The Brave And The Bold: Batman And Wonder Woman #6 - DC Comics

THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD: BATMAN AND WONDER WOMAN No. 6, September 2018

Described by “DC Comics” in their pre-publication publicity as supposedly featuring “an epic battle for Tir Na Nog” in which “both Fomorian and Dé Denann creatures are spilling into our own realm”, Liam Sharp’s actual finale to this six-issue mini-series probably left its audience feeling badly let-down, if not entirely mislead. For whilst the Derby-born writer’s concluding instalment to “The Brave And The Bold: Batman And Wonder Woman” does feature certain elements of King Elatha’s fight against the forces of his tyrannical brother, it does so in arguably the most cursory of manners, and definitely fails to deliver any lasting satisfaction with its “End Of Book One” conclusion.

Indeed, in many ways the narrative for this twenty-two page periodical seems to be far more concerned with raising more questions for an evident sequel publication than it does answering, or at least eloquently exploring, any of the issues its previous chapters created. For example, having been a mainstay of the central cast for this storyline’s entirety the formidable-looking Captain Furf is disrespectfully dispatched ‘off-screen’, presumably during some great pitched conflict, and is subsequently given just the simplest of death scenes in the presence of his mournful king. Likewise, Gotham City’s invasion by Balor’s armies would surely have made for a short-lived series in its own right, and yet the “co-founder/CCO of Madefire Inc” squanders such an opportunity courtesy of a double splash which straightforwardly depicts the Batplane dousing the orcish trespassers with sleeping gas so Commissioner Gordon can simply “send your men in now.”

Perhaps this comic’s biggest disappointment however, is in Elatha’s highly-anticipated confrontation with Balor Evil-Eye, which initially looks set to simply be a portrayal of the king impotently being roasted alive by his all-powerful sibling. Considering that Ethné’s husband was somewhat cognisant as to what his foe was capable off, it seems utterly ludicrous that such a powerful ruler would simply stand still in front of so lethal an attack, especially when the quickly badly burnt leader doesn’t even bother to carry a shield with him..?

Of course, such a ludicrous lapse in judgement does provide Sharp with the opening to have Wonder Woman literally come out of nowhere to smack the God of Blight and Droughts squarely in his laser-beam eye and resultantly save the day. But such a contrivance seems to have been lazily orchestrated just so the Princess of Themyscria had something to do besides bewail Cernunnos’ shocking death at the hands of an unknown spearman, as well as allow Balor to escape justice and rather mercenarily set-up a follow-up publication…

Writer/Artist: Kevin Sharp, and Colors: Romulo Fajardo Jr.

The Brave And The Bold: Batman And Wonder Woman #5 - DC Comics

THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD: BATMAN AND WONDER WOMAN No. 5, August 2018

There is a decidedly dour feel to the quality of Issue Five of “The Brave And The Bold: Batman And Wonder Woman” which probably made many in this mini-series’ audience wonder whether the combined responsibilities of being both the title’s writer and artist was beginning to prove a little too burdensome for Liam Sharp after so many months work. In fact, with the exception of the Derby-born drawer’s impressive-looking cover illustration, as frustratingly misleading as to the book’s interior contents as it is dynamically staged, this entire twenty-two page periodical lacks any feeling of animated life or vitality until its final splash depicts the pointy-eared King McCool leading his desperate forces into “one last, great battle” whilst riding upon a giant boar.

Up until this point sadly, the “co-founder/CCO of Madefire Inc” seemingly offers little in the way of entertainment except bucket loads of dialogue and a plot twist which arguably makes something of a mockery of this comic’s previous four instalments by revealing that King Elatha actually faked his own demise so as to escape to the Dark Knight’s Gotham City. This surprising change of events, which the Caped Crusader only suddenly solves having finally gotten round to interrogating the sole murder suspect, Donal of the De Danann, admittedly comes as a total shock, but not as much as the book’s subsequent scene which depicts the pony-tailed monarch abusing “the fullness of body [which] is sacred to the rulers of the Sidhe” by willingly chopping his own forearm off on a wooden table; “Forgive me, Mother Danu! I do this for us all!”

