Seems like every week I’m complaining about how hectic it’s all become, and this week was no different. Wednesday was my birthday (37, woo!), but I had a big stack of comics to read, long-distance congratulatory phone calls, and a Grumpy Old Fan column to write.
Anyway, about those comics....
Seven Soldiers #1 (written by Grant Morrison, drawn by J.H. Williams III) arrived here a week late, and even though I've read other commentaries online I'm still not sure what to make of it. Overall I enjoyed it, especially the Zatanna bits, but coming to it relatively cold I probably didn't get as much out of it on the first reading as I could have. I'm seriously considering getting the four paperbacks when the last one comes out in a few months.
Justice League of America #3 (written by Brad Meltzer, pencilled by Ed Benes, inked by Sandra Hope) was the first issue since #0 that, on balance, I enjoyed. Most of the enjoyment came from Green Lantern, Black Canary, and Arsenal fighting an army of multicolored Red Tornadoes, but a cameo by an old reserve member and that last-minute reveal were also welcome nods to the book’s history. As slow as this reinvention has been, at least Meltzer knows how to handle the minutiae. I just hope the "Big Three fantasy draft" doesn't last much longer.
Superman Confidential #1 (written by Darwyn Cooke, drawn by Tim Sale) was a decent opener that started out with the Royal Flush Gang and ended with our reporter heroes working to bring down an evil casino developer. I have to say, I am not the biggest fan of Tim Sale’s Superman (it’s the face, mostly), but his Lois Lane is very saucy. I am also a bit dubious on what appears to be sentient Kryptonite. If it’s just a narrative device, though, that’s OK. I wouldn’t expect Cooke to set up the Kryptonite for an heroic sacrifice and/or telling Supes it’s always loved him.
For an issue with a nice anniversary-friendly number, Detective Comics #825 (written by Royal McGraw, pencilled by Marcos Marz, inked by Luciana del Negro) tells a pretty inoffensive, unremarkable story about the return of Doctor Phosphorus, a character who first appeared in a Detective from about thirty years ago. I could say more about his narrative significance and the melding of 1970s nuclear fears with 1940s-style corporate deceit, but that really doesn’t come into play here. Batman figures out a scientific way of stopping him, it’s a bit more lighthearted than it would have been prior to Infinite Crisis, and next month Paul Dini will be back.
I like the new-to-52 art team of Patrick Olliffe and Drew Geraci (52 #26 otherwise produced by writers Grant Morrison, Geoff Johns, Greg Rucka, and Mark Waid, with breakdowns by Keith Giffen). I also like the return of the Sivana Family, which I don't think even the nostalgic Jerry Ordway series had time to bring back. (Had they been seen in Outsiders?) They work well with the Black Marvel Family, too, and "Tawky Crawky." As for the rest of it, not to sound like a broken record, but 52 itself is becoming immune to these little weekly roundups. It has its own rhythm and its own pace. In fact, since I've just gotten through watching "Friday Night Lights," it strikes me as a similar kind of thing. "FNL" isn't telling a larger story, as far as I can see, just exploring the same sorts of sports-vs.-everything else tensions every week. 52's job is, apparently, to keep DC Nation entertained weekly while filling in the missing year. Of course, I say that now, but when things pick up in a few weeks and it all starts coming together, I'll look like an idiot.
Hawkgirl #57 welcomes new artist Joe Bennett (fresh from 52) to go along with returning writer Walter Simonson, and darn if the book doesn't make more sense than it did under Howard Chaykin. To be fair, the story seems a bit more straightforward than the Chaykin arc, since it deals with Kendra being kidnapped to stand trial for her role in the Rann-Thanagar War, but Bennett's work is moodier and less flashy. Again, I still like Chaykin, but in hindsight he probably wasn't the right artist for this book.
The All New Atom #5 (written by Gail Simone, drawn by Eddy Barrows) finds the miniature invaders and the Evil Atom (don't think his codename is in this issue) all causing problems for our hero, not to mention his father and the Dean having issues with him too. I liked this issue pretty well, even if it did lead into the Brave New World preview which is, by now, five months old. (Will the paperback put it in its proper place?) Barrows, like Bennett, has the kind of style that doesn't call attention to itself, which makes its wow-moments stand out that much more. When Bennett shows Hawkgirl winging over the city, or here, where Barrows shows Ryan Choi size-changing to impress his dad, it's impressive to the reader too. Also, Simone must enjoy the miniature-invader dialect, because clearly she's having fun with it.
