Comics are Awesome III

[Dominic]

Hopefully, this will be more than "Superman group shots". I would rather get a good "Superman as idea" comic, rather than "multiple Supermen fighting bad guys". "Red Son" was not good because "alternate Superman". It was good because it had an idea that used Superman.

The lack of Overman (Earth 10's Nazi Superman) may be indicative of DC being squeamish about Nazis.

[Sparky Prime]

Green Lanterns 1-7
Simon Baz and Jessica Cruz take center stage of this title as the two newest Green Lanterns, left as Earth's protectors by Hal Jordan while he goes to find the missing Green Lantern Corps. How and when Simon got back when he was with the missing Corps is left unanswered. Not to mention, how Jessica could have gotten a ring (which occurred during the Justice League Darkseid War story, which also featured Oa and the Green Lantern Corps in it). Continuity problems aside, the Red Lanterns decide to... Wait, the Red Lanterns were last seen captured by the Sinestro Corps in the Sinestro title. Uhg. Anyway, the Red Lanterns want to use the Earth to bring about the Red Dawn, using humans as Rage conduits to power a Hell Tower which will insert the "Rage Seed" into the Earth's core. It's up to Simon and Jessica to stop them. Simon displays some interesting new abilities with the ring. He has the ability of "Emerald Sight", which gives him a brief glimpse into the future, and he has the ability to heal people of their rage infection (it even works on Bleez, albeit briefly, but it fails against Atrocitus). Jessica in the meantime has trouble creating constructs, until the end of the story where she uses a construct to destroy the Hell Tower. However, Atrocitus tells Bleez they didn't fail in their goal. The Rage Seed was delivered to the Earth's core, which is actually a new Rage Entity. Meanwhile, Rami the Rogue Guardian arrives on Earth seeking the protection of Hal Jordan, but settles for the two rookies until Hal returns. He has created a Phantom Ring, a ring anyone is able to use and he is being perused by the Dominators who want his invention.

Overall, despite the pretty big continuity flubs, I have to say I am enjoying this series so far. Simon and Jessica are shown juggling their family lives with their super hero lives a lot in these early issues which is something that has been sorely missed in the Green Lantern titles over the past few years. I just wish we got to see more of this with the other established Green Lantern characters, not just the two rookies we hardly know anything about...

[andersonh1]

Nightwing #7
The book returns to the initial storyline and goes right back to Raptor, the mercenary who worked with Nightwing to bring down the Parliament of Owls. Dick Grayson figures out that he's been lied to, and he goes to confront Raptor, who drugs him and decides that he needs a lesson, so Raptor heads to Gotham. He approaches Bruce Wayne in broad daylight and taunts him because if he fights Raptor, he'll give away who he really is, which Bruce is unwilling to do. At the end of the issue, Nightwing and Robin are setting out to find Bruce.

One of the subplots of this book is that Raptor knows all about Dick Grayson and apparently knew his parents as well. He keeps clippings about his life and was apparently at one point working at Haly's Circus. This could be going back to that well once too often, depending on how this storyline plays out. We've already got the Court of Owls reaching into the circus trying to recruit Dick before his parents died and Bruce took him out of their reach, and now there's a second vigilante who seems to have originated from that same small group of circus performers. It might be time to leave Haly's Circus alone.

Superman #9
The two-part Dinosaur Island storyline wraps up as Superman and Jon meet the one survivor of the Losers, who has been on this time-lost island since WW2. He's able to help them find the box that brought them to the island, and a connection is made between events of this issue and issue #2, implying that this may be another manipulated situation designed to see what Superman can do. Good character interaction adds a lot to this particular issue, and the fact that this story wrapped up in two issues is also appreciated.

Aquaman #9
The Shaggy Man really is just like Doomsday, and it makes me wonder if the Death of Superman writing team either conciously or unconciously had him in mind when they created Doomsday. The Shaggy Man, who first appeared during the Silver Age (and as they reminded us last issue, could take on the entire Justice League) and can adapt to any attack and grow stronger as he does so. This time it's not the League trying to stop him, but Aquaman alone, as the Shaggy Man heads toward Amnesty Bay. He gets pretty badly beaten up in the process, but manages to use his Justice League ID card to have the satellite teleporters beam the Shaggy Man into space. Aquaman is hurt and out cold in the middle of the street as the issue ends, with only Commander Murk at his side, since Mera is still stuck with the widows of Atlantis.

Trinity #2
The final page makes this all make sense, though how she knew who they were is another question...

