has a special talent of being able to see through the eyes of someone else after he has touched them.


2. INTERMEZZO: Action Comics 847 Rating 3 out of 5
Art and Color: Renato Guedes, Letterer: Travis Lanham, Ass Editor: Nachie Caskra, Editor: Matt Welson.

INTERMEZZO was very bland. Ma and Pa Kent are worried about Clark because he has been missing, and Pa Kent remembers a adventure he had with Clark that they kept secret from Ma Kent.

I liked the art in the Blink better, I think its because of the colors of James Sinclair, also the story had some suspense and the idea of a blind grifter that could see through others eyes was intriguing, but this would not be a story I would recommend as a "must have".  If the DC Presents series was to showcase McDuffie's writing I wouldn't have suggested it for that either.

BATMAN : Legends of the Dark Knight : The Demon Laughs 142 143 144 145 TPB Review

RATING 4 out of 5:
Writer: Chuck Dixon, Penciller: Jim Aparo, Inker: John Cebollero, Colorists: Noelle Giddins, James Sinclair, Letterer: Bill Oakley, Editor: Andy Helfer, Assistant Editor: Harvey Richards

CHUCK DIXON!!! What else do I need to say?
Okay...well maybe a little more.
Oh how Oh HOW... I wish he was back at DC, writing for the characters I love. Dixon knows these characters and knows how to tell a story. Alright...I'm done...oops one more....DIXON!!!Come BACK!!!

Cough cough...I think I'm good now....

The Demon Laughs is mostly a stage for Joker. All the other characters are just cameo's circling around the master. The covers of the single issues are awesome. The interior art is passable, no two page splashes, mostly just story, but Aparo's facial expressions for the Joker are great.

The Plot: Joker is recruited by Ra's Al Ghul in his plan to reshape the world into his view of Utopia. It is all that Batman can do to track these two down to stop them before these partners in crime
 succeed.

SPIOLERS (minor):

Good ol' Ra's really got more then what he bargained for when he decided to use Joker in his plans. Joker "doesn't care if he wins or loses," he just want's part of the game. 

Ra's playing the straight man to Joker's high jinx's was perfect. After all, Ra's is uptight, straight laced, and arrogant, a great foil for all of Joker's one liners. 

The biggest problem I have with this story is the same problem I have with all of these types of plots.  Whether it is Ra's Al Ghul or Lex Luther...recruiting Joker.  I have trouble believing that these particular straight men would actually illicit help from Joker.  Ra's is a maniacal master mind in his own standing.  WHY would he break anyone out of Arkham for help, when they couldn't break themselves out of Arkham...etc?

The other thing is that it is mostly a Joker story...not much of a Batman story, but even with that, while reading... I came to want more Ra's/Joker panels just to see Jokers high jinxes with Ra's.