Such a moment of grisly mutilation, only just pencilled ‘off camera’, at least contains a purpose to progress the story by allowing the now-maimed ruler of Tir Na Nog to don the Silver Arm of Nuada and use the “powerful Sidhe artefact” to “open the old causeways… out in the world…” Yet just why it took “the World's Greatest Detective” so many days before deciding to speak to this heinous crime’s sole witness and discover so “grave [a] missing detail” is rather baffling, unless of course it was simply a disappointingly lazy contrivance for this tale’s author to provide Elatha with time enough to lop off the aforementioned limb..?

Sadly, Sharp’s sketching also appears similarly as lack lustre as this particular tome’s pedestrian penmanship, with many of the publication’s panels lacking his usual fine attention to detail. Indeed, Cernunnos, Batman, the King and especially Balor Evil-Eye, all appear to have been hurriedly pencilled from time to time, with only the occasional glimmer showing through as to Liam’s true talent, such as when the “dread army of Sea Fomorians” stride out from their centuries long captivity.

Writer/Artist: Kevin Sharp, and Colors: Romulo Fajardo Jr.

The Brave And The Bold: Batman And Wonder Woman #4 - DC Comics

THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD: BATMAN AND WONDER WOMAN No. 4, July 2018

It is hard to imagine any reader of this twenty-two page periodical who didn’t desire a laboriously lengthy crash course in Irish mythology and the Battle of Moytura gleaning much in the way of entertainment from Issue Four of “The Brave And The Bold: Batman And Wonder Woman”. Indeed, as comic book adventures go, especially those teaming up two of “DC Comics” Trinity, Liam Sharp’s soberingly straightforward script arguably just consists of a publication-length conversion between the titular characters and Lady Ethne, which both proves to be a poor usage of two ordinarily dynamically-charged super-heroes, and also fails to actually progress the plot of an increasingly tired-looking mini-series.

Admittedly, the Derby-born writer’s narrative does eventually include a smidgeon of action, when the grieving queen discovers the caped crusaders have ‘desecrated’ her ancestor’s tomb and one of her sour-looking giant Fomorian guards lets loose an arrow at Wonder Woman; “For Tir Na Nog, and for freedom!” Yet such a brief, mere modicum of motion, comes far too late in the fable-telling to debatably energise the rest of this book’s lifeless litany, especially when it only lasts a couple of panels and quickly results in naught more than Batman showing the furious monarch that “it appears that somebody has stolen the Silver Arm of Nuada…”

Unfortunately however, in order to reach even this somewhat underwhelming cliff-hanger, this magazine’s audience must first have endured splash page after double-splash page of exposition from the formidably-tall Ethne, as she waxes lyrical on the historical heritage of her dead husband. This drawn-out, almost text-book commentary covering the invasion of Balor of the Evil Eye, as well as the legendary world’s decision “to cast a lasting spell of forgetfulness over all of Tir Nag Nog”, genuinely takes a considerable patience to peruse properly, and resultantly requires repeated readings before it’s scriptural-like story is finally understood.

Disappointingly, such a semi-religious recitation possibly wouldn’t have been so unbearable if Sharp hadn’t decided to pencil the trials and tribulations it exposes as single panel pieces. These pictures are undoubtedly pleasing to the eye, but lack any pulse-pounding life whatsoever, and in hindsight would perhaps have proved more ‘inspirational’ if they had been drawn as multiple fast-paced sequences, illustrating the actual battles and tragedy within a carousel of smaller sketches..?

Writer/Artist: Kevin Sharp, and Colors: Romulo Fajardo Jr.

