Weekly Comic Book Discussion 8/25/2005

Adventures of Superman #643: I enjoyed this issue, but I echo Menocchio’s squirming when I think of the break-up of the big 3. However, this issue was well done, and the actions of the characters were believable. I’m a big DC mark anyway, but they just seem to be firing on all cylinders lately.

Legion of Superheroes #9: This is a pretty enjoyable series, and I am pleased that I can follow the story even though it is the first Legion series I have ever read. You can tell that Mark Waid is enjoying these characters (and the fact that he is a huge Legion fan can’t hurt matters), and the letters page is the best one in comics. He’s also doing a really good job of fleshing out the characters, not an easy task when there are so many members on the team. Let’s hope that Mark can keep up this pace of good storytelling and action-packed issues for a good long while.

The OMAC Project #5: This was a pretty good issue. I don’t know how the DC heroes are going to deal with such a large army of OMAC’s. The only thing I can think of is go after their source, which I assume is located on Brother Eye somewhere.

Day of Vengeance #5: I missed the connection to the Blue Beetle, but I am glad it is there. I certainly miss Ted Kord a lot, and it’s going to take me a while to warm up to any replacement. Certainly an ominous ending. I’ve been enjoying this series due in large part to it’s eclectic cast of characters. That, and the fact that I have been a Blue Devil fan for years (back before he lit Neron’s candle).

JSA: Classified #2: Guess how EXTREMELY pleased I am with the last page of this comic. I saw it coming in the last issue, and I am so pleased that my guess was correct. I’m with you all the way, Candid Gamera, in that I too want Johns to explore some of Morrison’s Animal Man stuff, as that storyline is what cemented me as a comic fan, and it is that storyline from which I chose my user name. He is pretty much using his powers to rewrite continuity as he sees fit, and since he is the only character in the DC universe who remembers the events of the Crisis, he is going to have to be dealt with, either in this series or in Infinite Crisis.
As for the rest of the issue, I enjoyed it. Power Girl’s origin has been modified so many times, she is definitely suffering from “Weapon-X syndrome”. I trust Johns to fix it all up, though. I completely enjoyed his Green Lantern: Rebirth, and I think he was one of the few writers in comics who could have brought back Hal Jordan while 1) making it believable as opposed to far-fetched and 2) giving Kyle Rayner the respect he’s earned through the years since the Parallax debacle.

And Candid Gamera, I almost made the same mistake of picking up that Wonder Woman comic, so don’t feel too bad.

Day of Vengeance #5: First I learn via Alex Ross that the Spectre has gray nipples. Now I learn that he and Eclisped Jean Lorning can boink. Ewwwwwww.

Nice that Nightshade actually got to do something other that be the Chimp’s straight man and look nice in leather. I didn’t even know her name up to this point. Black Alice is apparently DC’s answer to Kirby.

Yes, that was a Hendrix shirt.

OMAC #5: Another JLEer bites the dust. Can we get a head count? To paraphase Kung Pow: Enter the Fist, “THAT’S A LOTTA OMACs!”

Adventures of Superman #643: Required pre-req for Inf-Cri. As somebody said upthread they’re all being so reasonable.

Also, I looked at Teen Titans. A 3 year old with a set of colored chalk given a patch of sidewalk could do better. I might pick it up down the line in a back issue sale or something like that, but not at full price.

And in addition to every other point, it’s so totally and completely out of character that I’m perfectly willing to accept a “…and then they all woke up and it was just a dream/hoax/space phantom who did it.” type retcon. I mean, this is up there with “Batman’s evil twin who he has murdered” for out of character stupidity.

That character to committing that act is akin to it turning out that Aunt May discovered that Uncle Ben was cheating on her and paid the thief to whack Ben. Or that Steve Rodgers is a white supremacist. It’s (IMO) that grotesque a violation of a character’s existing personality.

Why, the only thing that would come close in sheer stupidity of storyline to this would be for Bats to discover that his early childhood nanny was his parent’s murderer’s mommy…and the rest of the Batman family had been keeping the secret from him all these years. *

Fenris

*Rumored upcoming Batman storyline.

Incidentally, today would have been the 88th brithday of Jack Kirby. I guess there would probably still be comic books today even if Kirby hadn’t been part of the industry, but I sure as hell wouldn’t want to read them.

Happy birthday, your Majesty.

–Cliffy

Alright I finally read my comics. It was a busy week for me so I just finished reading them just now. Spoilers so don’t read beyond this paragraph if you don’t want to be spoiled.
Batman: This issue was pretty bad. I don’t think Willingham is a good writer. The writing here is just awful. Bad dialouge all around. I’m surprised they had Black Mask kill that woman guard with the recent murder of that woman guard in real life but whatever. I actually thought the Leslie Thompkins thing makes sense and it was the only good thing about the issue. Hey, come on Batman makes people around him crazy.

Jack Cross: Great first issue and a cool concept.

Invincible: Very cool. Invincible just gets better every month and an awesome cliffhanger.

Walking Dead: Very intense with Rick hacking off that guy’s foot. Another great issue.

Marvel Knights Spider-Man: Am I the only one buying this book? It had some funny moments and Hudlin writes a cool Spider-Man but the story is just dumb. Maybe he should write Spidey’s lines in JMS’ Spider-Man, it would improve that book.

The Omac Project: It was pretty bad. Rucka should have edited out the Sasha stuff and added in Superman/Wonder Woman scenes instead would have improved the book. Dmitri better stay dead or I’ll be pissed. The final page was awesome, though.

Fantastic Four: It was okay but pretty underwhelming. I hope the next storyline interests me more.

Daredevil: I’ve loved every Bendis issue of this book so far and I’m not going to stop with this one because it was awesome. I hope Murdock kicks Urich’s ass for what he did.

Wolverine: Very intense. Most brutal Wolverine fight I’ve seen in a while.

Adventures of Superman: It was okay seemed more like a filler issue. Some good characterization for Superman, though. When is he going to confront Wonder Woman? It better be soon because I’m tired of waiting.

Well, that’s all I got.