Original Brand Batman & Spiderman

Happy Leap Year

MISC. MANGA, *Robocopper

Basically a clockwork version of Robocop, this one-shot special from Antarctic Press in a world where automatons are mostly commonplace. Written by steampunk author Marshall Naylor, it also features great designs by military/horror artist David Hutchison.

In it, London officer Claire and her mechanical partner are called into stop a young boy kidnapped by a rogue caretaker gynoid. It’s revealed that the fembot was really protecting the boy from abusive parents, and the two burst out of police custody with Robocopper hot on their trail. The end result isn’t exactly a happy one, and could’ve been resolved if Robocopper was programmed with some better protocols.

This works as a one-shot, although some development into the backstory in this world would have been more helpful.

The "Coming" Of The Supermen

MISC. MANGA, *Flipside

Originally a webcomic, this ongoing series from Keenspot continues Brian Foulke's manga-styled fantasy adventure. Borrowing elements from anime and role-playing games, Flipside centers around a female jester named Maytag who is a sexy blend of Harley Quinn and Tenchi Muyo's Ryoko.

Set in the mystical kingdom of Solstice, Crest is a young man who left the knight academy to help care for his widowed mother that became blind from a magic accident. Crest tries to find nefarious ways of raising money to cure his mother's blindness, this includes cheating at underground gambling which makes certain thugs want to stomp him after his slight of hand is revealed to them. Fortunately for him, Crest is bailed out by Maytag, the mysterious performing jester skilled in knife throwing, as well as carrying magical items that allow for a stealthy escape. Crest has been pining for Maytag for a while, and even tried asking her out, but after she rescues him, the two of them become closer. Maytag's past is explored more when her mentor Bernadette pulls her out of a jam when a psychotic stalker nearly makes off with her. Crest isn't completely in with Maytag though as it's revealed she still has a boyfriend. Bernadette on the meanwhile has been offered a place among Solstice's knights.

The webcomic has been active for more than 15 years, and collected in about 8 volumes so far. The trade paperbacks are available through Shark Robot, so it might be worth picking up a copy, although maybe waiting until you see Brain Foulke at a convention table might be a more financially sound idea.

Deadpool is the first Rated R superhero movie?

ANI-MOVIES, *Batman Vs. Robin

Before his overhyped mash with the Man of Steel, the Dark Knight battled his own sidekick/son in Batman Vs. Robin. This was a DC Universe animated movie which acts as a sequal to Son Of Batman, and part of the official "New 52" timeline which takes place post-Flashpoint.

Bruce Wayne's newfound son Damian goes as Robin to track down some missing children that have been kidnapped by the Dollmaker(oddly voiced by Weird Al Yankovic!), but the villain is ultimately killed by a masked vigilante called Talon. Bruce and Damian's relationship becomes more estranged as Robin keeps sneaking out to fight crime on his own, while Batman investigates Talon's involvement with a mysterious organization he remembers as a child called the Court of Owls, who Bruce originally thought were the ones who killed his parents. Batman is attacked by a few of the other Talons, which are like enhanced zombie assassins that can only stay re-animated for up to a few hours, and sends for Nightwing to bring him back home. Fed up with Batman, Robin chooses to ally himself with Talon, who the main assassin of the Court of Owls, and lover of the Court's Grandmaster(aka: Bruce Wayne's current love interest). Batman goes out looking for the Court's hideout, but get caught in a labyrinth pumped full of fear gas, which is probably connected to the Scarecrow's deleted scene from Justice League: Throne Of Atlantis. Bruce is once again rescued by Nightwing and brought back to Wayne Manor, while Robin reveals his identity to the Court. Damian however refuses to join in their cause, which prompts Talon to go all blood crazy and slaughter the entire court. After the bloodbath, Talon releases all the other zombie-Talons for an all out assault on Wayne Manor. The Batman Family manages to take out all the Talon-drones, but the main Talon gets into a final battle with Batman, where Robin comes to the rescue at the last minute, but Talon decides to take his own life making Robin feel like he was the one who killed him. Bruce and his son reconnect, but Damian decides to go discover his true identity by travelling to a Himalayan monastery to work on his feng-shui.

This worked an effective adaptation of the Court of Owls story arc from the comics, while merging it with Batman breaking in Damian as his son and the new Robin post-Son Of Batman. Most of the cast from the previous movie chapter return, with Jeremy Sisto performing a believable Talon, which the story adds a little more backstory to than was given of the character in the original comic. This animated film leads into the current third chapter, Batman: Bad Blood, that further expands the Bat-Family, but Batman Vs. Robin does make for a good enough viewing on its own too.