This month sees the advent of the new DC Entertainment logo – only
a few years after the introduction of the “DC Swirl” logo. I'm
not sure what the nickname for this one will end up being – “DC
Page Flip”? In any case, just for a little historical perspective,
here's a picture of the logos that have graced the covers of over
seventy years of DC comics, along with the year each was introduced.
Unfortunately, the effect of the debut of the new logo is diluted a
bit since it's incorporated into a banner across the top of every.
Single. DC. Comic published this month, publicising DC's “We Can
Be Heroes” drive for aid to the people of the Horn of Africa.
Laudable cause. Lousy timing for the launch of the new logo.
“Superman's
Doomsday Decision”
This
issue opens with Superman literally taking a running start and
jumping
into space with the help of a makeshift ramp – all the way to the
Collector of Worlds' ship. Gaining access, he finds a number of
shrunken cities and is confronted by the Collector, which give him a
choice that centers around the philosophical debate of nature vs.
nurture – he may save one of “his” cities, Kandor from his lost
homeworld of Krypton or Metropolis from his adopted world of Earth.
Being Superman, he refuses and declares a third choice, to fight for
both. He dons white Kryptonian battle armor which is among the
artifacts displayed by the Collector, which armor then shifts colors
into the familiar red and blue pattern that we identify as
Superman's. An in-story explanation will evidently have to wait.
Meanwhile,
Luthor is finding out how bad a deal he made … Lois really ought to
have broken that finger he dismissively shushed
her with.
The best lines in this issue: “We are the colony of the
Collector of Worlds. … On Yod-Colu We began as
C.O.M.P.U.T.O. … On Noma they called Us Pneumenoid.
… On Bryak: Mind2. … On
Krypton – where you were born – We were Brainiac
1.0. … On Earth – We were Internet.” –
Grrnf, indeed! Another excellent issue, although again the
artistic quality seemed inconsistent despite a single penciller and
single inker being credited.
“Steel in …
Meanwhile”
John Henry Irons is busing working in the sections of Metropolis that
were not taken by the Collector, acting as a hero even as his
inner'logue commentary focusses on the Metropolitans themselves
rallying as heroes. Another fine writing job by Sholly Fisch, who's
handled all these Action Comics backups. I see from the Comic Book Database that he (she?) has been around since the late
1980s, but only here have I taken notice. Mostly I think it's because he's
mainly worked in the “all-ages” comics for both DC and Marvel.
DC – don't let him get away!
Review:
http://comicboxcommentary.blogspot.com/2012/03/review-action-comics-7-steel-back-up.html
– although I interpret Steel's inner'logue at the beginning to mean
that he's on Earth, not in the newly bottled city center of
Metropolis: “New Troy is
the heart of Metropolis
… Or at least it was,
until about an hour ago – when New Troy suddenly vanished.
… Yes, 'vanished.' …
Superman took off to find out who or what was responsible
– And to bring the city back.
… In the meantime – The city still needs a hero
to keep things together here on the ground.”
His commentators set him straight, though.
“Breakdown”
It's the immediate aftermath of the explosion which left several
members of the nascent group critically injured – and at least
Rocket Red dead as well as the two UN handlers. Whereupon insult is
added to injury when the UN orders what's left of the group
disbanded, and Booster Gold comes under further attack. He's being
thoroughly whipped when Batwing shows up.
This
issue seams to signify a major shift in membership as well as the
status of the UN's own super-team. Can Rocket Red really be dead? –
I think there's still something to be developed out of that scene in
the previous issue. … Although he wasn't publicly up there with the
team … since, you know, the UN didn't want him as a member …
Batman was there nonetheless, surreptitiously observing the ceremony,
and has headed off on his own search for the attacker – who is
right here, giving Booster a beat-down. Attacker? – well, agent
– because he's being directed in his actions.
“In
their darkest
hour ...” (proclaims the cover) here we have another issue that I
found more compelling than their first “mission.” The reviewer
below doesn't agree –
“The Snake and
the Hawk”
Long
and short, it turns out the Penguin has been orchestrating everything
to eliminate his competition in Gotham City. It's a confusing,
muddled story right to the end. From the cliffhanger ending last
issue, Batman and the latest love of his life turn out to be in a
giant ice-maker set to grind, but they escape when he has Alfred
maneuver the Bat-Sub to crash through it. The Bat-Sub would be
underwater, right, therefore would strike below the waterline, right,
therefore would
sink the Iceberg Lounge, right?
There are other bits but I just don't care enough to comment. But
hope springs eternal – at least we're at the end of a story arc,
maybe the next will be better...?
Review:
http://batman-news.com/2012/03/07/new-52-detective-comics-7-review/
– The reviewer is right about Daniel's art being top-notch. His
writing's turned to crap, though.
“But There
Were Consequences For Us.”
As
the Bat-allies search Gotham City for the last two members of the
Kingdom, Batman and Batwing fly from Africa, questioning Steelback
along the way. They learn of the devil's deal the Kingdom made with
the last standing dictator they'd been fighting against to keep the
People's Army from being destroyed. It led to the massacre of the
warlords' army of children. In shame, the Kingdom disappeared.
Nightwing and Robin find the missing Kingdom members too late to
forestall their deaths, and find themselves facing Massacre … and
Steelback's armor.
It was pretty obvious to me who's wearing it – their old civilian
advisor, who was outraged
by their betrayal.