The Brave And The Bold: Batman And Wonder Woman #3 - DC Comics

THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD: BATMAN AND WONDER WOMAN No. 3, June 2018

Firmly focusing upon the Dark Knight’s enthralling exploration of Tir Na Nog alongside Princess Diana of Themyscira, Liam Sharp’s narrative for Issue Three of “The Brave And The Bold: Batman And Wonder Woman” treads a wonderfully fine line between bombarding its readers with arguably superfluous fluff concerning the “world of Celtic myth” and leading them by the hand through the thorough, “liminal” thought processes of “the World's Greatest Detective.” Admittedly, Bruce Wayne’s metal abilities aren’t initially up to the challenge of solving “the mystery of a murdered god”, due to his mystical journey literally ‘wiping him out’. But his memory and quick-wits are soon returned to him courtesy of the warm, scented waters of a sprite-drawn bath and a spot of “skinny-dipping”.

Indeed, no sooner has the initially befuddled billionaire ‘slipped’ his Batsuit on, than he is commandingly riding an all-white steed through the beautiful yet sad "Land of the Young", honing his senses to a place where “you tell me we cannot trust time” and contemplating the peculiar peace between “natural enemies” the Fomorians and the De Danann. This insight into Batman’s usual practice of applying logic and science to his deductive methodology is a delight to behold, especially when he suddenly throws aside “hard evidence” and “rigorous scientific testing” for “a stone with a naturally worn hole through it…”

Interestingly, the caped crime-fighter’s surprising ability to “see through faeries magic” with a hag stone, and subsequently confront three foul-looking monstrous beings, additionally provides the Derby-born writer with an opportunity to demonstrate another of the wealthy philanthropist’s investigative tools, an insinuating tongue which goads his suspects into acts of desperate violence; “You feck! I’ve killed better men than you for less… We loved our king!” Such an ‘out of the blue’ vehement outburst brings the Dark Knight’s preliminary enquiries to a pulse-pounding conclusion, whilst also providing Wonder Woman an opportunity to pit her superhuman muscles against those of the larger-sized Fomorian warriors.

Sharp’s artistic skill is equally as impressive within the confines of this twenty-two page periodical, with the co-founder of “Madefire Inc” pencilling some breath-taking scenic views of Tir Na Nog, not least of which is the land’s “very tangible border” double splash, as well as plenty of sense-shattering fisticuffs once Batman decides to adopt a more straightforwardly physical interrogation technique and employs both sleeping gas and his steely fists upon his foes. In fact, even this book’s enormously dialogue-heavy conclusion, set within the highly detailed tall towers of the Court of the De Danann, remains “interesting” despite a truly phenomenal word-count.

Writer/Artist: Kevin Sharp, and Colors: Romulo Fajardo Jr.

The Brave And The Bold: Batman And Wonder Woman #2 - DC Comics

THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD: BATMAN AND WONDER WOMAN No. 2, May 2018

Despite providing the Dark Knight with far more ‘screen time’ than its preceding edition, Liam Sharp’s script for Issue Two of “The Brave And The Bold: Batman And Wonder Woman” arguably still badly bogs itself down amidst the mythological weeds of Tir Na Nog and magic, to the point where much of the dialogue taking place within this twenty-two page periodical proves incomprehensible gobbledegook, or at best, a tiring banal read. In fact, there are debatably passages within this book, such King McCool’s speech “on behalf of the De Danann” or later Bruce Wayne’s laboriously lengthy explanation as to the tangible reality of enchantments, which genuinely must have tried the fortitude of even the most patient of bookworms.

Frustratingly for a publication featuring two of “DC Comics” ‘holy trinity’, there isn’t even any action to speak of with which to break up this monotony either, unless of course the co-founder of “Madefire Incorporated” felt Batman’s muscle-straining flight from “the dark spirit visions of the Phooka” was pulse-pounding enough to sate the adrenalin junkies within his audience..? Certainly, the Dark Knight’s tentative reaching out for a simple brick wall whilst being hollered at down his ear-piece by an increasingly anxious Alfred Pennyworth is about as exciting as this magazine’s plot gets, with perhaps the possible exception of Diana momentarily hoisting Captain Furf aloft and threatening to “end it” if the grotesque, skeletal-like warrior doesn’t stop threatening to kill Donal of the De Danann for the “murder of Eleatha, High King of the Fomorians”.

