Collaborations Titled A to I

The first part of what is probably the most important Batman storyline of the 1990s. The killer known as Bane causes a mass-breakout from Arkham Asylum, unleashing chaos upon Gotham. Batman, already not at his best, is then forced into a series of punishing encounters with some of his most dangerous enemies, weakening more and more with each battle. This book's best element is the way in which it really nicely conveys Batman's ever-increasing exhaustion, allowing the reader to feel not only his physical weakness, but also the mental fatigue that each villain inflicts on him. There's also an important subplot in which Robin desperately tries to take up the slack as Batman's stamina begins to fail. Also in this book's favour is it's stunning climax which I won't spoil for you, but suffice to say that it contains one of the most shocking scenes of Batman's career. If nothing else, you can't go wrong with a Bat-story whose antagonists include the likes of the Joker, the Riddler, Scarecrow, Mad Hatter, Killer Croc, Poison Ivy and the delightfully sinister Victor Zsasz.

This book charts the slow but steady destabilisation of Gotham City in the build up to the epic 'War Games' event storyline. Batman aids Orpheus and Onyx in their attempts to gain control of gangland Gotham, in order to bring some degree of order to the area known as the hill. There's also plenty of action as Batman fights alongside characters such as Batgirl and the Tarantula. Ultimately, however, this book's best element is the selection and training of the fourth Robin, a girl named Stephanie Brown. I really enjoyed the dynamic between her and Batman, as well as her amusing War Journal entries. In fact, it's a shame that her career as Robin ends so quickly, because I liked her far more than I've ever liked the Boys Wonder (or should that be 'Boy Wonders'?). So, a good read that'll ease those who don't read much Batman (like me) into the 'War Games' plotline.

In an attempt to impress Batman, Stephanie Brown (aka Spoiler and, for a time, Robin) puts one of the Dark Knight's war game scenarios, intended to bring organised crime to heel, into effect. However, Spoiler's incomplete understanding sends the plan out of control and many of Gotham's criminal leaders are killed. As gang warfare errupts across the city Batman, Batgirl, Nightwing, Catwoman, Orpheus, Onyx and Tarantula desperately attempt to bring Gotham back from the edge of chaos. This is probably the best 'epic storyline' that I've seen in comics, made all the better for the tragedy of Spoiler's mistake. Gotham truly becomes a city of nightmares as all the simmering violence beneath it's surface breaks loose. This first stage of the story ends with a shooting in a school for which Batman, finally exposed to the media, is blamed.

Gotham is torn apart by gang warfare as the city's criminal elements seek revenge for the events of the previous book and carve out new territories. Batman, Nightwing, Batgirl, Catwoman, Orpheus, Onyx and Tarantula all find themselves in the front lines of the battle to save the innocent bystanders. The story here, like the last one, is all good, but there are three elements which I really enjoyed. The first is Tim Drake's agonising decision to disobey his father's wishes and return to crimefighting as Robin. The second is Spoiler's desperate attempts to salvage the mess she caused, but which ultimately leads her into captivity and torture by the Black Mask. Thirdly, and most interestingly, is Batman's decision to attempt a takeover of the Gotham Police Department, believing (somewhat delusionally) that he alone can save the city. I've not been into comics (other than Star Wars ones, of course) for a long time, but I made an excellent decision in picking up the five books of this story arc.

With relations between Batman and the Gotham police strained, the Dark Knight attempts to complete the sequence of the wargame which he created and which sparked gang warfare across the city. However, once more the plan goes horribly awry due to actions of Black Mask, disguised as Batman's agent Orpheus. Soon Batman and his allies find themselves facing an army of criminals as well as the new shoot-on-sight policy of the police. Once more, it is the tragedy of Spoiler's story that provides the real emotional core to the book. Here she finally comes to understand that crimefighting isn't a game and, being a Batman story, you can bet that it doesn't have a happy ending. A great book in every way, the icing on the cake is seeing Robin, Batgirl, Catwoman, Tarantula and Onyx team up to take on Scarecrow.