I continue to really enjoy this title. The shift in locale to Gotham
for the present-day action made the shift to Dustin Nguyen's art a
bit less jarring than it might have been, but I prefer the previous
look by Ben Oliver – unlike the reviewer below, who also declares
himself to have been getting bored with this title of late, but to
like this issue better. We agree on the last point – this issue is
good.
Random
thought inspired by an ad on this review web-page that might not
stay, but hey – Every time I see Bane in the upcoming Dark
Knight Rises
I think of the Gimp from Pulp
Fiction
… even though it turns out the Gimp would look more like the
comics' Bane than DKR's (in my opinion)
 |
| The Dark Knight Rises |
 |
| Bane in the comics |
 |
| The Gimp from Pulp Fiction |
“Supercritical,
Part One”
Mysterious
radiations from Chernobyl lead Apollo to investigate, and even he is
nearly overwhelmed. He's saved by the Martian Manhunter and Jenny
Quantum, while Jack Hawksmoor mystically converses with the sick old
many that is the city depopulated by the Chernobyl disaster (being
tended by healthy young-appearing nurses Nagasaki and Hiroshima, which
cities recovered from their bombings). Martian Manhunter reveals his
confirmed suspicions regarding the scope of what they face: “They
are an ancient enemy, known to my people. … They have been to this
universe once before, and almost destroyed it. … They exist in a
parallel dimension, unaware of our existence. In their plane,
gravity is a commodity. They came here once before to mine
for it. And in so doing they destroyed countless galaxies. … I
believe the reaction at the Chernobyl reactor created a subatomic
particle we call a Pradesh Graviton, which the miners saw as a
beacon. … They're going to come back. And they are going to tear
apart our universe. And there is nothing we can do to prevent this
from happening.” Guess we're all about to find out how [insert
species endangered by humans' extracting resources] feel.
Well, the mindbendiness is still very much here with the new writer,
Paul Jenkins. Is this a carryover Paul Cornell plot? … I found
the artistic narrative even more confusing at times with the advent
of new artist Ignacio Calero.
“Crossbow at
the Crossroads, Part Six”
Is there some meaning to the title of this arc, “Crossbow at the
Crossroads,” that I'm not getting? I've held off on asking until
the end, but it seems pretty generic.
Isn't that an endearing “Oh crap!” expression on the cover?
Helena
is on the run from the Italian authorities, wth a billion-Euros price
on her head – so naturally she confronts the son of dead Ibn Hassan
in his stronghold on the Island of Capri (and we get some more nicely
authentic visuals). Rather surprisingly, when he begs for his life,
she cuts him a deal, assuring him that if he continues to follow in
his father's footsteps, “<I'll show you what it's like to be a
hunted animal … even if I have to track you across the desert. …
And about the billion-Euro price on my head … I just take it as a
compliment. … How about double or nothing? … If no one collects
in a year … donate two billion to charities for abused women. And
if you've kept your promises, I won't kill you. Bye.> Back in
her civilian identity, she still finds it hard to get out of Italy –
then Kara shows up, and off they fly into the pages of World's
Finest
… in two months.
This
has been quite an enjoyable, pulpish little read. I did notice one
artistic faux pas
– at one point Helena springs out of a pool of water with her hair
immediately dry and bouncy. I always notice that kind of thing
mainly because I remember so well being stricken by the realism
of Dave Cockrum's depiction of Legionnaires dripping wet in one of
the stories in Superboy
#202 (Jun 1974).
“Untamed
Rose!”
Rose
opens a can of whupass on Superboy, in retaliation for him causing
her to lose Caitlin – she doesn't listen long enough for Superboy
to reveal that he actually took Caitlin to safety. Superboy is
captured and ordered dissected – or the proper term would be
vivisected
– and Templar expresses hope that he may contain a cure for his own
condition. Along the way Superboy hallucinates (?) a different
location, and also learns that he's not the first of NOWHERE's
clones. There are two postscripts: 1) Caitlin is in protective
custody, but not happy that her mission into NOWHERE is compromised;
2) Wonder Girl appears and sucker-punches Rose, itching for a rematch
with Superboy.
This issue is a Lobdell plot but a DeFalco script. I don't recall if
this is another of DC's creative team shifts that's happening around
about now, or whether it has to do with the big crossover that this
is leading up to.
“Driven”
I
usually complain about an overabundance of full page splashes, but
this time I don't begrudge them because they are used so well to
convey moments of exceptional emotional impact. Here are three:
And they punctuate one of the most powerful and brutal fights I've
seen in a while, partially because we've been building toward it so
steadily.
The long and short of the story is this: Morgan Ducard a.k.a. Nobody
almost goads Bruce into killing and betraying his ideals, and in the
end does succeed in goading Damian into killing. “Next:
Atonement.”
This
has shaped up into a fantastic story. I particularly liked Bruce's
response to Damian's question, “Did you think I betrayed
you, Father?” – “Not for a second.” – A long pause. –
“Well, maybe just a second.” … Right before Damian does
betray the ideal that Bruce has just barely managed to uphold.
“To Drown the
World, Part Two”
It's
been four weeks since Bette was attacked. Taking up immediately from
last issue, Batwoman beats Scythe and “descythes” him. Whereupon
not only does the man begin wailing for his hook – but
the hook starts wailing for its body!
