Justice League of America v1: The World's Most Dangerous TPB

I think I’m finally giving up on my new 52 angst.

I’m too tired to fight it when Geoff Johns’ JLA hits me over the head with “newness” in every issue. We have to pretend the team doesn’t know Chronos, the Shaggy Man, or Dr. Light. Hawkman doesn’t know Green Arrow. No one knows Star Girl. Amanda Waller put together the JLA (with Steve Trevor’s help). Yep, this isn’t your Dad’s Justice League of America. Unfortunately, I’m old enough to be your Dad, which means this isn’t my Justice League.

But as I said, I’m getting too tired to fight it. (Note that I’m reading these from the library, my days of buying DC books are long gone.) So now, I’m just happy to see Hawkman acting like a tough a-hole. I’m happy to see Catwoman slinking around the team, but fitting in quite nicely. I’m happy to see Martian Manhunter treated as an uber-powerful mainstay of his own team. And once those introductions are done, this book is perfectly fine.

The trade focuses on the debut of the Society of Super-Villains. From the striking opening sequence where an undercover JLA-er barely escapes to the big showdown with the Shaggy Man, this is classic superhero action. I especially enjoyed Catwoman’s execution about halfway through the trade. I never believed it, but it was neat seeing how Johns’ got Selina out of trouble.

Like many of DC’s current trades, I found myself very tripped up by crossovers. Whole chapters of this trade are distracted by crossovers with other titles. The Justice League Trinity War gets some development and exposure, but absolutely no wrap up. (I guess I need to read a different trade for that?) This isn’t as disjointed as the Green Lantern trades, but it isn’t easy to follow either.

The actual team make-up is surprisingly effective. I found myself really rooting for Catwoman to get her due respect from her peers. I also really liked the everyman Vibe as he tried to prove that he was actually useful. I don’t know the old Vibe character at all, so seeing this new 52 version wasn’t jarring for me at all. And of course, I absolutely love that Johns has always written Martian Manhunter the right way. J’onn is powerful, protective, and intimidating all at the same time. Jeff Lemire does a nice job in the backups maintaining that portrayal.

I’m not a David Finch fan, so his chapters didn’t knock my socks off. He draws pretty ladies and handsome fellas, but most of the characters have pinched, childlike faces that don’t quite fit the character. That said, the art told the story clearly and set out the action nicely. I preferred Doug Mahnke’s chapters, those felt and looked a lot more like what I like from my DC comics.

Reading this for free, it is perfectly FAIR. I still miss my real DCU, and I guess I always will. However, I’ll continue reading this one from the library due to the strong characterization Johns always brings to his books. 

Arrow Season 2

Minor Spoilers ahead!

I made it! It was dang close, but I actually finished Season 2 before Season 3 started! Yes!

A lot of folks I know love Arrow, and every single one of them said the same thing when I finished watching Season 1: “Just wait. Season 2 is better.” I must have smart friends, because they were absolutely right.

I really enjoyed Season 1 of Arrow, but there were still a few things that bothered me. The casual way the vigilante took lives. The lack of a mask on most of the characters made the show seem afraid of its comic-book roots. The deliberate “Dark Knighting” of most powers to make them fit in to the real world rather than a fantastic one. And a big one: I can’t stand that they call him “the vigilante” or the “the hood.” I can happily tell you that each and every one of these concerns is directly addressed in Season 2.

One absolutely huge factor in my increased enjoyment in S2 is the introduction of (Black) Canary. Katie Cassidy improves a LOT in Season 2, I found myself much more invested in the Laurel Lance’s journey as a character as she dealt with the adversity in her life. But the introduction of Sara Lance, Laurel’s sister, really gives the show some momentum. Caity Lotz is small, but still sells all of her stunts and fighting extremely well. I guess she’s a former stuntwoman, which would explain why they actually show her doing the salmon ladder that so dominates most viewers’ thoughts while they watch this show. Canary’s costume looks almost exactly like the one from the comics, with only the fishnet lacking. My biggest concern for Season 3 is that I get more of Lotz as the Canary; I find her chemistry with most of the other principal characters to be very moving and her action scenes are thrilling.  

