Back in moments with the first stuff.
We got 3 Identity Crisis follow-ups this week…
Manhunter - our titular prosecutor prepares for the trial of the Shadow Thief; A mysterious group wants the Thief liberated or eliminated before he can spill his guts; the Calculator makes an appearance to facilitate the work. Oh, and Superman, Hawkman, and Batman get served subpoenas.
Adventures of Superman - Rags Morales checks in to pencil this IC followup - A schmuck who knows too much about Superman is menacing his family and friends, and this plotline would seem to have started before this issue. The interesting stuff is that Superman reveals his knowledge of the Dr. Light reprogramming incident - Diana takes exception, suggesting a radical alternative, and when asked by Diana if he knew about Dr. Light, Batman is somewhat silent on the subject.
Teen Titans - the Bolt subplot explained. Luthor’s Armor turns up in Opal City; we get to see Bolt, the two thugs that shot him, the Armor, and the Calculator, and a surprise (sort of) cameo at the end. Apparently, it was only included in IC as a red herring, and to provide a springboard for Titans stuff.
Ultimate Spider-Man: A nice departure from the usual USM I think. However I do wish that they’d make young Dr Strange look…well…younger than the senior Doc. Other than that, I like an inexperienced Sorceror Supreme. Kind of wish they’d kept the darker look from Ultimate Team Up though.
Madrox: Ok, I was unsure of this series for a bit, but it turns out it was an excellent read. One main plot and one subplot made it read like a well written tv series. I’d recommend it more in TPB though. Those 30 day gaps make it hard to keep up with the players. “…Yeah, I knew that too.”
Plus I’ve bought not not read the last issue of Wanted (finally) and the Incredible Hulk Visionaries: Peter David. Been looking forward to that TPB for a long time since I never read many of the issues when they first came out.
Oh yes, I keep meaning to ask to see if anyone knows…
Why, in the Ultimate Team Up TPB’s did they leave out the 2-3 issues of SM and the Punisher?
I didn’t get anything this week. I was tempted to pick up some of the Crisis stuff, but I’m still pissed at how Morales ended it. And to add to the fury, the shop manager mentioned on my way out to someone that “such and such book is setting up Crisis 2 for this summer”. Crisis 2?!? What a blatant marketing ploy. I’m pretty disappointed. Unless it’s not happening, at which point I’m not.
Blame Meltzer, not Morales. Morales is the artist.
DC Countdown is the book your shop manager means, I suspect - it’s supposed to kick off the next shake-ups.
Madrox this week - Woo. Loved it. And a nice ending, too. Guido has good taste.
Okay. But Rags isn’t getting out of this so easily. He’s the one that drew Ray with the same creepy “I’m gonna smoove you” look that both Flash and Baby Boomer had that misled all of us into thinking the ending would be “interesting” or “good” or “not utter crap”.
Heh. Okay, let’s be fair, here. While IC’s payoff made it suck as a mystery, as a launchboard for interesting DCU plotlines it succeeds pretty darn well.
I didn’t exactly buy anything, but I did take Volume 3 of “Y: The Last Man” out of the library. Man, this book is fantastic, I think I’m going to start buying the trades.
Also got:
KoDT : Bundle of Trouble Vol 11; Powers #8; Authority : Revolution #4; Wanted #6; Terra Obscura 2 #5; Freedom Force #1; Space Ghost #3 (Zorak! Glee!); Birds of Prey #78; Outsiders #19; Cable and Deadpool #11; Exiles #58; Invincible #19.
Cable and Deadpool continues to rock, if only because of Deadpool. I’m so glad this book’s out there.
Neither of my local stores got the latest issue of Wonder Woman in, for some reason, so I’m waiting to pick up my books. Looking forward to that and AoS, though.
Teen Titans #20: Who spilled ugly all over the cover? Man! Well, the interiors is Grummet’ and Nelson’s usual finery. This one really got to me. Maybe becuase I identified strongly with Tim as a kid, and becuase I lost my own father not so long ago, but it nearly ahd me in tears. Great stuff.
