The Big Guy and Rusty the Boy Robot Review

The Big Guy and Rusty the Boy Robot
Dark Horse Comics
Oversized Softcover Trade Paperback
80 pages
$14.95 (1996)
ISBN 9781569712016

Contributors: Frank Miller, Geof Darrow, Claude Legris, and Bill Spicer

Reprints: The Big Guy and Rusty the Boy Robot #1-2 (of 2)

Synopsis: Japanese scientists unwittingly unleash an unholy monster from the Earth's distant past on the unsuspecting populace of Tokyo.  The creature is the size of a skyscraper, possesses the combined multi-species memories of the dinosaurs, an accelerated bio-manipulation power, and is bent on subjugating mankind to its will.  Japan's only hope is the untested boy robot Rusty and his nucleoprotonic power source. 

The unstoppable creature rampages through the city and bats away the insignificant boy robot as if he were a gnat.  The Americans send in the last line of defense for the planet -- the Big Guy!  Can even the power of the "robot" champion of Earth prevail against raging primeval fury?  Will Rusty break out of his depression over failure for long enough to help?

Pros: Larger format offers better viewing of Darrow's incredibly detailed artwork, Miller's writing remains pulp, very well done

Cons: Simple story with few surprises, no sequel (although a 26-episode television cartoon aired in 1999-2001)

Mike Tells It Straight: Miller and Darrow follow up on their smash hit Hard Boiled  with this very well-received two-issue series.  The collected edition comes in two flavors - this oversized color version and an even larger king-size edition in black & white.  This edition is by far the more appealing and improves on the original standard comic issues with superior page size to appreciate Darrow's incredibly detailed artwork.  The king size version loses points for being B&W without Claude Legris' wonderful color work (although preferable for those focused primarily on Darrow's artwork). The story, action and dialogue are very simple - showcasing the widescreen comic format before it became a widespread panic with Warren Ellis' The Authority  or Planetary.  The animated series was pretty good too and gives much more detail on the characters than this incredibly brief intro story.  Recommended for the stunning artwork and be ready for a quick read!

TO BUY and Recommendations:
   

300 Hardcover Review

300
Dark Horse Comics
Hardcover
88 pages
$30.00 (1999)
ISBN: 9781569714027

Contributors: Frank Miller and Lynn Varley

Reprints: 300 (1998) #1-5 (of 5)

Synopsis: In the year 480BC, the Persian god-king Xerxes sets his sights on Greece and demands the submission of King Leonidas of Sparta.  Leonidas kills the messengers and an invasion of Sparta begins as hundreds of thousands of  Persian troops mass to the Grecian shores.

Leonidas brings 300 of his best Spartans to stand against the invading Persian forces (additional troops from nearby city-states reinforced the Spartans including Thespians, Thebans, and Phocians).  He chooses Thermopylae (translated Hot Gates) as the site of the battle for it's strategic benefits - the tight pass rendered the superior Persian numbers ineffectual against the well-trained Spartan hoplites. 

The Spartans hold off Xerxes' army against impossible odds and incredible challenges.  A traitor to the Spartans tips the balance of the battle and gives Xerxes the key to winning.  Leonidas is faced with inevitable defeat, but proves he and his 300 are worthy of their legend.

Pros: Gritty and modern retelling of the legendary Battle of Thermopylae, great art and story by Miller, painted colors by Varley are amazing, hardcover collected edition reads much better than the original comic format (staple, folded pages) with landscape pages

Cons: Historically inaccurate on many counts, incredibly quick read due to the landscape page spread format, movie is better

Mike Tells It Straight: Miller retells the Battle of Thermopylae as a pure and gritty pulp drama.  Critics and even Alan Moore blasted Miller for the historical inaccuracies of his story, but it succeeds in being both powerfully symbolic and wildly entertaining.  The story earned three Eisner awards and was later adapted into a visually impressive movie. 

The movie was another wild success and expanded on the original story with some additional, captivating scenes.  Leonidas' wife literally has one line in the book - "Come home with your shield or on it", but an entire political sub-story was depicted in the movie - along with a racy sex scene.  The book was used as a literal storyboard for the movie and fully brought it to life. 

 

If you watched the movie and are curious to check out the original graphic novel -- don't bother.  The movie is actually superior to the original due to the additional story and visuals.  If you own the comics then you should trade up to the hardcover due to the better format for the landscape pages.




TO BUY and Recommendations:
   

Uncanny X-Men Omnibus Hardcover Review

Uncanny X-Men Omnibus
Marvel Comics
Oversized Hardcover
848 pages
$99.99
ISBN 9780785121015

Contributors: Chris Claremont, Dave Cockrum, John Byrne, Terry Austin, Glynis Oliver, Frank Miller, George Perez, and original Giant-Size X-Men #1 cover by Gil Kane.

Reprints: Giant-Size X-Men #1, X-Men (Uncanny) #94-131, X-Men Annual #3

Background: Stan Lee and Jack Kirby created the X-Men in 1963.  The original team's exploits were chronicled for 66 issues (until 1970) before being cancelled.  Issues 67 through 93 were reprints of the series until their relaunch in 1975 with Giant-Size X-Men #1. 

Synopsis: The X-Men have been captured by Krakoa, the living island.  Cyclops manages to escape and Professor Xavier desperately scours the globe in order to assemble a new team!  Soon Storm, Wolverine, Colossus, Banshee, Nightcrawler, Thunderbird, and Sunfire are training in the Danger Room.  They rescue the original team and defeat Krakoa, but once the dust settles all the old members have no interest in staying together.  Only Cyclops remains to train the new recruits and transform them from a team of loners. 

Tragedy strikes on their first mission as one of the X-Men dies!  Still reeling from their loss they face the return of the Sentinels and a journey into near-Earth orbit.  On the way back Jean Grey seemingly sacrifices her life to save the X-Men, but is mysteriously resurrected as Phoenix!  Magneto returns to face a fresh crop of mutants calling themselves X-Men, but can a group with such obvious handicaps (two members with high metal content in their bodies) and inexperience overcome the most powerful foe of the original team?

Witness the shocking origin of Professor X along with the first missions of Canada's premier super-hero team: Alpha Flight.  They plan to reacquire Wolverine (aka Weapon X) for the Canadian government.  Who is Mutant X and what is his shocking link to Moira Mactaggart?  Meet Kitty Pryde and then see the X-Men face the Hellfire Club!

Pros: You get to watch Chris Claremont go from rookie writer to breakthrough talent in the span of these issues, Byrne's art is groundbreaking for the time, Cockrum continues to do phenomenal covers after he leaves regular penciling duties, beautiful hardcover collection, great extras like: house ads, Cockrum character designs, and Classic X-Men covers by Art Adams

Cons: Characters in the early issues are pretty one-dimensional, George Perez annual wasn't up to par with regular series, they created Alpha Flight and Dazzler, "master of the dangling sub-plot" easily describes Claremont and some of his stories took decades to resolve

Mike Tells It Straight: This is the way to be introduced to the "All-New, All Different" X-Men!  Claremont was a rookie when this gig started and his writing talent forged the X-Men into the #1 comic of all time.  He made the X-Men multi-dimensional and added a maturity to their stories.  These issues represent the foundation of the X-Men under Claremont's guidance and easily fall under "must reading" for any fan.  

TO BUY and Recommendations: