New comics 2/1/06

This week was unusual for a couple of reasons. First, it featured new issues of Green Lantern and Legion of Super-Heroes after only two weeks, since both series are trying to get back to a regular monthly schedule. Second, I expected both Gotham Central and the Rann-Thanagar War Special to have endings, but instead both seemed beholden to larger corporate storytelling concerns. In the case of GC, take that as a spoiler.

Other than that, not a bad week. Batman and the Monster Men #4 (by Matt Wagner) and Detective Comics #816 (written by Shane McCarthy, art by Cliff Chiang) both featured good, straightforward, entertaining Batman stories. BMM relates Batman's narrow escape from the lair of Hugo Strange's monsters; and 'Tec finishes up the Mr. Zsasz two-parter with the cops chasing both hero and villain. Both explore the balance between mundane crime and super-crime, and both feature healthy doses of Bat-mystique.

Green Lantern #8 (written by Geoff Johns, drawn by Carlos Pacheco) finishes its latest two-parter with Mongul (and Mongal, his unfortunately-named sister), and since half of it is Pacheco-illustrated dream sequences, I had much the same reaction as I did with Pacheco's Superman/Batman arc: very pretty, and it gives him room to draw all kinds of outlandish situations, but ultimately it doesn't add up to much. I'm still trying to work out how Hal's fantasy would be so seductive to him. Either Johns doesn't quite get the Black Mercy, or he's just throwing in wild scenarios and teasing the explanations. Anyway, once GL and Green Arrow get back to reality, it's all fun and games until somebody's head comes off, and I'm wondering -- between this and Infinite Crisis, can I bring the "Four Beheadings And A Funeral" joke out of storage?

Legion #14 (written by Mark Waid, pencilled by Ken Lashley and Adam DeKraker) continues with the political and personal fallout from the Legion's victory over Terror Firma. Again, it's probably a cop-out, but I need to read this book from the beginning. There was a point when it all seemed familiar but radically new, and now it seems to have assumed that the reader is familiar with the radically-new aspects. It's not poorly done by any means, and I don't dislike the characters, but I get the feeling I've spent too little time with them.

Seven Soldiers: Bulleteer #3 (written by Grant Morrison, pencilled by Yanick Paquette) was a fun issue mostly for the inclusion of Mind-Grabber Kid, a one-off Denny O'Neil character from the late �60s post-Gardner Fox era of Justice League of America. Now MGK is an adult trying to trade on his moment of fame at a superhero convention. Yes, it's easy to mock comic conventions, but it's also fun, and Morrison does it with a knowing wink. There was a lot of cheesecake in this book at first, but now I can see where Morrison has been going with it.

Fantastic Four #534 (written by J. Michael Straczynski, drawn by Mike McKone) continues Ben and Johnny's fight with the Hulk, but throws into the mix the notion that the Hulk is acting out all of his most painful memories in a gamma-fueled haze. It feels a bit more like a Hulk story than an FF story, and it probably requires at least a passing knowledge of Hulk history to understand completely, but it works. Ben and Johnny are handled well too. A fun "Franklin Richards" story rounds out the issue.

Captain America #14 (written by Ed Brubaker, drawn by Steve Epting) concludes "The Winter Soldier" and, in fact, wraps up a dangling plotline from as far back as issue #1. Although it's a Cap/WS fight, it builds both on Cap's emotions for Bucky and WS's confusion about his own origins, so there's more dramatic heft to it.

It also provides an ending, which brings me to Gotham Central #40 (written by Greg Rucka, drawn by Kano and Stefano Gaudiano) and Rann-Thanagar War Special #1 (written by Dave Gibbons, drawn by Ivan Reis and Joe Prado). With RTWS I kind of understand, and arguably I have tacitly bought into the whole concept of this sort of "half-issue" (as in, this should have been Infinite Crisis #4.5) on the front end.

RTWS does three things: it allows everyone in space to point and gawk at the big hands coming out of the space-warp; it resolves the Rann-Thanagar war; and it sets up the new Ion series. Now, maybe when I see this in the larger Infinite Crisis context, I will understand the editorial meeting at which it was decided that these three things should happen in a special outside the main miniseries. Right now, though, this particular issue just feels very padded. It contains one extremely unfortunate (and I hope accidental) reference to the big "footprints" revelation in Identity Crisis, and the Ion setup also comes out of left field (and will probably be revisited even further in Ion #1). I was sorry to see the one person die, though, and that was handled decently.

In hindsight, though, this last arc of Gotham Central has been nothing but setup for future series -- specifically, Detective Allen as the new Spectre, and Detective Montoya working out unresolved issues about Allen�s murder. As setup it's okay, but I was expecting some closure and I don't feel like this last issue of the series was a fitting end for the arc, let alone the series itself. I had thought Gotham Central was insulated somewhat by larger editorial dictates, and it's disappointing to see so patently that in the end, it wasn't.

Full Post

New comics 12/7/05

Detective Comics #814 (written by David Lapham, pencilled by Ramon Bachs, inked by Nathan Massengill) is a somewhat confusing conclusion to "City of Crime," the twelve-part epic that was interrupted by a crossover and so took over twelve months to tell. It ends on the note of cheerful nihilism that marked the rest of the arc, but it asks the reader to remember characters and subplots from about a year ago, and so may be more appreciated in collected form. Overall I enjoyed "City of Crime," and if I get time may do an omnibus recap.

More to the point is Batman and the Monster Men #2 (by Matt Wagner), which also intends to use a large cast -- including Hugo Strange, Boss Maroni, Julie Madison, and her father -- but so far keeps better track of them. Wagner has always drawn a great-looking Batman, and here the minimalist "Year One" style isn't far from his own. My one quibble is a familiar one, namely first-person narration from various perspectives. It's not hard to tell who's speaking, but there's not a lot to differentiate the speakers when they switch.

Gotham Central #38 (written by Greg Rucka, pencilled by Kano, inked by Stefano Gaudiano) starts what will probably be the book's last arc. Despite the cover, and the rumors swirling around bad cop Jim Corrigan, there are no hints that he was the original Spectre or will be again. (Still, if a murdered do-gooder were to become the Spectre's new host, like good cop Jim Corrigan did back in the day, one could make an argument for a candidate in this issue.) Better characterization of Montoya and Allen this issue, and I continue to be amazed with how consistent the look of the book has been.

Superman #224 (written by Mark Verheiden, pencilled by Tom Derenick, inked by Wayne Faucher) presents a compare-and-contrast story of Superman vs. Blackrock and Luthor vs. an OMAC which actually comes off fairly well. While I don't want to say that there were no good "corporate Luthor" stories, in the old days he couldn't just steal a plane and kill a pilot; and not having to get through those plot mechanics makes things go faster. The issue includes another switch-to-Superman moment, which I am noticing more and more in recent months, and which I applaud for purely sentimental reasons.

Superman Secret Files 2005 includes two stories, a kids'-eye view, a Lois-meets-Superman tale, and an odd Bizarro two-pager. The first story, written by Devin Grayson with art by Ariel Olivetti, is sweet, if a little mawkish. The Lois story, written by Jami Bernard with art by Renato Guedes, is fine, but I can't decide if its slightly revisionist take on Lois' early relationship to Supes puts her in a good light. It has an uncanny Christopher Reeve evocation on the last page. The Bizarro "origin," written by Christine Boylan with art by Carlos Ferreira and Drew Geraci, starts out as a parody and ends up in pathos. None is absolutely essential, but then again, none are really the kinds of Superman stories the monthly books have been telling, so on balance it may be worth a look.

Seven Soldiers: Mister Miracle #2 (written by Grant Morrison, pencilled by Billy Patton and Freddie Williams II, inked by Michael Bair) reveals more of the "disguised" New Gods, and I start getting confused. Not because I'm trying to fit this into a convoluted DC-mainstream timeline, or trying to decide whether this is "real" or an alternate universe, but because I'm looking for familiar faces and everybody is drawn as hulking bald men. Still, by the end Darkseid and DeSaad are revealed, and that helps things get creepier. Maybe the larger plot will turn out to be "Shilo Norman escapes from the alternate universe," which would be OK but not very imaginative (considering I thought of it), so I hope Morrison ramps things up a little more and eases up on all the bald guys.

She-Hulk 2 #2 (written by Dan Slott, pencilled by Juan Bobillo, inked by Marcelo Sosa) features the big Return Of Hawkeye, sort of, and it may or may not be permanent. There are some funny bits, and a couple of heartfelt ones. However, the whole plot also revolves around a weird time paradox which exists for its own sake. Now, that's fine, and I can accept it, but I'm still trying to work out the mechanics.

Finally -- and I do mean "finally" -- Spider-Man/Black Cat #4 (written by Kevin Smith, drawn by Terry & Rachel Dodson) is an extended set of conversations between BC and Matt Murdock and Matt and Peter Parker; and it ends with a Spidey/Daredevil/mystery villain fight. "Oh, a dialogue-driven Kevin Smith book," you say,"how innovative." Yeah, it's like that, but it doesn't seem as witty as Smith's earlier Marvel work. (And when I say "earlier" ... oh, it's just too easy, isn't it?) Moreover, Smith makes a big deal of not revealing Matt Murdock, when it's patently obvious virtually from the cover. The other thing is, I'm not sure about the Daredevil timeline. I am not a real DD scholar, but I think it refers to events from the intervening years, and that seems like cheating to me.

Full Post

New comics 11/9/05

I liked quite a few things about Infinite Crisis #2 (written by Geoff Johns, pencilled by Phil Jiminez and George Perez, inked by Andy Lanning and Jerry Ordway), but I'd like to think the Perez cover (showing Power Girl from the rear) is a none-too-subtle dig at the fascination with PG's chest. Perez and Ordway's contribution to the interior consists of a few pages telling the history of the old Multiverse, and while some might say that's proof that the whole magilla is too complicated, I think it's a fine tip of the hat to the original Crisis on Infinite Earths artists and to COIE itself. As exposition goes, it's fairly economical too.