Green Arrow #46: Well, I hate Dtective Comics, maybe GA can give me my street-level vigilante fix. I don’t care for teh art, and the characterization on the Titans was kinda sloppy, but not bad. I’ll try a few more issues of this.
Batman #635: Much better! Not perfect Batman, but much more palatable than that heavy-handed dreck over in 'Tec. Does anyone not know Burce’s ID now?
Heh.
Ex Machina: The First Hundred Days TPB – Goddam but this was a fine comic. I knew that Vaughan could hit them out of the park because I’ve been reading Y - The Last Man since the beginning, but sometimes lightning doesn’t strike twice. Here it sure did. Mitchell is a completely believeable character – admirable indeed, but just as capable of screwing up as a real person. The political things he has to deal with put the lie to all our political fantasies – “If I were mayor, things would be different!” And the structure of the book, giving us occasional glimpses at Mitch’s abortive career as a superhero leaves you wanting more. Everybody should run out and get this thing today.
Hard Time #12 – An excellent send off for “Season One” of this series. Some questions are answered, but mostly Ethan’s life just gets more complicated. There is a cheap TPB of the first six issues which I highly recommend. This is a book which desparately needs more readers, and it deserves them.
Gotham Central #27 – This was better than last issue. The set-up is that Catwoman knows Det. Josie Mac’s secret (she’s a meta on a police force that’s not really comfortable with metas, esp. post-War Games). Catwoman is blackmailing Josie to clear her of a murder she didn’t commit. That left me cold last issue, because Josie is a good cop, so she was already going to clear Catwoman, who she knew did not do it. Here Brubaker ackowledges this, so that helps. The issue flows better than last month, too. New arc next week, so hopefully we’ll stay on track.
JLA: Classified #2 – Fun fluff. Morrison gets some good dialogue in and there are interesting ideas. I’m sure it’ll read better as a whole.
Also bought but haven’t read yet: Samurai: Heaven & Earth #2, Trigger #2, and the DC 2000AD reprint TPB of Deviln Waugh: Swimming in Blood.
–Cliffy
Oooh, I’ve been hoping they’d release an Ex Machina TPB soon! I like Vaughn on Y and I LOVED Tony Harris’ work on Starman, plus the concept sounded interesting and I always like to support Wildstorm. I won’t be able to pick this up until next week (to coincide with buying Sleeper Season 2 #8 ), but I will definitely get it.
I had a lot on my plate this week; I’ll try to keep my comments short and brief.
Some issues this week had ads for Fisher-Price childrens books. I wonder if the ads will be successful and find their intended buyers.
Bullseye Greatest Hits #5 – Not sure if anyone else is reading this. I get a vibe this is sorta under the radar, but back issues of this title are hot in my area and pricey. The story concludes. It’d be easy to make the comparisons to Hannibal Lecter and “Silence of the Lambs” here. There’s a bit more than that though, Bullseye talks and reflects on his origin and background while being interrogated “good cop/bad cop” style about stolen plutonium. It’s not as bad as I make it out to be though. I did enjoy the art and how it was pulled off.
Manhunter #6 – Well, the Shadow Thief trial is off and running … well, started anyway. I’m enjoying the ride so far and lot of stuff in the background: a flashback into Kate’s past/childhood, a Calculator appearance, and Kate’s son telling her not to smoke over the phone and she listens. I also like Jesus Saiz’s rendition of Wonder Woman in the JLA cameo. I kinda hate to see “hype” reviews on covers, but didn’t mind it so much here.
Batman: Gotham Knights #61 – If you’re looking for Batman, you won’t find hm ANYWHERE in the issue. You will find Poison Ivy though and a bit of fallout from the “No Man’s Land” story though as kids she had in Robinson Park are now poisoned themselves. Though I’d just as soon move on from any aspect of “NML,” it’s mildly interesting.
Teen Titans #20 – I suspect I’m in the minority, but I’m enjoying this and recent TT issues much more than JLA currently. Yeah, the art on the cover sucked, but I did like Grummett’s artwork in the interior. Robin sheds some understood grief over his father. Two epilogues, one with Luthor.