I can’t overstate how well Stephen Amell has improved between seasons. He is actually acting now, not reciting lines. Amell is so comfortable in the role; he is eminently believable as both Oliver Queen and as a costumed hero. He switches voices constantly, even using one voice while dressed like another. I love that he refers to himself in the third person. Amell doesn’t get most of the funny lines, but his tough guy talk and the physicality he brings to the role is tremendous. He moves his arms when he talks, even! I think Amell’s greatest acting is actually during the flashbacks on the island, where he has to be even more gradual and nuanced as he shows the maturation and toughening up of Ollie Queen into the hard man we met in the pilot.

Team Arrow? What can I say, but I love them. I’ve stated how much I love Canary, and believe it or not, I actually found Roy Harper tolerable by the end of the season. Harper has a bit of a “skill” jump towards the finale, but I’ll just assume he leveled up and put all his points in archery. Emily Bett Rickards’ Felicity is still the nerd boy’s dream, and her awkward attraction to Oliver gets some great development. Her jealously over Canary’s scars is certainly a character trait I didn’t expect. And that scene in the finale? An emotional killer, man. I think I actually voiced an “oh man” as I watched the scene play out! (Although I think it is essential to keep the will they/won’t they alive for as long as possible.)

I’m not going to spoil the fantastic developments with David Ramsey’s Diggle and his ex-wife Lyla (played by one of my favorites from The Unit; Audrey Marie Anderson). I’ll just say that people who enjoy teams with questionable morals and short life expectancies? You might want to check this out. Ramsey continues to share the best lines with Paul Blackthorne’s Officer Lance, and they trade off having the best lines in each episode.

Now for my favorite thing in the season. The villains. Deathstroke the Terminator/Slade Wilson is wonderful when brought to life by a scenery-chewing Manu Bennett. This guy LOVES being a villain, and it shows. He is awful, cruel, and dangerous. His meticulous plan is actually worse than the undertaking in Season 1. I hate to say that the reason for his revenge quest is a bit weak, but Bennett actually makes it not matter; that’s how super-charged his performance is. Bennett actually wears his Deathstroke gear, too!

I’m avoiding some huge spoilers involving other characters, but suffice to say I found myself genuinely moved by some of the plot choices and developments for Ollie Queen. This is a show that is reveling in its comic book roots. The guest-stars are allowed to stretch their wings and swing for the fences as both heroes and villains. The rapidly expanding DCU-TV is a delight for comic fans and I recommend it highly for anyone who likes action, buddy shows, or teen dramas. This GOOD show scratches all three boxes.

SPOILERS for those who still need to be sold on watching:

Some of the DCU developments: The Count, Bronze Tiger, Ra’s Al Ghul, Nissa Al Ghul, ARGUS, Amanda Waller, Shrapnel, Harley Quinn, Professor Ivo, Amazo, KGBeast, Clock King, the Flash, and the hinted-above SUICIDE SQUAD! And more! 

Green Arrow #35

This should tell you how Arrow-crazy I am right now. I’m desperate enough to give Andrew Kreisberg and Ben Sokolowski a chance to sell me on a new 52 title. This is the first issue from some of the writers of the hit CW show, and it shows. While I’ve read a few of the other new 52 trades for Green Arrow, none of them felt this much like the TV show.

Ollie carries himself just as he does in the show. Starling City is replaced by Seattle, but we still have Queen Consolidated (sometimes called Queen Industries?), the Glades, and Diggle. Has Diggle been in the comic for awhile now? I don’t remember seeing him in the older trades. The writers behind the show might be writing the same characters, but the voices aren’t exactly right. Diggle never sounds like himself, and the interaction between he and Ollie never has the same sense of camaraderie and loyalty found in the show. I’m sure the surprise appearance of another Arrow stalwart at the end of the issue will work itself out, but it is too bad that it has to.

This book is still firmly planted in the new 52. There is talk of a world of villains (the Forever Evil crossover, I believe) along with a very long conversation with Bruce Wayne and Lex Luthor. Reading it, the whole scene feels sort of weird. Bruce is awfully chummy with the longtime villain. I’ve seen enough covers to know that Lex Luthor recently joined the Justice League, but man, this feels weird.

There aren’t really too many hints of a long-standing plot yet. The book opens with Green Arrow taking out some thugs; he gets stitched up, and then has a short meeting with Lex and Bruce. There is something going on with Mia Dearden (I had to google her to remember who she was, that’s how out of the DC lore I am). Has Mia appeared in the new 52? Was she still Speedy?

Daniel Sampere’s art is OK, I guess. The characters don’t look a ton like their TV counterparts, but neither do they have a tremendously defined look for the comic either. I had a hard time in a few points during the conversation with Bruce and Ollie where I couldn’t tell them apart if their hair wasn’t visible. They both looked like angry young hunks.

So it wasn’t great, it wasn’t awful. It does feel a lot like the TV show, but not quite enough to get me to stick around. I think at this point, I want either a good “old” Green Arrow as I always knew him, or a good “CW” Arrow as a know him now. This FAIR new 52 version tries to split the difference.

Arrow Season 1

(MILD SPOILERS FOR SEASON 1 BELOW)

(I HAVE NOT SEEN SEASON 2, SO NO SPOILERS FOR ME, PLEASE!)

Many of my friends have been pressuring me to watch this show for months. I was avoiding it for a couple reasons. First of all, it is on the CW, and I don’t think I’ve ever watched a show on that network. Second of all, regular readers know I’m not too pleased with DC Comics these days. My interest in their monthly periodicals is at an all-time low, so I couldn’t see getting interested in a show featuring Green Arrow. Even worse, while I like Oliver Queen just fine, Connor Hawke has always been my preferred GA, so I didn’t think I’d be interested in the show at all.

It turns out; I do still like the DCU. A lot. From the obvious stuff; like Helena Bertinelli’s transformation into the Huntress. Or the near-constant comic book references (Ted Kord fundraisers, The Winick Building, etc.), this is a show made by folks who really know the comic book universe. There is still a little bit of comic book shame, of course. When presented with the name “Green Arrow,” Oliver Queen pronounces it “lame.” Instead, the series refers to him as The Hood. Count Vertigo and the Royal Flush gang are here, but in a made for TV way. Can’t get too silly now!

Show runner Marc Guggenheim has written some good comics, and boy, he’s making sure that this show proves that he knows his stuff. I could sit here and list characters, concepts, and settings from the comics, but honestly? For those of you who haven’t seen the show, I want you to see it yourselves.

Don’t get me wrong; this is still a CW show. Stephen Amell’s Oliver Queen seems to have one contractually obligated shirtless scene per episode. I’m not even kidding. The guy works out, gets chained up, and gets all sweaty at least once a week, often on an insane piece of workout equipment called a salmon ladder. I didn’t even know such a thing existed, but man, Amell does. Most of the workout scenes and many of the fights are clearly Amell himself, not a stuntman. Props where it is due, that guy is as dedicated to staying in shape as a real vigilante. Even better, by the end of season 1 he seems to be pretty comfortable in the Hood’s shoes.

I watch shows for the action, but I am a sucker for good romantic triangles and relationships. While Katie Cassidy isn’t great as Laurel Lance, she gets better as the season goes on. Interestingly, Lance’s character is at its strongest once she’s not spending every week being grumpy with Oliver Queen. By the time Colin Donnell’s Tommy Merlyn makes the situation a true romantic triangle, I found myself interested in the outcome.