I want to like Nightwing #126 (written by Marv Wolfman, pencilled by Dan Jurgens, inked by Norm Rapmund), but it's not easy. For one thing, isn't the name "Biotech Pharmaceuticals" something like "Robot-Made Cars"? I thought biotech was more of a process or a classification, not a brand. Anyway, this is more of some guy in battle armor being killed and no one being quite sure who's behind it or why. There is a bit of tension when one of NW's buddies (who might be new to this arc, for all I know) is threatened with death, and Marv has Dick doing what you'd expect Dick Grayson to do -- namely, have warm conversations with Alfred Pennyworth and get set up to give acrobatics lessons (not a euphemism). It's not a bad issue, but it's just kind of there.
Supergirl and the Legion of Super-Heroes #23 (written by Mark Waid, pencilled by Barry Kitson, inked by Mick Gray) presents a verrry interesting story that I'm surprised wasn't called "Supergirl's Return To Krypton!" Unfortunately for the Legion, they render Supergirl powerless in a "Mission: Impossible"-esque attempt to get her better adjusted to the 31st Century, just when what I take to be the Legion of Super-Villains attacks. Best issue in a while, and that's saying a lot.
I was also surprised at how much of She-Hulk 2 #13 (written by Dan Slott, pencilled by Rick Burchett, inked by Cliff Rathburn) I was able to follow, given its roots in '80s Marvel continuity. Basically, it's the origins of Thanos and Starfox, continued, as presented through more of Starfox's trial on Titan. However, because the focus is on Starfox's alleged abuse of his mind-control powers, it's easier for me, the rookie, to understand; and, of course, having She-Hulk as the reader's guide also helps. Finally, once again it's good to see Rick Burchett working. He has a distinctive style that doesn't get in the way of his solid storytelling, and he's just so versatile otherwise.
Agents of Atlas #4 (written by Jeff Parker, pencilled by Leonard Kirk, inked by Kris Justice), and Beyond #5 (written by Dwayne McDuffie, drawn by Scott Kolins) are similarly new-reader-friendly, although I'm a little confused about who's watching the AOA on the first page. Still, both tell pretty straightforward superhero stories with a lot of panache -- AOA has fights with giant lobster-creatures and a fun montage of Shutting Down Enemy Bases, and Beyond uses its focus on Hank and Janet to set up its last-reel reversal. Looking forward to the conclusions of both.
I liked Criminal #2 (written by Ed Brubaker, drawn by Sean Phillips) more than I did #1, probably because this was the issue that put the big heist into motion and I could follow the characters better once I saw what they were doing. Not much more to say beyond complimenting the skills of the writer and artist, and others have done that more eloquently than I could.
Appropriately enough, we close with Fantastic Four: The End #1, by Alan Davis (and Mark Farmer inking, according to the cover). If you've read The Nail or Superboy's Legion, you can expect more of the same here -- highlights of the FF's storied history, rearranged in new, apocalyptic patterns. The opening fight with a borgified Dr. Doom especially recalls The Nail's Batman/Joker bloodbath, right down to the casualties. Making everyone subject to an anti-aging treatment, and setting the story in an indeterminate future, also brings to mind Howard Chaykin and Jose Luis Garcia Lopez's Twilight miniseries, which recast many of DC's goofy '60s sci-fi characters. All of this is to say that I doubt Davis will go too dark with this miniseries, its title notwithstanding. Moreover, whatever happens, it will look very very pretty.
Anyway, about those comics....
Seven Soldiers #1 (written by Grant Morrison, drawn by J.H. Williams III) arrived here a week late, and even though I've read other commentaries online I'm still not sure what to make of it. Overall I enjoyed it, especially the Zatanna bits, but coming to it relatively cold I probably didn't get as much out of it on the first reading as I could have. I'm seriously considering getting the four paperbacks when the last one comes out in a few months.
Justice League of America #3 (written by Brad Meltzer, pencilled by Ed Benes, inked by Sandra Hope) was the first issue since #0 that, on balance, I enjoyed. Most of the enjoyment came from Green Lantern, Black Canary, and Arsenal fighting an army of multicolored Red Tornadoes, but a cameo by an old reserve member and that last-minute reveal were also welcome nods to the book’s history. As slow as this reinvention has been, at least Meltzer knows how to handle the minutiae. I just hope the "Big Three fantasy draft" doesn't last much longer.
