The summer months are in full swing! With the start of July comes a new Community Member of the Month! Let’s get to know @Vroom!
What originally got you into DC Comics?
This action figure of Michael Keaton’s Batman, made by Toy Biz and released in 1989:
Prior to coming across that figure with my dad while we were at Target in June of '89, I had no idea who Batman was or what DC Comics was. That said, that figure just pulled on me and I had to have it. My dad was kind enough to buy it for 6-year-old me and my DC fandom just grew from there, as I discovered the Adam West Batman TV series, Burton’s Batman on VHS (where I first saw the flick) and, of course, comics all thanks to that figure, which I still have to this day.
Who is your favorite DC character, and why?
Hands-down, its Superman. From 1989 to 2005, it was Batman, who was always very closely-followed by Superman as my second-favorite. In 2006, Superman tied Batman as my #1 and then in 2007, Superman took the Bibbo-approved “He’s my fav’rit!” throne all for himself and has been my #1 for the last 16 years.
As for the why…there’s many reasons. I’m an optimist and always strive to see the best in everything, as does Superman. I appreciate Superman always standing for the truth and doing what’s right, even when doing so may not be the popular thing to do at a given moment. Popular or not, the truth always sets one free and doing what’s right is always the correct course of action to take part in.
Like a lot of comic fans, I’ve had my share of feeling like an outsider. As such, I can strongly identify with the Clark Kent side of Superman, especially before Clark took on that identity and when he was figuring out his place in the world. Clark knew he was meant for something more, but didn’t know how to embrace his destiny and take-on that which he was meant for. I’ve felt, and still feel at times, that way, so Clark and I are simpatico.
Finally, I appreciate Superman’s take-charge nature. He’s a natural leader that takes charge, and when it comes time to busting bad guy chops and saving the day, absolutely nobody does it better than Superman.
In short, Superman’s optimism, his dedication to doing what’s right, the outsider side of pre-Superman Clark and his take-charge attitude are why Superman is my, to quote Bibbo Bibbowski, “fav’rit”.
What books are you currently reading?
Too many to list in-full. I always have a huge stack of stuff, old and new, that I’m diving into.
That said, I LOVE Batman/Superman: World’s Finest. It is easily my #1 favorite among the current titles I’m reading. The writing, art and overall feel of World’s Finest have made it my favorite Superman and Batman team-up title since Superman/Batman.
I’m also really enjoying the Superman side of Dawn of DC, as Joshua Williamson is killing it on Superman, as is Phillip Kennedy Johnson on Action Comics.
Also, I can’t wait to dive into more of Steelworks, as its just a treat to see a Steel-focused title written by the first person to ever play Steel, Michael flippin’ Dorn! My inner-Star Trek fan is most pleased to see Worf playing in the Superman sandbox.
Outside of Superman, I’m enjoying other Dawn of DC reads such as Green Lantern, Spirit World, Cyborg, Titans and, of course, Nightwing! Holy Joe, I do loves me some Tom Taylor Nightwing!
Dawn of DC’s on a roll and I can’t wait for the titles to come, such as Hawkgirl, Power Girl, Wonder Woman, Fire and Ice, Birds of Prey (can you tell I’m a big geek for women-led titles?) and The Flash, which should be a sensational visual feast with Mike Deodato on pencils.
Outside of Dawn-based titles and World’s Finest, I also love Danger Street. Its a great callback to and modernization of classic characters (including one of my favorites, Metamorpho) and each issue is better than the last. I think Danger Street is going to stand tall for many years to come as a highly-acclaimed read and it absolutely deserves all of its acclaim.
What are you looking forward to most within the DC Universe?
To quote Brodie in the movie Mallrats, “Where does one begin?”
From the comics…I’m curious to see what else comes of Dawn of DC. I love Yara Flor’s Wonder Girl and she’s been teased in various Dawn of DC ads, so my fingers are crossed that she’ll get a new ongoing gig. From the outside media, I’m stoked for My Adventures with Superman, Superpowered: The DC Story, Justice League: Warworld, the Blue Beetle movie, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom and, last but not least, season 4 of Harley Quinn. From the toy and collectibles side of things, I love McFarlane Toys’ DC output, especially their Super Powers line. The more of it the better, so as Lex said in Superman Returns, “Bring it on!”
What books would you recommend to the general DC Community?
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Superman/Batman
Why I
it: Its the World’s Finest heroes as written and drawn by many of the World’s Finest modern comic writers and artists (especially Ed McGuinness and Michael Turner). What more needs to be said? -
Mister Miracle (1971-1978)
Why I it: Jack “The King” Kirby’s Fourth World is one of my all-time favorite tapestries in comics, with Mister Miracle being my favorite part of that tapestry. -
Lois Lane (2019-2020)
Why I it: I adore Greg Rucka in every entertainment medium he’s been a part of, with a particular emphasis on his comic work. He’s written Superman with aplomb, but its comics’ first and greatest female character that he soared with and then some. -
Transmetropolitan
Why I it: My absolute, all-time favorite Vertigo title. 'Nuff said. -
The Twilight Children
Why I it: Anything, literally anything , involving Darwyn Cooke is pure, unadulterated bliss and The Twilight Children is no exception. -
Divine Right
Why I it: My all-time favorite WildStorm title, as its mostly written and drawn by my all-time favorite comic artist, Jim “The Man” Lee. -
The Authority (1999-2002)
Why I it: Its brimming with wonderful characters and mind-bending action and adventure, while being an absolute feast for the eyes, thanks to the wonderful artwork of artist supreme Bryan Hitch. Read the comic now, so that when the DC Studios movie debuts in a few years, you can say “Yep, I knew of The Authority long before it was a movie.” -
Sleeper: Season One
Why I it: Writer Ed Brubaker and artist Sean Phillips are a team supreme in comics and this is where their longform magic began. -
WildC.A.Ts: Covert Action Teams
Why I it: Jim Lee’s first creator-owned franchise debuts and puts the “wild” in “WildStorm” while also being a focal point of the '90s comic revolution. -
Wildcats: Nemesis
Why I it: I absolutely LOVE female-led comics. Nemesis (aka Lady Charis of the Adrastea) is one of my favorite female characters in comics, no matter the brand, property or imprint and she definitely shows why she is not to be trifled with in this terrifically fun mini-series. -
Welcome to Tranquility
Why I it: Gail Simone is a hero in the modern comic writing landscape and Welcome to Tranquility is the title that made me a fan of hers for life. This series is creative, fun, silly and everything else that makes Gail Simone’s wonderful works worthy of their continued spotlight. -
Global Frequency
Why I it: The best geo-political thriller of the 21st century. 24 wishes it was as good as this series. When “You’re on the frequency.”, you’ll never want to be anywhere else.
Very well deserved.
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Meow!