Issue #53: Comic Book For The Week Of Wednesday, May 6, 2009: And A Review of TALES OF THE BLACK FREIGHTER / UNDER THE HOOD

Superman: The World Of New Krypton #3 (of 12) (DC)

After Free Comic Book Day, Saturday, May 2, 2009, I had spent my allowance from the next week's paycheck, so I am going to have to wait until the next payday to go to my comic store, Acme Comics http://acme-superstore.com/ . In the meantime I will use this issue to review the direct-to-DVD release Tales Of The Black Freighter / Under The Hood. It was released on March 24, 2009.

I had definitely planned to buy it when it came out, but I went to work the week of its release to find a new and unopened copy at my desk. Needless to say, that made my week.

Having read the Watchmen trade paperback a number of times over the years I was very familiar with both features in the mini-series. In the comic book mini-series, The Tales Of The Black Freighter was the comic book being read by the boy who would sit next to the newsstand. Under The Hood was the fictional autobiography of the original Nite Owl that appeared in the first few issues of Watchmen.

In the DVD, Tales Of The Black Freighter is an animated file. It follows the story exactly from the mini-series and fills in additional scenes to make it a decent length animated short film. The added scenes aren't padding, but do manage to add to the story, not that Alan Moore's original needed improving. The film found an interesting way to attempt to introduce the voice of reason to the determined mariner. This film is full of horrific and disturbing images, so it is not appropriate for young viewers, or those of a weak stomach. But it is an excellent film that fits the theme of the main Watchmen story.

The second feature, Under The Hood, was my favorite. The original fictional autobiography from the mini-series was my favorite of the back story features that appeared in most of the issues, except for the last one. These were added to fill in the pages that were originally reserved for advertisements and letters pages. These features filled in parts of the back stories of the various characters. They were not necessary for the plot of the story, but they added depth to the individual characters and the story as a whole. In the DVD the story was presented as a TV news interview documentary program, and the actors from the movie reprised their roles for this feature. The only part of the print autobiography that isn't included in the DVD version is the story of Moe Vernon. Otherwise it is another excellent adaption. This feature is more all ages appropriate, since it is presented as a 1970's news program.

The DVD release of the Watchmen is scheduled at the moment to happen around the end of July of this year, 2009. As far as I know both the theatrical release and a Zack Snyder director's cut will be released. How, or if, the features of this direct to DVD release will be included is unknown, but, as a Watchmen fan, I'm glad I didn't wait until the movie DVD release. It's not necessary to enjoy the movie itself, but it is a cool addition.

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