Weekly Comic Book Discussion 10/12/2006

Here 'tis.

New Civil War : Frontline threatens to be more interesting than the main crossover; new issue of Thunderbolts is cluttered and messy - probably would help if I bought the previous issue, though. No matter - the creative direction shifts soon.

It’s, it’s finally here! The Walking Dead volume 5. Took way too long but I forgive them because these next six issues were great. Can’t wait until volume 6, which should be out in another two to three years if this last release was any indication.

New X-Men #31: The end of the Nimrod saga, for now at least. This, other than Astonishing, is the strongest X-book out there.

Gen 13 relaunches this week, with a feel that’s reminiscent of the original run, but still independent. Plus, Gail Simone. There’s also a Worldstorm special that fills us in on the Wildstorm relaunch status quo.

JLA : Classified - if the art was better, I’d kinda dig this. And in any case, it’s better than any JLA:C arc since the first two.

Underwhelming at best. I didn’t realize how much of the appeal of Gen-13 was Lee’s bouncy artwork. And it seems weirdly un-witty compared to the original, which is odd because it’s Simone writing.

Tales of the Unexpected #1: The Spectre story was about what you’d expect, especially if you read the last miniseries. I did like the bit where Allen is still trying to be a cop, and how he has to find out who the murderer is before the Spectre steps in. Could be good, could not. Also, the Spectre’s design is improved, but the facial hair still doesn’t work. Dr. 13, was kind of fun, for the story of the stupidest man in the DCU next to Woozy Winks. I hope that dream, at least the last part, is just supposed to be randomness and what the doctor was hearing in reality bleeding into his dream, rather than anything significant. Because ew.

Martian Manhunter #3: Much improved. I’m guessing that J’onn’s charges are not what they seem. And by the way, If you’re a shadowy government operative recruiting heroes to fight one of their own, why the hell would you ask Green Arrow to the party? “No, Ollie, the government lied to you!” “No! That can’t be! Our government would never lie!” The only explanation I can think of is that they’re perverse enough to ask just to see if he’d do it.

**Green Lantern Corps #5: ** An entire planet as a counsellor. Nice.

**52 Week 23: **Love the “mad scientist island” stuff, and the new guy was smart enough to choose an alias such that he could speak his own name. Although the phrase “Kid Miracleman” pops into my head. And while the mythical Orsirus was Isis’ brother, he was also her husband. This will not end well.

Not sure why he’s a spoiler since we knew about him from Teen Titans a couple months back, but:

[spoiler]Mythical Osiris also got chopped up into little pieces by his enemy and brother. And! although Isis was able to put him back together again, she couldn’t find one very important part… which was eaten by crocodiles.

Not ending well is an understatement if they go this route…[/spoiler]

GL Corps : Here’s my problem - Mogo’s being set up to die. I’m not spoilering this because it’s all theory and history, but - in one of Alan Moore’s classic GL stories, Abin Sur heard a prophecy of the end of the GL Corps.

In that story, Mogo was destroyed when a “blink-bomb” was exploded at his core by… Ranx, the Sentient City. The GL who encounters Natu on Mogo is behaving a little suspiciously - perhaps he’s a replacement, and the real GL he replaced is the kidnapped individual being held at Ranx.

Tales of the Unexpected : I like the Spectre angle, it’s great to see Doc 13 again. Traci - hmm, is she the one in 52? Or the magic-wielding Girl 13 from Superman and Day of Vengeance? Both? Neither? I will say that the reveal at the end was one of my favorite comics moments of the week - Dr. 13’s reaction is priceless, and I love it when people speak in logos. Nice to see the character again.

Martian Manhunter - Makes me wonder when in JL continuity this story takes place.

52 : I love the book of crime. And Vic’s attempts to invoke the gods made me chuckle.

Mogo didn’t die until the rest of the Corps had been wiped out by the Empire of Tears and their allies in that story. That would include Kyle, John, Guy, Hal, Natu and the rest of the stars of the various ongoings. And one named Lantern who hasn’t been introduced yet - Sodam Yat. Ranx has been introduced into current continuity, but until the Children of the White Lobe and Sodam Yat are introduced, and the Empire of Tears freed from their captivity, Mogo’s no more being set up to die than he was when Tygers was originally written.

We’ll see…

I also picked up Green Arrow this week, which is on an interesting arc. Other pickups were PS238… Fables… the new Bomb Queen mini…and Powers.

However, the story implys that the demon making the prophecy could very well be lying.

Which is as likely to imply that it’s not going to happen at all as it is to imply that Mogo will die before the others.

Quill’s lying about how Abin Sur died was designed to prompt him to do exactly what would result in his death. Even if it has reason to lie to him aboutt the death of the Corps ‘No, no, Mogo dies LAST’ is a completely different manner of lie than ‘your ring’s going to get you killed’.

And that story was two or three continuities ago (depending on when in 1986 it was published). Even if the prophecy was true then doesn’t make it so now.

Strictly speaking, Quill did not lie about Abin Sur’s death. From a certain point of view.

True…Abin Sur’s ring did fail. It’s more a lie by omission than an active lie.