One fascinating thing about the show is the split of characters and worlds. The Hood is doing the vigilante thing with the help of some supporting characters (no spoilers). Meanwhile, Laurel, her Dad Detective Lance, and Tommy, along with the Queen family (sister Thea, father Walter, and mother Moira) are making Ollie Queen’s life complicated in a more CW kind of way. (Did I mention that Thea’s nickname is “Speedy?” Worth noting?) Almost the entire cast starts the season a bit wooden, with the show really feeling cheap and teen-soapy. That changes as the season goes on. As the characters really dig into their roles, things get a lot stronger (in both plot and acting).

In particular, David Ramsey as Oliver Queen’s bodyguard Diggle (get the reference?) is a delight as he gets to know Oliver as the season wears on. Ramsey has a great rapport with Amell. Their interaction lends a great buddy-movie quality to the proceedings as Diggle becomes a near-Alfred type buddy for Green Arrow. He’s the rare television invention that I would love to see in the comics.

The special effects vary wildly from episode to episode. If there is a motorcycle or car chase, you can guarantee that people are wearing helmets or keeping their faces out of the frame. Sometimes the explosions look a bit too CGI. At other times, the explosions and gunfire look very realistic. From episode 1 on, the effects of the Hood’s bow are top notch. The bowstring snaps like a gunshot and the darting arrows zip through the air in convincing fashion.

This is not fine television. This isn’t The Wire or even LOST. But it is a fun, pulpy super-hero show that remembers its roots while serving a modern TV audience. This show is GOOD!

SPOILERS BELOW:

I haven’t gone into detail, but man, I am very, very excited to see more Manu Bennett as Slade Wilson/Deathstroke the Terminator. I’m confident I’ll see Deathstroke in Season 2! 

Green Arrow v4: The Kill Machine TPB

Why, oh why, does every single hero need to be a part of a secret conspiracy? Wasn’t it good enough that Oliver Queen learned to shoot a bow fighting pirates on some crazy island? I guess not, because Jeff Lemire spends this entire trade building up a complicated backstory devoted to giving a vigilante with a bow a deeper meaning.

It seems that Oliver Queen’s dad was really a devotee of a secret cult of weapons masters. These “Outsiders” are each named by a totem weapon, and they have secretly guided the world for centuries. The elder Queen gave up on Oliver when he didn’t show an aptitude for the bow, replacing him with an apprentice who has stuck around to endanger our hero now.

I can’t stand it when characters are suddenly revealed to be one in a long-standing line of legacy characters. In my opinion, it just makes the current lead less unique (Marvel is doing the same with Black Knight these days).

You know I can’t get through a DC review without complaining about the “reimagined” versions of characters I used to enjoy. This time, in addition to Green Arrow himself, we have new/bad versions of Count Vertigo, who has given up the spandex and looks ready for a TV movie. Richard Dragon, formerly a butt-kicking hero, is now a criminal with an entirely different look and motivation. Butcher is one of the aforementioned “Outsiders” the master of the axe or some such. The only character to make it through mostly unscathed is Shaddo. She seems to have retained the look and powers that made her an interesting character in older GA stories.

Andrea Sorrentino’s art has one big thing going for it: it doesn’t look like every other book in the new 52. It’s got almost an Alex Maleev vibe going on, a grittiness that really sells Green Arrow as being in his own corner of the DCU. Too bad that every single issue includes one character or another saying “Should we call the Justice League? Nah, let’s let GA handle it himself.” So basically, the dangerous situation only exists because no one feels like giving Martian Manhunter a call.

Sorrentino’s down-to-Earth style does keep the look grounded, but that actually hurts when dealing with more historically flamboyant characters like Count Vertigo. Without his cape and spandex, he just seems like a boring version of his old self.

This might be an OK comic if the reader has no experience with Green Arrow. But this is an EVIL comic if you have the option of going back and reading stories that are actually good. 

