Andrew A. Smith

Scripps Howard News Service

What do sea-going superheroes, mysterious murders and curious cats and have in common? They all make for great comics.

Let’s start with Aquaman, a character almost everyone’s heard of – and made fun of at one time or another.

Conceptually, it’s deserved. Aquaman debuted in 1941,…

ACTION COMICS #0

AGE OF APOCALYPSE #7

ALTER EGO #112

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #693

ANIMAL MAN #0

AQUAMAN HC VOL 01 THE TRENCH

ARCHER & ARMSTRONG (NEW) #2

ARMY OF DARKNESS ONGOING #5

ASTONISHING X-MEN GIFTED PROSE NOVEL HC

ATLAS UNIFIED #0

AVENGERS ACADEMY #36

BACK ISSUE #59

BACK ISSUE #60

BATMAN KNIGHTFALL TP NEW ED VO3 KNIGHTSEND

BATWING #0

BEFORE WATCHMEN SILK SPECTRE #3 (OF 4) (MR)

BIG HERO 6 BRAVE NEW…

ALL ACTION CLASSICS WONDERFUL WIZARD OF OZ GN

AMERICAN VAMPIRE #30 (MR)

AMERICAN VAMPIRE #30 VAR ED (MR)

AMULET SC VOL 05 PRINCE OF THE ELVES

ANGEL & FAITH #13 REBEKAH ISAACS VAR CVR

ANGEL & FAITH #13 STEVE MORRIS CVR

AQUAMAN #12

AQUAMAN #12 VAR ED

AQUAMAN #12 ROBOT CHICKEN VAR

AVENGING SPIDER-MAN #11

AVX VS #5 (OF 6)

AVX VS #5 (OF 6) FIGHT POSTER VAR

AXE COP PRESIDENT O/T WORLD #2 (OF 3)

BETTY & VERONICA FRIENDS…

Responding to my Deck Log entry on Adventure Comics # 342 (Mar., 1966), in which Star Boy was expelled from the Legion of Super-Heroes for violating the Legion code against killing, correspondent Commando Cody indicted another Legionnaire for also breaking the code.

Cody posted:

Didn’t Lightning Lad kill Zaryan the Conqueror in…

There’s nothing quite like a comic book legacy. I enjoy watching the passing of the mantle from one character to another. I admire the interaction between different generations and appreciate the contrast in characters. I know I’m not the only one. Comic book writers often invent legacies for characters that didn’t previously have them. They introduce predecessors, distant…

By Andrew A. Smith

Scripps Howard News Service

There’s a new Superman in town, and he’s … OK.

When DC Comics re-launched the titles comprising its superhero universe last year, they took the opportunity to re-tool the Man of Steel a little bit. Action Comics started over with a new first issue, showing Superman in his earliest days – which, in this new universe, is five years ago. (Superman began again, too,…

Andrew A. Smith

Scripps Howard News Service

The comics world is in mourning this week as a giant has passed. Joe Kubert died Aug. 12 at age 85.

Kubert isn’t a household name, but if you’ve ever read a Sgt. Rock comic book, you’ve probably seen his work. In addition to decades on DC’s war titles, Kubert…

ADVENTURE TIME #7

ALL NEW BATMAN BRAVE & BOLD TP V2 HELP WANTED

ALL STAR WESTERN #12

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #692

AMERICAS GOT POWERS #3 (OF 6)

ARCHIE #636

ASTONISHING X-MEN #53

BART SIMPSON COMICS #74

BATMAN INC #3

BATMAN THE DARK KNIGHT #12

BEFORE WATCHMEN DR MANHATTAN #1 (OF 4) (MR)

BRILLIANT #4 (MR)

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER SPIKE #1 (OF 5)

CAPTAIN AMERICA AND NAMOR #635.1

CAPTAIN EASY HC VOL 03 SOLDIER OF…

How obsessed is too obsessed?

Psychoanalyzing Batman

Part 1

Andrew A. Smith

Contributing Editor

If you’ve ever wondered if Batman was certifiable in any way, you’re in luck: A clinical psychologist has written…

Andrew A. Smith

Scripps Howard News Service

Comics characters often return from the dead – but sometimes publishers do, too. Such is the case with Valiant Comics, which has burst back on the scene in an explosion of high-quality books.

First, the history:

Valiant first launched in 1989…

As I read my new comics the other week, I was struck by how many of them were really good.  Some amused me.  Some left me awestruck.  But they all made me happy, as comic after comic was great.  So here’s my surprisingly sunny set of summer reviews. 

Avengers Academy 34: The best Avengers book has been on autopilot lately with guest-stars and event…

Andrew A. Smith

Scripps Howard News Service

If Dark Knight Rises gives you a hankering for some more terrific Bat-stories, you’re in luck.

The much-anticipated Batman: Earth One is out ($25.99), and it lives up to the hype. Written by DC’s Chief Creative Officer Geoff Johns, it re-imagines the Dark Knight’s origin in the modern day, just as Superman: Earth One did for the Man of Steel last year. And…

68 SCARS #2 (OF 4)

ADVENTURES OF A COMIC CON GIRL #1 (OF 3) (MR)

ALABASTER WOLVES #5 (OF 5)

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #691

AVENGERS #29 AVX

AVENGERS ACADEMY #35

AVENGERS VS X-MEN #10 (OF 12) AVX

BAD MEDICINE #4

BATMAN STREETS OF GOTHAM TP VOL 03 HOUSE OF HUSH

BATTLE BEASTS #2 (OF 4)

BATWOMAN #12

BEFORE WATCHMEN RORSCHACH #1 (OF 4) (MR)

BETRAYAL O/T PLANET O/T APES TP

BIRDS OF PREY #12

BLOODSHOT (ONGOING) #2

BLUE…

Andrew A. Smith

Scripps Howard News Service

Clinical psychologist 'examines' Bruce Wayne in new book

Is Batman crazy?

That’s the central issue in a new book by clinical psychologist, psychotherapist, textbook writer, book author, lecturer…

Welcome back! Last week, I started ruminating about the best episodes from NBC’s spy comedy Chuck. This week, I finish the job by reflecting on the best moments from seasons three, four and five.

Season Three

Chuck vs.…

ADVENTURE TIME MARCELINE SCREAM QUEENS #2

AMERICAN VAMPIRE LORD OF NIGHTMARES #3 (OF 5) (MR)

ANTI #1

ARCHER & ARMSTRONG (NEW) #1

ARTIFACTS #20

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ATOMIC ROBO REAL SCIENCE ADV #5

AVENGERS ASSEMBLE #6

AVENGERS VS X-MEN BY BRADSHAW POSTER

BATGIRL #12

BATMAN AND ROBIN #12

BATMAN ARKHAM UNHINGED #5

BEFORE WATCHMEN OZYMANDIAS #2…