Superman Confidential #1 (written by Darwyn Cooke, drawn by Tim Sale) was a decent opener that started out with the Royal Flush Gang and ended with our reporter heroes working to bring down an evil casino developer. I have to say, I am not the biggest fan of Tim Sale’s Superman (it’s the face, mostly), but his Lois Lane is very saucy. I am also a bit dubious on what appears to be sentient Kryptonite. If it’s just a narrative device, though, that’s OK. I wouldn’t expect Cooke to set up the Kryptonite for an heroic sacrifice and/or telling Supes it’s always loved him.
For an issue with a nice anniversary-friendly number, Detective Comics #825 (written by Royal McGraw, pencilled by Marcos Marz, inked by Luciana del Negro) tells a pretty inoffensive, unremarkable story about the return of Doctor Phosphorus, a character who first appeared in a Detective from about thirty years ago. I could say more about his narrative significance and the melding of 1970s nuclear fears with 1940s-style corporate deceit, but that really doesn’t come into play here. Batman figures out a scientific way of stopping him, it’s a bit more lighthearted than it would have been prior to Infinite Crisis, and next month Paul Dini will be back.
I like the new-to-52 art team of Patrick Olliffe and Drew Geraci (52 #26 otherwise produced by writers Grant Morrison, Geoff Johns, Greg Rucka, and Mark Waid, with breakdowns by Keith Giffen). I also like the return of the Sivana Family, which I don't think even the nostalgic Jerry Ordway series had time to bring back. (Had they been seen in Outsiders?) They work well with the Black Marvel Family, too, and "Tawky Crawky." As for the rest of it, not to sound like a broken record, but 52 itself is becoming immune to these little weekly roundups. It has its own rhythm and its own pace. In fact, since I've just gotten through watching "Friday Night Lights," it strikes me as a similar kind of thing. "FNL" isn't telling a larger story, as far as I can see, just exploring the same sorts of sports-vs.-everything else tensions every week. 52's job is, apparently, to keep DC Nation entertained weekly while filling in the missing year. Of course, I say that now, but when things pick up in a few weeks and it all starts coming together, I'll look like an idiot.
Hawkgirl #57 welcomes new artist Joe Bennett (fresh from 52) to go along with returning writer Walter Simonson, and darn if the book doesn't make more sense than it did under Howard Chaykin. To be fair, the story seems a bit more straightforward than the Chaykin arc, since it deals with Kendra being kidnapped to stand trial for her role in the Rann-Thanagar War, but Bennett's work is moodier and less flashy. Again, I still like Chaykin, but in hindsight he probably wasn't the right artist for this book.
The All New Atom #5 (written by Gail Simone, drawn by Eddy Barrows) finds the miniature invaders and the Evil Atom (don't think his codename is in this issue) all causing problems for our hero, not to mention his father and the Dean having issues with him too. I liked this issue pretty well, even if it did lead into the Brave New World preview which is, by now, five months old. (Will the paperback put it in its proper place?) Barrows, like Bennett, has the kind of style that doesn't call attention to itself, which makes its wow-moments stand out that much more. When Bennett shows Hawkgirl winging over the city, or here, where Barrows shows Ryan Choi size-changing to impress his dad, it's impressive to the reader too. Also, Simone must enjoy the miniature-invader dialect, because clearly she's having fun with it.
I want to like Nightwing #126 (written by Marv Wolfman, pencilled by Dan Jurgens, inked by Norm Rapmund), but it's not easy. For one thing, isn't the name "Biotech Pharmaceuticals" something like "Robot-Made Cars"? I thought biotech was more of a process or a classification, not a brand. Anyway, this is more of some guy in battle armor being killed and no one being quite sure who's behind it or why. There is a bit of tension when one of NW's buddies (who might be new to this arc, for all I know) is threatened with death, and Marv has Dick doing what you'd expect Dick Grayson to do -- namely, have warm conversations with Alfred Pennyworth and get set up to give acrobatics lessons (not a euphemism). It's not a bad issue, but it's just kind of there.
Supergirl and the Legion of Super-Heroes #23 (written by Mark Waid, pencilled by Barry Kitson, inked by Mick Gray) presents a verrry interesting story that I'm surprised wasn't called "Supergirl's Return To Krypton!" Unfortunately for the Legion, they render Supergirl powerless in a "Mission: Impossible"-esque attempt to get her better adjusted to the 31st Century, just when what I take to be the Legion of Super-Villains attacks. Best issue in a while, and that's saying a lot.
