Reviews,
commentary, general reactions, and random notes on the DC Comics that
were released during January that I received near the beginning of
February. Caution: Spoilers ahead! [ Link to previous month ]
The first of my “leaner, meaner” monthly round-ups of DC Comics. One change I'm also making is that now my linked reviews just go to the wonderful Comic Book RoundUp website that pulls together and links to multiple reviews and gives an average overall rating based on them. They usually include the individual reviewers that I generally go to for each “family” of books, plus a lot more. If an issue I'm including has a page there, that's what I'm linking to.
The first of my “leaner, meaner” monthly round-ups of DC Comics. One change I'm also making is that now my linked reviews just go to the wonderful Comic Book RoundUp website that pulls together and links to multiple reviews and gives an average overall rating based on them. They usually include the individual reviewers that I generally go to for each “family” of books, plus a lot more. If an issue I'm including has a page there, that's what I'm linking to.
Do
we really need another month's worth of the stupid Arrow
banner across the top of the covers?
In
other “news” ...
Saner heads
ultimately prevailed at DC as it was recently announced that the
“WTF” “event” will not
be so billed. If I may editorialise, whoever thought that would be a good idea in the first
place should be fired. I don't often say that so bluntly, but come
on!
And
now to the comics....
Earth
2 #8
“Lazy
Sunday”
What's Steppenwolf been up to these five
years? Well, raising (and corrupting) his foster daughter, Wonder
Woman's daughter, Fury, who comes off as a fusion of Big Barda and
Lashina.
Worlds'
Finest
#8
“Hunt
and Be Hunted”
Still loving this series, and now Batman
knows Damian's been up to something on the sly....
Action
Comics
#16
“The
Second Death of Superman”/ “Future Tense”
Damn
you, Grant Morrison! Snake Sensor?! – Not that I disliked that
1990s iteration of Princess Projectra, but damn
it, we don't need
another wrinkled Legion of Super-Heroes continuity! My head spins …
and that's even before I read the issue! Man, I'm going to hate
seeing Morrison go … luckily, he was recently announced to have not
one but two
issues to finish this story off. But I do pity Andy Diggle trying to
follow him....
Detective
Comics #16
“Death
of the Family: Nothin' But Smiles” / “Pecking Order”
Okay,
I am generally enjoying Detective
'way more than I was since Tony Daniel's gone … but this issue did
something that totally jerked me out of any level of suspension of
disbelief:
There's
just so much wrong on so many levels beyond
the simple grotesquerie – medical, practical, and so forth. It's
just plain dumb. How
the hell is the kid enunciating the words he's speaking, specifically
any consonants that involve the lips he no longer has?
… Which of course also brings the question of how the now faceless
Joker speaks with
no lips?!
Batwing
#16
“A
Blind Eye Sees Red”
With
this issue, Fabian Nicieza gets to chart his own course, and it's
immediately better. But it's only for a couple of issues, because
Gray and Palmiotti have already been announced to take this book
over. I stopped preorders effective next month, I think, but I'm
considering beginning again with G & P.
Superboy
#16
“H'El
on Earth: Triggers!”
Not
a bad issue, but what really happens except Superman and Superboy get
zapped off to who-knows-where? Well, we get to see some better
Justice League action than in their own book, and Batman is 'way past
plan “B” in his planning. But H'El continues to do a number on
Supergirl's psyche, the real weakest link in this arc.
Batman
#16
“Death
of the Family: Castle of Cards” / “Judgment”
The
Batman as the Joker's king, eh? … just order the wannabe court jester to do the right
thing and kill himself, all right? Here's the first of our
Joker-presents-the-characters-with-something-on-a-platter cliffhanger
endings – which most Bat-titles
end with this month.
Batman
and Robin #16
“Death
of the Family: Cast a Giant Shadow”
See?
– How does the Joker suck a straw with no lips?
Batgirl
#16
“Death
of the Family: Collision – Part Three: Ceremony”
James
Jr. shows up, briefly appears to be helping Batgirl as she attempts
to leave the Joker at the altar, but then betrays her … and she
wakes up to be presented with a covered platter by the Joker.
Legion
Lost #16
“Last
Stand!”