“What th–?” doesn't even begin to convey Kate's shock, which
compounds as Scythe metamorhoses into some chap named Rush, who I'm
apparently supposed to know since she does. “Rush?! … What
happened to you?” “You promised to protect
me!” he accuses, but is he talking to Kate or the hook?
And
then the nonlinear character vignettes take off again, just like last
issue – in fact, continued from last issue: Jacob with Bette three
weeks ago – Is she showing some response?; Kate and Maggie two
weeks ago – Abbott of the Religion of Crime interrupts their
breakfast to bring Kate information on Medusa's leader Falchion; Two
months ago – a sacrifice of three girls incarnates Bloody Mary,
whose real name is Mary
Worth
–?
(Nooooo.....);
One week ago – Maggie captures “a snake” (her words) named
Sune, who has nothing to do with the snake-skinned woman who used to
associate with Abbott – her name was Whisper A'Dayre (I think), and
she was a ginger. Apparently about the same time, we get another
moment with Agent Chase, Batwoman, and her new tech, as well as
orders – Batwoman is being sent to extract Sune from GCPD and
Maggie's custody.
Back
in the present, Falchion natters on about the fertile field of
Gotham's superstition, and evidently Kate's as bored with it as I am
because she just says, “FALCHION!
… Let's
get on
with it!”
Much as I do like looking at J. H. Williams III's art, Amy Reeder's
is easier to follow as a story – at least at the micro level of the
individual vignettes. How all those vignettes fit together at the
macro level … that's not an artistic issue but rather a writing
issue. Yes, it's pretty explicit from the time-stamps, but trying to keep so many jumping around multiple issues straight in the mind? Not so easy.
“A View From
Below”
Hey,
DC! It's definitely possible to overuse a given narrative structure
– in this case the nonlinear, beginning in
media res
structure that seems to crop up more and more. But that's where this
issue begins – in
media res,
where Batgirl is barely managing to survive a fight in the sewer
against Grotesque. Then we bounce back to Barbara sparring with
Black Canary as they engage in some girl-to-girl talk, which is all
juxtaposed with Babs' mother finally meeting with Jim Gordon and
starting to explain her abandoning them nine years ago (which means
Barbara is 21 now, because previously she said her mother left when
she was twelve). Then Barbara heads off on a mission to thwart a
robbery. We go back to the aftermath of the fight, where Batgirl
unmasks a henchman and is shocked to recognize him as one of the
Joker's men that awful night three years ago.
Is Batgirl still being outfitted by Bruce? I would imagine so,
especially after last issue. … You know, I'm not sure I'd want to
be in trouble waiting for her help! … The flashback scenes this
issue sport a different penciller, which is a different way to give
the main artist a breather rather than replacing him with a full-on
guest artist.
“In: The End
of All Things”
Every time I look at this cover I see the Scarlet Witch.
“Ah, you must be the Demon's Knights. I was told to find you. …
Their Highnesses of Alba Sarum wish me to speed you to their city. …
Be joyful! You have protected our nation and its people. … Here
today you have won a great victory.” These words appear on the
last page, spoken by a herald to the Demon Knights as they survey the
devastation of Little Spring. The Knights are wounded. The key to
their victory was Vandal Savage's double treachery, but even so they
only survived because Horsewoman brought the troops of Alba Sarum to
their aid. In the course of the issue, Madame Xanadu was restored to
youth but then injured, the Shining Knight was also injured. And I'm
sure there was more. But at this point, their victory tastes like
ashes.
“When Katia
Cries--!”
The
editors – Brian Cunningham, assisted by Darren Shan – suck
on this series. It's appallingly unprofessional. I've commented on
it before. Elementary grammatical and spelling errors. This issue,
on page 5 jumps out a simple misuse of the form “principal” where
“principle” is meant.
Getting past that, however, I'm surprised – given my general like
of Fabian Nicieza in the past – to say that Tom DeFalco, the new
writer, is much better, at least on this series. Surprised because,
if I've read much by DeFalco it didn't impress itself on me enough to
remember his name, and there has been a general outcry since the
announcement that did not predispose me to like the change. But
frankly, I've been very disappointed with Nicieza's execution of this
title from day one, and I enjoyed this issue much better. I'm not
enough of an analytical critic to say exactly why – but I did.
The “lost” members of the Legion are in New York, in a quandary
over how to proceed. They're also being tailed by a local lowlife.
Timber Wolf catches him and is tipped off to a drug gang, taking them
down and stealing their money. One problem solved – although it
causes the Legionnaires some moral anxiety. Is that what they're
here for?, is this what they're reduced to? Tellus detects a girl
(Katia) nearby, suffering. After debate, their rescue mission is
aborted when it turns out she's in a hospital, in a coma. Tellus
stays with her mentally as she dies, giving her some peace and
receiving some as well.
A
few other comments. Tyroc plays a very diplomatic role in this
issue, recalling to me his characterization in the love-it-or-hate-it
“Five Years Later” Legion.
What is the secret that Tellus is carrying? Why is no one
apparently noticing Gates' mutation? – something I've wondered
before even if I haven't commented on it.
Even
though I enjoyed this issue better, I still see this series as
superfluous and only get it because it's Legion.
