The League of Regrettable Superheroes by Jon Morris - Book Review

I'm a huge comic nerd and have been since the age of about 7. My collection of comics and graphic novels is pretty impressive and I know quite a lot but when I received my Secret Santa gift of The League of Regrettable Superheroes by Jon Morris, I realised I didn't know that much at all.

The book is a delightful and often hilarious deep dive into the forgotten corners of comic book history. It's a real treasure trove for anyone who's ever wondered what happened to the heroes that didn't quite make the cut. It's a look at the evolution of the superhero genre as well as a reminder that for every Superman or Wonder Woman, there were countless others that fell by the wayside. I mean, the veritable smorgasbord of characters includes Funnyman (a guy dressed like a creepy clown), The Eye (who is an omnipotent eye), Madam Fatal (a bereaved actor who dressed like an old lady to battle crime) and Doctor Hormone (a guy who can control hormones to de-age himself).

The book is well-presented with panels from the comics as well as information about the debut, creative teams involved and their final release. Morris's writing is witty and engaging, balancing genuine historical research with a playful, almost sarcastic tone that perfectly suits the subject matter. He doesn't just present these characters; he dissects them, highlighting their absurd powers, questionable costumes, and often baffling backstories. It's clear he has a genuine affection for these oddballs, even as he gleefully points out their inherent ridiculousness. The organization and brief commentary on each character keep the book moving at a brisk pace as the entries are concise and entertaining, making it easy to dip in and out of.

So overall, The League of Regrettable Superheroes is a must-read for comic book fans, history buffs, and anyone who appreciates a good dose of the absurd.

DC: Art Of the Brick Review

Lego has been enjoying a resurgence in the past decade, very nearly bankrupt in 2004 the company now has a multi-media empire, including video games, an Academy Award Winning film (for Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, for Everything Is Awesome by Shawn Patterson) and many, many playsets. Now artist Nathan Sawaya has used more than two million Lego bricks to create art pieces inspired by the comic book world of DC. Over the course of exhibition you will find numerous Lego models and dioramas of Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman and Flash as well as the rogues gallery containing, amongst others, the Joker, Harley Quinn and the Riddler. The exhibition has many different art pieces and the level of detail is astonishing. The level of patience and craft shown is immense and I doff my cap to the artist. 

The standout piece for me was the Batcave section of the exhibition as the music from the animated series played and a screen projection of Gotham looked impressive against the Lego made Bat signal.

The exhibition is being held in a  purpose-built tent, just minutes away from Waterloo Station and whilst this is fine, the fact that I went on one of the hottest days of the year made the whole thing uncomfortable to walk around. It was warm and there was very little fresh air in there

 If they couldput some ventilation that'd be great but otherwise this is well worth a visit at £16.50.

What Comics Have Taught Me

Comics are amazing as they can open our minds to a whole world of imagination. There are many comics and graphic novels which are based on real life and tell us about a wide variety of historical and biographical events but I have also enjoyed comics which talk about the human condition and humanity but may not be based on real life. It is these that I want to share with you here.