Finally,
it's over. And with a typically confusing mess that seems to erase
any developments that have occurred in this series except that the
Lost Legionnaires are still in the past. Damn. Despite the cover,
it tries to end on a “hopeful” note, “Never the End.” Right.
Justice
League #16
“Throne
of Atlantis, Chapter Three: Friends and Enemies” / [“Shazam!”]
More
workmanlike progression of the story. I just wish Johns still had
the ability to deliver a good issue
rather than a piece
of a story. And don't get me started on this awful reimagining of
Shazam.
Here are my notes: “Sivana and Sloth incarnate set about
awakening the other Deadly Sins, while Billy gets his butt kicked by
Black Adam, but manages to switch back to Billy and hide behind a
dumpster, cowering in fear. Yes, it's that bad. See last month's
rant....” This is so heartbreaking having just read Ordway's Power
of Shazam.
Much less looking at any of the great Fawcett originals.
Superboy
Annual #1
“H'El
on Earth: Lost Horizons”
This is a
surprisingly well-written character piece loaded with penty of
action, as Superboy and Superman seem to forge a bond that will
hopefully endure, amid a great deal of “banter” that has both of
them learning something about themselves by seeing themselves as in a
mirror. I guess I need to shed my impression of Superboy as innocent
of history and culture; I guess his virtual life included an
education, which makes sense. I like that Superman admits he's not
entirely clear on why he has his powers. Why would he be?
Supergirl
#16
“H'El
on Earth: Fast and Faster”
Okay,
I think I'm getting what H'El's real or at least backup plan is …
to play Adam and Eve (or Kryp and Tonn?) with Kara at the beginning of
Kryptonian history. Eewwwww!
That “revelation” comes at the very end of the issue. I love
Flash's reaction upon encountering Krypto – “Superman has a
dog?,” and see some of the likeable Supergirl in her reunion with
Krypto. The prologue confirms for me that the horn from Superman
#1 is what has now called the Oracle. But the less I say about the
ridiculous hyperbole in the epilogue the better.
You
know, I don't dislike this as much as reviewer Anj, and think his
dashed hopes for his beloved character is leading him to overreact a
bit, but he's right, this crossover ain't all that, and a large part
of it is
the role of Kara.
Batwoman
#16
“World's
Finest IV: Serpent's Homeland”
This
is quite a literate, textually-dense book, and with JHW3's beautiful
(if often cryptically complicated) art, it's one of the best books
out there. There's quite a bit of inner'loguing from multiple
characters. It actually takes time to read.
We finally get insight into the master plan, to shed children's
blood to resurrect Ceto,
the Mother of All Monsters, and also Bette Kane back in action, in a
new costume, going up directly against “Scythe” who almost killed
her.
Catwoman
#16
“The
Black Diamond Probability: Battle in Black”
“Apocalyptic
multiverse time-continuum-destroying damage”
– I think I'll make that my new catch phrase. It's about the only
good thing in this book. I don't like Eclipso, so I automatically
don't like this story part of DC's multipronged effort to bring him
into the New 52, but beyond that it's a stupid story. Catwoman
somehow manages to pull back from being seduced by the Black Diamond,
but I frankly can't tell you how or why I should care. I've quickly
developed such an antipathy for Ann Nocenti's writing that I'm
dropping this book, Bat-family
or no.
I
do like that phrase, though … even if it's not enough to make me stick
around.
Birds
of Prey #16
“Lights
Out”
This
is something of a transition issue, partly the violent introduction
of Strix (Latin for “owl” since she's the female Talon that
Batgirl has taken under her wing) that initially goes bad, partly
because of the ill-timed advent of Condor, who wants into the team
and may be horny for Black Canary – although she warns him that
joining the all-girl team may result in questioning of his manhood –
then they follow up a lead to the reappearance of an opponent from
Birds of Prey
#0, whereupon Canary's power goes wild with perhaps deadly results
for Starling (NOOOOOO!!!!!).
Strix
really reminds me of Cassandra Cain's initial appearance … is she
the New 52 version?