If I had my druthers they'd resolve it, get them back to the main
title, and concentrate on having one top-notch Legion
title rather than diluting the brand. If you are going to have two,
make them both relevant, and if they could pull off a “bridge”
title connecting the Legion
brand with the rest of the DCnU, that would be cool. So far, this
one does neither, in my opinion
“The Villain's
Journey, Prologue”
Here is a fleshed-out version of the notes I jotted down as I read
this issue – what I usually use to refer to as I compose my
write-up, but here delivered in more raw, albeit “decoded” and
expanded form …
“We
need the real heroes” comment by a bystander is sure to breed
resentment among the police and other “real world” figures who
risk themselves for others … see the inset face at the bottom of
that same page (3) as the Justice League Boom Tubes in. Cyborg's
connection with Apokaliptian tech is central to his character and
this book. “Orb of Ra”? [I knew it sounded familiar, just
couldn't place exactly what it is – the DC Wiki probably is
currently pre-Flashpoint,
but here it is.] Is
this story really present day? – the people seem caught up in the
initial super hero enthusiasm which comes off as very different from
the portrayal of the heroes and their interactions with the public in
other books. The characterizations seem off, mainly in that there
doesn't seem to have been any real development in the heroes as
characters or as a team in the five years since the previous issue.
Taken alone, this book is entertaining enough, but it seems not to
fit well with the overall New 52. The jubilant man in the fawning
crowd making a “JL” with his hands and proclaiming them to be
“Super Friends” reaches the level of caricature. The attitude of
Congress, receiving a report from liaison Steve Trevor of A[dvanced]
R[esearch] G[roup] U[niting] S[uperhumans], is much more suspicious
and in line with the overall New 52. Nevertheless, as I read though
page after page this just gets worse and worse: Trevor's interaction
with the JL, Green Lantern's frat-boyish demands, Batman's
demand that Justice League International be shut down is totally
inconsistent with his portrayal in that book
(could he really be that … two-faced?)
And finally, in one of the lamest aspects of this opening salvo of
the second story arc, it looks like David Graves, the author who
seems to have dubbed them the “Justice League” and called them
“Gods Among Men” last issue is the budding villain of the
issue/story arc title. Shock!
Horror! How could it be?
Gene Ha does a good job complementing Jim Lee's style as the artist
for this issue (how many issues?), so it looks good. But frankly the
story was crap.
“Shazam!”
I'd
actually read this as a digital download when it was available free
the day the issue was released. Not to be a Nattering Nabob of
Negativity, I didn't care for it either time I read it. I love the
original, the only real-to-me Captain Marvel as a character and a
concept that is intrinsically upbeat, childhood wish-fulfilment, in
some ways the perfect super hero archetype for kids, a reminder of a
simpler, better time. Maybe it really wasn't, but in memory it is
still yet green. The darkening of the concept in various attempts to
make it “relevant” seems to me to be an exercise in futility,
because it just does not work. And DC throwing in the towel on the
very name of the character since Marvel will not let go of the
trademark on the name “Captain Marvel” and changing it to
“Shazam” makes the situation worse. Better just to retire the
property altogether. Won't happen. DC will continue to try to milk
it, and pervert it, in an attempt to exploit it, and while the
stories that result may end up being readable or even good in and of
themselves, they will not be Captain
Marvel.
Just had to get that off my chest.
Review/Annotation:
http://atthehallofjustice.blogspot.com/2012/04/justice-league-7.html
After the two features we got what looks to be a new text page
feature, a double-page spread that appears to be advertisement/cross-promotion executed by DC “family” of titles. Not a
bad idea, but I would rather have a letter column – especially
would I rather have a letter column than what I consider to be the
useless “All Access” page at the very end. [See previous rant about letter columns.]
“Il
Gangster Dell'Amore”
“The
Gangster of Love,” eh? Say it with Oswald's voice from Drew
Carey, low and sexy, with a hint of a smirk … and keep a straight face: “The Gangster of Luhhhhhve!”
Wonder
Woman, Hermes, and whatever-his-name-is find Eros – see title –
who takes them to the bestial-looking Hephaestus. They seek weapons
to “bargain” with Hades for Zola. Hell attacks and Wonder Woman
discovers the reason for the lack of male Amazons. In the night she
attacks Hephaestus to free her enslaved (and newly realized)
brothers, but they beg her to leave them be with their Master. It's
maybe a more straightforward issue, but the quite unsettling
portrayal of Wonder Woman's Amazons as female rapist-murderers of
hapless seamen (which, come to think of it is a pun about on
Azzarello's level … and there I did it again!), while in accord
with Greek legend, still leaves a bad taste in my mouth.
This
book just got dropped from my pre-order floppy pull-list. So Wonder
Woman
is my first official drop from the New 52 (I don't count Red
Hood
since I never really expected to go past #1). I'm replacing it
either with Green
Lantern
(main title only) or with the new Ravagers
title since I'm betting it's going to be so intertwined with Superboy
and Teen Titans
as to be an all-but-necessary read. I'm sure my colleague who still
likes this title will keep me up-to-speed, and I can always pick up
the digitals or the trades.
“The
Talons Strike!”
Batman
has managed to get away from captivity, the current dead Talon has
been taken in for study by Alfred. It turns out that the Court of
Owls are using ancient tech based on Electrum to animate corpses as
weapons. The current one is Dick's grandfather … and Dick's body
contains the same tech in the form of a filling through the
connection of Haly's Circus with the Court of Owls. Dick takes
exception to Bruce's developing antagonistic paradigm of Bats vs.
Birds. And the Court of Owls unleash an army of Talons on Gotham in
an image that looks like the Wizard
of Oz's
flying monkeys (which scared the shit out of me any I think every
other kid who saw that movie at a young age).
Well,
obviously we now see Batman
and Nightwing
coming together … very
closely – see Nightwing
below. Their stories, I mean – that's not meant as a double entendre.
Review:
http://batman-news.com/2012/03/21/new-52-batman-7-review/
– I see I wasn't the only one who wondered who the heck was that girl
“Harper” who defibbed Bruce with jumper cables in the back of the
van at the beginning of the issue. I have to ask, however … what
“posts” were they clamped to? Ayiyiyiiiigh!
“Graduation
Day”
The
showdown between Kara and the four World Killers in New York City.
Reign yammers on about how she – it? – woke in an abandoned
Kryptonian facility with an imperative to conquer and destroy. Kara
is determined to protect the innocents of this world that so far has
really done nothing to endear itself to her. I am so happy that,
contrary to what their own prepublication information led us to
believe, they are going with this characterization and not the
hostility toward Earth that she might, quite frankly, be justified in
given the grief she's caught so far. But she's being beaten until
she figures to turn one World Killer's power against another,
critically wounding it. Reign … backs down – unwilling to lose
one of her – its? – “siblings”? – “race”? – but does
get in a parting shot that there's a fifth World Killer out there.
My speculation is Doomsday.
So
the people of Earth get their first real introduction to Supergirl,
and she's clearly acting as a hero. This bodes well. But she still
knows no language but Kryptonian. This has got to change.
Continuity-wise,
I think
Kara goes from here to her encounter with Superboy, then her
appearance in Superman.
“Brain
Damage”
Everything
goes all wrong as Choke is revealed to be their new ally Trevor –
but he's planted triggers in the Birds so that Starling almost kills
two of her teammates and Ivy can't exist as both human and part of
the Green. Then Katana kills him and the team falls apart. Canary
is in shock and Batgirl comforts her. Then Katana calls and says
that the soul that is now in her sword – Trevor – is not really
Choke! Could it have been someone else manipulating him and playing
everything via a trigger?
“Turning
Points”
Saiko
is Raymond, a childhood friend of Dick's long thought dead. I think
we already knew that. He tells Dick that Haly's Circus is a training
ground for assassins for the Circle of Owls. Young Dick was to be
one of their recruits, but when he left the Circus after the death of
his parents, the Circle took the friend instead. But then the Circle
deemed him unworthy and left him to die. The list of names in the
book is the string of assassins.
This
exposition is given while Dick and Saiko fight. Dick defeats him, of
course, and saves the audience of the benefit performance – with
surprising help from Raya.
On
that page where Raymond is falling and Dick catches him by shooting a
grappling harpoon through his leg – OW!
– merits more than the “ARH!”
that is shown.
After
a chilly encounter with Raya who is under arrest, having confessed
yet giving him the silent treatment when he asks “Why?,”
we get a duplicate of the scene with Dick and Bruce in the Cave from
the Batman
issue, which ends with Dick headed off to investigate a double murder
involving one of his escrima
sticks.
Those
parallel scenes in Batman
and Nightwing
are a good way to handle “crossovers.” This isn't the first time
I've seen it used, and it must be used judiciously, but telling the
same scene from the differing perspectives of various participants as
part of the narrative within their own title is a way to uphold DC's
“promise” that New 52 crossovers would be more reader-friendly
for fans who might be regular followers of only one affected title.
It's far superior, in my opinion, than the practice of a narrative
that bounces explicitly from one title to the other – like is
happening in Justice
League Dark
and I, Vampire,
and will be happening in Superboy,
Teen Titans,
and Legion Lost
as I understand it. It is not at all necessary to be reading Batman
to understand from the scene in Nightwing
just what's going on and how it relates to Dick.
“But
There's No Harm in Taking a Good Hard Look.”
Oh,
look, it's that same “Oh crap” expression that the Huntress had!
Like mother, like daughter … er, sort of, maybe, who knows ….
Selina
and her new partner/fence/intended restraining influence have been
carrying out a spate of high-price auto thefts. The good cop who had
been putting pieces together about her then secretly let her go
rather than see her murdered in GCPD custody again puts pieces
together – but is told not to go after her. He does so anyway and
gets the drop on her via a setup tailor-made to draw her in like
catnip. But a new meta (from whom she'd unknowingly poached a car
theft earlier in the issue) rescues her – on
her own bike
(He screeches to a halt, “Get on.” – “That's my
bike,” she protests. – “I know. It's nice. Can we go?”) –
and proposes an alliance. He goes by “Spark.”
Nice
touches: Good Cop's joke – “What's the difference between a good
cop
in Gotham
and Bigfoot?”
– “Some people say they've actually seen
Bigfoot.” – “Amen.” … New fence Gwen's attempts to restrain
Selina's self-destructive impulses include forbidding her having sex
with costumed crime fighters.
New
artist Adriana Melo (not the cover artist) is less mangaesque than
what we had before, but a little clunky. It had me thinking of Ramon
Bachs, which is not a good thing, but overall the art wasn't bad.
Note:
That is an accurate Ferrari symbol on the key on the cover, and as
Selina says at one point inside, a Ferrari 2011 California is about
$190,000 (per the Internet, $192,000).