The spotlight is on Power Girl in issue #2, and speaking of exposition, I'm now glad I didn't spend the money on her JSA Classified origin issues. InfC #2 is the emotional payoff of the former arc's false starts, but it doesn't need those issues to work well. Power Girl might well have been better off consigned to Earth-2 oblivion, for all the mucking around with her backgrounds various writers have performed over the last twenty years, but Johns takes good advantage of her confusion.

The issue's other plots all work as well. I especially enjoyed the interlude with Clark and Lois at the Daily Planet, culminating in a neat little "job for Superman!" moment. As much as I love Perez's work, Jiminez has become a fine storyteller in his own right. I just wonder if there's not an Earth-2 homage to COIE #7 in Power Girl's future....

JLA #122 (written by Bob Harras, pencilled by Tom Derenick, inked by Dan Green) is another "[MAIN CHARACTERS] vs. OMACs" story, just like half of DC's books from the past few months. I hope the number of these decreases after the events of Infinite Crisis #2. There's not much more to it than that, except the kind-of creative notion that the Key is attacking anything with the initials "JLA." (The Best Wife Ever is in the Junior League, so word of warning to the Key: they are tough.) It's nice to see some old familiar faces back in the fold, but I wish they had something more exciting to do.

Gotham Central #37 (written by Greg Rucka, drawn by Steve Lieber) is the big Infinite Crisis crossover issue, and I hate to say it, but it's not as good as I've come to expect. Sure, I like Allen and Montoya; sure, they react believably to the mystic carnage going on around them; and sure, this was probably a decent introduction to the characters for the hypothetical first-time reader -- but it just didn't have the punch of, say, the Poison Ivy one-off issue of a few months ago. It wasn't bad, it just wasn't as good as it has been. Good ending, though; and I do hope the Crisis completists pick up multiple copies, because the book deserves all the support it can get.

Action Comics #833 (written by Gail Simone, pencilled by John Byrne, inked by Nelson and various others) begins what looks to be a fun little story pitting Supes against an old Justice League foe. It doesn't appear to have much to do with Infinite Crisis, so instead it's free to weave in scenes for Lois and Jimmy. I'm not saying who the villain is, because Simone takes her time in building up the revelation, and packs a lot into the first half of the issue. For that I was pleasantly surprised.

As the first part of "Blaze of Glory," Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight #197 (written by Will Pfeifer, drawn by Chris Weston) also unloads a lot of plot. The story concerns a supervillain wannabe who blames Batman for his problems, which isn't overly original, but Pfeifer makes his antagonist a fairly smart guy who just happens to have wound up on the C-list. The one strange thing about the issue is the art. Weston's heads seem just a little too large (or the bodies a little too small), kind of like Mike Grell. Still, like Grell, once you get past that it's pretty good.

Finally, Star Wars: Empire #37 (written by Welles Hartley, pencilled by Davide Fabbri, inked by Christian Dalla Vecchia) continues "The Wrong Side Of The War" in fine fashion. As the Rebels put their undercover plans in motion, Imperial Lt. Sunber becomes acclimated to his new assignment. While Sunber takes on the alpha male in his barracks, though, the Rebels discover they may have to rescue all the slaves from Jabiim. Hartley portrays the Imperials as evil bureaucrats -- not so much mustache-twirling, but you can see they're not particularly nice. The art is also good, with bright colors (thanks again to Fabbri) and big, expansive layouts. Nothing groundbreaking, but a good Star Wars story nonetheless.

Full Post

Some new comics, 9/8/05

Copping out slightly this week, because I will devote a set of essays to arcs/miniseries which are either complete or almost complete. Therefore, hold on a bit for analyses of Serenity, City of Tomorrow!, Seven Soldiers: Manhattan Guardian, and Villains United. I will say I liked the conclusion of Guardian and the penultimate issue of VU, but was lukewarm towards Serenity #3 and CoT! #6.

That leaves only three titles. Jeez, looks like I get a lot of miniseries, huh?

First up is Superman #221 (written by Mark Verheiden, pencilled by Ed Benes, inked by Mariah Benes, Alex Lei and Rob Lea). It’s advertised as a VU crossover but isn’t really. Instead, it highlights Jimmy Olsen and Bizarro, who both struggle with building up Clark Kent. The Verheiden/Benes era has so far been a mixed bag for me, and I think part of that is the constant intrusion of Infinite Crisis hoo-hah. Here, though, their efforts actually end up feeling like a classic Superman story, or at least one which doesn’t feature the put-upon Supes who’s suffered so many emotional sucker punches over the past several months. Yes, there are some VU moments, but not many, and certainly not enough to warrant Zoom on the cover. Still, I was pleasantly surprised by this issue.

Detective Comics #811 (written by David Lapham, pencilled by Ramon Bachs, inked by Nathan Massengill) returns to ”City of Crime” after a couple issues’ diversion, but while Lapham and company ease the reader back into the story, things get confusing quickly. A mystery villain (maybe the Joker, probably the Scarecrow) introduces a foaming fear elixir into the slum Batman has infiltrated. The elixir wreaks havoc on everybody including Batman, but apparently it’s easy to overcome, which kind of deflates the tension. Still, at least for a while there was tension. Also, Robin and Jim Gordon share a nice, almost nostalgic scene, and the disguised Batman also has a few good moments with neighborhood kids. Finally, I noticed that this issue was a regular 22-page story, without the backups the title has had for the past year or so. Don’t know whether the backups are gone for good, but they weren’t all bad.

Last is Gotham Central #35 (written by Greg Rucka and Ed Brubaker, drawn by Stefano Gaudiano and Kano). This is the penultimate chapter of “Dead Robin,” and it’s another solid installment. It has more of a wrap-up feel, as if there will be a big blowout conclusion next issue and all the subplots have to be gotten out of the way first. The real Robin makes another appearance, in another sweet scene with Stacy, the Bat-Signal operator, and big pieces of the mystery are revealed. I really can’t say enough about this title, and everyone who enjoys superheroes in general and Batman in particular should read it.

Coming soon: omnibus recaps, as promised.

Full Post

New comics 8/3/05, plus a little ranting

Rant first, to get it out of the way: it irritates me to no end that Alex Ross insists on putting Plastic Man and Captain Marvel into the Silver Age Justice League. I understand that it's wish-fulfillment for him, and who am I to be a big creative buzzkill -- but it's as bad as saying cavemen fought dinosaurs, Abraham Lincoln signed the Declaration of Independence, or John Glenn walked on the Moon. It just didn't happen that way. Captain Marvel joined the post-Legends Justice League in 1986, and didn't even stick around long enough to be a part of Justice League International six issues later. Plas joined in 1997 ("Rock of Ages") and has been with the League pretty much ever since. However, during the early-to-mid-1970s that Ross wishes to enshrine, both Cap and Plas belonged to different Earths. Furthermore, although "Justice League Unlimited" did some great stories with the "everyone's in the League" concept, for most of its history the Justice League was a select group -- and people didn't join "just because."

While I am sure that many outstanding stories can and have been told about dino-hunting Neanderthals, Lincoln in 1776 Philadelphia, and Glenn's lunar footprints, that still doesn't mean they can be told without breaking some significant rules of history. Yes, the history of the Justice League is both fictional and malleable, but it's history nonetheless, and it lays the ground rules.

(sigh)

Anyway, more on Justice #1 is over at The Great Curve. To sum up: I think it has potential, especially for casual readers, but somehow it manages to take itself very seriously while not feeling very consequential.

Serenity #2 (written by Joss Whedon and Brett Matthews, drawn by Will Conrad) is mostly setup for #3. The good guys and the bad guys each stay in their own locker rooms and talk about their game plans. It's all very true to the TV show ("Firefly," available on DVD, if you came in late), and that in itself is enjoyable -- but all it does is get you anxious for the good part to start.

Firestorm #16 (written by Stuart Moore, pencilled by Jamal Igle, inked by Rob Stull and Keith Champagne) continues to be a fun, entertaining, straightforward superhero book. For the most part, it has also stayed out of the whole Identity/Infinite Crisis imbroglio, which has been nice. (Wonder if that means sales are good?) Looks like that changes as of next issue, but I have faith in this creative team.

In the omnibus review round-up of a week or so ago, I wondered if DC Special: The Return Of Donna Troy #3 (written by Phil Jiminez, pencilled by Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez, inked by George Perez) wouldn't end in a big teary group hug. Wrong again. There are tears, and a bit of hugging, but it's mostly business as usual -- fighting and mind control and exposition, setting up a big battle for #4. There's also a weird panel where Cha-- er, Beast Boy, apparently to lighten the mood, flashes the reader a totally inappropriate hoo-hah! grin and a thumbs-up. Oh well, it's not like Beast Boy hasn't made a career out of being inappropriate.

Superman #220 (written by Mark Verheiden, pencilled by Tony S. Daniel, inked by Marlo Alquiza) is an unremarkable issue featuring Superman and Superboy fighting the Eradicator. It felt like a Chuck Austen issue of Action Comics, mostly because Austen was fond of using Superman and Superboy together against some implacable foe. The point of the issue is to get Superman to admit that things are getting bad, but the punchline is Superboy telling him he'd better get his act together. Wow, really, you think? This could have been an 8- or even 16-page story in a Secret Files or 80-Page Giant for all it contributes to the ongoing I-Crisis plot, but instead it takes up 22 pages in what is objectively DC's flagship title. Crikey.

(Speaking of those Secret Files and 80-pagers, I think it might actually have been better for DC to have put out a few more of those for these kind of gap-filler stories, instead of expanding them into a 22-page monthly.)