Batman & Superman vs. Vampires & Werewolves

Guys, I'm not going to give you a hard sell on this book. Let's face it, this is the type of comic that you've got some sort of opinion in mind as soon as you read the title. You either think "this could be glorious" or "what a stupid idea." Let me tell you where I fit in.

Kevin VanHook isn't a fantastic writer, he doesn't do anything wonderful or new with the medium, but he writes one hell of a fun story. Superman, Batman, Green Arrow, Nightwing, Wonder Woman, and the Demon all get a chance to face down some pretty disgusting mosters. There are vampires, werewolves, and Lovecraftian beasties galore. I did like seeing that Batman's "no-kill" rule doesn't extend to the undead.

VanHook has some plot to give all this a purpose, but it is all just window dressing to give the villain (Dr. Coombs) a nice origin and motivation. Really, that's his name. I think VanHook knows his audience.

Tom Mandrake is one of the best horror artists in the business, but people forget how good he is at drawing heroes. He does a fantastic job on both in this.

Good

Brightest Day #9

Now how am I supposed to drop this comic when there is one good issue after every bad one? After being bored out of my skull last time, this issue was actually sort of interesting. Again, when Martian Manhunter takes center stage, I'm a lot more forgiving, but I'm just more invested in his story. I love the idea that he's been brought back to life to destroy his rebuilding project on Mars. I also wonder if part of J'onn's return is tied to killing this other green Martian. With some of the easy (or at least easy to understand) missions some of the returned characters have gotten, I think that J'onn has the hardest. What the heck is he supposed to be doing?

Putting Deadman and Dove with Aquaman and Mera immediately makes that both aspects of the story more interesting. Neither thread seemed "worth" getting so much page time, even though Deadman is paving the way for a mysterious White Lantern. I like the idea that these heroes are all heralds for something or someone else. And we all agree on the right person to be the big return, right? That's right, it has to be Ted Kord. Anything else would be a disappointment.

The art is pretty solid throughout, although Green Arrow looks a tad troll-like at times.

Good

Justice League America #43

Hmm, it could be that DC is taking over my top spot. James Robinson redeems one of his recent mistakes in this issue when he shows us that Blue Jay is still alive. See? The story works just as well when you don't kill the characters, see James? Heh.

Anyway, the triumphant new lineup didn't last long did it? Everyone's already gone! Hal and Barry shoot off to deal with the rogue Green Arrow. Starfire flies off to find join the REBELS. It sounds like Cyborg is going to be in Rise of Arsenal, I guess. Mon-El is too busy with Superman crossovers to stay around. So at least for now, Nightbats, Donna Troy, Congorilla, and Starman are the whole league. Why the heck can't this group keep a lineup? I like seeing the team take on some classic baddies like Hellgrammite, but I do wish I knew if Plastique was a full on baddy or not now.

I did like Red Tornado and Green Arrow's scene together. Do the two of them have much of a history? Have they been buds? That might be a fun thing to explore.

I like Mark Bagley's DCU. It looks... right. He's fitting in quite nicely.

Good

Blackest Night #8

BIG TIME SPOILERS BELOW.

This really is a triumph for DC comics. In the event era, Blackest Night is going to be hard to top in terms of quality, impact, and storytelling. It dragged on a bit long, but as a collected story? This thing is going to entertain the hell out of readers for a long time.
We pick up with White Lantern Sinestro going toe-to-toe with Nekron, and we find out that Nekron's physical body doesn't matter too much, he can basically hop from host to host as needed. The combined Lantern Corps are doing a decent job holding off the hordes of undead, but even so, the double splash page with the arrival of the rest of the corps and DCU? That was downright stupefying. I honestly can't imagine how long it took Ivan Reis to draw that page, the detail, the number of characters. Just a shocking, inspiring page. The next reveal is a kicker too, Hal Jordan, Barry Allen, Superman, and the rest of the resurrected heroes that were mostly morphed into Black Lanterns? WHITE LANTERNS, BABY! Their desire for life is what brought them back, and here they come all powered up to lay it on Nekron. I love the "comic-book" way to defeat Nekron too, using the white light of life, they must break Nekron's connection to Black Hand. To do that, Black Hand must LIVE.

