Gil T's Pleasure

Monday, January 05, 2009

Justice League of America: Exterminators by Christopher Golden

Justice League of America: Exterminators
Christopher Golden
Multicast production
Graphic Audio
Approx. 5 hours
Audiobook published 2008

I was going through my stack of books and audiobooks to review and saw that I had another audiobook from Graphic Audio. I soon became excited because, well, when Graphic Audio promises "A movie in your mind," not only do they deliver, they deliver with a punch. Another Graphic Audio production and, to add icing on the cake, another production of a Justice League of America audiobook. With great production and the exciting events that follow Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, The Flash, The Green Lantern et. al. I got myself ready for the ride of a lifetime.

I would like to first emphasize how wonderful Graphic Audio's productions are when converting a novel to audiobook. The music, sound effects and voicework really place you into the action and keep you glued to the audiobook. There were times where I would intentionally drive slower when listening in the car or find more housework to do so I could wait that much longer before I had to shut off the audiobook. It reminds me of the old radio serials where your imagination worked to push the story along. However comparing this audiobook with a radio program is like comparing (to stay in the comic book genre) the '60s Batman television series to the 2008 theatrical release The Dark Knight. The cast of voices all perform their roles as superheroes while the narrator pushes the non-dialogue sections of the book creating a constant flow of storytelling mixed with superb sound effects and music.

The story in this novilization based on DC Comics Justice League of America heroes begins when a surprisingly large number of people are popping up with super powers. These ""meta-humans"" come to be under close scrutiny of the Justice League because they can either use these powers for good or bad. While some come out to help the world's known superheroes some seek to use their powers for ill will and creates a new problem for the heroes to combat.

These ""meta-humans"" cropping up all share common background, the United Kingdom. This leads the older members of the Justice League to think that due to their handling of a previous situation in the U.K., the Justice League themselves are responsible for the creation of these "meta-humans".

To make matters worse the "meta-humans" begin evolving into creatures that resemble armored salamanders and begin burrowing into the Earth. The burrowers then begin cropping up in major cities around the world destroying everything in sight. With millions of lives at stake the Justice League goes into action fighting these seemingly indestructible creatures while at the same time finding the reason they have come into being.

While the action takes place in the story a series of flashback segments takes the listener back ten years to when an alien force invades Earth and is destroyed by newly formed Justice League and the Royal Air Force over the skies of the U.K. Leading to the outcome that the aliens have returned in the form of a parasite to destroy the planet.

Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Martian Manhunter, Green Lantern, The Flash, Aquaman become so overcome by these burrowers they have to call in the Justice League reserves, so no matter who your favorite DC Comics hero is, they'll probably make an appearance in this exciting tale; Justice League of America: Exterminators.

Labels: christopher golden, comic books, dc, dc comics, exterminators, justice league of america, superheroes

Thursday, September 25, 2008

Batman - The Stone King by Alan Grant

Batman - The Stone King
Justice League of America
By Alan Grant
Audiobook produced by Graphic Audio
Multicast Production
Approx. 6 Hours

I'm a huge comic book fan and only recently took to reading novelizations of comics and have found it a pretty good experience. Now, how do you put a comic book turned novel into an audiobook? Well let me tell you, get Graphic Audio to do the production. Reading a comic book you get to look at all the cool graphics and while reading the text your eyes are treated to some visual storytelling. When a comic is then turned into a novel you lose the visual stimulation, and the author has to completely tell the story with words. Alan Grant wrote Batman - The Stone King novel and told a great story. Now that Graphic Audio has produced the book into a "Movie for Your Mind," comic book lovers can hear the novel and fully experience the action. Not a single detail is missed.

The use of a multicast is pretty much needed and is extremely well done in this audiobook. The voices of all the superheroes (Superman, Wonder Woman, Martian Manhunter, The Flash, The Green Lantern and of course Batman) are very well cast and sound exactly like you would expect and want them to sound like. The sound effects and music create a great atmosphere for great listening. When Graphic Audio says they produce a "Movie for your Mind," they aren't kidding. In one scene in the book Wonder Woman is attacked by zombies arising from a nearby cemetery and the sounds of the bones crushing and zombies digging themselves out of the grave are so realistic that you would swear the special effects person actually made the undead rise from the grave and fight each other just so the sounds could be recorded. Unreal realism in the sounds.

The story behind Batman - The Stone King is this; a dam near Gotham City is about to burst and Batman has determined the dam cannot be saved but the citizens of Gotham city must be protected. Batman calls for the help from Justice League members to create a "safe dam break." After the turmoil and all the Justice League members are getting their breath and looking over the destruction created by the rushing waters The Green Lantern notices a strange object. Uncovered by the erosion of the sudden rushing waters is a pyramid, not unlike those in Egypt. Soon an archaology team takes over and the Justice League go their separate ways.

The pyramid is found to be aligned with all the other sacred sites around the globe (the Pyramids in Giza, Stonehenge, Easter Island, et. al.) and the home of The Stone King. The Stone King is awakened and come Halloween night will destroy the world and rule over the remnants of humanity. When the Justice League tries to battle the Stone King, Superman, Wonder Woman, The Flash and The Green Lantern are trapped within stone and it is up to Batman to save them and the Earth.

The story is one of constant excitement and with the extra oomph of Graphic Audio's sound effects, music and great voice casting the excitement is even higher. And as is true with all good comic books there is some great comic relief moments so you can ease up the tension, such as when The Flash goes to save Batman after the Dark Knight is thrown by the Stone King, he puts himself into position to ease the impact of Batman. After Batman lands on him The Flash says, I will never do that again. Now in the audiobook the acting is so great that you feel the impact and the wry humor intended by this statement.

Get ready for some great entertainment and some great comic to novel action in Batman - The Stone King. I will warn you, if you listen to this audiobook in a public place or where people can see you make sure you explain why you are white knuckled or cheering on an unseen hero. Graphic Audio really puts you into the middle of the action.

Click here to get the MP3 podcast file from sfsite.com

Or click on the graphic below for other sci-fi audiobook reviews...some by me..some not.

Labels: batman, comic books, dc, dc comics, justice league of america

Wednesday, February 13, 2008

Win the New Justice League movie on DVD from me.

The next installment of the dc universe original ANIMATED movies soars onto shelves when warner home video releases- Justice League: The New Frontier –ON february 26, 2008 !

And I will have your chance to win your own copy.

I will be posting the contest on the following sites: