A Pinoy Blog About Nothing

Superman has always been the Big Boy Scout of the comic books. He couldn’t do anything wrong. Unlike say, Batman who is considered as having embraced the darker side of human nature. Superman walks on the side of angels; Batman uses demonic imagery to strike fear in his opponents.

Bizarro is an imperfect copy of Superman. Created by Superman’s nemesis, Lex Luthor who wanted a perverted version of the Man of Steel. Bizarro is as strong and as powerful as the original Superman but he is put together all wrong. Instead of not seeing through lead, for example, Bizarro’s x-ray vision can only see through lead, etc. Sometimes he’ll literally mean the opposite of what he says. If he was out to ’save Lois Lane’ he’s actually out to kill her.

DC Comics who owns all these characters explores Bizarro’s upside down world through Bizarro World, an anthology comprised of indie comics artists, fanzine writers, singers, sitcom writers and even stand-up comedians. In the anthology are short stories involving characters in the DC universe featured in the most unusual light, definitely not your usual superhero fare.

Everyone’s got a blog these days.
from comedian Patton Oswalt and Bob Fingerman’s Batman Smells

Not all of the stories in Bizarro World involve Superman or Bizarro. Ever wondered how Batman repairs his hardware after mixing it up with the bad guys? Alfred the Butler comes to the rescue in Personal Shopper by legendary artist Kyle Baker. Or how about seeing Aquaman as an aspiring singer who frequent open-mic nights during his night-offs? It’s a no-holds barred exploration of the bizarre, a trip down a superheroic Twilight Zone. How else can you picture a Batman in Paris in Dupuy Berberian’s Monsieur Batman fighting crimes against culture instead of muggings and murders? Or how about taking a glimpse into Deadman’s dating life? It’s *that* kind of a book.

Personally I liked Dylan Horrocks Dear Superman a letter from a fellow Justice Leaguer to the Man of Steel asking him some advice on how he can cope with being super. It’s a poignant piece about slowing down and taking stock of one’s blessings, whether you’re super-powered or not. There’s also Paul Dini’s Krypto the SuperDog which shows how it is a dog’s a life, even if your owner is Superman. Last but not least, there’s Harvey Pekar and Dean Haspiel’s Bizarro Shimzarro where Bizarro literally goes back to his roots to set things straight.

All in all, the anthology is a pretty impressive collection of talents and stories. There’s bound to be something for everyone, especially to those who have grown up with these characters. It’s a fresh approach to stories whose beginnings are at least 60 years old. Take a trip to Bizarro World and hold on for a wild ride.