And you know what that means. That means that after dealing with Nekron, a handful of DCU characters come back from the grave to rejoin the living. Most importantly, Martian Manhunter comes back in some stylin' new duds. But I was also tremendously pleased to see HawkWOMAN come back with Hawkman. That's my favorite pairing of the characters, yee-haw! Aquaman and Mera will be the royalty of the DCU. Hawk is back to fight and argue with the souped up Dove. Max Lord is back to scheme and plot. Reverse Flash is back to torment Barry Allen. Jade is back to complicate Kyle Rayner's lovelife. Captain Boomerang is here to replace his son's spot with the Rogues (who was only a placeholder after all). Firestorm is back and he's finally a mix of Ronnie Raymond and Jason Rusch (that could be awkward). And weirdest of all, Deadman and Osiris are back too, although I predict they won't last.

What's so impressive about all these returns is how Geoff Johns and the other DC writers sort of cleared the spots for these characters to come back. The new Hawk was cleared away. Captain Boomerang II just got taken out last month. Everything is set for these guys to fit back into their old roles. I just want to know where Ralph and Sue Dibney are?

Ivan Reis deserves a round of applause. That tremendous splash page. The double fold out page returning this classic crew of folks to the DCU. His new uniform tweak for Martian Manhunter. The modern looks for the Hawks and Firestorm. This guy did a fantastic job throughout this series and he's got a lot to be proud of.

It makes me happy that comics can still get me this excited.

Excellent

Justice League: Rise & Fall Special #1

This really wasn't too bad. I've been pretty open about my mocking of the whole Cry for Justice debacle, but the arc spinning out of it has some potential. Green Arrow has been a hunter of men before, so I'm ok with this regression, especially if it is temporary.

It does weird me out a tad to see the Shade playing such a prominent role, but I guess this was James Robinson's baby, so it makes sense that one of his favorites would be the guy giving the Justice League the big reveal. J.T. Krul wrote this episode though, and I like how he avoided needless killing. Electrocutioner and Razer aren't the coolest villains in the DCU, but there's no need to go crazy and continue the killing. I also like that Green Arrow escaped by using Prometheus' interdimensional key. That crooked tower HQ could make a pretty good base of operations for a rogue hero.

I will also note that I really liked how Krul wrote Wally West and Dick Grayson. I don't want the DCU to forget about Wally.

The art is inconsistent, but that's not surprising considering there are three pencillers listed. Mike Mayhew draws pretty ladies, but the characters poses look a tad stiff. I do like his facial expressions though. Diogenes Neves' art was nice, but Fabrizio Fiorentino looked rushed. His stuff isn't usually this scratchy.

Fair

Justice League: Cry for Justice #7

So why wasn't this a Green Arrow limited series? There is no real reason for anyone except Team Arrow to be featured in this farce, and yet the entire DCU (including the Sea Devils) gets all wrapped up in a blunder like I've never seen. I'll tell you what, the DCU might want to think about registering their heroes since they made a colossal error like this. Prometheus beat every single hero in the DCU. He outsmarted them, he outprepared them, and he sealed the deal. Forget about Green Arrow planting an arrow in the guy's head, this has got to be a sobering moment for the legions of heroes who got burned.

And of course, Lian Harper got killed in the destruction. At least DC had the good sense not to show the body, it actually shocks me that they passed up the chance to show Green Arrow cradling a dead kid more clearly, but maybe I'm selling them short.

I'm honestly just stunned at this story. The heroes never accomplished anything. The new Justice League team never needed to split off, get new members, hell, they never needed to exist at all. Vixen, Black Canary, Firestorm, and more are still active on the team through this whole thing! I've got to think there was a massive disconnect between the original idea for this book and what we actually read. I mean, there is no way James Robinson of Starman fame plotted this thing out to work like this, right?