"City of Crime" takes a break for a month so that Detective Comics #809 (written by Andersen Gabrych, pencilled by Pete Woods, inked by Bit) can bring you "War Crimes Part 1," the fallout from Stephanie Brown's death. This is not quite the same as the "Dead Robin" arc going on in Gotham Central, although once again the great DC Coincidence Generator (or the Who'da-Thought? Machine) has made sure there are two dead Robin stories out the same week. No, this is the more sensational, yellow-journalistic approach to the story, which is that someone is using Stephanie's death to tell Batman his secret identity has been blown. (Too bad the Who'da-Thought? Machine wasn't working well enough to also give us this week the last issue of Gotham Knights, in which someone also tells Batman his secret ... oh, you know.) Anyway, a big Bat-villain makes a surprise appearance and Batman does some detective work. It's not that I don't care, and it's not poorly executed, but do the Batman writers even talk to each other anymore?

Speaking of Gotham Central (#34, written by Greg Rucka, pencilled by Kano, inked by Stefano Gaudiano), part 2 of "Dead Robin" finds the cops talking to the Teen Titans and trying to keep a lid on the media. The Titans stuff isn't bad, but it's the weakest part of an issue which has good scenes with the dead boy's parents and with Stacy, the Bat-Signal operator. It really plays with the idea that no one really knows anything about Batman or Robin, and it does that well enough to make the reader question whether (for example) the guy at the beginning of the book really is Batman. Considering that the readers know the "real" Batman and Robin better than the cops do, this is quite an achievement.

Full Post

Old Comics, July '05

Well, I'm back, having spent the first few days of the week in Roanoke with about a thousand other people taking the Virginia bar. Thanks for all the good wishes, both on the blogoversary and for the bar. I hope I live up to them.

I did read some comics in the few moments I wasn't studying, and no less than Steve Lieber was nice enough to send me a couple that he had drawn. First up was Family Reunion, written by Sean Stewart. It's evidently been out for a while, and many of you have probably already seen it, but if not, I liked it. There's a lot of information packed into eight pages, and both Stewart and Lieber economize their efforts to good effect. I got strong senses of the handful of characters through a good selection of scenes. It's based on a novel by Stewart, but I don't know if I'd rather read the novel or see more comics by this team. Probably a good choice either way.

More recently, Lieber drew Flytrap Episode One: Juggling Act, from a script by his wife, Sara Ryan. Here I was impressed by the different style Lieber used -- thicker lines and perhaps more "cartoony" than in Family Reunion. Although Flytrap is more of a sitcom than Family Reunion, the change in style serves it well. FR grounded its fantastic element in very realistic artwork; and Flytrap is meant to be wackier. At 14 pages, it's almost twice as long, but it has to set up the continuing adventures of Maddy and her clients. This it did admirably, focusing more on Maddy than on said clients, but making her sympathetic enough that the clients' eccentricity doesn't need to be much more of a hook. I'm now officially interested in what happens next, so good job, Steve and Sara. More information about both mini-comics at Steve's website.

Now, quick hits on the stuff I got at the comics shop.

Superman #219, Action Comics #829, Adventures of Superman #642, Wonder Woman #219, OMAC Project #4: I would have liked "Sacrifice" better if the first couple of parts had been better-executed. I think the planning was good, and in hindsight it worked well, but although I have nothing against Mark Verheiden or Gail Simone I wish Rucka could have written the whole thing. The art in Superman #219 was also rather weak. I've posted my thoughts on Wonder Woman's role over on The Great Curve.

Wonder Woman #218: Lots of closure as Rucka and Ron Randall wrap up various storylines from the past couple of years. I liked the storylines and was satisfied with their conclusions -- and where's Ron Randall been, anyway?

Defenders #1: Funny stuff, if not as wacky or familiar as the "Not The Justice League" stories -- and while playing the Silver Surfer as a zonked-out beach bum is inspired, it's also not close enough to the character's mainstream portrayal to be really satirical.

Hero Squared #1: Glad to see this again, but $4.00? I thought gas was expensive.

GLA #4: More of the wacky, less of the grim, and I did like the ending a lot.

Astonishing X-Men #11: I guess I should be glad there were no obvious NOMAD/V'Ger "The creator is a carbon-unit!" moments.

Serenity #1: Satisfactorily evocative of the TV show, which is about all one can ask, right? For the first time in a while, the Best Wife Ever was excited to read a comic. Not that she's read this one yet, but still....

Day Of Vengeance #4: Not bad, but I was hoping the teenaged girl would be related to Amethyst or (better yet) Crazy Jane.

Villains United #3: I liked Paul Pelletier's art, and Val Semeiks isn't bad either -- but who knew the new Rag Doll was a dude?

Rann/Thanagar War #3: Lots of yelling, fighting, ray-blasts, and explosions, but that's not all bad.

Batman: Gotham Knights #67: The best part of this issue was the artwork, by Rick Burchett. I'm sure he doesn't get more Bat-work because he's "too cartoony" for the discriminating Bat-fan; but his distinctive style is always welcome. As for the story itself, Bruce gets blackmailed by a failed videographer who discovers Batman's secret identity. This is the first part of a continued story, but its cliffhanger hinges on an event that cannot be what it seems, and so fails to build much suspense.

Batman #642: This was a gap-filler issue, not badly executed but not really saying much important either. However, I thought Chris Marrinan and Andrew Pepoy made an interesting choice to draw Batman in a bulky, blocky way, more like Dick Sprang than Frank Miller. As long as he was around, Rick Burchett should have drawn this one too.

Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight #193: The animated Batman series of the '90s did Mr. Freeze a huge favor by filling his origin with pathos. This story can't hope to improve on that one. Instead, its high point is a Batman who unironically gives out business cards (!) and who's assembling a Shadow-like group of operatives. More with this Batman in the mainline books, please.

Detective Comics #808: Another solid installment of "City of Crime." I do like Lapham's use of Robin, and keep hoping for more Robin in the mainline Bat-books.

Gotham Central #33: Speaking of Robin, did I ever tell you about my idea for a Batman story where the Joker takes the Donald Trump role in his own version of "The Apprentice," kidnapping high school athletes and killing them while ostensibly training them to be Robin? That would have been pretty lame. This was the opposite of lame.

Batman: Dark Detective #s 5-6: Um, did Englehart & Rogers just decide an abrupt ending would be cool, or are they setting us up for a sequel?

Seven Soldiers: Manhattan Guardian #3: For me, this was more fun than the Subway Pirates; and Morrison and Stewart did a good job with the breakup scene too.

JLA #s 115-116: This is turning into a pretty decent storyline not just on a crossover level, but also as a Justice League adventure. I like Johns and Heinberg's script, and Batista and Farmer's art. I thought this would be a placeholding, gap-filling arc between "Syndicate Rules" and the aftermath of Infinite Crisis, but it's exceeded my expectations.

JLA Classified #10: I thought Warren Ellis hated the Fantastic Four, but apparently that's nothing compared to how he treats Perry White in this issue. Some fine Butch Guice artwork can't make up for some weird dialogue.

Shanna The She-Devil #6: Yeah, yeah, dinosaurs, bikinis, "Kill Me!!!," blah blah blah.

Star Wars Empire #32: Not bad as far as Luke/Leia Rebel Alliance stories go, but again, when did Leia get so tall and busty?

Firestorm #15: Still zippy and fun.

DC Special: The Return Of Donna Troy #2: I'm not sure anyone can be in quite the right frame of mind to read this book unless they have first read, and thoroughly enjoyed, the stories in the Who Is Donna Troy? paperback. The "Who Is Wonder Girl?" 5-parter from 1988 also celebrated the return of George Perez, and was infused with fanfic-levels of "You guys are my bestest friends ever in the whole universe and I love you very much!" moments. It's as if Wolfman and Perez took Donna's 1984 wedding issue from Tales of the Teen Titans #50, which was (seriously) a masterpiece of subtlety and careful emotional release, and decided to not take any chances and really wear their hearts on their sleeves. So far, Phil Jiminez has been dialing up the emotional manipulation in this miniseries, with this issue especially playing to the longime Titans fanboys and -girls in the audience. I understand his viewpoint -- I hadn't read Donna's wedding issue in a good ten years before last week, and I still got misty-eyed -- but this is getting to be too much. If the former New Teen Titans don't end Donna's destructive rampage with anything but a big teary group hug, I'll be very surprised.

Fantastic Four #529: Lose the social worker and this would be a much better book, even with the "nanny search" subplot.

Astro City: The Dark Age #2, City Of Tomorrow #4: More of the same, and in neither case is it unwelcome.

Legion of Super-Heroes #8: Guest penciller Kevin Sharpe isn't bad, but his figures are stiffer and more awkwardly posed than Kitson's. Nice job by Waid on exploding all the subplots at once, though.

Incredible Hulk: Destruction #1: I bought this because it was Peter David and because "House of M" completists have robbed me of the regular Hulk issues. It's not bad, but I have a feeling the HoM stuff is better.

Flash #224: It's too bad that "Rogue War" has gotten good just as Johns is getting ready to leave. Coming soon to this site: a retrospective on the Johns Flash era, in which I will attempt to be fair and balanced despite his unfortunate focus on the Rogues.

Superman/Batman #21: I will gladly pay Jeph Loeb to never write Bizarro or Batzarro again.

All-Star Batman & Robin #1: Reply hazy; ask again later.

Full Post

New comics 6/8/05 and 6/15/05

You get two weeks in one thanks to bad timing on my part. (Lots of Bat-books -- wonder why?)

Off we go.

