I enjoy many comics, but here's one that I don't think gets enough attention:
Superman Family Adventures by Art Baltazar and Franco (the creators of
Itty Bitty Hellboy and
Tiny Titans).
I've never been a huge Superman fan. Sure, I liked the character, but I was always more of a Batman guy. While Batman is still my favorite DC hero, this series made me appreciate Superman. Much like
Batman: Lil Gotham, the book is cartoony and very light-hearted, but it is enjoyable for fans of all ages. The nods to DC continuity that were present in
Tiny Titans are found throughout. It is a very funny book, while also including the adventure and derring-do of superhero comics. Plus, it prominently features one of my favorite characters, Jimmy Olsen, and stays true to the spirt of the character. While normally I am not a fan of Superman's New 52 redesign, the art in this book makes the suit look cool and still look like Superman's costume, not like battle armor. Overall, this book is truly great and is the defining run of Superman for me. Sadly, it ended after 12 issues, but those 12 issues are some of the best comics out there.
I was fortunate enough to meet Art Baltazar at a convention last year and I got to briefly discuss the book with him (and also got a cool Lobster Johnson sketch
).
On a side note, I was delighted to see a cameo appearance of Gotham by Gaslight Batman in a
Tiny Titans book I bought from Art Baltazar at that convention. It's fun to see my favorite version of Batman drawn in that style, when his original appearance was drawn in the dark and shadowy style of Mike Mignola.
Translate
