There are many reasons for why I enjoy reading comic books. Obviously I like good stories, naturally I admire good art and I’m always overjoyed when both these things come together perfectly to become this other thing, the 9^th art if you like, when it is executed correctly it’s a medium that can tell stories like no other, it can be truly worth art and literature, and the best examples are truly lorded and placed upon pedestals. On the other hand I also like good fun and escapism. I read a great many “hero” books, (probably more than the rest of my monkeys). Of course these can be all of the above, many examples are, but while most of them will not go down in comic book history as the greatest books ever written, when they are at their best they are pure undiluted joy and great fun. Gotham City Sirens is very firmly in that camp.

Click to read more ...

Grant Morrison said in the back of his seminal New X Men run, when discussing the changes he planned to make, fuck the fan boys. Everything which follows here then is said in the understanding that, while from time to time even my fan boy rage may be piqued, I read comic books for the stories, even when they do play with characters with which I’ve developed a sense of loyalty or affection. BUT there is one character I’m desperate to see given another chance, to be saved from being the whipping boy of his universe

Click to read more ...

To say I’m the Bat fan of the bunch here would probably be stating the obvious so I’ll avoid it (oh sh!t, I already have…). To put the site’s name into context it’s fair to say that the Dark Knight is the Monkey on my back (or should it be airborne rodent on my back?). I’m picking up pretty much all of the Bat books at the moment, and as I’ve said elsewhere I think that at this time, if you are inflicted with the same condition as me, then you really are spoilt for choice.

Click to read more ...

You really are spoilt for choice at the moment if, like myself, you are an acolyte of the Dark Knight. None of the current Bat titles are anything less than engaging and most are excellent, with the Morrison and Quitely Batman and Robin, sitting atop the pile like a particularly sweet cherry. This month saw the release of yet another Batman title, with Kevin Smith picking up his pen once more with Viewaskew stalwart Walt Flanagan on pencils. A treat too many? Or is this book able to stand with the raft of other excellent titles already available?

Click to read more ...

I stumbled across this, if you don't find it funny you have no sense of humour.

Click to read more ...

Google have released comic themes for iGoogle, themes include Hulk, Superman, Green Lantern, HellBoy, Wildstorm, 100 Bullets, Iron Man and Batman Reborn

Click to read more ...

You wait for ages for something to excite you in the world of film (well if you are a miserable bugger like me you do) then like busses three of them appear at once.

Click to read more ...

I can think of few books that I’ve been so excited about the release of. I’m am you see, an unashamed, and fully paid up member of the Grant Morrison fan club. Even despite some controversy surrounding Final Crisis (I understand it, don’t you?)

Click to read more ...

For those of you who haven’t been keeping up with the continuity, Batman as we know him is dead. Well I say dead, but in actual fact Bruce Wayne is currently brushing up on his cave painting skills (no pun intended). Well at least I think he is. When you’re dealing with the mind of Grant Morrison, anything is possible.

Click to read more ...

Well, you may have read my thoughts on Batman Cacophony, which on the whole was not as cool as I had hoped. I’m a MASSIVE Smith fan and found the idea of the Askewniverse Team up of Kev and Walt highly exciting, but as he admits in this announcement on his blog HERE, it wasn’t all it could have been.

Click to read more ...

As if my day wasn’t sucky enough what with Dimitri disappearing off up the other end of the country & leaving me to man the phones at work, I also had to contend with the fact that the release date for the much anticipated Batman game, “Arkham Asylum” has now been put back till the end of summer. It was originally due out next month.

Click to read more ...

“According to the word of God the meek would someday inherit the earth. Someday. But God never accounted for the Mighty”

Norman McCay, Kingdom Come. Chapter 1.

Click to read more ...

Now, both Catalogue Monkey and I have read this and have slightly differing opinions as to the relative merits, I loved it, Catalogue is not so sure.....so ho gets to write their thoughts? Well rather than just one of us spewing forth opinion, let us open the door to Monkey Towers and let you read the conversation which followed…………….

Click to read more ...

My mother once said to me, “If you cant say anything nice, then don’t say anything at all”. Were I to do that here, then my review of All Star Batman & Robin would simply consist of the words, “Jim Lee’s art looks nice.” Which it does. Jim Lee’s art in the piece is up to its usual standards. Batman has muscles in places where most people don’t even have places.

Click to read more ...

So, I’ve just read the third issue of what was for fans of both the Batman and Kevin Smith a much anticipated short run, featuring as it did not only wordsmith um, Smith but the ink stylings of View askew stalwart Walt Flanagan.

In summary the first two issues saw Joker released from Arkham as part of what transpires to be an elaborate attempt to lure Bat’s into the sights of Onomatopoeia, the sound repeating supervillan.

Click to read more ...

Some advertisements that featured in comic books over the years, it was a much simpler time, with simple pleasures...

Click to read more ...

“Choices. Do I stay in Gotham to live up to my responsibilities as the boy’s guardian? Or do I go after the madman and his nuclear weapon? It’s painfully obvious which path I must choose. The question is: Now will I ever be able to live with this decision?”

A Death in the family; Starlin, Aparo and DeCarlo

Click to read more ...

The whole R.I.P./Final Crisis event whizzed by me, I will admit to buying Batman 681, but more as an investment purchase, I did read it out of curiosity, but it didn't really make sense as I hadn't read any of the other comics that came before it (although I have heard that people who've read the whole R.I.P. story don't understand it either, so at least I'm not alone). 

Click to read more ...

So, its been a couple of weeks since 7 of 7 final Crisis hit the shelves, just about long enough to wrap our heads round exactly where the mercurial Mr Morrison was going with this one.

Click to read more ...