“Phoenix
Rising”
No,
not Jean Grey. Chinese nationalism. That's what the main plot
driving this issue (and last) is, it turns out. Elements of a
budding Chinese separatist effort are put down by the team at the Sea
of Fire and at Dragonwing's sister's – with help from
reinforcements, and we mainly get to see the now-costumed Harmonia
cut loose. It's impressive. Dragonwing and Chemical Kid separately
get a bit more insight into the reality of being Legionnaires.
Also,
the Dominators are still working on creating a lead-proof Daxamite
army. Mon-El gives in to Brainiac 5 and plans to call a leader
election. Chameleon Boy admits that he got lucky in not getting
killed for a fleeting moment of carelessness.
It's
interesting how Levitz is adding to the richness of 31st-century
Earth, which is not so united, in ways that I don't remember him
exploring back in his classic 1980s run. Portela's art shines more
and more each issue, but we won't have him next issue. Instead we
are treated to returns by “classic” Legion
artists Steve Lightle (yes!
–
from the aforementioned 1980s run … I just hope it's not as
disappointing as the Moys' return to the Legion
in Star Trek-LSH
has been!) and Yilderay Cinar (very good on the just-previous run,
but isn't that a bit too recent to laud as “classic”?).
“The
Others”
At
the get-go, Black Manta chases down a Middle-Eastern girl (full burqa
and veil) in the Brazilian jungle – Kahina the Seer – and kills
her, taking from her some artifact. (This scene caused a bit of a controversy among Iranian-Americans because Kahina, the
first [?] Iranian super heroine makes it all of eight pages before
being killed.) Meanwhile, Aquaman and Mera are working to save a
bunch of fishing boats from a mysterious storm then go to Dr. Shin
seeking answers about the Atlantean relic Aquaman has from two issues
ago. Via Shin's TV, we find that “Aquawoman” is still wanted by
the authorities for her “brutal attack” on the lecherous grocer
and assault on police officers last issue; who called him on the
phone then hung up? The relic shows a brief hologram of a man
proclaiming, “<Atlantis is in danger.>” A
great-deal-less-than-half-clad jungle girl Ya'wara appears hell-bent
on killing Shin in revenge for Kahina. Since these people all seem
to know each other – and jungle girl is on first name basis with
Arthur – Mera demands to know what's going on, “AND WHO THE HELL
IS SHE?”
Mera does have green eyes, you know. There is a final image (from
Shin's notes?) of a very young Arthur with others who include Ya'wara
and Kahina. It's an intriguing beginning to the second story arc.
“To
Hel and Back”
One
mark of a good inker is how they adapt and let the style of
individual pencillers shine through. Jesus Merino's finishes of
George Perez's layouts looked different from his finishes of Dan
Jurgens' pencils. Just saying, but that's just one dimension of the
new creative team that launches this issue – Keith Giffen scripting
his co-plot with Dan Jurgens, and Merino finishing the latter's
pencils. Much as I revere George Perez, I'm hoping this signifies an
improving shift in this title.
We
open with Superman in the midst of battle, feeling like he's being
called out. We're treated to the clean-up crew's cynicism that
they're the ones having to pick up the pieces. Cut to the Himalayas,
where we see strange creatures in some complex under the mountains
sporting the skull seal that has cropped up here and there. Their
leader has detected a Kryptonian on Earth. There is a footnote
reference to Stormwatch
#5 and 6, where this creature crashed on Earth, and also to Grifter
#6 for an explanation of something about unique human energy
patterns. I get the former, but don't remember what that's about; I
don't get the latter, don't intend to, don't really care. The
leader's name is “Helspont” but he looks like a cross between
Dormammu and the Ghost Rider (so what if they're both Marvel?).
Anyway,
Clark is having a hard time keeping up with three simultaneous
conversations with Lois, Jimmy, and Perry, one of which will have
consequences later. His inner'logue laments his inherent conflict of
interest since being assigned to the “Superman beat.” At STAR
Labs, the attacker he defeated earlier reanimates and comes for him
at the Daily
Planet.
Clark is at pains to keep his identity secret – then they are
teleported to Helspont. There is a nifty snippet about the
Kryptonian “biotech” armor, but I'm not sure what it means. In
the confrontation with Helspont, Superman finds out a bit about
Earth's place in the cosmos. “This world's propensity for
spontaneous genetic mutation dates back to the earliest recorded
history. … The God Veil is thinner here than on any other world
save for the Twin Worlds, the Dark and the Light in perpetual
conflict [obviously Apokalips and New Genesis]. … Even the wretched
Guardians have seen fit to place a sentry among them. … Why is this
world not a Daemonite dominion?” Because that's what Helspont is –
a Daemonite. Which, since I didn't read any Wildstorm Universe
titles except for most of Planetary,
means exactly nothing to me. Yes, it's a Wildstorm carryover. See here. I can't say I'm especially happy with how this
Wildstormization of the DCnUniverse is going.
As
Helspont rebukes Superman for his impertinence in not submitting to
him, Lucy Lane ends up stranded at Metropolis' Weisinger Plaza
Memorial Station – her pickup was what Lois was arranging with
Clark.