Quite possibly the only intriguing aspect to “In The Court Of The De Danann” therefore, apart from its British author’s marvellously detailed pencilling and fantastic-looking ghostly ghouls, is the strangely enigmatic hobo living within the Irish Quarter of Gotham City. Long-haired and weather-worn, the homeless vagabond predominantly speaks utter gibberish in his attempt to pacify his long departed “dear old ex-wife [named] Molly”, whose love the man seemingly lost whilst travelling “the length and breadth of Ireland” in search of “a way into fair Tir Na Nog”. This “last of the Gotham druids” apparently knows far more about the old places buried beneath the metropolis’ office blocks and car parks than he lets on, and his eventual discovery of a gateway to “freedom” at the end of his dilapidated, detritus-laden garden provides a surprising moment of emotional entertainment…

Writer/Artist: Kevin Sharp, and Colors: Romulo Fajardo Jr.

The Brave And The Bold: Batman And Wonder Woman #1 - DC Comics

THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD: BATMAN AND WONDER WOMAN No. 1, April 2018

Announced by “DC Comics” via The Washington Post in November 2017 as “a new six-issue… miniseries that will bring the two heroes into some very unfamiliar territory”, this opening instalment to “The Brave And The Bold: Batman And Wonder Woman” certainly depicts William Moulton Marston’s creation in something of a different light, with the somewhat surprisingly subdued Diana volunteering to investigate the murder of a Celtic god in order to prevent “a war between the fairy folk and a possible breach between worlds”. Indeed, Tir Na Nog’s wonderfully brutal and dirtily-grim setting, based upon “the legends of Irish and Celtic gods”, must surely have proved an enthralling contrast to the demigod’s Amazonian mythology for this book’s 42,087 readers and simultaneously shown just why “DC Comics” were willing to support Liam Sharp in “looking for a way to continue working with the character” having just come “off a run illustrating the new Wonder Woman series” during the publisher’s “Rebirth” re-launch.

Unfortunately however, such lavish attention to detail, both in the narrative’s meticulous background to Cernunnos Cernach’s world, as well as the Lord of Fertility’s return journey from requesting an audience with Hippolyta’s daughter, does mean that the Derby-born writer’s script pays far less attention to the “top billing” Batman than it does  the “most beloved of the Amazonians”, and in many ways seemingly just clumsily crowbars Bruce Wayne’s alter-ego into the story whenever the author needs a reason to momentarily distract his audience away from Wonder Woman’s situation; “When worlds collide, there will always be a reckoning… and when gods and monsters meet, it seems, nothing is ever predictable…” 

Equally as unnerving as the Dark Knight’s near non-existent presence, is the “Madefire” co-founder’s unnerving preoccupation with Diana and Steve Trevor’s love-life. The twenty-two page periodical starts with a seemingly innocuous bed-room scene between the pair, which merely alludes to their intimate relationship and is rather discerningly pencilled by the magazine’s creator. But within mere moments of the Celtic horned-god appearing before them the comic turns decidedly distasteful with its unsubtle implication that the tusked deity would happily join “the rutting of the beast with two backs” and even go as far as to “gladly anoint such a union with my --”.

Interestingly, arguably this book's biggest draw is also, in certain places, one of its weakest elements. There should be no doubt that the "2000 A.D." artist's attentive drawings of Tir Na Nog and all its fantastical inhabitants are absolutely top-notch and simply crammed full of the most intricate of details, such as tiny red-eyed imps clambering up over the shoulder of a beleaguered earth elemental who is simultaneously stomping on a dwarf's chest during a street-fight. But sadly, the same cannot debatably be said for this comic's panels featuring the Caped Crusader, which at times provide such a stark contrast in quality that they disconcertingly seem to have been sketched by someone else entirely...

Writer/Artist: Kevin Sharp, and Colors: Romulo Fajardo Jr.

