I've already talked a little about Justice Society of America #1 (written by Geoff Johns, pencilled by Dale Eaglesham, inked by Art Thibert), but let's begin there this week anyway. I like the idea of the Justice Society basically acting as keepers of the flame, charging the new legacy heroes with the social responsibilities of living up to their famous names. (It's an idea similar to Kingdom Come, which explains Alex Ross's involvement in the series.) I do like the last-page tease of upcoming storylines, and am looking forward to the JLA/JSA crossover in a few months. I like the fact that the Justice Society is positioning itself as being just as important as the Justice League, albeit for different reasons. Frankly, and I hate to sound horribly sycophantic by saying this, but Geoff Johns' enthusiasm is pretty palpable, and you can tell he's really putting a lot of love into this book.
However....
I thought the introduction of Mr. America came off a bit overblown, even considering the role he plays later in the issue. Maxine Hunkel's enthusiasm was just a bit much, the secrets of the new Starman seem pretty obvious, as does the attitude of the new family member (not to mention his dad). The Rebel/Damage fight also went on a little long if the point it was making was just that Damage could stand to learn more manners. These are all personal reactions, of course, and I understand that you might feel the exact opposite. That's fine. I suppose the hook for me buying this series would be its importance to DC-Earth as a whole, and not any investment in the characters -- but if that's my approach, it seems I'll be missing out on about half the book every month. I'm still on the fence about #2, although I may pick up the eventual paperback.
Because the rest of the blogosphere would surely rise up as one and smite me if I didn't, I picked up my first issue of Manhunter (#26, written by Mark Andreyko, pencilled by Javier Pina, inked by Robin Riggs), and it was pretty good. Basically Kate's been hired to defend Wonder Woman against criminal charges brought by the federal government (for political reasons), so the whole issue is pretty much her and her staff freaking out around Wonder Woman. That's always fun. Checking in with the book's supporting cast requires more of a learning curve, though. Their scenes are interesting, just disconnected from everything else (or so it seems). Anyway, I'm getting #27, so you can put away the torches.
52 #31 (written by Johns, Morrison, Rucka, Waid, breakdowns by Keith Giffen, pencils by Chris Batista, inks by Rodney Ramos, Dan Green, and Dave Meikis) would have been a lot harder to take had DC not chosen to feature its main character in his own miniseries, now on sale. Still, any villain who eats Green Lantern rings is certainly one to watch. The interlude with Supernova and Ralph has me wanting to do some detective work of my own, which will probably turn out badly but at least should be fun. The origin of Robin (Tim Drake) somehow manages to omit Jason Todd, and I'm not sure how I feel about that. Finally, the Infinity, Inc. scenes still don't do a lot for me.
Detective Comics #826 (written by Paul Dini, pencilled by Don Kramer, inked by Wayne Faucher) was strangely uninvolving, considering that it featured the Joker torturing Robin by running over Christmas shoppers in a stolen SUV. It's not a bad idea (for a story, that is), and it certainly fits with the Joker's satire-til-it-hurts paradigm, but the best part of the issue was the brief flashback to Bruce, Dick, and Tim comparing Joker notes during their "One Year Later" sojourn. I think the problem for me might have been too much internal monologue from Tim competing with the blackly-comedic Joker monologue. Usually the Joker's diarrhea of the mouth is up against Batman's stoicism, and it may have been more effective, more suspenseful, and more entertaining to wonder how Tim planned to get out of trouble rather than to "hear" his play-by-play. Kramer and Faucher draw a fine Joker though, reminiscent of Michael Lark's (right?) in Gotham Central.
Another Robin in trouble and another internal monologue are also the focus of Nightwing #127 (written by Marv Wolfman, pencilled by Dan Jurgens, inked by Norm Rapmund). Dick gets buried alive and has to dig his way out the long way, with a busted shoulder to boot. It gives him, and us, a chance to go over the plot of the last couple of issues, which seems like it should be simple but I still can't figure out why the battlesuit guy was killed or why we should care. Anyway, next issue should be the big finish, and maybe I'll have gotten on board by then. As for this issue, while there wasn't really much suspense, Wolfman does have a good handle on the internal monologue, and showed Dick getting appropriately beaten up and bloodied. Not that I'm into that, mind you -- I'd like to see next issue treat our hero a little better.