A year on from the events of the War Games saga and new evidence comes to light suggesting that Stephanie Brown (aka Spoiler and Robin) was deliberately allowed to die from her injuries. Nightwing has disappeared, Robin and Batgirl have moved to Bludhaven, Oracle has gone into hiding and Batman finds himself alone once more. Worse, someone is framing him for Stephanie's murder and the media are having a field day. Batman has to work through the plots of the Black Mask and deal with the return of the Joker in order to uncover the person truly responsible for his protege's death. Here we get to see Batman as his traditional detective self, but we also see him cutting loose. Freed from the responsibility of looking after the Bat-clan, he truly takes the fight to the criminals once more. Ultimately, the identity of Stephanie's killer adds a great deal of depth and subtlety to her already tragic story.

One of the finest fantasy books I've ever read (and I have Berry Bloomberg, the oaf, to thank for recommending it!). The story is the sort of epic historical sweep that you see in books like Tolkien's 'The Silmarillion' but with the emotional hook of an immortal character who witnesses the history like Anne Rice's vampires. Fans of The Belgariad and The Mallorean, as well as first-time readers will enjoy the tale, which leads from Belgarath's training under the god Aldur, through the first war against Torak, into the quest for the Orb and the founding of the Alorn kingdoms and onwards through the wars of Arendia and the beginnings of the storyline featured in The Belgariad. Amongst this epic historical sweep there are several stories told in-depth to keep the narative thrilling, my favourites being Belgarath and the Alorn's reclaiming the Orb from Torak and the Battle of Vo Mimbre. The supporting characters are excellent, everyone from the Alorns to the Arendish nobles, with the other disciples of Aldur being worth a special mention for the unique relationships they each have with Belgarath. And that brings me to the man himself; Belgarath is what truly makes this book great. He is an instantly likeable character with a dry sense of humour, a quick mind and the sort of vices (boozing and debauchery) that make him incredibly human despite his immortality and powers. The tension between him and Polgara also adds another level to his character as he struggles to be a parent to a girl who cannot stand him. Brilliant in every way, I'd recommend this book even to people have never before nor will again read any Eddings.

Tolkien purists beware! This book makes a mockery of LotR's most serious themes and scenes, as well as ridiculing many of Tolkien's conceits. For the most part, the humour is of the toilet variety and, therefore, neither big nor clever. Then there are the irritating changes of Tolkien's place/character names into American product names like Frito and Spam. Generally speaking, this book is rather purile and unfunny. However! Do not despair, because here there are also some insightful moments of comic genius that will undoubtably have you laughing out loud. Moments like when the Ringwraiths are stopped not by a flooding elven river, but instead by an expensive elven toll bridge! Also, some of the reworkings of LotR's characters are very funny, such as Arrowroot (Aragorn) being a complete coward and Goodgulf (Gandalf, obviously) who proves his great power by pulling rabbits out of his big blue hat and answers any insightful question about the quest with a heartfelt "Alas!". If you want a deeply witty and satirical experience from beginning to end, look elsewhere. If you want a childish but periodically hilarious bit of light reading then, by all means, take a trip to the Zazu pits of Fordor!

The prelude to Marvel Comics' big event storyline Civil War. The book begins with Iron Man attempting to create a secret superhero organisation consisting of himself Doctor Strange, Professor X, Mr Fantastic, Black Bolt, Prince Namor and Black Panther. However, Namor and Black Panther refuse on moral grounds. Years later Iron Man regathers the group to discuss the immanent Superhero Registration Act. The first cracks of the civil war begin as Doctor Strange, Namor and Black Bolt fiercely refuse to endorse the act, whilst Iron Man and Mr Fantastic believe surrendering their civil liberties to the government is the only way to survive. The story then splits to show Mr Fantastic rejoining the Fantastic Four to fight Doctor Doom, his recent decision weighing heavily on him. Meanwhile, Iron Man aka Tony Stark recruits Spider-Man as his aide, giving Peter Parker a hi-tech suit of spider-armour as a gift. Together they travel to Washington in a futile effort to head off the Registration Act before it comes into force. The action in this book is incidental, be it the FF versus Doom or Spidey versus the Titanium Man, and does little to help the story. The important battle here is security versus civil liberty. Overall this book isn't great in and of itself, but it does nicely establish the background and the principles of the Civil War mega-event. The board is set, the pieces are moving...

