Captain Planet and the Planeteers
Season One
DVD
Starring Levar Burton, Whoopie Goldberg, Meg Ryan, Martin Sheen, Ed Asner, and Jeff Goldblum
Shout! Factory
Release Date: April 19, 2011

The eco-conscious ’90s are revisited in this collection of Season One of Captain Planet and the Planeteers. In this collection, viewers are introduced to the Planeteers, a group of teens chosen by Gaia, the Spirit of the Earth, to defend the Earth from environmental villains. The Planeteers are a multicultural bunch that includes Kwame from Africa, Wheeler from America, Linka from Eastern Europe, Gi from Asia, and Ma-Ti from Brazil.

As a Reading Rainbow and Roots fan, I remember being happy that Levar Burton was included in the cast as the voice of Kwame. I was also a fan of the original voice of Gaia, Whoopi Goldberg. Sadly, Goldberg and several of the original voice actors for the eco villains would be replaced in later seasons. In Season One, however, we have the voice talents of Meg Ryan (Dr. Blight), Jeff Goldblum (Verminous Skumm), Martin Sheen (Sly Sludge), John Ratzenberger (Rigger), and Ed Asner (Hoggish Greedly). This all-star gathering gave the show legitimacy and made watching the series more exciting. After I read the credits, I began playing a guessing game and trying to match the celebrity voice with the eco-villain.

Justice League of America #55
Reign of Doomsday Part 3 (Eclipso Rising Part Two: Mayhem)
Writer: James Robinson
Pencils: Brett Booth
Inks: Norm Rapmund
Colors: Andrew Dalhouse
Cover: Brett Booth and Andrew Dalhouse
Price: $2.99
DC Comics
Release date: March 23, 2011

Justice League of America #55 continues the “Reign of Doomsday” story begun in this year’s Steel #1 and Outsiders #37. It also continues the Justice League’s battle with Eclipso.

Part of the team is at the Emerald City on the dark side of the Moon visiting Alan Scott, the original Green Lantern. Scott has been seriously injured and his daughter, Jade, is at his bedside. Wonder Girl and other Justice Leaguers are preparing to do battle with Eclipso. Out in space, Batman (Dick Grayson) and Supergirl are attacked by Doomsday while investigating the ruins of New Krypton. Supergirl is in her “Dark Supergirl” mode and wearing a black outfit. The battle also involves the Alpha Lantern Boodika, Starman, and Blue Lantern Saint Walker. It’s another brutal, violent battle with a shock ending. Also, Eclipso claims the mind of another Justice Leaguer at the conclusion of that battle.

Outsiders #37
Reign of Doomsday Part 2: Doom’s Day
Co-Plot and Script: Dan DiDio
Co-Plot and Art: Phillip Tan
Colorist: Pete Pantazis
Cover: Phillip Tan with Guy Major
Price: $2.99
DC Comics
Release date: March 9, 2011

Doomsday’s reign of terror continues in this issue. In the Steel one-shot, Doomsday defeated Steel and flew off with his body. In this issue, Outsiders #37, Steel is nowhere to be found. In this book, Doomsday’s primary target appears to be Eradicator. Steel and Eradicator were both replacement Supermen in the aftermath of Doomsday’s first battle with Superman, so there may be a pattern forming. Currently, the Outsiders have been split into two teams. Doomsday battles Geo Force’s team, which includes Eradicator, Katana, Halo, Looker, and The Olympian. Unsurprisingly, Doomsday easily defeats this team. The Olympian and The Eradicator do the most damage, but they also fall. The Olympian reminds me of Marvel Comics’ Hercules character. He is very proud and boastful and makes elegant speeches while fighting. This character is very interesting, and I hope someone at DC finds a use for him soon, because Outsiders is slated to be canceled after issue #40.

Skullkickers, Volume 1
1000 Opas and a Dead Body
Written by Jim Zub
Art by Edwin Huang and Chris Stevens
Colors by Misty Coats and Chris Stevens
Price: $9.99
Image Comics
Release date: March 9, 2011

Skullkickers is a relatively new series from Image that has quickly found an audience and built a buzz. Their first trade paperback collection, “1000 Opas and a Dead Body”, collects the first storyline and their earlier appearances in the Image comics anthology Popgun.

Skullkickers follows the infamous exploits of two unnamed bounty hunters, a short, rude dwarf and a giant bald fellow who we shall refer to as “Dwarf and Big Guy”. They are fighting a werewolf and breaking up a cult. Later we learn that they are performing these acts for a fee. Soon after disposing of the werewolf, they witness the murder of a chancellor. The chancellor’s associates pay them 1000 opas to bring the killer to justice. Of course, what seems like a simple jobs becomes a madcap adventure that involves demons, gypsies, monsters, and the fate of an entire kingdom.

Comics and cartoon writer Dwayne McDuffie, who most recently penned the script for the DC Animated feature All-Star Superman, passed away from complications from a surgical procedure he had on Monday.

McDuffie got his start in comics as a member of Marvel’s editorial staff in the 1980s. While an editor at Marvel, McDuffie began writing the Damage Control miniseries and helped to revamp the Deathlok character. Eventually, McDuffie began writing full-time and would help create the Milestone comics universe at DC. Milestone was a separate line that featured minority heroes such as Static, Hardware, and Icon. In recent years, McDuffie began writing for cartoons as well, including a cartoon adaptation of his Static character, Static Shock. He also served as the story editor on the immensely popular Justice League Unlimited cartoon and a writer on Ben 10: Alien Force. McDuffie also wrote the DC Comics straight-to-DVD animated feature Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths, as well as an adaptation of All-Star Superman that was released on DVD and Blu-ray today.