The art is remarkably consistent considering three artists all worked on this. I just can't take the story as seriously as the art would ask me to.

I mean, the whole idea about other dimensional banishment of the DCU cities? Oh yeah, that didn't work. Sorry! Guess we wasted a few pages, huh? Why did Congorilla's family get killed? Why did Batwoman show up? Why are we still seeing new players like Mia and Bulleteer this late in the book? So much of this story didn't need to happen, I just don't get it.

Poor

Black Lantern: Green Arrow #30

A friend of mine recommended I pick up this issue and I'm glad I did. I do like seeing the POV of the heroes possessed by the black lantern rings. (I do wish, of course, that we'd get a Martian Manhunter feature, but I'll probably be waiting a long time).

What makes this work so well is that J.T. Krul uses GA's possession as an excuse to have Ollie comment on the important people in his life. Krul is really impressing me on the books he has written lately because he really seems to have a nice handle on what makes these characters tick. There is a great sequence where Connor Hawke and Mia face down the possessed GA and I loved seeing how the two reacted. Mia is quicker to resort to using GA as a pincushion while Connor holds back a bit longer. He is a pacifist after all. I'm hoping Krul undoes the stupid Sivana-clone crap with Connor (Krul is taking over GA, right?) For those that don't know, Judd Winick wrote a story where Connor's DNA was spliced with Plastic Man's that somehow gave him a healing factor. It also made him forget how to use a bow and started him eating meat. So basically, it totally ruined the unique character Chuck Dixon created in Connor back in the 90's. Perhaps DC is about to retcon all these unnecessary changes.

Back to this issue. I also like how easy it is for the possessed GA to get under Black Canary's skin. Let's face it, GA has made some awful choices in his personal life, so many that I honestly find him a bit hard to cheer for most of the time. But Canary clearly sees the best in him so it is really rough watching GA punish her for that unwavering loyalty. It's a strong issue that I hope is a precursor of things to come.

Diogenes Neves has a pretty painted style that works pretty well with the action but tends to look better as static images rather than a story. There is some weird body posture at times too. He reminds me of Guillem March in a lot of ways, drawing pretty pictures and especially pretty ladies, but everything looks just a tad disconnected.

Good

Justice League of America #42

I've been trying to figure out why I enjoyed this issue so much more than James Robinson's first few on this title. I think it boils down to two things: smiling heroes and a sense of the unknown.

Other than a few gloomy pages featuring Green Arrow, most of the heroes in this thing seem to be enjoying themselves. Even though their (confusing) thought boxes make everyone seem sadder, the art has all the heroes taking some satisfaction in taking out Superman villain-Atlas.

The other thing I'm really digging is that I don't know where all this is going. I know the New Gods pretty well at this point, well enough to recognize alternate versions of Orion, Barda, and the rest this issue, but I have no idea who any of these other villains are besides Dr. Impossible. I've never seen these particular heroes work together. I've never seen Hal Jordan taking orders from Night-Bats. I love how Black Canary is still hanging around, awkward situation and all (she led the now-defunct version of the team during Blackest Night.)

And best of all, Josiah Power of Power Company gets to make a cameo, tying this in nicely to the DCU, but also, Power survives his appearance. So maybe Robinson isn't quite as quick to kill those little bits of DC trivia as he used to.

Mark Bagley keeps things nice and bright. I love how this wide variety of characters retain their own looks but everyone is raised to an iconic look, as befits the JLA.