Wonder Woman #212 – I liked the artwork (Raiz/Snyder) and the JLA puts WW through a test to see if she still has what it takes to remain a member. (Hmmm … didn’t the JLA put WW through tests around issue #212 volume 1 back in the '70s?)
Adventures of Superman #636 – Geez, of all the places, Rags Morales does the artwork here. A lot going on. Bats and WW having a confab with Supes regarding Ruin (and when Bats is asked point blank by WW if he knew about what was done to Dr. Light, he says nothing. WTF?!). Pete Ross crying on Lois’ shoulder. Hey look, there’s Luthor in the background again.
Birds of Prey #78 – Tom Denerick was the guest penciller. Geez, I haven’t seen this many character’s nostrils since Gil Kane died. Harvest is a mildly interesting character and we get some background on her in a satisfactory conclusion. And Simone throws in some fighting instruction about a Korean punch called a Jireugi.
Catwoman #39 – IMO Paul Gulacy hasn’t been doing his best stuff here, but I missed him as Diego Olmos was the penciller here (DON’T let Gulacy’s name on the cover mislead you; he only did the cover art). On the surface, it’s more of Catwoman vs. Wooden Nickel. But underneath, a milestone of sorts I kinda been waiting for: Bats crashes at one of Selina’s apartments for the night, and a bra and panty Selina and bare-chested Bruce swap notes on WN, and leaves next morning as Bruce Wayne and later on, Selina telling Slam off. About damn time.
Daredevil #69 – Don’t get me wrong, I love this title; great storytelling, great art. That said, other than the White Tiger amulets, I don’t think the story really progressed any, we can kinda piece together the then and now; the only detail yet to be revealed was just HOW Matt was abducted to begin with.
Ultimate Spider-Man #71 – No real comment here. If anything I like, Bendis does show Peter AS a kid, and just how vulnerable he is.
Plastic Man #14 – I liked this better after a second read, only marginally. Kyle Baker gives a nod to the old WB cartoons with the ol’ pesky mouse and mouse hole routine. IMO it dragged on and on and on. The twist ending was a slight payoff, but it took a long way to get to the punchline.
Outsiders #19 – Well, this is sure some content you wouldn’t see in "Teen Titans Go!"eh? No comics code stamp on the cover. Why? If I had to guess, the scene of Grace punching out Tanner may be the reason. I can’t recall a more gory punch-out sequence in comics in recent memory, if not ever. I’m not a prude and wasn’t bothered by it, I just don’t think I little kid should get his hands on this book though. The villain got what he deserved, Lian was found (sans blindfold when everyone else was, oddly), and scars will linger.
Also got, but not read: Space Ghost #3, Exiles #58, New Invaders #6, Nightcrawler #5, Rogue #7, Spider-Man: India #3, Wolverine #24, X-Men #166, Powers #8, Ultra #6 (I love the covers on this series), and Comic Book Digest #4.
Batman may, in fact, not know. The JLA erased his memory of the event. I can’t tell if his reaction is ‘Yes, I know about it now, and it brings a bad taste to my mouth regarding what the League did to me.’, or ‘I’m Batman and I’m angry that I’m not sure about what you’re talking about.’
Exactly. I couldn’t tell either way after I read it, which pissed me off. But after reading it, I’d have to think Bats heard what exactly went down off-panel (unless, a stretch, some spell is making him forget) or WW didn’t get all the details, otherwise, she wouldn’t have asked Bats if he knew or not.
Bottom line: I don’t like how it played out. WW asks Bats if he knew. Next panel, a silent Batman scowl. (YES, finally the moment we waited for … Bats to explode). Turn page, next panel … Supes making excuses to WW and NO response from Batman. sighs
Clearly, Superman was using his Super-distraction powers on Diana, whose maiden ears he didn’t wish to have sullied with the stream of muttered Bat-Curses flowing from the Caped Crusader.
Or, not.