A young girl is unwillingly thrust into a position of power and the political intrigue it involves as Feist and Wurts show us the details of Tsurani culture. The story progresses well as Mara must first learn the rules of her role as Ruling Lady whilst surviving the depredations of her family's bitter enemies, House Minwanabi. Later Mara has to use all her skill and inteligence to gather resources and warriors in order to make a stand against her enemies. This book is rather 'episodic' but doesn't suffer for the fact. Each new threat or obstacle to be overcome leaves you hungry to find out how Mara and the Acoma can possibly survive and thrive, which means that you will eagerly read on. This brings me to my favourite element of the book; the cunning tactics and plots. They are too numerous, intricate and clever to relate here but, for instance, you will be gobsmacked by the way that Mara engineers her hated husband's downfall. I was worried that such convoluted political agendas would become boring and I wouldn't like the book, but the sheer brilliance of the authors' ideas soon dispelled my fears. This book isn't epic fantasy in the way that 'Magician' is, but is nevertheless the equal of the other Riftwar books.

A part of the 'Countdown to Infinite Crisis' series. In the first half of the story the chaotic spirit of vengeance Eclipso takes control of Superman and only Captain Marvel can stand against the monstrous combination. I really enjoyed these two titans of the DC Universe slugging it out (almost as much as when Superman fights Wonder Woman in 'Superman: Sacrifice'). In the second half of the book Eclipso seduces the Spectre and together they undertake a quest to destroy all magic. When the Spectre eliminates the most powerful magic users, only six magical beings, considered second-stringers, are prepared to make a stand; Blue Devil, Enchantress, Nightmaster, Nightshade, Detective Chimp and Ragman. With the exception of Blue Devil, I'd never heard of these characters before, but I found them intriguing and a wonderfully diverse group. Their conflicting characters and agendas, combined with their certainty that they have little hope of surviving (not to mention the amusing sexual tension between Enchantress and Ragman) means that they are a pleasure to read about. And unlike Superman or Batman, you've no guarantees that they'll survive. Despite only getting back into DC stories recently, I really enjoyed this book, even if some of the backstory was lost on me. Also, Detective Chimp is the best hero ever!

The first book of the Decimation series, this book follows immediately on from the events of 'House Of M' by Brian Michael Bendis, in which the Scarlet Witch removed the powers of 99% of the world's mutants. The X-Men are at the front of a desperate attempt to handle the fallout of this decimation, but are themselves hurt by the depowering of such friends as Polaris, Iceman and Jubilee. As anti-mutant terrorists attempt to finish off the 'survivors' and government sanctioned squad of Sentinel arrives at the X-Mansion, supposedly to protect the X-Men. These events comprise the first half of this book and make for great reading. However, the story then splits off to follow just Polaris and Havok as they leave the X-Men and travel to South America. There then encounter a, frankly, ridiculous-looking alien, who doesn't really do anything and then the story abruptly stops. This plotline was a massive downswing for the book and left me feeling unsatisfied and more than a little confused. It's only redeeming feature was the rumbles of the return of Apocalypse.

The first book of the now-famous Dragonlance Chronicles has a band of veteran heroes gathering after many years separated in search of the old gods. The fact that most of character already know one another is a refreshing change from the fantasy norm, as is the fact that they already have many adventures behind them. It is the fact that the characters are veterans that makes them particularly interesting, because you get to see how years of struggle have affected them, either making them bitter or perhaps merely cynical. The story itself pings around from one place to another for little or no reason, but I forgive it that fault simply because the authors focus so much attention on establishing their characters and giving them depth. As with most first books of a fantasy series, this one's aim is to set the tone of the time period and hint at immanent catastrophe. In that role, this book works perfectly as the mysterious Draconians begin to fill the land and darkness creeps all around. Finally, this book is worth reading if only for the excellent comic relief provided by Tasselhoff the Kender and the senile wizard Fizban.