I was also surprised at how much of She-Hulk 2 #13 (written by Dan Slott, pencilled by Rick Burchett, inked by Cliff Rathburn) I was able to follow, given its roots in '80s Marvel continuity. Basically, it's the origins of Thanos and Starfox, continued, as presented through more of Starfox's trial on Titan. However, because the focus is on Starfox's alleged abuse of his mind-control powers, it's easier for me, the rookie, to understand; and, of course, having She-Hulk as the reader's guide also helps. Finally, once again it's good to see Rick Burchett working. He has a distinctive style that doesn't get in the way of his solid storytelling, and he's just so versatile otherwise.
Agents of Atlas #4 (written by Jeff Parker, pencilled by Leonard Kirk, inked by Kris Justice), and Beyond #5 (written by Dwayne McDuffie, drawn by Scott Kolins) are similarly new-reader-friendly, although I'm a little confused about who's watching the AOA on the first page. Still, both tell pretty straightforward superhero stories with a lot of panache -- AOA has fights with giant lobster-creatures and a fun montage of Shutting Down Enemy Bases, and Beyond uses its focus on Hank and Janet to set up its last-reel reversal. Looking forward to the conclusions of both.
I liked Criminal #2 (written by Ed Brubaker, drawn by Sean Phillips) more than I did #1, probably because this was the issue that put the big heist into motion and I could follow the characters better once I saw what they were doing. Not much more to say beyond complimenting the skills of the writer and artist, and others have done that more eloquently than I could.
Appropriately enough, we close with Fantastic Four: The End #1, by Alan Davis (and Mark Farmer inking, according to the cover). If you've read The Nail or Superboy's Legion, you can expect more of the same here -- highlights of the FF's storied history, rearranged in new, apocalyptic patterns. The opening fight with a borgified Dr. Doom especially recalls The Nail's Batman/Joker bloodbath, right down to the casualties. Making everyone subject to an anti-aging treatment, and setting the story in an indeterminate future, also brings to mind Howard Chaykin and Jose Luis Garcia Lopez's Twilight miniseries, which recast many of DC's goofy '60s sci-fi characters. All of this is to say that I doubt Davis will go too dark with this miniseries, its title notwithstanding. Moreover, whatever happens, it will look very very pretty.
4 comments:
Re: 'sentient Kryptonite' -- mightn't that be an homage to the Silver-Age story that was narrated by a piece of Gold K? (I can only barely remember it meself, except that a couple of Kandorians got caught by it in place of Supes, and he rewards their sacrifice by getting them jobs as a 'living dollhouse' or something similarly SA-wacky...)
Oh, and seeing the words "Hawkgirl", "Chaykin" and "hindsight" in close proximity almost *begs* for a pun-chline, but I believe I shall refrain [grin]...
Honestly, I had no idea that Silver Age Supes got quite so wacky. I imagine that, since Gold K's sole purpose in the Superman books was to rob Kryptonians of their powers, it would either be very depressed or very mean-spirited about being such a buzzkill.
Wow. Now I'll have to look that up....
Looks like "The Menace Of Gold Kryptonite," the second story in Superman #179, August 1965.
From SupermanDatabase.com:
The chunk of Red Kryptonite is changed into Gold Kryptonite, capable of removing a Kryptonian’s super-powers permanently, by an atomic ray from a satellite’s battery. Jay-Ree, a member of the Supermen Emergency Squad, and his lover Joenne send the Gold Kryptonite into the Phantom Zone, but are exposed to it and lose their powers. For a time, they are given housing by Jimmy Olsen. Then they are married by Superman and are kept in a doll house in Clark Kent’s apartment.
[...]
Special Notes:
Despite Jax-Ur’s words in this story, the Gold Kryptonite which is transported into the Phantom Zone has no effect whatever on their powers.
Since acquired characteristics cannot be passed on, Jay-Ree’s and Joenne’s fears that they will pass on their lack of powers to their descendants is undoubtedly unfounded. Also, given the fact that their doll house and existence is never again referred to, they probably return to Kandor.
The website also notes, in what I am sure is an hilarious accident of coding, that "No one wants this comic." As of today, that is so, so untrue.
Ah yes, that's the one all right -- actually suprised I remembered it as close as I did, considering...
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