Last issue ended with Clark, Diana and Bruce at Clark's barn, looking through the door and apparently looking back in time at Clark as a boy with his father Jonathan. This issue sees the three of them in the past, interacting with Jonathan while Bruce complains that they shouldn't be there, and Clark trying to not say too much as he looks at his father and makes comparisons now that he's a father himself. This is another low-key issue of contrasting characters getting along and working through a problematic situation, and it neither has nor needs superheroics to make it work.

The explanation is given on the final few pages, and it answers the "how" question by revealing that there was no time travel. Bruce, Clark and Diana are under the influence of what appears to be the Black Mercy, which was planted around the barn by Poison Ivy, who has the three of them under her control. It's all in their mind. The Black Mercy goes back to the old pre-Crisis Alan Moore story "For the Man Who Has Everything", which incidentally features these three characters facing off against Mongul. This book may be taking the place of Justice League as I start to "trim the fat" and settle on the books I want to read monthly. I don't want to add any more, and there are very few I want to drop, but since I don't care about half the cast of JL (Cyborg, the Barry Allen Flash and the two rookie GLs), it's easier to set that one aside, as much as I enjoyed the first storyline.

[Sparky Prime]

Green Lanterns #8
Jessica and Simon go trick-or-treating with Simon's family while also looking for the exiled Guardian who took off in the last issue when the Dominators arrived on Earth. Meanwhile, the two Dominators have found the Green Lanterns and decide if they follow them, they'll lead them to the Guardian. After getting nowhere with the kids trick-or-treating, Simon realizes he knows the perfect hiding spot in town, and they (surprisingly) find the Guardian there. Rami (the Guardian) calls them fools for leading the Dominators right to him and tries to escape, but the Lanterns stop him, and are subsequently attacked by the Dominators. However, they are quickly captured by the two Lanterns and Rami realizes that he can trust these two rookie Lanterns to protect him.

Have to say I felt this issue was weak. The Dominators have been a pretty major threat in DC comics in the past, but they are captured with one simple construct here. They don't really even put up much of a fight. I get they're not meant to be the big villain of this story arc, but the least they could have done was a more drawn out conflict in this issue. I also find it odd how the two Lanterns went looking for Rami, searching the neighborhood, asking neighbor kids if they'd seen him rather than using their rings to scan the planet. And then he's literally in the first good hiding spot Simon can think of. The one bit I did like about this issue was the reason Rami was banished from the Guardians. He's only in exile until he figures out how to destroy the Phantom Ring, something he has yet to figure out how to do. I'm a bit confused on why it's portrayed as such a big deal that anyone can use the Phantom Ring. While the other power rings might choose their bearers, we have seen others are capable of using a power ring despite not being chosen by the ring. Oh, and Simon's cast has disappeared since the last issue, even though his arm shouldn't have healed in a few hours the Guardian has been missing.

Green Lanterns #9
Years ago, Frank Laminski was saved by Hal Jordan during a test flight, and ever since, he's wanted a Green Lantern ring for himself. Frank's never had much success in life, as he's always come in second, or is otherwise overlooked. When John became a Green Lantern, he decided to dedicate his life to be the next Green Lantern, eventually even becoming a (not successful) vigilante to try to prove his worthiness. Until one day, he was chosen by a ring. However, the ring that chooses him is malfunctioning at the time (due to the conflicting directives Sinestro and Hal gave it) and so the ring corrects itself and locates it's true candidate, Simon Baz. Frank is crushed having come so close, only to have been rejected at the last second. Then he receives a mysterious visitor who tells him there are many power ring that all have to choose who wears them, save for the Phantom Ring. Feeling he's earned the right to a power ring, he asks how to get it, to which (a not so dead) Volthoom (the First Lantern, not the Power Ring one) explains he will help him take it from the Green Lanterns.

Surprising to see an issue that didn't feature either of the title characters. Save for a big splash page, they don't even show up in the issue. Instead, the focus is entirely on Frank Laminski. I think it's safe to say, he will get the Phantom Ring, and be the big villain of this story. Although it was a surprise to see Volthoom return as well, having somehow survived his encounter with Nekron last we saw him. But at least he doesn't look so good, he's not as glowy as he used to be.

[andersonh1]

Today's comics: Titans #4, Action Comics #966, Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps #7, Detective Comics #943 and The Flash #9

The Flash #9
I don't buy this series on a monthly basis, but Wally West turns up and is integral to the plot, so I wanted to read this issue. Like any series in which he turns up, Wally has memories and abilities from the old timeline, while most of the other characters do not. In this case, Wally remembers that Iris is his aunt, and indeed he and Barry have a talk at the end about how much she means to him, and how she got him out of his unhappy home life as a child. He's been leaving her flowers anonymously. Iris doesn't know any of this, and Wally's not ready to tell her until they figure out who altered reality and can do something about it.

