TF Views

Superman #14
The sequel story to Multiversity begins as the Justice League from different realities, formed in that series, arrives on Earth just as Superman and a fugitive Red Son Superman fight off some alien collectors. Ivan Reis even draws this issue to really drive the point home. Someone, somewhere is collecting Supermen from around the multiverse and apparently draining their energy, given what happens to Captain Carrot at this end of the issue. In one of the most heartbreaking cliffhangers ever, he is turned into a normal rabbit. The fiends!!

Hey, I can't believe DC actually put Captain Carrot in a main continuity comic.

Aquaman #14
The war between the United States and NEMO pretending to be Atlantis continues, mostly off panel. What we see this issue is a hit squad of underwater human/animal hybrids acting as a hit squad for the US government try to assassinate Aquaman, who captures them all with Mera's help. As they examine the sub crew who died last issue, they're able to determine that what triggered their death was something very close to Aquaman's own telepathic powers, enabling him to trace the signal to its source. "Black Manta," he says. "Now it all makes sense." Another great issue.

Flipped through "Superman". Did not see anything of interest. Not sure how I feel about Overman (from "Mastermen" being absent. On the one hand, I do not want to see him wasted as background fodder. On the other, I do not want DC to let the character sit idle. ("Master Men" was too good to not get a follow-up. But, the follow-up needs to be good.)


"Fall and Rise of Captain Atom" started this week. I have hopes for that.

Dom, I found this interesting. I still haven't made the time to read Final Crisis, but while reading about this issue of Superman over at CBR, someone pointed out that Clark is whistling the tune from Final Crisis while driving in his truck. I didn't realize that, despite finding the whistling different enough to wonder if it was significant in some way. You just don't see musical notes in dialogue bubbles all that often. Maybe it's a clue about where all of this is going?

Now, I am intrigued.

"Final Crisis" is well worth reading. If the Gentry from "Multiversity" are the dark side of viral ideas, then "Final Crisis" is the positive side. The idea of a musical/harmonic universe, and song as information passed down/between generations was prominent.

Action Comics #971
Men of Steel continues, and I thought Superman turned against Luthor too quickly last issue. He was playing the Godslayer, and though some quick thinking manages to free Lothor and get both of them away using Luthor's mother box. But the alien executioners are prepared even for that, and they divert the boom tube to land Superman and Luthor on a planet with a red sun, meaning Superman is running on residual stored energy, which won't last long. And the mother box will not open another boom tube either. Of course it's the Godslayer who sent them to the planet, and they're not far behind. The issue ends with a virtually powerless Superman and Luthor facing off against the two much stronger opponents.

On Earth, Lois and Jon go to New 52 Lois's apartment to continue doing some research on Geneticron. Lois has ordered lunch, and Jon goes to pay for it... only to find the human Clark Kent at the door with the food, wondering just who Jon is.

Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps #12
"Bottled Light" concludes, and after 12 issues, Hal finally makes contact with the survivors of the Green Lantern Corps as they and Soranik's group of yellow lanterns fight off Larfleeze. I have no idea how long it's been since Hal, Kyle, Guy and John all appeared on page together... possibly not since "War of the Green Lanterns" right before the New 52 kicked off, or maybe in the final issues of Geoff Johns' run, but it's nice to see them all together here. Larfleeze is driven off mainly because the Lanterns have been releasing his specimens, and he leaves to go get them back. John and Soranik decide that the yellow and green corps need to work together from now on, which causes Hal to raise an eyebrow. All in all it's been a good 12 issues and a good ending to the story, though poor Brainiac ends up as one of Larfleeze's orange lanterns.

Titans #7
The Titans have moved to New York, largely on the fact that they pulled the word "Manhattan" from Kadabra's mind, and since they know he knows something about how the world's been altered, they decide to get set up there to be ready. And not only do they get help from Atlantis via Garth to build their tower, they get a lawyer to help them be sure all the legalities are covered. At the same time, Donna and Roy have lunch and Roy flirts a bit, and Donna seems more receptive than she has in the past.

But the main highlight of the issue is the meeting and conversation between Superman and Wally West, the two refugees from the old timeline, and it turns out that Superman deliberately came looking for Wally, who is delighted to discover that someone other than himself has memories of the old continuity. They discuss making a life where they are now and the difficulties, and promise to stay in touch. And of course, they have to have a race. Lee Weeks draws the book this week, so the art is excellent.

andersonh1 wrote:I have no idea how long it's been since Hal, Kyle, Guy and John all appeared on page together... possibly not since "War of the Green Lanterns" right before the New 52 kicked off, or maybe in the final issues of Geoff Johns' run, but it's nice to see them all together here.

It hasn't been that long... They were last together on page during the "Lights Out" storyline, when the combine Corps were trying to stop Relic at the Source Wall. Which I'm glad they finally, sort of, acknowledged in this issue with Guy saying he counted 4 people they thought were dead. That's the storyline they thought Kyle died during. Kinda funny seeing New52 Lobo is in one of Larfleeze's jars, which Hal stops Guy from smashing. The old Lobo is back JLA/Suicide Squad from the promos I've seen, so I guess we're just going to be forgetting about the New 52 version.

Argh! DC is determined not to give Superman his red shorts back. How many costume redesigns is this in the last six years? They keep tiptoeing closer and closer to the one that worked just fine for 74 years...

https://www.bleedingcool.com/2017/01/13 ... nderpants/

Personally, I think this latest redesign is great. I don't think he needs the red shorts. The belt does all it needs to do to break up all the blue of the costume.

It's the best redesign, I agree, but I'd still rather have the original back. Might have to wait for some change in editorial for that, or the next wave of nostalgia to roll through.

I did laugh at how it's "new", but it's essentially the original without the shorts. They've almost completely reverted.... but not quite.

Thing with the shorts for me, it helps break up the endless sea of blue that it is otherwise. Makes it look... I dunno, but that's why I like it better with the shorts.