The Brave And The Bold #148 - DC Comics

THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD No. 148, March 1979

As a “DC Comics” Christmas tie-in publication, Bob Haney’s narrative for Issue One Hundred and Forty Eight of “The Brave And The Bold” was arguably always going to contain a certain amount of festive joviality and silliness. In fact, considering that Batman is partnered with the quirky, comical character of Plastic Man, many of this seventeen-page periodical’s buyers probably felt an “offbeat” tongue-in-cheek tale was effectively guaranteed.

Sadly however “The Night The Mob Stole Xmas!” actually seems to take this notion of “surreal slapstick humour” a little too far, and not only milks Jack Cole’s creation for all the funnies the malleable superhero can muster, but does so within an atrociously contrived storyline that is as implausibly manufactured as it is unamusing. It’s certainly hard to imagine that despite all his wealth and power the Crime Lord Big Jake still found it necessary to steal “Gotham’s Great Xmas Display” and transport it to his residence “at Conch Key -- A palm-studded coral island off the Florida Coast”, rather than simply build an alternative to “the famous Lacy’s Department Store” yuletide exhibition; unless of course he purposely wanted to attract the attention of that particular metropolis’ Dark Knight and ruin his well-prepared plans for murdering “all the creeps who tried to muscle in on our butt-smuggling” operation.   

Equally as illogical is the Philadelphia-born writer’s handling of the Caped Crusader himself. Clearly aware of Commissioner Gordon’s deep concern regarding a spate of hijackings and murders related to illegal cigarettes, Batman nonsensically decides to initially ignore the Policeman’s request for him to ‘crack the smuggling ring’ and instead needle him by explaining he has to “do my Xmas shopping”. To make matters worse, Haney also has Bruce Wayne’s alter ego later impotently surrender to two armed gangsters, and subsequently be stretched out across a gigantic evergreen conifer “as a tree decoration”, despite the fact that Plastic Man is right beside him and could presumably readily dispatch the goons with a couple of elongated fists?

Fortunately what this comic lacks in credibility, it more than makes up for with its wonderfully dynamic-looking artwork, courtesy of Joe Staton and Jim Aparo. Imbued with a genuine feeling of energetic athleticism, whether it be him landing flat-footed on top of a van roof, karate-chopping a goon with throat strike, or swinging into his open-topped Batmobile, the creative team’s rendering of the Caped Crusader, as well as Plastic Man, is top notch throughout.

Writer: Bob Haney, and Artists: Joe Staton & Jim Aparo

The Brave And The Bold #194 - DC Comics

THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD No. 194, January 1983

It’s hard to imagine what inspired Mike W. Barr into penning this twenty-three page periodical’s plot based upon a motivational therapist counselling “the Rainbow Raider and Doctor X to take on each other’s super-heroic opponents… and defeat them.” But whatever it was certainly created one of the more ludicrously unusual tales for the long-running title and could arguably be suggestive as to just the why “The Brave And The Bold” was cancelled by “DC Comics” just six issues later.

Certainly the American writer’s rather farcical prologue leaves a fair bit to be desired as an overly confident bespectacled Professor Andrea Wye somehow manages to convince the depressed “three-time-loser” super-criminals Roy Bivolo and Doctor Ecks that by simply repeatedly chanting “I believe in me” they can somehow remove their “negative thinking caps”, “shatter the[ir] chains of nega-think” and best the formidable duo of Batman and the Flash. Admittedly the counsellor’s method, recommended in her new book “Be All The Person You Can Be”, does prove to be a short-lived success. But only because Barr’s contrived narrative bestows upon both the Scarlet Speedster and Dark Knight an incredulous amount of incompetence and coincidental bad-luck.