So there's a lot of personal character continuity in the story when it comes to Wally West, and that dictates his presence and actions in the book. But the young New 52 Wally is also in the story as the two of them finally meet. They're distant cousins, which is about as acceptable a continuity fix as we're going to get in trying to reconcile what was at one point the New 52 minority replacement for the original character. I always dislike race-flipping or gender-flipping existing characters, and I dislike replacements, but as an addition to the cast, I like the younger Wally just fine. He and the original team up when Barry is nearly pulled into the Speed Force and together they manage to pull him back out, but not before Barry rants a bit and says some hurtful things and sees some future events. At the end of the issue, as he and the older Wally discuss the incident, Barry reveals that one of the things he saw in the Speed Force was something he didn't recognize, but it made him hopeful. It was Jay Garrick's winged helmet.

[andersonh1]

I never did summarize last week's comics. Since I'll head out for this week's books shortly, I'd better get caught up.

Titans #4
Since Wally refers to the problems the Titans and he have had with Abra Kadabra in this month's Flash issue, it's safe to assume that it takes place after the Titans storyline concludes. I guess that's the peril of running a monthly series alongside a bunch of biweekly series. Last issue ended with Kadabra kidnapping Linda Park, and he taunts Wally before challenging him to save her before an hour is up. The Titans do what they can to help Wally track him down, but Kadabra has sent the fake Titans he constructed out to intercept them after giving all the fakes a power boost. The book ends with all his friends in trouble and Kadabra challenging Wally to save them when they're hundred of miles apart and in imminent danger.

Kadabra is an old school, over the top villain and is a lot more fun here than he used to be when Mark Waid was writing him in Wally's own series. His plan to kill Wally is actually nicely formed from the ground rules that Waid set up about the Speed Force, and how the Flashes are all in danger of being absorbed into it if they go too fast. Wally always had an anchor in Linda Park that kept him grounded to the material world, only now that history has changed and she doesn't know him, he no longer has that anchor. If Kadabra can get him to go fast enough, he'll be absorbed into the Speed Force with no way back. And by placing the rest of the Titans so far apart, Kadabra thinks he can do just that.

So far, despite being titled "Titans", this book is pretty much Wally West and his sidekicks the Titans. That's fine with me. He's been out of the picture for five years, with the exception of Convergence, so it seems fair to let the character have his time in the spotlight. There's plenty of time to give the other Titans a turn in future storylines. And Kadabra is a villain that's more than powerful enough to challenge the team.

Action Comics #966
Lois Lane again takes center stage of this issue, and it's a reminder of just how neglected the character was during the New 52. She essentially steps into New 52 Lois' shoes and into her life at the Daily Planet, at the request of the other Lois, who knew she was dying after absorbing New 52 Superman's powers. Lois and Superman and Lana Lang compare notes and they all get on the same page. I suspect this won't go all that smoothly for any of them, but complications create drama, so that's hardly a bad thing.

Jurgens actually does a nice job here in writing a story that brings up Lois's enjoyment of and need to do some good with her writing, and how much she enjoyed working at the Daily Planet, and how she's trying to balance family and work life, and Jurgens gives us this story without getting preachy. Lois has been a stay at home mother for ten years as she and Clark were in hiding on New 52 Earth, and she did it for the good of the family, but now she would really like to go back to work. Jon will have to adjust, but Clark is supportive, and like any family, the three of them will do what they can to make it work. I really enjoyed this issue.

Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps #7
The "Hal is becoming willpower" plotline that began when he fought Parallax in GL#50 hits some sort of denouement here. Hal fights the amped up Sinestro, and we get a good physical and verbal fight between the two old enemies. It's a distraction while Soranik frees the prisoners of the Fear Engine powering the Sinestro Corps, including Guy Gardner. She also convinces a number of Sinestro Corps members who don't agree with Sinestro's methods to come with her. With all innocents off the planet, Hal stops holding back and unleashes all the power contained within him, seemingly destroying both Sinestro, a huge chunk of the Sinestro Corps elsewhere on the planet, and Warworld itself. I say seemingly, because these guys never stay dead, even though we see the flesh being stripped from Sinestro's arm by the power as Hal amps up. The narration leads us to believe that Hal thinks he's going to his death, but again, I'm sure his fate will be the basis of future storylines.