I got last week's Aquaman: Sword Of Atlantis #46 (written by Kurt Busiek and Karl Kesel, drawn by Butch Guice and Phil Winslade) this week. It's a tale of Orin-Aquaman's encounter with a younger King Shark, and while it features Mera and Vulko, it doesn't quite feel like a classic Aquaman story. Not that a good Aquaman story requires the phrase "finny friends" or the concentric circles of marine telepathy, but I couldn't quite connect the guy calling himself the King of Atlantis with someone probably carrying a Justice League signal device. The story itself isn't that complicated, but it does require you to keep track of some unfamiliar names and their various motivations, and I may have to spend some more time with it.
The (All-New) Atom #6 (written by Gail Simone, pencilled by Eddy Barrows, inked by Trevor Scott) finishes the first storyline of Ryan vs. the Waiting and various other malignant forces in Ivy Town. However, while I'm sure Ryan's solution makes sense, I still don't understand it. Also, somebody (maybe Mr. Scott, the inker) makes everyone's faces look awfully pinched towards the end of the issue, which results in some unfortunate near-caricatures of the Asian cast members. I didn't dislike this issue, and I'm still on board for the future, but it wasn't this team's strongest effort.
Superman Confidential #2 (written by Darwyn Cooke, drawn by Tim Sale) was good, although I really don't understand the appeal of drawing Superman as an overstuffed kid who looks like he's flunked sixth grade a few too many times. That's just a few panels, though, and Sale's Lois Lane more than makes up for it. The sight of Superman vomiting up lava after thinking he might just die under a volcano is also pretty sobering.
I was looking forward to Batman Confidential #1 (written by Andy Diggle, pencilled by Whilce Portacio, inked by Richard Friend) because I thought it would feature Batman fighting giant robots and Lex Luthor. That's apparently next issue. This one opened with a fairly familiar scene of Batman fighting gritty urban violence with, yes, his internal monologue to keep him company. Portacio and Friend draw a serviceable Batman, and their Bruce Wayne looks sufficiently young and arrogant for the story's setting, but every now and then characters sport big raccoon-eyeshadows and their heads change shape from panel to panel. Still, I like Diggle well enough to come back next issue for the giant robots.
I was also looking forward to Welcome To Tranquility #1 (written by Gail Simone, drawn by Neil Googe) in part because its aging-superhero setting seemed like a good counterpoint to Justice Society. Instead, it's more like Astro City, which obviously isn't bad. Between them, Simone and Googe make the oldsters (and their younger selves) pretty endearing, like if your grandmother were a '40s teen heroine who still thought she could fly the old plane. The issue did seem a bit scattered, though, with weird ads for the local chicken restaurant sprinkled throughout and a locked-room murder mystery that comes out of nowhere. It's not a bad package, although it does try pretty strenuously to be quirky and that could get old (no pun intended).
Man, aging superheroes must be a motif this week, 'cause here's Agents Of Atlas #5 (written by Jeff Parker, pencilled by Leonard Kirk, inked by Kris Justice), in which one teammate turns rogue and another's origins are questioned. This isn't a grim 'n' gritty, realistic take on forgotten '50s characters, though, so everything works out. It's a credit to Parker and Kirk that they've gotten me invested in these characters despite my utter lack of familiarity with many of them.
The same applies to Beyond! #6 (written by Dwayne McDuffie, drawn by Scott Kolins), the end of which relies upon the same kind of built-from-scratch emotional investment. I hate to sound too glib, but this was a good example of old-school Marvel crossover magic that might not Mean Something to the bigger picture, but used to be Marvel's bread and butter. I'm glad McDuffie will be writing Fantastic Four before too long.
Stay with me, folks ... just a couple more.
The message of Hero Squared #4 (written by Keith Giffen and J.M. DeMatteis, drawn by Joe Abraham) is that superhero fights are messy, something that I thought we learned a few issues ago. Still, this issue works as a standalone story, with Milo's own heroism contrasted against Valor's.
Finally, Star Wars: Rebellion #5 (written by Rob Williams, drawn by Brandon Badeaux), finishes this book's first arc, many months after it was originally scheduled. Lucky for me it's just a lot of carnage involving who will turn against the Empire and save the Rebels. It turns out about like you'd expect, but there are a couple of points of bad execution. First, there's not a lot of distinction between Luke's old friend Tank and the ex-Imperial spy Jorin Sol. Second, the plot hinges on the Rebel flagship going into hyperspace, requiring somebody to Push The Hyperspace Button, and this makes me wonder why the Hyperspace Button is always so hard to push. Third, all the damage the ship takes apparently doesn't make much of a difference to the whole hyperspace question, because the book never addresses it. Sorry if that's a spoiler, but you kind of have to expect Luke and Leia (still looking unreasonably hawt) to survive.