Gotham Central #32 (written by Greg Rucka, with art by Steve Lieber) was the best of the past couple of weeks. It's a tidy little story about a couple of crooked Gotham cops' encounter with Poison Ivy. Too bad A.J. Lieberman just killed Ivy in the pages of Gotham Knights, because this tale represents not only Gotham Central's bread and butter, but also an indication of what the Bat-titles could be across the board. Gotham City offers perhaps the richest single environment in the DC universe, if not superhero comics as a whole, and there is tremendous value in peeking into its corners -- not just exploiting it with mega-crossovers.

Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight #192 (written by J.H. Williams III and D. Curtis Johnson, with art by Seth Fisher) begins what looks like another Mr. Freeze-centered arc -- right after concluding a Freeze two-parter last issue, and while Freeze is appearing in both Batman and Detective Comics. Is Arnold Schwarzenegger exercising some eight-year-old option? Anyway, it's couched in the origin of Mr. Freeze, but it looks to explore the "sidekick question" as well. Were I not burned out on Freeze (so to speak) I might have been in a more receptive mood, but the story itself is fine, and the art is unusually bright and open -- not to mention overtly expressive -- for a modern Batman story. I am therefore giving "Snow" the chance to win me over.

Rann-Thanagar War #2 (written by Dave Gibbons, art by Ivan Reis and Marc Campos) started giving me bad flashbacks to the Official Revised Hawkman Origin from JSA a few years ago, what with its talk of Onimar Synn and weird Thanagarian cults. I hate having to make sense of Hawkman, who is ostensibly not that hard of a character to understand. Thankfully, there's more stuff with Kyle Rayner, L.E.G.I.O.N., and the Khunds to occupy this issue. Captain Comet also shows up, as does Starfire's sister Komand'r. The politics and action are balanced pretty evenly, the exposition isn't too heavy, and Reis and Campos make a good art team. I continue to enjoy this miniseries.

Before Action Comics #828 (written by Gail Simone, art by John Byrne and Nelson) turns into a Villains United tie-in, it's a pretty decent continuation of the Dr. Polaris story begun last issue. Polaris' evil alter ego, Repulse, poses some Hobbes-the-tiger-style questions about who can see "her" and how, and the issue as a whole is a little unfocused. It switches from Superman's fight to Jimmy Olsen's coverage of it and then throws in Lois exposing a charitable scam before wrapping everything up with a sweet Lois/Superman romantic excursion. Still, it's good to see Lois and Jimmy being reporters, and the individual stories are each engaging.

Batman: Dark Detective #3 (written by Steve Englehart, with art by Marshall Rogers and Terry Austin) was perhaps my second favorite book of last week. It used a Two-Face setup I'd always wanted to see, and it also teamed him up with Dr. Double X, another forgotten Bat-villain from the '50s and '60s. Moreover, Englehart continues his exploration of Bruce's integrating the two sides of his life, again using Silver St. Cloud to do so. That's fascinating enough -- whoa, Silver, close up that robe! -- but the Two-Face subplot was almost as good.

So then this week I got Dark Detective #4 and was disappointed at how little it did. Basically it's an extended fear-gas fantasy going back (yet again) to the immediate aftermath of the Waynes' murders. I had a bit of a continuity issue with this, because I thought Leslie Thompkins had been established in this timeline fairly concretely, but Englehart is obviously tweaking things to suit his memory of the character, and that's fine too. Also, Silver breaks up with her fiance. Because that's about it, in a miniseries that has been fairly jam-packed so far, that's why I was disappointed. Not enough to drop the miniseries (with only two issues left, mind you), just to question this issue's pacing.

Speaking of issues which appear to go nowhere, here's Batman: Gotham Knights #66 (written by A.J. Lieberman, art by Al Barrionuevo and Bit), featuring Prometheus' abduction by Talia and Deathstroke. Being smart super-criminals, they recognize they don't need Hush, but since Prometheus gets critically injured, they bring him along to try and save Prometheus' life. This gives us a chance to recap Prometheus' origin (written by Grant Morrison for a 1997 JLA special) and reflect on how he could now be at such a low point. In the end nothing is settled, because it's all been setting up a JSA Classified story for later in the year. Thanks, DC! At least Cliff Chiang's cover portrait of Talia is cool.

After two issues of waiting, Day of Vengeance #3 (written by Bill Willingham, with art by Ron Wagner and Dexter Vines) finally lets me know (on page 9 or so) that the masked woman is Nightshade, formerly of the Suicide Squad. However, on page 1, it tells me who Captain Marvel is. Thanks, DC! Although the Captain Marvel/Spectre/Eclipso subplots appear to conclude this issue, it ends with Detective Chimp and Nightshade visiting a mysterious girl whose name I didn't recognize but probably should have. I liked the art better this issue because it seemed better-defined than Justiniano's. Also, while Willingham's plot has been decent so far, his script doesn't come off as clever as he thinks it must. This is my least favorite of the various Infinite Crisis precursors.

Adventures of Superman #641 (written by Greg Rucka, art by Karl Kerschl) finds Clark visiting Pete Ross in prison and being attacked by the sibling Parasites and OMAC (which, as the cover proclaims, no longer stands for One Man Army Corps). Kerschl tends to draw big, meaty figures who fill up the panels, so he's fairly well suited for a Superman title, and Rucka is clearly connecting Ruin with the Shadowy Figures behind OMAC. Therefore, I can't really judge this issue on its own, but it does advance the various plots Rucka has been maintaining during his tenure. Still not as good as Rucka's Wonder Woman, but getting there.

Seven Soldiers: Klarion #2 (written by Grant Morrison, art by Frazer Irving) likewise connects this book with its S7 cousin, Guardian, albeit obliquely. Klarion and Teekl find enemies and allies on their way up to the surface world, although telling one from the other gets a little sketchy. Morrison does establish that Klarion isn't as helpless as he might seem, and Irving's deadpan art (in the Charles Addams/Edward Gorey tradition) reinforces that.

It's too bad that JLA Classified #8 (written by Keith Giffen and J.M. DeMatteis, with art by Kevin Maguire and Joe Rubenstein) is the penultimate chapter of "I Can't Believe It's Not The Justice League!," because the story hasn't missed a beat since these creators left the League titles in 1992. Here, the team has found its way out of Hell, but Beetle's got amnesia and they're stuck on a strange evil-counterpart Earth. The cover, with a dominatrix Mary Marvel pounding Guy Gardner's head into the pavement, says it all, but it's only a warmup for what's inside. I really hope that when DC's Infinite Gyrations are over, it looks into its cold corporate heart and lets these guys play with these characters on a more ongoing basis.

As it happens, I picked up GLA #3 (written by Dan Slott, with art by Paul Pelletier and Rick Magyar), which on the surface appeared to be a similar story of hard-luck loser superheroes, and has since turned into an amazingly bitter black comedy about random superhero death. I'm almost glad I don't have much emotional attachment to these characters, but this miniseries paints them so sympathetically that it's almost as cruel to the reader as it is to the decedents. Makes me wonder about the tone of next issue's conclusion.

Full Post

New comics 5/11/05

Late-arriving comics first:

Green Lantern Rebirth #6 (written by Geoff Johns, with art by Ethan van Sciver) gives us lots of pyrotechnics and attitude. There are dueling 'tudes, in fact, between the skeptical Batman and the so-full-of-himself-it-hurts Hal Jordan. Those sequences bookend a big Green Lantern Corps vs. Parallax fight which looks better than it is. It's not very exciting, because it has neither choreography nor much in the way of danger. This issue may work better in the context of the overall story -- which has been a surprisingly efficient and effective revival of Hal -- but on its own it's so far in the tank for Hal and the Green Lantern Corps it's laughable.

Also late (and also a concluding issue) was Adam Strange #8 (written by Andy Diggle, with art by Pascal Ferry). While it sets up The Rann-Thanagar War, it also works on its own to wrap up the Omega Device plotline. In fact, if you didn't know (or don't care) about RTW, the ending is very much in the tradition of movie serials pointing the way to their own sequels. I have no doubt that DC will market this as the prelude to RTW, but it was a good miniseries on its own and a nice look at a classic DC character.

Actually, the "sequel" Adam Strange sets up isn't The Rann-Thanagar War (#1) (written by Dave Gibbons, with art by Ivan Reis and Marc Campos). The immediate aftermath of Adam Strange is told by Adam in flashback to Hawkman and Hawkgirl in the opening pages of this miniseries. Reading the two back-to-back, I didn't notice any missed beats, and the flashback was a good way to bridge the two miniseries. Most of the action takes place on Rann, and Reis and Campos do a fine job portraying global war, but there are a couple of problems. First, everyone in the Rann military wears a uniform similar to Adam Strange's; and every Thanagarian wears hawk-gear, so it's kind of hard to tell in the crowd scenes who's who. Second, there's the whole Hawkman continuity boondoggle, complicated here by Shayera Thal a/k/a Hawkwoman. Gibbons needs a paragraph or two listing all the players before we get too much further. Green Lanterns Kilowog and Kyle Rayner also show up to say that no way will the Guardians let them get involved in the conflict. Anyway, this was a nice continuation of the politics touched on in Adam Strange, and it may be the most enjoyable of the pre-Infinite Crisis minis.

Action Comics #827 wasn't late, but judging by a footnote Superman #217 should have come out first. This issue introduces the new creative team of writer Gail Simone, penciller John Byrne, and inker Nelson. While Byrne's cover makes Superman look rather stocky, inside is a different story. Nelson takes the scratchy edges off Byrne's work, and combined with colorist Guy Major the book looks very good. Simone also gives us a happy, well-adjusted Lois and Clark, which is a very pleasant change from Chuck Austen's simmering Lois/Lana catfights. There's a bit at the beginning featuring Superman in an African village, which I suppose might be in Superman #217. Anyway, the main story is nice and suspenseful, featuring a villain who can really sock it to Superman. So far, so good.