“Death
of the Family: Curtain Call”
One
of the things that I like (when it's done right) in these types of
tie-in issues is the different perceptions of the threat and of the
characters themselves we can see. For instance, here the Joker
considers Nightwing to be the biggest threat to “his Batman”
because Nightwing is always sure of himself but also because he is
the “Bat” who has the most faith in people.
“Death
of the Family: Family Matters”
On
the other hand, this is basically a throwaway issue in a series I
haven't normally been getting … but since James Tynion
whatever-his-number-is is coming on as writer (part of the Snyder
circle), I'm about to be giving it a shot.
Of
course, one could argue that the idea of Killer Croc being Roy
Harper's AA sponsor is in itself worth the price of admission.
“Throne
of Atlantis, Chapter Four”
Well,
I didn't see that coming (although maybe I should have because of the
modernist tendency toward deconstruction). Vulko as the villain? –
and it only very slowly dawns on the characters in this issue. …
Actually, I had already wondered what Aquaman ultimately asks: Why
does Orm need to place explosive charges to sink Boston if he's got
that mystical spear thingy? Of course, they are in the middle of a
running battle without the time to really sit back and think about
these things! We do get to see Batman acting typically cool, calm,
and collected as he's trapped helpless (is Batman ever truly
“helpless”?) at the bottom of the ocean in a coffin-like pod
having to be carted around by Aquaman. And Cyborg gets an upgrade
that apparently means he's going to be breathing like Darth Vader
from now on.
There's
another annoying typo: Mera calls Aquaman “Aruthur.”
“Choose
Wisely”
The
election issue … Do they still have readers participate in Legion
elections? If so, I missed the call. Anyway, that's just one
thread, individual groups of Legionnaires discussing the election and
other personal issues, while the Legion Espionage Squad – mainly
Chameleon Boy and Shrinking Violet – discovering that Validus is
not really still imprisoned on Takron-Galtos. The unexpected result
for leader: Phantom Girl.
“H'El
on Earth: A Fistful of Sticks”
Not
a whole lot changes.
“Nightmares”
Calvin
Rose's battle with the Butcher of Gotham changes everything for his
girlfriend Casey's organization and looks like it may set up a new
status quo with his reunion with her and her little girl Sarah, back
in Gotham “where [they] belong.” Which all will keep this title
on my radar.
“Belly
of the Whale”
A
bunch happened in this issue, but mainly Batman ends up sunk inside a
safe while Batman, Incorporated looks like it's been decimated –
and we get heartbroken confirmation from Squire that Knight is indeed
dead, and she blames herself. In the end, “Leviathanized”
children attack Gordon and Nightwing, and after a fair amount of
focus on Damian and Alfred in the Cave, Alfred connives with him in
disobeying Bruce and heading out … all the latter foreshadowing
what's going to happen next issue....
“Batman
Impossible”
A
great issue, showing just how much Damian has grown as a character
from the one-note snot-nosed little bastard he was in the beginning.
Damian sends his father on a scavenger-hunt vacation around the
world, centered on the Wayne family heritage, while he himself dons a
version of the “Batman 666” garb and hits the streets of Gotham.
It ends on a wonderful note of trust and acceptance between father
and son.
“Touch
of Crazy”
The
beginning of a new story arc. Hopefully it will be better than the
last one was overall. And it looks like Bruce's Ukrainian pianist
girl friend can't take the … uncertainty? … of being Bruce's
lover.
There's
still no reason I can see for this superfluous Bat-book.
“The
Death of Magic, Part 2: Night of the Hunter”
Things
are starting to come apart, both in the other universe and in “ours.”
Frankly, this story arc is not doing anything for me yet.
So,
Deadman's dead again … and nothing's changed. He's Deadman.
“Death
of the Family: Gotham Runs Red”
Concurrently
(I think, more or less) with Red
Hood and the Outlaws
#16, this focusses more on Tim and Jason in a cage-match for the
Joker's “amusement.” Various little vignettes include the intro
of the New 52 version of Raven, in typically repulsivised costuming.
Joe
Kubert Presents #...
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Reviews
Digital
I,
Vampire #16
“Title
to be added”
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Smallville:
Season 11 ….
“Title to be added”
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Reviews
Cheers!
… and Thanks for reading.
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