Super-heroes writers today often strive to find new ways in which to present the icons of yesteryear. Publishers seek fresh new voices and visions for the super-hero; sometimes they hit the mark with the likes of gifted creators such as Brian Michael Bendis and Eduardo Risso. The storytelling in this reprint anthology could be described as crude, but the goals of these creators in the 1940s wasn't to find fresh and plausible visions of the super-hero, but to build the genre from scratch. Fans of modern super-hero storytelling won't get the same thrill or kick from this book, but if they're like me, they will be intrigued by how these familiar characters have evolved.
This volume presents four stories plucked from four books in DC's Archives Editions line -- Superman Archives Vol. 2, Batman: The Dark Knight Archives Vol. 2, Wonder Woman Archives Vol. 1 and Plastic Man Archives Vol. 1 -- all in turn plucked from the Golden Age of Comics. Superman battles a crooked construction company exec, the Batman and the Joker tangle, Wonder Woman and friends travel to the planet Eros and Plastic Man faces a mad scientist from the 17th century.
It's surprising just how different these archetypes were in their early days as compared to the icons we thought we knew so well. Here, we see Lois Lane get hurt -- in theory, badly -- and Bruce Wayne and Dick Grayson live in an apartment, not stately Wayne Manor. The Man of Steel rails against authority rather than representing it, and the Joker is simply a clever crook, not a madman, more like Cesar Romero's portrayal of the character than Jack Nicholson's. These little differences are really quite novel.
The art styles here are obviously somewhat crude by today's standards, but they're intriguing nonetheless. Though Kane's style is far darker, his Batman and Wayne Boring's Superman boast some similarities in form. Peter's vision of an Amazonian race of space women is truly unique; his thick linework really grabs the eye, even if his characters' faces seem oddly distorted. Cole's artwork is fluid. The action leaps off of the page. Cole's work is easily the strongest to be found in this sampler anthology.
Marston and Peter's Wonder Woman story is ridiculously surreal -- from the characters' method of interstellar travel to the cowgirl outfit of the Amazon Princess's sidekick. What's really interesting is Marston's over-the-top exploration of gender issues. He empowers women, but at the same time, they're all portrayed in Peter's artwork as sexual creatures, always dressed to entice. I'm amazed that the material was accepted back in the early 1940s, let alone popular.
The most impressive of all the segments is Jack Cole's Plastic Man. The character is associated with a goofier tone today, but there's a much harsher tone to be found in this story than in the others. Grisly deaths are the norm in Plastic Man's world, but the character maintains a definitive level of charm. A comparison to Will Eisner's Spirit storytelling is unavoidable, and Cole's artwork reminds me of the style of Steve Ditko. One can't help but wonder if Cole was an important influence on the original Amazing Spider-Man artist.
Perhaps the best argument for recommendation of this book is its price. I'll be honest... I've only one DC Archives edition on my bookshelves, and it's the bargain-basement Batman volume that was recently offered. This sampler is a great way to delve back into comics history without shelling out the bucks normally associated with high-end collected editions.