Judging by last month's cliffhanger I thought Gotham Central #31 (written by Greg Rucka, with art by Stefano Gaudiano and Kano) would have picked up with a big Bat-fight, and while Batman is around for the first few pages, in the end it's the GCPD detectives who wrap things up. Most of the issue involves Montoya dealing with Dr. Alchemy, her father, her colleagues, and her girlfriend. Rucka obviously likes Montoya and does well with her, so the issue flows together effectively. My one problem with the art is that Montoya's father looks too much like ex-Commissioner Gordon, and I have to keep reminding myself otherwise.

Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight #191 (written by J. Torres, with art by David Lopez and Fernando Blanco), the conclusion of a Mr. Freeze story, is hard to pin down. It has the trappings of a conventional Batman-vs.-Freeze fight, but it's told in flashback by Bruce and it takes a different look at Freeze's relationship with his wife. On the whole I liked it, although it doesn't amount to much in the larger scheme of things. Still, importance to continuity isn't everything.

Wonder Woman #216 (written by Greg Rucka, with art by Rags Morales and Mark Propst) continues Diana's journey through Hades. Along the way she, Wonder Girl, and Ferdinand encounter Ares, Medousa, a lamia (which I vaguely remembered from my old D&D days), and other assorted nightmares. It all intersects with Athena's takeover of Olympus, in which Ares was not on Diana's side. Rucka has done about as much with the gods as George Perez did, but Rucka has taken things a step further, almost giving the book a Sandman feel -- and that ain't bad.

Fantastic Four #526 (written by Karl Kesel, with art by Tom Grummett and Lary Stucker) concludes the Diablo two-parter. This was an entertaining little story which at the end turned out to have more to do with the team's subconscious desires than it did with Diablo. A bit with Johnny and Sue at the end of the issue was especially good. Anyway, onward and upward, as J. Michael Straczynski and Mike McKone take over next issue.

Finally, Astonishing X-Men #10 (written by Joss Whedon, with art by John Cassaday) continues the "sentient Danger Room" scenario. Most of it revolves around the Danger Room's dialogue with Professor X, but since I don't know what happened to him and the book never really tells us, it left me flat. I will say that the Danger Room's fight with the X-Men was fairly clever, and the story has gained a bit more stature in my mind than the fill-in "Buffy" episode it felt like originally.

Full Post

New comics 4/13/05

The most pleasant surprise of the week came in Adam Strange #7 (written by Andy Diggle, drawn by Pascal Ferry). Check out the flashback on page 6, panel 2, and tell me those aren't two of the schmucks treated so shabbily by Countdown! Sure, they're second-rate in DC's eyes, but they took out a cosmic menace! Maybe that was the point of Countdown -- remove the obstacles to Mr. Cosmic Menace's conquest of the galaxy -- but I digress. This was yet another fine installment for the miniseries, effectively balancing what seems like an opening dream-sequence with the reality of preparing for the aforementioned menace. It's too much to hope that the rest of DC's big event miniseries will be as good as this one.

I had thought the cover of JSA #72 (written by Geoff Johns, with art by Don Kramer and Keith Champagne) referenced the cover of America Vs. The Justice Society #4 (April 1985), but silly me -- that was itself a reference to All Star Comics #35 (June-July 1947), Degaton's first appearance. As for this issue, most of it's a big fight on the White House lawn as Degaton tries to use the Justice Society's powers to destroy Washington, D.C. Accordingly, it's most concerned with fight mechanics and the effective use of powers. There's also a kind of deus ex machina at the end which makes little sense now. I say "now" because it's the kind of thing I expect Johns to work into a storyline a couple of years down the road. More overtly, Johns works into the ending a setup for the Power Girl storyline in July's JSA Classified, and possibly even a reference to Crisis on Infinite Earths.

Not that I'll be reading either in July. This was my last monthly issue of JSA for the foreseeable future. It's been coming since "Black Reign," and the first part of this storyline (with Courtney's family murdered) kind of sealed the deal. The book just doesn't do anything for me anymore, and I don't find myself caring about characters like Atom-Smasher or Hourman II. "JSA/JSA" in particular was oddly free of suspense, mostly because we never saw the consequences of Degaton's alterations to the timestream. Sure, he says America will never trust mystery-men again, but does that mean Kal-El's rocket won't land, or Abin Sur's spaceship won't crash, or Diana won't get sent to Patriarch's World? Surely some super-people will be around to overthrow Degaton; and if he'll eliminate them in their cribs to get them out of the picture, why not just do that and avoid this elaborate frame-job?

Speaking of elaborate plans, Mr. Freeze has apparently concocted one for a two-parter beginning in Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight #190 (written by J. Torres, with art by David Lopez and Fernando Blanco). By the way, does Mr. Freeze get Subway stamps for every Bat-title he's in this month? He's 3-for-4 so far. Anyway, the story's narrated by Bruce Wayne, so that drains some of the suspense, but it's not like we couldn't have figured that Batman survives. It's interesting so far, using the old "why is the villain stealing these unrelated items?" plot, and if we can maybe guess their connection, it's still a diverting issue. The art is by Fallen Angel's team, so you know it's good; and it's nice to see those guys getting work.

Action Comics #826 (written by Judd Winick, with art by Ian Churchill and Norm Rapmund) kicks off a 3-part team-up with Captain Marvel that finds them battling Eclipso. This is the setup issue, in which Eclipso apparently tries to take over people by pushing them to the point of anger. It's all designed to get Superman involved so that Eclipso can take him over too. So far not bad, and the art is better than I would have expected -- not as stiff as the cover might suggest.

While Gotham Central #30 (written by Greg Rucka, pencilled by Stefano Gaudiano, inked by Kano) relies a little too much on Hannibal Lecter riffs (even trying to make Dr. Alchemy look like Anthony Hopkins), I still liked it. The plot (spoiled somewhat by this month's Flash, so thanks) involves transporting Alchemy to Gotham from Keystone City. Again, despite the Lecterisms, the interaction between our heroes and Alchemy is pretty effective, and the Keystone detectives come off a lot more natural here than they do in Flash. There are a couple of big plot holes, mostly involving the security around Alchemy, but if they weren't there, we wouldn't have the big dramatic cliffhanger ending. Next issue is set up very well.

Finally, if you have the chance, check out the new hardcover edition of Batman: Year One. Most of the extras are related to the art, but there's also a new four-page David Mazzucchelli strip which talks about his own relationship with Batman and superheroes in general. He concludes by saying "the more realistic superheroes are, the less believable they become." Food for thought.

Full Post

New Comics 3/9/05

Drove back from Virginia today -- 8 hours, two brief stops, hardest part was West Virginia (no offense, David Welsh) -- and still have lots to do, but here's what I read when I got in.

Action Comics #825 (written by "J.D. Finn," with art by Ivan Reis & Marc Campos and Joe Prado) wraps up the Chuck Austen Era with the revelation that Gog was behind all the bad guys fighting Superman during Chuck's tenure. The fight du jour takes an unexpected turn into moderately familiar territory. Although Aust-- er, "Finn" -- tries to make a profound statement about Superman, ultimately it's nothing we couldn't have guessed. Also, my head hurt trying to figure out the timeline of Gog's origin. Finally, the book is 40 pages, but with all the big panels and action sequences, it didn't feel like a whole lot extra had been added. Maybe some of those pages could have explained Doomsday's existential crisis.

Superman #214 (written by Brian Azzarello with art by Jim Lee and Scott Williams) fares a little better. It too is Superman getting the snot pounded out of him, and it too almost made my head hurt trying to figure it out, but it has at least tried to tell a more coherent plot. However, it asks the reader to believe that Superman would essentially try to hide his plan for saving the Earth from everyone on Earth except his wife. There's also some bits with the enigmatic Mr. Orr and some mysterious super-soldier builders, but I couldn't remember enough about them from previous issues to comment. I still need to read this storyline in a sitting, and maybe then it'll make more sense.

Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight #189 (written by Shane McCarthy with art by Tommy Castillo and Rodney Ramos) would probably also benefit from being read in one sitting. It's the conclusion of "Riddle Me That," and it is full of "Aha! But I am left-handed!" moments -- but not in a good way. Actually, I don't know whether to fault McCarthy for this, because had I made the effort to read Parts 1-4 all at once before today, clearly I would have enjoyed Part 5 more. "Riddle Me That" was basically a caper story with some Riddler backstory woven in, and it was an attempt to remake the Riddler without the mental block that compelled him to tip off Batman using his trademark clues. This would ostensibly make the Riddler cool, I guess; but I'm not sure it did. Back in the reading pile, then.

Adam Strange #6 (written by Andy Diggle, with art by Pascal Ferry) is a good example of how to keep my short attention span engaged. It starts tying together the story's threads with two issues left to go, and it works in a couple of pleasant surprises as gravy. There's not much more to say, except that this continues to be a fun story, executed with wit and panache.

Gotham Central #29 (written by Greg Rucka, with art by Stefano Gaudiano and Kano) continues the Keystone City/Dr. Alchemy storyline in fine fashion. Gotham detectives Montoya and Allen travel to the home of the Flash to find out how to reverse the mutation of a Gotham policeman caught in a Flash villain's boobytrap. I have to say, one of my least favorite parts of Geoff Johns' Flash makeover has to do with the police characters he created, but here they are handled very well. In fact, they seem more at home in this book than they do in Flash. Montoya also gets a couple of good moments with her dad and her significant other, so all around a very good issue.

Nightwing #105 (written by Chuck Dixon & Scott Beatty, with art by Scott McDaniel & Andy Owens) continues "Nightwing: Year One" by telling the story of Nightwing and the second Robin's first meeting. It's rooted in a test run by Batman which goes awry, and it sets up what should be a grand finale wherein Nightwing, Batman, Robin II, and Batgirl all learn to get along. For those of us who were around for the original stories (about 20 years ago), this has some nods to them while being a completely new work. Ironically, McDaniel and Owen manage to make the classic Robin costume (short pants and all) look cooler and more natural than Dick's first Nightwing costume.