“The
Final Curtain”
The
battle with Bane in this roundrobin (?) of clashes with Bat-villains
concludes. Batman finds and releases the captive Poison Ivy – who
is depicted as green here. Superman pushes Flash to the point that
the Venom is nullified. Flash is then instrumental in defeating
Bane.
On
the last page we find out there is a connection between Jai and the
White Rabbit.
Next:
Tweedledum and Tweedledee. That
I did not see coming. When was the last time these two were seen? Is
there an Alice in
Wonderland
motif going here?
I
could repeat the snark and criticisms from previously, but frankly it
ain't worth it. Id
est quid est.
And this
White Rabbit's hot. So's Jai. So's Ivy, for that matter. Finch can
draw hot women. Yessir he can. Who cares if they all look the same (except White Rabbit's white, Jai's brown, and Ivy's green) -- they're all smokin'!
“Red
Blood, Dark Magic – Part 1 of Rise of the Vampires”
Cain,
the progenitor of Evil, was released by the death of Andrew Bennett.
He is stealing all magic, which is making the Justice League Dark's
powers and abilities go wonky – and some dialogue as well, so much
so that I wondered if this were written by someone other than
Milligan. Madame Xanadu dispatches John Constantine and Deadman to
the Afterlife to bring back Bennett, and herself on a mission to get
aid – which sounds as if it will come at great personal cost.
There is a full on War of Vampires in Gotham City. In addition to
the cameo by Batman through the crossover events with I,
Vampire,
Batgirl is also part of the fray for a brief time, long enough to
almost get bitten, and long enough for her to reveal that Batman has
warned her about Zatanna's group. Man, since he's worked alongside Z
even in issue #1 of this series, then goes dissing them behind her back like he's
doing the JLI,
maybe he is
that two-faced. Yes, I said it again.
“Blame
It On Cain – Part 2 of Rise of the Vampires”
I
got the hard copy since it's part of the numbered crossover. Yeah,
DC, you got me. This time. Don't count on it next time.
Through
Bennett's debate with a disembodied voice in the afterlife, we get a
bit of background in a magnificent double-page spread marred only by
a tiny panel of Andrew Bennet in “Deadland” (my term).
Stylistically, it looks a lot like a Gustave Dore engraving. Artist
Andrea Sorrentino's blog presents it without the clutter of word
balloons:
 |
| Link to Source |
Since
the War of the Vampires seems to be centered in Gotham, we get to see
some shots of the Bat-family's involvement. Things aren't going
quite the way that Mary envisioned. Cain has usurped control of her
minions. So she switches sides and starts helping the Good Guys –
I did not see that coming.
“Assault
on Project 13”
All
this out-of-order narrative is just getting tiresome. Face it. You
guys aren't Quintin Tarantino. Sometimes it works. Most times it
don't.
Tipped
off by newly revealed member Danny the Street – which explains certain mysteries such as how Kid
Flash and Solstice got from Antarctica to the door of Tim's penthouse
as well as where Superboy was in his own issue this month (it was not
just an hallucination) – the Teen Titans reluctantly join Red Robin
in an attempt to rescue their recent assailant, Superboy, and end up attacked by a one proclaiming
himself a creation of NOWHERE. We learn a bit more about Templar.
I
must say that for the various low opinions I've seen expressed about
Scott Lobdell, I'm enjoying this. Of course, he's still the writer
of Red Hood and
the Outlaws
….
A
note's characterization of Wonder Girl's sucker punch of Rose as a
“fight” makes it out to be more than it was.
“Time
and Again”
Bgztl
could be in a different time as well as a different dimension?
That's new. But it gives Brainiac 5 the inspiration he needs to come
up with a means to close off the wormhole threat. It turns out that
the wormhole was the Time Trapper's gateway by which he/it manifested
him/itself to pre-emptively destroy the Legion by killing R. J.
Brande. When it's destroyed, the Trapper is sucked back into his/its
dimension.
Overall,
this was not a bad little introductory expansion series. Saturn
Girl's comment unfavorably comparing Ultra Boy to Superman had to
sting.
Although
Kirk in the “present” ends up in a classic Kirk philosophical
debate outwitting the Emperor, it's the team in the past that saves
the day by realizing that a lack of imagination on Vandar the Stone's
part led him to be too specific in whatever verbal ploy it was he
used to entrap Q. It was just a matter of time before they realized
that as time travellers they could simply give Q an order to follow –
to free himself. The time lines realign, and the reader is deprived
of the chance to see the teams taking leave of each other. There is
an epilogue with Q visiting Flint – clearly now one and the same as
Vandal Savage even in the ur-Star Trek
universe – discussing alternate universes.
*
* *
Digital
…
Challengers
of the Unknown: "Pre-Empted"
Back in Metropolis, with no evidence of what seems like a dream, or explanation of why they're not dead, the Challengers are using the cover of their revived show to get the resources to study the amulet that initially, it turned out, brought them to Nanda Parbat. They find other stones. Part of the group heads off to the Teutoberger Forest in Germany where they end up fighting animated statues. The two left continue studying the amulet are killed by a reanimated creature calling himself the Forgotten Lord, animating Ace's body just after they discover a lead to Doctor Thirteen.
Issues #1-3
This is something I know some in Smallville fandom were hoping for (Sean and Jim on the Raging Bullets podcast, among others), a continuation of the TV series like is being done through Dark Horse with Buffy the Vampire Slayer Seasons 8 and 9. Like Buffy, this might be considered "canonical" in that one of the writers for the TV series, Brian Q. Miller, is writing. And he's paired with his artist from the Stephanie Brown Batgirl series that fell victim to the New 52 Notaboot. So I expected good things. I got good things.
