Oct 17th RoundUp

posted by JediSheltie @ 7:16 PM

Brave and the Bold 7

I've been checking this out since the first issue, though the opening 6 part arc never really gave me a chance to do a review that wouldn't end up being en medias res. Now we get a refreshing little one shot story that acknowledges the previous issues without requiring they be read. A happy little combination of Wonder Woman and Power Girl doesn't hurt either, and there's even some Superman thrown on for good measure at the end.

Brave and the Bold is a team-up book. The first arc, though one story, featured a revolving cast of team-ups that all kind of came together near the end. The nice thing about a book like this is that is gives readers exposure to characters they might otherwise not have known about and it gives some characters who aren't regularly featured a chance to shine. In this case neither major players is without representation in a major book, though. Wonder Woman in, well, the name escapes at the moment, and Power Girl in Justice Society of America.

What starts as by the numbers team-up to put down some garden variety undead turns mysterious as Power Girl reveals her plans to kill Superman that afternoon when handing Diana's magic lasso back to her. Not sure about her own intentions, she rushes off, Diana in pursuit, wanting to help figure out what happened to the otherwise clueless Supergirl of a defunct Earth-2.

The remainder of the book is the effort to figure out who's behind the brainwashing and stop it. Obviously a happy ending is enjoyed by all in what was a nicely paced, self contained effort that is certainly a good cure for anyone suffering from epic story arc fatigue.

Perez's art is great. As the guy who was responsible for bringing Wonder Woman back after Crisis on Infinite Earths, he draws the "modern" Diana, with her straighter locks and slightly altered costume, very well. If one had to pick nits on this one, it would be that writer Waid's Power Girl is her "old self" in this one, headstrong and impetuous. Johns has shown her growing up and not making rash decisions so much as chairwoman of the JSA, and that wasn't the Kara on display here.

Justice League of America 14

Meltzer's gone and people are getting punched again, regularly. Though I just complained about doing reviews of comics in the middle of their arcs, I'll toss in a short one on this, the second entry of McDuffie's inaugural arc.

First off, I admit, and have before, growing up on Superfriends toons, so the big reveal of the Legion of Doom- er- Injustice Society's domed headquarters in the remote swamps of the Florida Everglades was certainly appreciated. The Hall of Justice and the Legion of Doom's HQ are both now part of DC cannon, and it's cool.

This issue focuses on the two remaining members of the JLA who haven't been captured by the Injustice Society - Black Lightning and Superman. Clark is itching for a rescue attempt, naturally, and Luthor shows up holographically to prey on that very desire, one he's counting on. The interplay with Luthor is well done. This is certainly the classic villain Luthor, openly goading the Man of Steel as he shows images of the JLA imprisoned and tortured. This is the Luthor that knows how to push Clark's buttons, force him to make the first move when he's already planned for it.

As vexing moral dilemmas go, Clark doesn't have much of a choice. He and Black Lightning both know it's a trap, but they have to go. Trap it is, and soon all the JLA are in the hands of the Injustice Gang.

Benes is back on art, and I've liked his work since the first issues. His art was one element that kept me going through Meltzer's lazy arcs. Glad he's getting a chance to flex his action muscles this time around. For once, no only am I interested in the exciting conclusion, I know some heads will be busted in the process.

Oct 10th Comic RoundUp

posted by JediSheltie @ 7:07 PM

Green Lantern 24

I'm not sure how the brass at DC really let the nature of this story, and it's universal ramifications, fly over their heads. I've found numerous comments about how it was a “surprise” this had been such a successful arc, and thus wasn't reflected much, or at all, in other titles. It's only a story where the literally “biggest” villains of the DCU band together to take over the universe. Who would think that would be popular?

I digress. Sinestro, his Corps, Parallax, "Superman" Prime (don't lawsuits suck, eh?), and the Anti-Monitor arrive on Earth to basically tear it down and make it their new home-sweet-hell. Johns pulls no epic punches in this, as the destruction wreaked on New York is obviously devastating. The human GLs have to stand alone for a while before backup arrives.

Johns is using this arc to toy not so much with the central character of, Hal Jordan, the Green Lantern with whom we are all familiar, than to change some of the underlying facts of Hal's universe. The Guardians of Oa are concerned they are about to be wiped out, and thus have started making some big changes to the Corps rules. First off, lethal force is now authorized. After suffering slaughter at the hands of a foe they could only hope to restrain or incapacitate, the GLC can now go blood for blood on the front lines.

Hal and company only learn of the change as the battle begins, and it's one only Guy Gardner, quite in character, reacts to rather positively. Since I'm one of the very few people who kept reading Guy's comic when he became "Warrior", I recall he dispatched at least one foe "permanently." They manage to successfully rid Kyle Rayner of the Parallax entity and are helped by a couple former Guardians who are none to happy about the direction their peers are taking.

A very strong issue in a very strong arc. Johns knack for the epic is on fully display here, with the art to match. There have been few, if any delays in getting the books out on time. It's sad this seems like another "major achievement" for the arc. I'm not even all that peeved with how Clark and company in the JLA are given a bit of a brush off. It's a Green Lantern comic, after all. Can't have Superman charging into save the day at the end.

