Weekly Comic Book Discussion 4/7/2005

Ta-da!

Back with more later.

Well, I haven’t had a chance to read everything yet. But I will give one quick capsule review.

GLA: Misassembled: No.

Green Lantern: Rebirth #5: I was already a big fan of Geoff Johns (when he’s not writing Wonder Woman) and this just cements that. Thank god he had the sense to bring Hal back in a way that gave adequate respect to both Hal and Kyle in a story that emphasizes both of their strengths, doesn’t treat Kyle like he started superheroing yesterday, and makes both heroes look impressive without downplaying the attributes of either one.

I’m actually looking forward to the new GL series, when I wasn’t before. God damn you, DC. You won’t be happy until you take all of my money.

Seven Soldiers: Zatana #1: I’ll talk about it over in the Seven Soldiers thread.

GLA : Misassembled : Yes.

Seven Soldiers : Zatanna - I already noted it in the Seven Soldiers thread, for my part.

Superman/Batman : The time-twisting tale wraps up - and while it may have been almost entirely irrelevant, I did get a kick out of the ending sections. Plus, undead Justice League : creepy.

GL : Rebirth - Whoo! I hope Ganthet comes out of this okay. Hal’s seldom been written so well - nice to see the return of the ring database, too.

It’s spring cleaning time in the DCU, between Countdown Deadshot, and Seven Soldiers, Second Stringers and below had better watch their backs! Not that I’m complaining, mind you. I’m pretty sure at least a few of these guys were already dead, and could be brought back if a creator really wanted them, but most of them were pretty lame and unused anyway. I’ve no problem clearing the shelves to make room for new ideas.

It was a big week for me, so this one will be in chunks:

GL: Rebirth #5: Great work here. Hal and Kyle both get their props (and it seems the Rann/Thanagar War will feature Kyle, and JLA Jon, so they won’t be forgotten). Hal’s crimes are mitigated so he’s workable as a hero again, but not totally absolved, so there’s still an insteresting hook there, and Sinestro was just so cool. I’m still a bit put off by how much a dick Batman is being, but that’s not Johns’ fault. He’s been Hal’s designated naysayer since Final Night, at least, and someone has to do it (after all, the guy did destroy the universe), but it seems a bit out of character for Batman. J’onn, Superman, or WW would be better opponents.

GLA: Misassembled #1: I’m a sucker for wacky superhero highjinks. And Monkey Joe. I liked this one. It was fun. Is Deathurge just a black racer knockoff, or is there more to him?

Hal’s going to be the GL in the JLA, in short order.

The ongoing GL title will supposedly focus on Hal, but with glimpses of the others.

And apparently, Guy Gardner will be significant this year.

According to Wizard.

Huh. I had heard Jon would still be in JLA, Hal headlining in GL, and Kyle and Guy popping up here and there.

Oh well, Jon still has the Daily Show, at least. (And JLU)

Batman/Superman: Not as cool as the time chaos midway through this story, but a nice wrap up. They went a long way towards dismissing my problems with Batman’s violence (it doesn’t count, since this will all be undone). Thumbs up.
**
Zatanna:** Comments in 7S thread. Good, but not great.
**
Y: The Last Man**: I did not see that coming. I didn’t read any chemistry between those two (at least on 355’s part) at all. I kept expecting someone to wake up or something. Well, Safeword had me scratching my head its first issue, too, but it really came around. maybe this will have a better explanation.

More on Y: The real male fantasy here isn’t the lesbianism or the fact that Yorick’s a valued property, it’s that he meets such cool women! Dang! I’d take either Beth, the Cap’n here, or the girl what died in marrisville over any of the hyper-mammoried glamazons from many comics. I’m also digging the fact that the comment way back in the text recap for Vol II that only a couple of nations (Austrailia and one other, IIRC) have female submariners is bearing fruit.

Batman: (last week’s) What’s up with the Joker? It looks like someone worked him over even before the beating started. Is that from something, or just a comment on how fugitive psychopaths probably wouldn’t have the best living conditions. I’m not liking the twist. I think I see where they’re going with this (assuming this isn’t another illusion or imposter), and it could work, but so could keeping him dead! Somebody had better check Bucky’s pulse.