Reading last month's JSA, I complained that I couldn't tell whether the bad guys were winning. This month the JSA seems like it has the upper hand, but JSA #71 (written by Geoff Johns, with art by Don Kramer & Keith Champagne) also seems a little rushed, especially since Atom-Smasher's motivations are explored in bits that turn out to be redundant. It also left me wondering how (in good Star Trek practice) how the timestream won't end up being corrupted. Still, everybody gets a little scene, and it's fun to see the current Mr. Terrific beat up some Klansmen. Not enough to keep me on the title past the end of this storyline, though.

The first of Grant Morrison's Seven Soldiers miniseries, Seven Soldiers: Shining Knight #1 (art by Simone Bianchi) came out today. Most of it relates Sir Justin's role in the last days of a Camelot unlike many of the traditional interpretations. There's a fair amount of "wha--huh?," but the context keeps everything clear. The art is fine, although thanks to some weird silhouettes occasionally I had to pay a little more attention to who was doing what. The coloring, by Nathan Eyring, also makes everything take on a nice ethereal watercolor look. It's a pretty good start which reminded me, at least superficially, of Morrison's Seaguy.

Full Post

(Late) New Comics Reviews, 2/9/05 and 2/16/05

There's a lot of ground to cover, so I'll try to be brief for each of these.

THE WORLD OF GEOFF JOHNS

Green Lantern Rebirth #4 pretty much is what it is. If you see deep emotional resonances in the cover (Green Arrow wielding a GL ring, and standing over the unconscious Kyle Rayner), you'll appreciate the book. Reading this issue, I realized that Johns had already done most of the heavy lifting to explain the whole Parallax thing, so this issue's dose of plot was much easier to take. As for the art, it seems a little less disciplined than it has in the first few issues, and some of the characters look oddly proportioned, but nothing inexcusable. I like the Green Lantern mythology, so I continue to enjoy this series.

Speaking of Green Arrow, he's in Teen Titans #21, captured by Dr. Light as part of Light's revenge on the Titans for humiliating him in the past. It's also the new Speedy's first day with the Titans, which means there's a lot of exposition both about her and about the team. (Oddly enough, there's a one-panel shot of the Wolfman/Perez Titans which features both Terra and Jericho. Given the circumstances under which Terra "left" and Jericho joined, that image couldn't have existed. I'd have expected more from a continuity cop....) Anyway, Light's characterization is pretty decent, so he becomes the most interesting character in the book. The storyline has potential, so I'll see where it's going.

Finally, JSA #70 continues the trip to the '50s, where apparently there was a lot of racism. Now, I don't mean to be flip about the subject, but why do both of the black Justice Socialites have to be chased by angry white people? That's just lazy plotting. Anyway, this felt a lot like a middle-issue plot-advancement installment, so much so that I couldn't tell whether the JSA was winning or not. For suspense to be built, shouldn't there be some sense that the good guys are losing?

I must mention Johns going meta on the reader when he has Degaton say "Even now, forces are at work. Retrofitting continuity. Forces like me." Way to be self-aware, Geoff. As for my own future with JSA, I see paperbacks....

JUSTICE LEAGUE

JLA #111 really picks up the pace of "Syndicate Rules." It features a titanic battle between the two teams, and it connects the Qward subplot more firmly with the main plot. (The Qward subplot feels in hindsight a little like "Mageddon" from the last Morrison arc, but that's probably just superficial.) Kurt Busiek has really brought the big-event scope back to the Justice League. This issue felt like the best of his Avengers work, and that's saying a lot. However, Ron Garney's art is almost up to the task, but occasionally falls short. His Superman and Ultraman are particularly hard to tell apart, and sometimes his approach is a little too sketchy and impressionistic (probably misusing that term) for a story with such cosmic elements. Still, this is the best JLA has been since Mark Waid left.

JLA Classified #4, Part 1 of "I Can't Believe It's Not The Justice League!", is pretty much "All-Star Justice League." It will mystify and possibly infuriate the continuity-minded, but it's still good clean fun from the old Justice League International team of Keith Giffen, J.M. DeMatteis, and Kevin Maguire. The plot, such as it is, involves a supervillain opening a bar next door to the Super Buddies' headquarters, but the issue is an extended series of character-based comedy bits and rapid-fire one-liners. It's about as good as the first issue of its predecessor, Formerly Known As The Justice League, and if that's any indication, this six-parter should be quite a hoot.

BATMAN

Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight and Batman: Gotham Knights are both books which have strayed from their original missions. For many years, LOTDK was "All-Star Batman," an anthology book which told stories that didn't have to follow continuity. (I kept waiting for the definitive "sci-fi '50s Batman" story in its pages, but no such luck.) Similarly, Gotham Knights was the book where Batman teamed up with Robin, Nightwing, Batgirl, Oracle, and the other spun-off characters. No more. Now both tell garden-variety in-continuity solo Batman stories, which makes me wonder how they differ from the flagships Batman and Detective.

Anyway, LOTDK's current Riddler arc reaches its penultimate chapter in issue #188, with Batman racing through a security system to reach a MacGuffin before the Riddler can. There's some more intriguing psychological issues explored with regard to the Riddler's motivation, and the Batman stuff is decent too. Still, the arc so far has been up and down and I'm waiting until the end to see how it all plays out.

Gotham Knights' arc involves Poison Ivy's "children," who apparently are the subject of a big military-industrial conspiracy to make them super-soldiers, or some such. It's not as bad as A.J. Lieberman's other Batman work, but it all feels very familiar. The focus on Ivy's origin also gives me flashbacks to the Batman & Robin movie, which is never a good association for a Batman title.

Now, in terms of origins, Batman: The Man Who Laughs, written by Ed Brubaker with art by Doug Mahnke, is a faan-tastic updating of the first Joker story from Batman #1. Mahnke draws one of the best -- and creepiest -- Jokers I've seen in a very long time, and Brubaker uses the restrictions of continuity to his advantage. (The conceit is that this is Batman's first "supervillain," and he has to adjust from facing gangsters and street thugs.) My one complaint is that this could have been a $3.50 Batman Annual, instead of a $6.95 Prestige Format special -- but I guess nobody does Annuals anymore. Probably still worth the $6.95.

Retroactive continuity continues in Nightwing #103, with Part 3 of "Nightwing: Year One." In this issue Dick Grayson goes back to Haly's Circus and runs into the Brand brothers, one of whom is dead. Scott McDaniel draws a suitably eerie Deadman (and Deadman-inhabited people), and the issue as a whole is fun, but it basically just tells the origin of Nightwing's costume. There's also a brief scene with Donna "Wonder Girl" Troy that further reinforces her role as the Monica Geller of the New Teen Titans.

Finally, Gotham Central #28 kicks off "Keystone Kops," an arc involving a member of the Flash's Rogues' Gallery. Written by Greg Rucka and drawn by Stefano Gaudiano, it goes more deeply into the superhero/villain elements than the book has been for a while. It almost feels like last week's "Alias," where you wondered if Sydney would actually have to fight a vampire, even though vampires weren't "real" despite the show's other fantastic conceits. Still a good read, and it will be fun to see how the GC crew handles the world of "real" superpowers.

SUPERMAN

Action Comics #825 is the penultimate installment of the Preus storyline. I shouldn't have a problem with the general plot, because it sounds like an exciting setup -- Superman is aged prematurely, and therefore weaker; Preus is at full strength; and Doomsday is once again causing all kinds of trouble in Metropolis. In fact, it's executed fairly well, because the issue is one big fight between Supes and Preus. Still, the entirety of Austen's run (and I presume this issue was written by Austen, under a pen name) seems to have been Superman fighting somebody and getting unexpectedly beaten down by them, only to come back stronger and madder. It's like having 9 cleanup hitters in your lineup. Thank goodness for Ivan Reis and Marc Campos' art.

Adventures of Superman #637 keeps the Ruin arc going, but brings in almost-forgotten supporting characters Jimmy Olsen and Pete Ross. (Professor Hamilton comes back for a cameo too.) There's also a revelation about who shot Lois in "Iraq." Greg Rucka's script is on a par with his Wonder Woman work, but I think what's distracting me is the art. Matthew Clark is a fine artist and does a good job with the material, but I'm not sure that his style -- which is very clean, thin, and active -- is a good fit for the subtleties that Rucka puts into the scripts. We'll see if things change when Karl Kerschl comes aboard in the next couple of months.

MARVEL

Incredible Hulk #77 is Part 2 of the Peter David/Lee Weeks "Tempest Fugit" story. I really like Weeks' art -- very moody and almost expressionistic, but grounded in reality. It suits David's script, which builds the mystery while maintaining his trademark sense of humor. As with part 1, the action bounces between Bruce's childhood and the present-day island adventure. I've been out of the Hulk loop for the past 4 years or so, but I felt right at home with this story.

Captain America #3, by Ed Brubaker and Steve Epting (with art help from Michael Lark) advances the latest Red Skull/Cosmic Cube storyline, although no one in the story has made fun of the villainous A.I.D. acronym. Cap and Sharon Carter go to London and Paris tracking the bad guys, and Cap (horrors!) sticks up for the French along the way. Very nice retro-'60s feel to the whole affair, with kudos to the colors of Frank D'Armata (who gets cover credit) for enhancing Epting and Lark's linework. Epting in particular does a great job with an aerial fight sequence. I'm sticking around as long as these guys do.

