By Andrew A. Smith

Scripps Howard News Service

He’s the evil doppelganger of Batman, the giggling evil to the Dark Knight’s humorless heroism, the garish chaos to the Caped Crusader’s dark order. He’s The Joker, and after a year absent from all DC Comics, he’s back for what DC is calling “the seminal Joker event of our time.”

That’s saying a lot, given the many terrific stories starring the Clown Prince of Crime. But this tale…

By Andrew A. Smith

Scripps Howard News Service

Happy birthday, Tarzan!

The legendary Ape-Man first saw print100 years ago in the pulp title The All-Story Magazine, and Titan Books is celebrating with a gorgeous hardback, Tarzan: The Centennial Celebration ($39.95). Written by Scott Tracy Griffin, one of the foremost Edgar Rice Burroughs experts extant, Centennial covers aspect of the fabled adventure…

By Andrew A. Smith

Scripps Howard News Service

Last week, DC Comics sent me a Batman-shaped thumb drive with holiday gift suggestions on it. My first thought was: “A Batman-shaped thumb drive exists! And I’ve got one!”

After I stopped giggling, I scrolled through the suggestions on the drive, and found that quite a few had merit. Some, in fact, I had meant to recommend anyway.

 …

By Andrew A. Smith

Scripps Howard News Service

It’s that time of year, when Captain Comics quaffs an egg nog or two and makes gift recommendations for the geeks in your life.

To get in the mood I don my Yoda Holiday Hat, a Santa Claus hat with Yoda ears, which set me back a paltry $9.99 from the Overlords at Think Geek (thinkgeek.com). Then I decorate the tree with Star Wars holiday lights that light up Yoda or R2-D2 with…

By Andrew A. Smith

Scripps Howard News Service

There are few graphic novels that not only benefit from multiple readings, but demand they be re-read. Spaceman (DC/Vertigo, $24.99) is an example.

The premise alone is fascinating: The “spaceman” of the title is Orson, a hulking bruiser in the near future, genetically engineered to survive a trip to Mars and do manual labor there. But when the controversial program that…