Deadshot: It’s over! I don’t quite like how everything reset for Lawton, but I suppose it’s the only thing that could’ve worked. Any big lasting changes would have been undone (I suspect that he’ll be back in his more classic togs in Villains United) and they’ve already killed his family once. It was a small and somewhat guilty pleasure, but a pleasure nonetheless.

Ooh, I was five minutes late and the place was closed. Rassum frassum idiots who don’t know how to drive! I can’t believe I missed a week with Y, Seven Soldiers, and the first Slaine volume! :mad:

–Cliffy

Lex Luthor: Damn you Lex! You’re all cool and nuanced, and the art’s good, so I like it. But nothing happens, so I don’t like it! You have one more issue, and if you don’t do anthing by then, I’m dropping you like hot Kryptonite. Are we supposed to recognize the gal in the tank?

**Blood of the Demon ** : Etrigan’s status quo has changed - it seems that’s he free of Blood’s physical body, but Jason Blood’s not out yet, doing his best Martin stein impression and … well, nagging the demon. Batman shows up.

Speaking of Martin Stein and nagging shared consciousnesses, Firestorm hit the stands this week. Ronnie gives Jason a stern-talking to, and usurps control of their shared form when Jason plays a little rough with some villains. Still meh. Just reading until the Ronnie situation is resolved, a couple more issues…

I’m starting to wonder if Brian K. Vaughn of Y: The Last Man is a one-trick pony.

We’ve already seen the Amazons, the Israelis, the Russians, Culper Ring, Setauket Ring, the ninja women, and now we’re learning about yet another secret organization of women who are seeking Yorick and/or Ampersand for their own dark purposes?! Enough, already! Tell another story!

I loved Zatanna, and I’m glad to see the various Seven Soldiers books beginning to cohere.

Yeah, I’m begininng to wonder about that myself. Of course, the obvious other story has him going to Austrailia and closing the dangling Beth plotline, so these ladies don’t worry me so much.

I only read the first 7 or 8 pages of GLA (the preview…I’m broke…I take my comics where I can…Mostly previews plus caches of old comics I’m getting off friends.)… But I’m not seeing a lot of resemblance to the Black Racer in Deathurge. Not a HUGE New Gods fan, but every appearance of the Racer I’ve seen he’s just waited for people to die and picking them up. Deathurge, though, was doing his absolute damndest to get the kid killed. (My two favourite lines - ‘They won’t bite!’ and ‘Remember, child endangerment is NOT funny!’)

Absolutely random side-comment…

Am I the only one who thinks Squirrel Girl’s kinda hot?

Thought so. >_>

In the original Kirby comics, Black Racer used to chase folks down if he felt it was their time. Young Fastbak received accolades by outracing him once.

–Cliffy

Frankly I think any avatar of death on skis begs to be compared to the Black Racer.

I mean, death, on skis?

I love Kirby, but I can’t say I’m fond of his tendancy to give cosmic entities sporting equipment.

Huhn.

Damned obnoxious deaths.

Lessee - the rest. Shanna the She-Devil - Well, if not for the cheesecake, this book wouldn’t be interesting at all. Justice League Adventures #28 - Heard it had a Legion appearance on a messageboard, and so I picked it up. Yay, Legion! Ultimate FF #17 - Right on. The Ever-lovin’, Blue-eyed Thing gets some primo clobberin time. And I looooove that cover. Witching #10 - I think it’s over. It was okay.

As I mentioned on another thready here recently, back in the Marvel Two-In-One days the lettercol was titled “The Ever-Lovin’ Blue-Eyed Letters Page.” I laughed every month.

–Cliffy

I haven’t read this, but I recall reading the original origin story. Let me get this straight, Blood is trapped in the demon, and he is just nagging? Even before he realized what he was he was a student of the occult. Why not trying to see if he can magic his way out, or force Etrigan to comply. Surely he can visualize spells to make them happen.