Astonishing X-Men #8, by Joss Whedon and John Cassaday, is basically another Sentinel fight with a subplot involving the X-Kids. I'm sure there are deeper meanings and subtexts to which I, not being a longtime X-fan, am blind, but there you go. Cassaday does draw a very spooky Sentinel, though.

(Whew!)

Now, about this 100-thing list....

Full Post

New comics 1/12/05

Action Comics #823 (written by Chuck Austen, with art by Ivan Reis and Marc Campos): Continued from last issue, Superman, Superboy, and Krypto defeat a hulked-out redneck with an inferiority complex. There's really nothing else to the plot, except for a gratuitous shot at Lois (and at Lana too, but Lois comes off worse) and a setup for next issue's showdown with Preus.

(You may remember that Superman fought a villainess named Maxima, designed by no less than George Perez. Now there's Preus.* Who's next, Corolla?)

Reis and Campos turn in their usual clean, dynamic performance. Ma and Pa Kent look younger every day, although in a bizarre nod to the Reeve movies, Lana looks more like Annette O'Toole than Ma Kent does. (Ma resembles K Callan, her "Lois & Clark" TV counterpart.) As for the script, how long until Gail Simone comes on board?

Gotham Central #27 (written by Ed Brubaker, with art by Jason Alexander): The Catwoman/Josie Mac story is concluded satisfactorily, although there are some unsurprising revelations about the victim's sexual fantasy life. I suppose the point is more for Josie to deal with hiding her psychic abilities, and Catwoman gives some knowing advice about keeping secrets from those close to you. Still, having read Brubaker's first two Sleeper paperbacks this weekend, Gotham Central almost feels like he's slumming. It's not bad by any means, but Sleeper was much better. As for Alexander, his art reminds me of Randy DuBurke -- sort of scratchy and shiny, with lots of thin lines and blacks. It's easier to follow than last issue, and hopefully it will keep improving.

Batman: Legends Of The Dark Knight #187 (written by Shane McCarthy, with art by Tommy Castillo and Rodney Ramos): It's Hump Issue for the 5-part Riddler story, and this part goes a long way to having the thing make sense. The first page finds a flaming Batman falling off a bridge, which is a good start to any Batman book. Anyway, the storytelling is sorted out between the present (with the Riddler hologram) and the past (in which we discover E. Nigma's dark childhood secret -- very close to being a cliche, but thankfully not quite). Still not quite sold on this story, but perhaps it will grow on me. Also, Riddler's hologram looks less like Freddie Mercury.

JSA #69 (written by Geoff Johns, with art by Don Kramer & Keith Champagne): Time-traveling Socialites Stargirl, Mr. Terrific, Hourman, Atom-Smasher, Dr. Mid-Nite, Sand, and J.J. Thunder meet their inspirations and try to convince them to re-form the Justice Society after Congress forced it to disband. There are complications and mysterious circumstances, and honestly it doesn't add up to much. Starman's situation was established by writer James Robinson, who used it in The Golden Age and Starman (1994) before helping kick off this title. However, Robinson made it an organic part of the character, and here Johns uses it more as a gimmick. Stargirl and Starman get the bulk of the issue, and the rest feels like a continuity checklist. This will probably play better in the paperback, which is how I'm thinking about buying JSA in the future.

JLA #110 (written by Kurt Busiek, with art by Ron Garney and Dan Green): Hilarity ensues when the Kryyme Syndicate impersonates the Justice League. Somehow the League doesn't catch on right away, even though the Syndicate does some high-profile things. Because the Syndicate and the Qwardian subplot have crowded the JLA out of the book the past couple of months, honestly I didn't notice that the League was missing. Anyway, the Syndicate's impersonations are both darkly funny (especially Johnny Quick's stilted "Flash" dialogue) and infused with a ticking-time-bomb suspense. There's also a bedroom scene with Owlman and Superwoman which cleverly inverts and subverts the Superman/Batman/Wonder Woman "trinity" DC's been pushing for the past few years. It's three issues into the storyline without a JLA/CSA fight, and I feel neither shortchanged nor decompressed.

Spider-Man/Human Torch #1 (written by Dan Slott, with art by Ty Templeton and Nelson): This 5-issue miniseries takes a look at the Spidey/Torch relationship through the years, which means it's a healthy dose of Mighty Marvel nostalgia, and that ain't all bad. Slott and Templeton do a perfect-pitch impression of a '60s Marvel book, hitting all the right beats while emphasizing Spidey's troubles and the Torch's comparatively easy life. (It doesn't hurt that Slott's Torch isn't too far removed from Mark Waid's.) Ty Templeton's pencils are clean and efficient, and while his normal "cartoony" style might have worked better, Nelson's inks make the pencils look more like Paul Smith's (who, coincidentally, does the cover). It doesn't matter -- this was a joy to read.

Finally, I read Nightwing #101 (written by Scott Beatty and Chuck Dixon, with art by Scott McDaniel and Andy Owens). It's Part 1 of the 6-part biweekly "Nightwing Year One," telling the story of Dick's metamorphosis from independent sidekick to independent leader of his own teen group. Never mind that the story was already told in the 1983-84 issues of New Teen Titans, Batman, and Detective Comics -- this is the Post-Crisis! version and the What Titans Didn't Tell You! version to boot. Unfortunately, it's also the Batman Is A Jackass version, which makes it pretty much predictable from page one. McDaniel and Owens do a fine job with the art, however, making it much less cluttered than I'm used to from McDaniel. Most of the issue is a fight between the Dynamic Duo and Clayface, and while Clayface's "personae" are confusing at first, the artists make everything clear.

I'm interested to see whether Beatty and Dixon really bring anything new to the story, since it's already been covered pretty well. I'm not saying they can't do it, but if their characterization continues to be of the "Bruce yells at Dick" variety, it'll be a long three months.



*Yes, I know the car is "Prius." Let an old man have his fun, eh?

Full Post

New comics 12/8/04

Action Comics #822 is up first, just to get it out of the way. I expected it to be bad, but in the big-dumb-fun manner which writer Chuck Austen has deemed appropriate for the title. Instead, it was bad in the this-story-makes-no-sense way. Mostly this was due to the action being interrupted by a lot of plot about Lois being jealous of Lana Lang after finding a pair of Lana's delicates in the Kent apartment. (They're left over from when Lana nursed Clark back to health while Lois was in "Iraq.") Hilarity ensues, of course, when the Kents pack up and drive -- drive? Okay, maybe Lois is too sick to fly -- to Smallville for Christmas.

The whole "Lois is jealous of Lana" plot is laughable, and makes Lois come off as the worst kind of possessive female stereotype. Who would believe that Clark Kent would ever do anything to jeopardize his relationship with his one true love? Has Clark somehow transformed into Mr. Love The One You're With? Lois knows Lana well enough to realize Lana is no threat to her. Heck, Lois is pretty sure Wonder Woman is no threat to her relationship with Clark; what does she have to fear from Lana?

Anyway, once in Smallville, Superman and Superboy throw down with a hulked-out poindexter who hates "all the jocks." Perhaps this will tie into the white-supremacist plot started last issue. Artists Ivan Reis and Marc Campos turn in their usual dynamic job, portraying both the domestic "drama" and superheroics with skill. Hopefully they'll be around after Austen has gone.

Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight #186, written by Shane McCarthy, with art by Tommy Castillo and Rodney Ramos, continues the 5-part Riddler story. The issue builds effectively to a double-edged cliffhanger and features a well-executed set piece involving Batman racing a train in the Batmobile. Other than that, it's kind of a jumbled mess. The Riddler taunts Batman through a holographic projection that struck me as a goth-influenced Freddie Mercury; but simultaneously he's a bearded derelict being nursed back to health. People give the old-school Riddler a bad rap, but this isn't the best argument for making him "new and improved."

Speaking of new and improved, JLA #109 finds the Kryyme Syndikaat trying to figure out why their Power Ring has been replaced. To that end, they come to our Earth and start causing trouble. Meanwhile, it looks like the hordes of Qward are ready to attack the Syndicate. I smell a mistaken-identity attack....

Busiek is finding his stride with this issue. He juggles the Syndicate, the Qwardians, and even a brief interlude with the Justice League well, advancing the plot in predictable ways but throwing in a couple of surprises to keep the reader guessing. The art, by Ron Garney and Dan Green, is a good complement to the story. I like it fine, but it does seem a little "earthy" -- thick lines, dull edges -- for what is turning into a big sci-fi epic. Of course Garney does well with the League, but he also makes the Syndicate his own. That's good, considering that the Syndicate's look was updated by Frank Quitely; and the last time we saw them, they were drawn by George Perez.

JSA #68, by Geoff Johns, Don Kramer, and Keith Champagne, begins a time-travel story involving the just-disbanded Justice Society of 1951 and their future selves of 2004. An old JSA villain plans to change history so that no one else is inspired by the Justice Society to become a super-hero. "Masks will be outlawed," one hero intones darkly -- but there's no indication yet that this will stop Kal-El's rocket from crashing, or Bruce Wayne from dedicating his life to avenging his parents' deaths, or lightning from striking Barry Allen's chemical cabinet, or ... you get the idea. As much as Johns likes continuity and the shared-universe concept, it requires a lot more bases to be covered.

(I suppose this title can join the other three Evil Alternate Universe storylines DC is publishing -- the Johns-written "Titans Tomorrow" over in Teen Titans, the aforementioned Crime Syndicate, and the time-mucking in Superman/Batman.)

The art is fine, although I couldn't tell the difference between the good time-traveler and the bad one. That caused some confusion when the good one rescued a JSAer.

David Welsh has already written about a pivotal scene in this issue. I have to agree with him that the scene is both gratuitous and (with regard to Geoff Johns) self-serving, but I am interested enough in the story to see where it leads. I'm a sucker for Evil Alternate Universes.