This second book of the Dragonlance Chronicles continues and even improves upon the high quality of writing shown in the previous volume. The heroes of the first book are separated by battle and must travel very different paths in search of the dragon orbs, magical devices that could turn the tide of war against the overwhelming dragonarmies. Each of the characters continues to develop in their own way with the advancement of Laurana, Tasselhoff and Sturm being most noteworthy. Laurana, separated from her beloved Tanis, must shake off her childish vanity and abandon her place in elven society in order to lead her friends in doing what must be done. Tasselhoff, following the trend of Tolkien's Hobbits, proves that although small and foolish, he can also make decisions better than some of the greatest of leaders. Sturm's hopes and dreams of becoming a Knight are severely tried by the emnity between him and leading Solamnic Knight Derek Crownguard, however, in the end it is Sturm who proves the more noble and more selfless. The introduction of Kitiara and her new, dubious, profession adds tension to the interpersonal relationships and the return of Fizban is very welcome (look out for a subtle revelation about the wizard's true identity too!). There are two downsides to this book. The first is that there a gaping story gaps, obviously told in other Dragonlance publications, that are pretty much glossed over (the quest to Icewall being the worst offender). The other, minor, problem is the references to the heroes as 'the Companions', when you know the authors are just dying to say 'the Fellowship'.

The third book in the Dragonlance Chronicles. The story is divided between the two separated groups of characters at first and is made interesting by the Laurana/Tanis/Kitiara love triangle with which we know that Tanis and Laurana are meant for each other, but the characters themselves are plagued by self-doubt and ignorance of the others' feelings. The two groups become one again, following a pointless and poorly written interlude beneath the sea which ends in a deus ex machina that manages to get the heroes halfway across the continent instantly. The Fellowship, sorry, 'the Companions', then have to set out to the heart of enemy territory to rescue Laurana. The death of one of the main characters is handled without half the skill as the death in the previous book and basically, minutes after he's snuffed it, his best mates pull up their socks and just carry on regardless. The confrontation in the throne room at Neraka is the best element of this book, where once again we as readers are torn apart by the Laurana/Tanis/Kitiara situation as Kitiara discovers where her lover's true loyalties lie, Tanis has to live a lie whilst being desparate to admit the truth to his beloved and Laurana's loss of innocence is completed by Tanis' betrayal. The ending is a severe anticlimax and, rather than ringing with hope or that feeling of 'journey's end', you're left with a feeling of 'now I'm supposed to buy another load of books to see what happens next'. Most irritating, that lack of closure. All in all, this book is a disappointment when compared to it's excellent predecessors (it's not even saved by the wonderfully menacing Lord Soth).

This is a series of short stories that bridge the generation gap between the Dragonlance Chronicles and 'Dragons of Summer Flame'. Once again, Weis and Hickman's prose makes easy but compelling reading as they pay equal attention to setting tone and presenting characters. Once more, it is with their characters that the authors excel, presenting a new generation of heroes that are much like the Companions of the Chronicles but each with a subtle twist. For instance Steel is much like Sturm but a Sturm who has been seduced by darkness. Caramon's sons Tanin and Sturm have the elements of his character divided between them and then there is the third son, Palin, who is much like Raistlin but who does not give in to his dark ambitions. Finally there is Tanis and his son Gilthanas. Each refuses to see the other's worth as they become embroiled in a plot to divide the elven nations, despite the fact that they are much alike. Character development and prose aside, I would recommend this book solely for the story "Wanna Bet?" which involves a gambling-adicted god, a bizarre Gnome ship (the design of which makes a terrifying kind of sense) and the three sons of Caramon. It's exciting, funny and very surprising.

The Greygem (the powerful but difficult magic stone that you might remember from 'The Second Generation') is broken open, unleashing the father of the gods, Chaos. Meanwhile, the reorganised armies of Takhisis are once again battling against the people of Ansalon, but this time their superior discipline is winning them victory after victory. Three young heroes are destined to face Chaos with the world in the balance. Palin, Caramon and Tika's son, must come to the mastery of his powers and confront the legacy of his uncle Raistlin. Steel, son of Kitiara and Sturm, has to struggle with his sense of honour and the concept of abetting the enemy. Finally Usha, who may or may not be Raistlin's daughter, is cast out by the Irda who raised her and has to find her way in a strange world riven by war. This is another excellently written mini-epic from Weis and Hickman and makes a great follow up to both the Chronicles series and 'The Second Generation'. It's scope, as all the peoples of Ansalon unite against the threat of Chaos, is such that it spawned an entire subseries set within the timeframe of the book, the Chaos War series. Definitely worth reading.