[andersonh1]

It's amazing to me that a company that could barely write a decent superhero comic for five years can turn on a dime and publish so many good series. I could barely find a book I liked at DC six months ago, and now I'm leaving books on the shelf that I'd otherwise enjoy because I want to keep my weekly comic spending at a certain level. Once again, this week's books are all very strong, and I'm hard pressed to pick a favorite.

Nightwing #8
"Rise of Raptor" concludes more quickly than I expected, and it thankfully avoided what would have been a major error. I was concerned that there was going to be some reveal that Raptor was Dick Grayson's father, but that is not the case. At some point, and I have no idea when, DC made Dick Grayson Romani, and worked that into his circus background. That's put to good use here, as Raptor is also a member of that ethnic group, who knew Dick's mother before she was married. Without going into all the story, it was not a romantic relationship at all, which is refreshing. She helped Raptor when no one else would have and he felt indebted to her. He sees Dick Grayson as his type of person, one of the little guys, and that makes Bruce Wayne a rich man who stole a son who he had no right to raise. All of this gives some depth to Raptor, and uses Dick Grayson's history very well. It's good character-based conflict, which makes for a satisfying issue.

Superman #10
I really dislike Damien Wayne. I'm not sure what in the world made Grant Morrison invent the character, but I'm just glad I don't have to put up with him over in Detective Comics. Tim Drake is probably my favorite Robin, as much as I like Dick Grayson. I'm not sure we gained anything when DC brought Jason Todd back from the dead, even though "Under the Red Hood" is a good storyline. I say all that because Damien turns up in this issue of Superman, and he's been keeping an eye on Jon all this time, convinced he's a danger. He makes the mistake of kidnapping him and bringing him to the Batcave, and of course a very angry Superman breaks in. Tempers cool and Alfred tries to get Damien and Jon to get to know each other, but Damien has to make a smart remark about Jon's mom, and it's on. Don't mess with Mama, punk. Jon punches him in the gut and into a pile of cow poop. It was richly deserved. The issue ends with the two dads glaring at their sons. You boys are in trouble....

Aquaman #10
Lois got the focus over in the last two issues of Action Comics, and this week in Aquaman Mera gets an issue all to herself. Aquaman doesn't even appear. It's nice to see some of the ladies headlining the drama like this. Mera has been undergoing examination by the widows of Atlantis, and she's been linked by their seer to a prophecy of doom concerning an event called the Deluge, which will wipe out all life on both land and sea. They are unwilling to sanction the marriage between her and Aquaman. Mera doesn't want to tell him, because he'll override it and marry her anyway, but that will give him difficulty with the people as king, and it's a major personal problem for her. She goes to the lighthouse at Amnesty Bay for solitude, and there finds a note from Joanna Stubbs, the British sailor from early issues, who wants to meet with her. Mera goes, and Stubbs tells her about NEMO, the group Manta now controls. An assassin from that group breaks cover and attacks them both, but they manage to fight him off, only for Mera to finally learn how badly injured Aquaman was in his fight. End of issue.

This book is showing how flexible the characters and concepts in it really are. It started out with a political storyline, then went to a straight up superhero fight, and this issue was more sci-fi/fantasy and personal choices based on the characters. It's a quality book, well worth reading if you're not.

[Dominic]

Damien is technically the product of O'Neil/Adams. But, I share your questions about what was added when Damien was made a center-piece character.

Grayson is probably my over-all favourite Robin, just because he moved in a linear fashion. I liked Drake well enough. But, it is time for him to go up or out.

[andersonh1]

Damien is technically the product of O'Neil/Adams. But, I share your questions about what was added when Damien was made a center-piece character.

It was actually Mike Barr and and Jerry Bingham. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Batman:_Son_of_the_Demon

I used to have this book, but the child wasn't genetically engineered in any way, if I remember right. Bruce and Talia actually were married and he knew she was pregnant. She fakes a miscarriage because she's convinced he has lost his edge because he's worried about protecting her, and they annul the marriage with Batman going back to Gotham. The last page reveals that she had faked it, and that her and Bruce's child is alive and well. But it was non-continuity until Morrison adapted it.

Grayson is probably my over-all favourite Robin, just because he moved in a linear fashion. I liked Drake well enough. But, it is time for him to go up or out.

The only reason he's not my favorite is because I like him better as Nightwing. It's fun to read Dick Grayson's original stories in the Batman omnibus volumes though. He even had his own series in Adventure Comics in the late 40s.

[Dominic]

Color my face red about Damien.

I remember "Batman has a kid" being one of those thing the old timers used to talk about at the comics shop. And, post-Crisis, DC was just hoping that people would ignore it and move on.

The genetic engineering is just pointless baggage.