Gotham Central #26 is part 1 of a 2-parter by Ed Brubaker and the unfortunately-named Jason Alexander. Detectives MacDonald and Driver have Catwoman as their prime suspect in a murder -- which wouldn't be so bad if masked vigilantes weren't a political hot potato in the wake of "War Games." Unfortunately for one detective, Catwoman discovers some blackmail fodder. It's a well-constructed story, but the art took some getting used to. Alexander does a good job of continuing this book's impressionist tradition; but his lines aren't as thick I'm used to seeing, and they tended to jump out at me. His faces also look a little hinky, which occasionally made it hard to tell characters apart. Still, with Michael Lark gone to Marvel, he's a good fit.

The last book I got this week was Justice League of America Archives Volume 9, reprinting issues #71-80 (1969-70), all by the relatively new team of Denny O'Neil (writer) and Dick Dillin (penciller). Dillin stayed with JLA for some 115 issues until his death in 1980, never missing a deadline, and it's educational to see how his style evolved over the years. While he eventually settled into a more conservative layout, here he's all big panels and freewheeling action.

O'Neil seems to have already found his voice, trying to shake some of the rust off of the stodgy JLAers and make them more contemporary, like the upstart Marvel heroes. Of the nine stories reprinted in this volume, two revisit old members, one revamps a current Leaguer, and most deal with the induction of Black Canary into the League after the death of her husband. Red Tornado, a future Leaguer, returns to lend a self-pitying hand, and the League moves from its Secret Sanctuary cave into the much cooler orbiting satellite. There's also a two-parter about the evils of pollution, which should come as no surprise to anyone familiar with O'Neil's Green Lantern work. One can see how this new approach to the League would encourage the producers of "Super Friends" to make that series message-friendly at the expense of the traditional League villains. Overall, though, these are trippy stories, with titles like "Star Light, Star Bright -- Death Star I See Tonight!", villains who refer to themselves as "Doomsters," and once-square Leaguers who say things like "I'll haul this grundy group to jail!"

There's also the Black Canary subplot, which when read together became very creepy to me. BC was an Earth-2 heroine, active in the '40s, whose husband died saving her from an alien energy-ball. However, she then started hanging around with Green Arrow, whose actions basically made it necessary for Larry to save her. (In a typical hero-on-hero mind-control fight, GA trapped BC with a trick arrow. Larry then knocked GA out, leaving only himself available to jump in front of the energy ball.) BC migrated to Earth-1 to get away from the bad memories -- so why would she take up with a guy who was part of her husband's death?

Anyway, JLA Archives Vol. 9 does show the League in transition from traditional formulas into a more character-based format. The struggle between maintaining the old traditions and keeping pace with the rest of late '60s superhero trends is evident. These stories were familiar to me long before I read them, thanks to the foundation they laid for the League of the '70s and '80s. It says a lot to me that the writers who followed Denny O'Neil incorporated these events while not necessarily being bound to his rather flamboyant storytelling style.

Full Post

New comics 8/11/04

Once again, all the DC team books seem to have come out this week.

Identity Crisis #3: Written by Brad Meltzer with art by Rags Morales and Michael Bair. First off, I have to say I was genuinely shocked and surprised by the cliffhanger which ends this issue. Most of the book concerns the fight between Deathstroke and the Justice League, which I think leaves the Leaguers a little more shaken than they'd have liked. The flashback du jour concerns another JLA story from my childhood, but Meltzer shows us how the League dealt with the consequences. There is a blatant mistake in Dr. Light's memory which probably has consequences of its own, and Superman might have learned a critical piece of information. It's all very well put together, and again, it leaves me curious about the outcome.

Challengers of the Unknown #3: As does this book, written and drawn by Howard Chaykin. This time we get more insight into the past lives of the Challengers as the various sides' viewpoints become clearer. Chaykin's narration and dialogue seem less arch, and his art is as sharp as ever. I probably could have waited for the paperback for this, but I'm kind of glad I didn't.

Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight #182: "War Games" Part 1.2, written by A.J. Lieberman with art by Brad Walker and Troy Nixey. More damage control with Batman, Batgirl, Catwoman, Orpheus, Oracle, and Onyx. It's all a lot of running around, trying to keep gangsters safe from themselves. There is a subplot with a hijacked ship and the Penguin that will probably become more important next week. This issue may mean more later, but for now it feels like housekeeping. The art is good enough, although Batgirl looks like she's made out of crude oil.

Nightwing #96: "War Games" Part 1.3, written by Devin Grayson with art by Mike Lilly and Andy Owens. Nightwing returns to Gotham apparently on the heels of an immense personal failing in Bludhaven. (I don't read Nightwing regularly.) This gives the issue a distinctive voice and doesn't just drive the plot forward. Dick doesn't want to disappoint Batman, but at the same time he knows Batman will find out soon enough. Nightwing also brings the female vigilante Tarantula with him. I gather from the issue that she encouraged him to do the acts of which he is ashamed, and also that she is some sort of romantic threat to the Nightwing/Oracle relationship. Devin Grayson does a good job with Nightwing and Batman's relationship. It really is the "home is where they have to take you in" situation, with both parties focused on getting the job done. There's an interlude with Tim Drake and his dad and a reference to "Otisburg." I was not aware that Gotham City neighborhoods were named after former Luthor associates, but I take it from this reference that Ms. Teschmacher also has a borough...? An all-around good crossover issue.

Legion #37: Written by Gail Simone, with art by Dan Jurgens and Andy Smith. The penultimate issue of the series gives us a look at the Legionnaires off in space, fighting an insectoid race which evolves on a daily basis. Back on Earth, Devil and her criminal cohorts continue their war against technology. The Legion Subs are used to good effect, especially Infectious Lass. Karate Kid also gets a spotlight. One overdramatic moment involves Trudy the reporter, but other than that it's a solid issue. Hard to believe it all gets wrapped up in two weeks.

JLA #103: Written by Chuck Austen, with art by Ron Garney. Green Lantern decides to patrol constantly after failing to stop a slasher. (At least she didn't die in a fire.) Of course, it does more harm than good, and Superman shows up to console him. Superman also revisits his own problems from two issues ago. I actually thought this issue was more suited to John Stewart, who's been through tragedies both domestic (his wife was brutally murdered by Star Sapphire) and cosmic (he failed to stop the destruction of a planet). On one hand he could have been reliving them, but on the other you'd think he might have learned from them. Anyway, as with the other two issues, I'm still wondering about the point. I'm almost hoping there is some mystery villain tying it all together, as hokey as that sounds.

JSA #64: Written by Geoff Johns, with art by Jerry Ordway and Mark McKenna. The end of the Sandman storyline is pretty much by the numbers. The two JSA teams fight underground and in the Dream Stream to bring Sand back. Many references are made to the Gaiman/Sandman stories which included these characters, but there are no footnotes; I guess because DC doesn't want to confuse the mainstream readers with Vertigo stories. Ordway's art is always excellent, and here he infuses Sand/Sandman with appropriately Kirbyesque lines. It all goes about as you'd expect. It was nice to see Dr. Fate and Fury beat down Brute and Glob, though.

Teen Titans #14: Written by Geoff Johns, with art by Tom Grummett and Lary Stucker. The "Beast Boy virus" story continues, with most of the Titans corralling green animals while Cyborg and Beast Boy figure out how to reverse the infections. On the other coast, Superboy visits Tim Drake. The Superboy/Tim scenes sound like a conversation between two friends who are moving apart, and thus ring true. The rest of the book is a lot of flying (Raven can fly now?) and chasing and lifting and catching. It's all nicely drawn. We'll see how it ends up next issue.

DC Comics Presents The Flash: The cover is probably the best thing about the issue. It's a photorealistic Alex Ross interpretation of the Flash urging the reader to read the issue -- "my life depends on it!" The cover works (better than the original, perhaps) because it looks like the "real" Flash is trying to stop you. Jeph Loeb and Ed McGuinness provide the first tale, about Flash trying to find a clue that will jail Barry Allen's would-be assassin. It's cute, and McGuinness draws a good Flash. The second story is by Dennis O'Neil and Doug Mahnke, and concerns a more literal interpretation of the cover. Like other tributes, it puts Julie Schwartz in the action, but in a convoluted, loopholeish way. What should come off as madcap and (naturally) fast-paced is flat in O'Neil and Mahnke's hands. So far, that Mystery in Space issue is coming off as the best of these tributes.

Action Comics #818: (Written by Chuck Austen, with art by Ivan Reis and Marc Campos.) Speaking of covers, it looks like Weapons Master is making Superman fly through a hoop on this one. Not Art Adams' best work. Inside, Weapons Master -- the same jerk updated by Dan Jurgens 12 years ago in Justice League America -- enjoys shooting at Superman while the Man of Steel's invulnerability slowly returns. Supes just gets madder and madder (at one point calling WM a "whiny little baby"), until finally he threatens the assembled super-crooks with the full force of his powers. The end of the issue promises some character moments next time, and we'll see how Austen handles that. (Of course, next issue also brings the husband-and-wife villainy of Sodom & Gomorrah, but still.) I'm not sure what to think about the "whiny little baby" line, although it was funny on first reading.

And finally:

Gotham Central #22: Written by Ed Brubaker, with art by Michael Lark and Stefano Gaudino. The conclusion of "Unresolved" is engaging and a little surprising, but like the series as a whole, it shows us what life might be like in caped-and-cowled Gotham City. It's a little hard to believe, although it makes a decent amount of sense. Harvey Bullock reaches what may be his final fate in this issue, which was odd for me because I've been reading the Detectives and Batmans from 20-plus years ago which introduced him. Bullock's been an irritant, a buffoon, and a hero at various points during that time, but GC presented him as a real person when it could have made him a relic. For that it deserves a lot of credit.

Full Post