However....
I thought the introduction of Mr. America came off a bit overblown, even considering the role he plays later in the issue. Maxine Hunkel's enthusiasm was just a bit much, the secrets of the new Starman seem pretty obvious, as does the attitude of the new family member (not to mention his dad). The Rebel/Damage fight also went on a little long if the point it was making was just that Damage could stand to learn more manners. These are all personal reactions, of course, and I understand that you might feel the exact opposite. That's fine. I suppose the hook for me buying this series would be its importance to DC-Earth as a whole, and not any investment in the characters -- but if that's my approach, it seems I'll be missing out on about half the book every month. I'm still on the fence about #2, although I may pick up the eventual paperback.
Because the rest of the blogosphere would surely rise up as one and smite me if I didn't, I picked up my first issue of Manhunter (#26, written by Mark Andreyko, pencilled by Javier Pina, inked by Robin Riggs), and it was pretty good. Basically Kate's been hired to defend Wonder Woman against criminal charges brought by the federal government (for political reasons), so the whole issue is pretty much her and her staff freaking out around Wonder Woman. That's always fun. Checking in with the book's supporting cast requires more of a learning curve, though. Their scenes are interesting, just disconnected from everything else (or so it seems). Anyway, I'm getting #27, so you can put away the torches.
52 #31 (written by Johns, Morrison, Rucka, Waid, breakdowns by Keith Giffen, pencils by Chris Batista, inks by Rodney Ramos, Dan Green, and Dave Meikis) would have been a lot harder to take had DC not chosen to feature its main character in his own miniseries, now on sale. Still, any villain who eats Green Lantern rings is certainly one to watch. The interlude with Supernova and Ralph has me wanting to do some detective work of my own, which will probably turn out badly but at least should be fun. The origin of Robin (Tim Drake) somehow manages to omit Jason Todd, and I'm not sure how I feel about that. Finally, the Infinity, Inc. scenes still don't do a lot for me.
Detective Comics #826 (written by Paul Dini, pencilled by Don Kramer, inked by Wayne Faucher) was strangely uninvolving, considering that it featured the Joker torturing Robin by running over Christmas shoppers in a stolen SUV. It's not a bad idea (for a story, that is), and it certainly fits with the Joker's satire-til-it-hurts paradigm, but the best part of the issue was the brief flashback to Bruce, Dick, and Tim comparing Joker notes during their "One Year Later" sojourn. I think the problem for me might have been too much internal monologue from Tim competing with the blackly-comedic Joker monologue. Usually the Joker's diarrhea of the mouth is up against Batman's stoicism, and it may have been more effective, more suspenseful, and more entertaining to wonder how Tim planned to get out of trouble rather than to "hear" his play-by-play. Kramer and Faucher draw a fine Joker though, reminiscent of Michael Lark's (right?) in Gotham Central.
Another Robin in trouble and another internal monologue are also the focus of Nightwing #127 (written by Marv Wolfman, pencilled by Dan Jurgens, inked by Norm Rapmund). Dick gets buried alive and has to dig his way out the long way, with a busted shoulder to boot. It gives him, and us, a chance to go over the plot of the last couple of issues, which seems like it should be simple but I still can't figure out why the battlesuit guy was killed or why we should care. Anyway, next issue should be the big finish, and maybe I'll have gotten on board by then. As for this issue, while there wasn't really much suspense, Wolfman does have a good handle on the internal monologue, and showed Dick getting appropriately beaten up and bloodied. Not that I'm into that, mind you -- I'd like to see next issue treat our hero a little better.
I got last week's Aquaman: Sword Of Atlantis #46 (written by Kurt Busiek and Karl Kesel, drawn by Butch Guice and Phil Winslade) this week. It's a tale of Orin-Aquaman's encounter with a younger King Shark, and while it features Mera and Vulko, it doesn't quite feel like a classic Aquaman story. Not that a good Aquaman story requires the phrase "finny friends" or the concentric circles of marine telepathy, but I couldn't quite connect the guy calling himself the King of Atlantis with someone probably carrying a Justice League signal device. The story itself isn't that complicated, but it does require you to keep track of some unfamiliar names and their various motivations, and I may have to spend some more time with it.