Simply because Barry Allen supposedly “is far from the Batman’s equal in intellect” should not mean that the super-hero can be so easily manoeuvred into an unavoidable blast from Doctor X; especially one which is delivered along an underground pipe that the villain fortunately “sensed ‘neath the ground” whilst the trio are battling in the middle of the countryside. Similarly, if all the Rainbow Raider has to do to defeat Batman is create an unbreakable prison prism around him whilst the Caped Crusader is “trying to avoid a multi-coloured sunburn” then why doesn’t Bivolo defeat all his foes so easily?

Just as disappointing is the thinking behind this comic’s “showdown”, as having clearly done some incredibly detailed research into both her patients and their prey, the Professor apparently forgets about the Flash’s “super-speed metabolism” and thus fails to inject him with enough sedative until after she has “induce[d] these heroes to reveal the secrets they possess… The secrets of the Justice League Satellite and time-travel, among others…” Once free the Crimson Comet unsurprisingly rescues Batman by matching the frequency of his prism prison, and then preposterously detains Doctor X by merely dousing him and his "banished" brother with water.

Dishearteningly the artwork for this book by Will Eisner Award Hall of Famer Carmine Michael Infantino is equally less than inspiring, with many of the magazine’s dialogue-laden panels being drawn with the characters rather tediously just stood side-on to one another. Somewhat encouragingly the New Yorker’s pencilling does become rather more energised during the fight scenes. But even these sequences contain some rather wooden and uninspiring illustrations, such as Batman’s rather robotic-looking punch upon the Rainbow Raider whilst flying across the city’s skyline via a bat-line.

Writer: Mike W. Barr, and Guest Artists: Carmine Infantino & Sal Trapani

The Brave And The Bold #151 - DC Comics

THE BRAVE ND THE BOLD No. 151, June 1979

Undoubtedly a 'child' of the Late Seventies, “The Disco Of Death” is as fantastically corny and riddled with the ambience of the 1977 American dance film “Saturday Night Fever” as its horribly trite story title would suggest. Indeed this seventeen-page periodical even dares portray the oft-times moody socialite Bruce Wayne not only taking to the dance floor “choked with gyrating bodies, rocking with sound and pulsating with whirling lights”. But also has the billionaire ‘bogeying on down’ with jetsetter Rhonda to “Staying Alive” whilst wearing a flashy white “John Travolta” leisure suit drawn by legendary series artist James “Jim” Aparo; “Ha! Ha! Come on, Bruce -- You don’t want Batman being the only “secret swinger” besides Alfred in town!”

This tongue-in-cheek comical portrayal of the Caped Crusader’s public persona surprisingly actually gets wincingly worse though once Bob Haney’s script has the Scarlet Speedster, Barry Allen, and his “liberated” wife join the partying Industrialist under the disco ball. For the two superheroes encounter the freakish-looking “Phantom of the Stardust”, complete with operatic horror mask, and having watched the cloaked scintillating performer ‘show up from nowhere, dance for hours with one foxy knocked out chick and then vanish’, quickly realise that the “bizarre figure” is actually responsible for at least “two unexplained deaths” at “The Stardust Discotheque!”

Such a dramatic deduction fortunately however proves to be the making of this book’s storyline, and seems to give the co-creator of the “Teen Titans” the opportunity to turn the “chauvinist devil” Wayne back into the thug-bashing night-time detective the cowled character was originally envisaged by Bob Kane as being. Whilst simultaneously providing the infinitely more colourful “Monarch of Motion” a far more fittingly light-hearted solo-mission “chasing figments of his own imagination” by trying to get “a ghost to free a ghost!”

Admittedly some of the “DC Comics” long-time writer’s plot points do become rather contrived as a result, such as the Flash’s blasé use of “his amazing Cosmic Treadmill to race back through the time barrier to the 1930’s” in order to photograph the Phantom’s dancing dead girlfriend and Batman’s miraculous discovery that Allen's spouse Iris is a ‘dead-ringer’ for Jack Dawes’ deceased Emily. But there again this entire hokey Haney narrative is based upon the whacky premise of a Prohibition-era spectral murderer disco-dancing his victims to death…

Writer: Bob Haney, Artist: Jim Aparo, and Colorist: Jerry Serpe