Six months after the series finale, Clark is in the suit -- and flying. Actually, it's a slightly modified suit from the series finale, one that I like better than the New 52 Kryptonian bio-battle-armor-whatever. It takes the best of the classic suit and combines it with aspects of the new into the best of both worlds.
The issues drop every Friday via the DC Comics app through iTunes, 99 cents a pop. It looks like each issue is about half the length of a standard $2.99 print comic, so I think we're getting a pretty good deal.
Here's what's happened thus far:
Issue #1) Guardian (apparently the title of the first story arc or "episode" since the title repeats for subsequent issues): We catch up on our main characters. Ollie and Chloe are still in Metropolis; Lois and Clark are not married but living together [aside: That's the main aspect of the show, especially later seasons, that I didn't care for, the sexuality. Call me an old fogey. I am.]; Lex is hale and whole, looking out over the city (with his "henchman" Otis). Lex waits for a glimpse of Metropolis' new hero, Superman, as he blurs into space (noticing the changed costume). Superman saves a Russian space station from some kind of energy wave. Overall, it's a good quick introduction to the hero, his confidence and humility, and the public's, his friends', and his enemy's view of him.
Issue #2) We find out that this suit is also armored -- lead over his heart against Kryptonite bullets. Remember, there is a large amount of "meteor rock" in this universe. There's also some metacommentary on the changing "S" symbol. Clark and Lois disagree over whether he should reveal his alien origin to the world -- the wake of the Apokaliptian threat might not be the best time. That's reemphasized in a meeting between Lex and General Lane in which Lex proposes as alliance with the government to weaponize space, and although Lane seems willing to give Superman the benefit of the doubt for now, he's willing to take him down if there's reason to. Finally, Lex encounters Clark in the street, knowing of but not remembering their friendship (and skeptical of it as well) -- then he hallucinates (?) Tess. Is she wearing the same clothes as when he killed her, complete with the blood?
Issue #3) Superman saves Green Arrow's life and they pal around a bit, but mainly in this issue Lois visits Chloe in the Watchtower, where Chloe is investigating the Russian space station's telemetry ... and discovers that the energy wave/space storm concealed a spacecraft coming down to Earth.
Overall, I'm loving this. Sometimes you can hear the actors' voices, even though Lois in particular looks nothing like the actress who played her. Actually, the only one who is really captured facially is Tom Welling as Clark. But this is a fine continuation of the TV series.
Six months after the series finale, Clark is in the suit -- and flying. Actually, it's a slightly modified suit from the series finale, one that I like better than the New 52 Kryptonian bio-battle-armor-whatever. It takes the best of the classic suit and combines it with aspects of the new into the best of both worlds.
The issues drop every Friday via the DC Comics app through iTunes, 99 cents a pop. It looks like each issue is about half the length of a standard $2.99 print comic, so I think we're getting a pretty good deal.
Here's what's happened thus far:
Issue #1) Guardian (apparently the title of the first story arc or "episode" since the title repeats for subsequent issues): We catch up on our main characters. Ollie and Chloe are still in Metropolis; Lois and Clark are not married but living together [aside: That's the main aspect of the show, especially later seasons, that I didn't care for, the sexuality. Call me an old fogey. I am.]; Lex is hale and whole, looking out over the city (with his "henchman" Otis). Lex waits for a glimpse of Metropolis' new hero, Superman, as he blurs into space (noticing the changed costume). Superman saves a Russian space station from some kind of energy wave. Overall, it's a good quick introduction to the hero, his confidence and humility, and the public's, his friends', and his enemy's view of him.
Issue #2) We find out that this suit is also armored -- lead over his heart against Kryptonite bullets. Remember, there is a large amount of "meteor rock" in this universe. There's also some metacommentary on the changing "S" symbol. Clark and Lois disagree over whether he should reveal his alien origin to the world -- the wake of the Apokaliptian threat might not be the best time. That's reemphasized in a meeting between Lex and General Lane in which Lex proposes as alliance with the government to weaponize space, and although Lane seems willing to give Superman the benefit of the doubt for now, he's willing to take him down if there's reason to. Finally, Lex encounters Clark in the street, knowing of but not remembering their friendship (and skeptical of it as well) -- then he hallucinates (?) Tess. Is she wearing the same clothes as when he killed her, complete with the blood?
Issue #3) Superman saves Green Arrow's life and they pal around a bit, but mainly in this issue Lois visits Chloe in the Watchtower, where Chloe is investigating the Russian space station's telemetry ... and discovers that the energy wave/space storm concealed a spacecraft coming down to Earth.
Overall, I'm loving this. Sometimes you can hear the actors' voices, even though Lois in particular looks nothing like the actress who played her. Actually, the only one who is really captured facially is Tom Welling as Clark. But this is a fine continuation of the TV series.
Review: 1) http://acomicbookblog.com/2012/04/smallville-season-11-1-review/ ; 2) http://acomicbookblog.com/2012/04/smallville-season-11-2-review/ ; 3) http://acomicbookblog.com/2012/04/smallville-season-11-3-review/
Cheers!
And thanks for reading … and reading … and reading ….
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