Wonder Woman 14

In a quick "epilogue" to Amazons Attack, the "other" big event of the summer, we find Wonder Woman doing a little soul searching while helping with the DC clean up. There's not much here, actually, in what amounts to a little fill-in episode before Gail Simone takes over (finally). We see her trying to penetrate the magical shell over Paradise Island, where her mother sits alone. It does beg the question of what happened to the island between the end of Amazons Attack and the current events of Countdown, where "Athena" is now using it as her personal Amazon training ground. I suppose someone will fill us in on that. For the moment, I'm just physched to get Gail's first issue next month.

Superman 668

Gonna have to call this. Kurt Busiek is, right now, the better Superman writer. I've just praised Johns in the review up top, but that doesn't mean I love everything he does. For my money, and it is my money, come to think of it, Busiek writes a pitch perfect Clark. He also serves up some intelligent stories that have looked a lot deeper into the mythos, where others are content to take it for granted.

The Third Kryptonian arc begins here, finally following through on the most interesting tease from the post-52 "Back in Action" storyline. Enlisting the aide of his friend, Bruce Wayne, they search the globe for this new lost Kryptonian, but come up mostly empty. The search reveals other nefarious alien elements, such as some left over Dominators, but they're easily dispatched.

Clark and... sigh... "the boy", as one H. Simpson might say, have a little heart to heart about how it's not such a good idea to be flying around class, or leaving it anytime you want because you can. Can't blame Busiek for the boy, and he does a decent job of it, doing a little throwback to the "World Finest" scientific team as Superman and Batman team up to figure out how to give Chris Kent a more "human" childhood.

Finally, some kind of intergalactic bounty hunter (less stylish than Lobo) is on the way to earth in search of Kryptonians, and will no doubt be looking for all three and more. Apparently the "big reveal" on who the Third Kryptonian is will happen with the next issue, but the bounty hunter's sensors indicate it will be a "young woman". Kara Zor-el was covered by the "girl" part. I guess this means she's, what... 20's?

It's a Kryptonian for the college slacker set!

Sorry, couldn't resist. Art was great, and I'll confess excitement about seeing a new Kryptonian (that isn't a child adopted by Clark and Lois).

Oct 3rd Comic Round Up

posted by JediSheltie @ 7:00 PM

Star Trek Year Four - 3

I really should just give up. Never thought of myself as a masochist, but expecting this comic to improve when the problems are so fundamental now seems a bit like going back to the fridge 5 minutes later and hoping there's something new in there. Damn... I do that too.

Here, I'll just explain what happens in this issue and I think everyone will probably get the core problem with Tischman's plotting.

We have a fairly standard "crew is taken over" story. I've got no problem with reusing a basic sci-fi standby plot. In fact, taking the familiar and building something interesting on it gives the author a challenge. Tischman again fails to rise to this challenge. He does provide a "twist", so to speak, but we'll get to that.

The Enterprise investigates the loss of communications with a colony on the outer reaches of space. Everyone is dead when they arrive, giving McCoy an excuse for a classic proclamation on the loss of vitality itself. The deaths appear to be caused by some kind of viral infection. They discover the colonists demise occurred shortly after they unearthed an alien escape pod. Deftly assuming these events could be connected, Spock investigates the data tapes from the colony.

Soon after the crew starts to act strange. Soon people are disobeying Kirk's orders and sending the ship off to some unknown destination. Kirk, rightly, doesn't appreciate this fact, but is soon accused of being infected himself. McCoy helpfully straps Kirk down to 'cure' him, but not before he pleads with Nurse Chapel for escape. Then, the chase is on. The thrills! The drama! Can Kirk save his ship and crew from whatever dastardly fate this infection has for them!?

No, apparently not.

Tischman chooses as his "twist" that everyone gets infected and the ship happily zooms off to its hijacked destination. In the final page epilogue, Kirk logs that the infection was actually an alien consciousness that just wanted to go home. Once the ship arrived to the alien homeworld and they beamed down, it left them. And that's the end, folks. Again, the crew of the Enterprise is literally just along for the ride, helpless to do anything to effect the outcome of a Tischman plot.

I thought the fact that Kirk and McCoy were sitting by helpless in a cell while the resolution of the first issue took place off page was bad enough. Now we simply have a story where Kirk fails to save his ship. Sure, its "okay" because the alien just wanted to go home. Those first colonists were just an unfortunate bit of collateral damage, presumably. Somehow, I think Picard might have rolled over for this, but not Kirk. Sorry, just not Kirk.

Action Comics 856

Me love Bizaro. Me want more Bizaro comics. Read lots Bizaro speak make head feel good. Care deeply for everything that happen this arc. Hate see new non-Bizaro stories start 2 months from now.

[There, I wrote a Bizaro speak review of a Bizaro story. Truly inspired, totally original decision on my part, I know. Especially since I don't have to write anything else, as Bizaro's are creatures of few words, unlike me, who's now rambling just a bit, admittedly.]