The Atom wins book of the week. Hands down.
Picked up Legion, which is damnably interesting. Nice to see some familiar places and faces.
And Seven Soldiers, which completely descends into Morrisonian gobbledegook. Worthless. I feel so cheated.
Do Not Presume to Plunge M’nagalah!
I’m really liking the new Atom. His supporting cast, the character’s background, the fact that he looks to be getting a rogues gallery, and the writing.
Here’s hoping he’ll do better against Ray-fans than Kyle did against the Hal-fans.
Last couple of issues of Legion have dragged a bit for me, but this storyline starting up has piqued my interest with new versions of the LSV and Mon-El.
And I’m still curious to see if this will tie in with the Adventure Comics storyline of the Kryptonian kid Superman just found.
Lightray:
I suspect he will, if only for the fact that Ray’s current whereabouts remain a mystery, and many no doubt buy the book in the expectation (probably not entirely unfounded) that it will be revealed at some point along the way.
My only new book this week was the halfway point of 52. Movement on Question & Renee (is Question Richard Dragon’s booking agent or something? He seems ready to jump any time Question has a training candidate for him), Black Marvels, hilarious scene on Mad Scientist Island. Steel-Natasha plot touched on, but really just repetition.
I have a REEEEEEALY bad feeling about Osiris’s crocodile buddy.
Ryan Choi is an example of how to correctly replace one of your longstanding iconic superheroes with a younger, hipper ethnic equivalent.
1.) Do not kill the original. Comic book limbo is a fine place for them, and you want to show fans of the previous incarnation that you respect the original. If you must kill them, make it a heroic death.
2.) Provide a plausible reason for the changing of the guard.
3.) Put a damn good writer on the new book.
4.) Do not retread old ground.
Firestorm fails three of these.
52 was good this week, I love the Sivana family. Yes, the crocodile will be trouble. I hope Richard Dragon survives the missing year. And hey, dig that crazy cameo by
Waverider
This was one of the funniest issues of 52 so far.
I was feeling bad for poor Steel in 52. Luther has been about three steps ahead of him since the beginning. Although I wonder if Natasha was in on the obviously-prearranged drama – her comment leaving seemed a little too scripted.
She-Hulk was solid as usual; Outsiders was intriguing.
Nightwing, God help me, was actually fun!
Blue Beetle’s interesting, though I don’t care for the technological bent they’re taking.
Detective : Yes, Doctor Phosphorus is back, and they actually acknowledge his apparent prior death. A solid done-in-one. Though I still hate the cover.
Mystery in Space is still interesting, though I’m hoping the pace picks up just a teensy bit.
JLA has a cameo by my favorite Leaguer, and continues Meltzer’s solid story so far.
Then there’s Ex Machina, which was good.
I didn’t realize the new Mystery in Space was out this week…anything following up on Star Hawkins’s murder, or is it mostly ignored?
It’s mentioned in passing. It serves mostly as a plot-starter, as investigating it leads to Comet’s predicament at the end of his story, although he doesn’t actually resolve the murder.
Incidentally, for a short period after November, my comics may be delayed - as my local comic store that I have patronized for ten years is closing up shop. They still have stores elsewhere, so I will still be getting anything I already ordered from them - just not as promptly.
For things beyond what I have already ordered, I will be switching to another local shop.
Supergirl/Legion #23: Very good, though I’m more interested in what happens with SolePatch Boy and ThreesomeWaitingtoHappen Girl (Element Lad and Trip. Girl). What happens when the multiple Element Lad make out with merges with the others?
This is my first incarnation of the Legion. Who’s Mon-El and what does LSV stand for?
Superman/Batman Annual #1: Yes! Everything a comic book should be. I’ve read that thing to pieces over the last two weeks. Worst story ever!
Nice to see Ryan Ottley art. The scene with the World’s Finest in bed was pure Invincible. I would have known it was him immediately even if I hadn’t seen it on scans_daily a few days before.
I’m waiting on a TPB of Atom, but glad to see its’ getting some love.
LSV = Legion of Super-Villains
Mon-El goes waaay back to the (original) Superboy days. Superboy finds this kid who has no memory, but apparently has Kryptonian powers. He names the kid “Mon-El”, because he found him on a Monday, and in similarity to Kal-El’s name.
Turns out the kid isn’t a Kryptonian – he’s vulnerable to lead, not to kryptonite. And exposure to lead in the Earth’s atmosphere is killing him. Superboy has to send Mon-El into the Phantom Zone to save him. (at various times depending on which retcon had most recently been made, the Phantom Zone is, or is not, connected with Bgtzyl, Phantom Girl’s home)
Mon-El ends up trapped there until the 31st century, when the Legion brings him out and Brainy whips up a lead antidote serum. Turns out Mon-El was a Daxamite, not a Kryptonian.
Mon-El joined the LSH, and was the super-brick once Superboy and Supergirl weren’t members.
Later retcon versions essentially slotted Mon-El into the Superboy position, as Byrne’s retcon of the Superman continuity had removed Superboy. Later again, Mon-El – “Valor” – was revealed to have been a plot by the Time Trapper, manipulated by Glorith of Baaldur, in the “Zero Hour” story. Later reboots again adjusted his backstory, even shoehorning the name M’Onel on as Martian, rather than Kryptonian.
This time, we don’t know much about what his backstory will be. Othern than that he’s obviously trapped in the Phantom Zone – you can see a Phantom Zone Projector behind his ghostly form this issue.
Then all three Luornus will know what it’s like to play tonsil-hockey with Jan.
Maybe this is the last remaining tiny shredded scrap of the Reed Richards fangirl inside me clutching at hope, but please tell me that in Civil War #6
Sue is not actually ending up with Namor? Please?
You’ve seen the cover? It does look like it. Sorry!