The (All-New) Atom #6 (written by Gail Simone, pencilled by Eddy Barrows, inked by Trevor Scott) finishes the first storyline of Ryan vs. the Waiting and various other malignant forces in Ivy Town. However, while I'm sure Ryan's solution makes sense, I still don't understand it. Also, somebody (maybe Mr. Scott, the inker) makes everyone's faces look awfully pinched towards the end of the issue, which results in some unfortunate near-caricatures of the Asian cast members. I didn't dislike this issue, and I'm still on board for the future, but it wasn't this team's strongest effort.
Superman Confidential #2 (written by Darwyn Cooke, drawn by Tim Sale) was good, although I really don't understand the appeal of drawing Superman as an overstuffed kid who looks like he's flunked sixth grade a few too many times. That's just a few panels, though, and Sale's Lois Lane more than makes up for it. The sight of Superman vomiting up lava after thinking he might just die under a volcano is also pretty sobering.
I was looking forward to Batman Confidential #1 (written by Andy Diggle, pencilled by Whilce Portacio, inked by Richard Friend) because I thought it would feature Batman fighting giant robots and Lex Luthor. That's apparently next issue. This one opened with a fairly familiar scene of Batman fighting gritty urban violence with, yes, his internal monologue to keep him company. Portacio and Friend draw a serviceable Batman, and their Bruce Wayne looks sufficiently young and arrogant for the story's setting, but every now and then characters sport big raccoon-eyeshadows and their heads change shape from panel to panel. Still, I like Diggle well enough to come back next issue for the giant robots.
I was also looking forward to Welcome To Tranquility #1 (written by Gail Simone, drawn by Neil Googe) in part because its aging-superhero setting seemed like a good counterpoint to Justice Society. Instead, it's more like Astro City, which obviously isn't bad. Between them, Simone and Googe make the oldsters (and their younger selves) pretty endearing, like if your grandmother were a '40s teen heroine who still thought she could fly the old plane. The issue did seem a bit scattered, though, with weird ads for the local chicken restaurant sprinkled throughout and a locked-room murder mystery that comes out of nowhere. It's not a bad package, although it does try pretty strenuously to be quirky and that could get old (no pun intended).
Man, aging superheroes must be a motif this week, 'cause here's Agents Of Atlas #5 (written by Jeff Parker, pencilled by Leonard Kirk, inked by Kris Justice), in which one teammate turns rogue and another's origins are questioned. This isn't a grim 'n' gritty, realistic take on forgotten '50s characters, though, so everything works out. It's a credit to Parker and Kirk that they've gotten me invested in these characters despite my utter lack of familiarity with many of them.
The same applies to Beyond! #6 (written by Dwayne McDuffie, drawn by Scott Kolins), the end of which relies upon the same kind of built-from-scratch emotional investment. I hate to sound too glib, but this was a good example of old-school Marvel crossover magic that might not Mean Something to the bigger picture, but used to be Marvel's bread and butter. I'm glad McDuffie will be writing Fantastic Four before too long.
Stay with me, folks ... just a couple more.
The message of Hero Squared #4 (written by Keith Giffen and J.M. DeMatteis, drawn by Joe Abraham) is that superhero fights are messy, something that I thought we learned a few issues ago. Still, this issue works as a standalone story, with Milo's own heroism contrasted against Valor's.
Finally, Star Wars: Rebellion #5 (written by Rob Williams, drawn by Brandon Badeaux), finishes this book's first arc, many months after it was originally scheduled. Lucky for me it's just a lot of carnage involving who will turn against the Empire and save the Rebels. It turns out about like you'd expect, but there are a couple of points of bad execution. First, there's not a lot of distinction between Luke's old friend Tank and the ex-Imperial spy Jorin Sol. Second, the plot hinges on the Rebel flagship going into hyperspace, requiring somebody to Push The Hyperspace Button, and this makes me wonder why the Hyperspace Button is always so hard to push. Third, all the damage the ship takes apparently doesn't make much of a difference to the whole hyperspace question, because the book never addresses it. Sorry if that's a spoiler, but you kind of have to expect Luke and Leia (still looking unreasonably hawt) to survive.
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