Good

Justice League of America #41

James Robinson is finally getting the team he wants. It took long enough but the work he did with the scrubs over the last few issues was strong enough that I think he at least deserves a chance to impress me now that he's got his real team coming in. It's annoying that we don't exactly know how Cry for Justice ends, since it is supposed to have such an important role in where all these characters find themselves. It seems he caused another huge catastrophe to hit Star City, so that's probably what has Green Arrow so wound up that the League will be hunting him down after a few months. In any case, after the drama of Cry and Blackest Night, a lot of the heroes are hurting. Wonder Woman and Hal Jordan see this as an opportunity to bring in a slew of old heroes like the Guardian and Dr. Light, and as a great chance to promote some Titans like NightBats, Cyborg, Donna Troy and Starfire onto the team. I'm not pleased that Donna Troy is quite so upset that she's pretending she won't help people as a super-hero, but I guess I'm ok since her time "sitting out" is non-existent. I think there is a lot of potential in this lineup. There isn't a huge amount of action here, it is mostly team-building. But I'm hopeful.

Mark Bagley is a perfect fit for the core title in the DCU. The heroes look bright and shiny, as they should. Mon-El actually looks like he is having fun. Even the dour heroes like Donna Troy look impressive. I will say I'm not a fan of the new Cyborg design. Too robot-y for me.

Fair

A Peek at DC's March 2010 Solicits!

SPOILERS away!

Here we go again! There's a lot of interesting stuff from the big two this month. DC is up first, as always. I'm getting very worried about Green Arrow. It looks like he's getting some spotlight in the upcoming months, which is usually a bad sign for both the spotlighted character and his or her supporting cast. I'll go on record now that I'm worried Black Canary might not survive February.

With Blackest Night wrapping up in March, we don't know much about the "post-" status of the DCU, but it certainly seems very similar to what has been happening for the last few months. (That is, no announcement about my dream book: Peter Tomasi writing a Martian Manhunter ongoing.)

Here's a link to my full write up at ComicsPlusBlog.

Justice League: Cry for Justice #5

Note: While striking, the cover does not accurately represent this comic.
Wow. James Robinson sure is out for blood in this thing. I'm still amazed that the artist I loved back in the 90s is so quick to kill and maim these days. He had the proclivity to do this type of thing back in the Starman days, back when he killed his version of the Justice League Europe, but with his modern work the killing is a lot more constant. I'd say we're getting about a death an issue. The deaths aren't major or important characters, but Robinson is awfully quick to take these folks off the table. I wonder how he'd feel if someone had Hope O'Dare get atomized by Eclipso to show how important and kewl their new story was?

This issue has the many sub-teams of heroes finally meeting on the JLA satellite to discuss their efforts in finding Prometheus. Animal Man, Congorilla, Mikaal, and some Titans show up there, as do Hal, Ollie, Supergirl and Captain Marvel Jr. Black Canary and her loser league have been chilling out on the satellite all this time, waiting for the others to come home so they could yell at them. At least that's what it feels like. Black Canary wastes no time in dressing down Ollie with the others standing around... it's like watching Mom and Dad fight! It's a weird scene, and I can't help but worry that Robinson is leading up to killing off BC.

It's interesting, because Robinson clearly has researched these characters, he knows about the Justice League of Aliens, he knows about the Forgotten Heroes, so he knows his stuff. But it seems he prefers to kill off these hidden parts of the DCU rather than use them. This issue's death is Endless Winter, who I believe was introduced in a JSA Classified story. Her death is pretty boring though, just a small cranial explosion. The gore-winner for the issue is Arsenal/Red Arrow/Speedy stumbling around with his right arm ripped off. Hey kids, comics! It looks like CM JR is bad, or possessed, or something, since he's taken out Congorilla and Flash at the close of the issue. If that's right, that will be 3 characters mangled beyond re-use this issue, tying the record held in the premiere issue. Heck, at least Mikaal and Congorilla have decided to just arrest Prometheus, maybe some heroes will remember not to kill their opponents.

Mauro Cascioli draws pretty people. He certainly uses every opportunity to draw Starfire, Donna Troy, or Supergirl showing off their goods. His guys are built too, but I can't help but think he digs drawing these ladies more. There are some very odd storytelling choices in this. Endless Winter's capture is oddly presented, and what is up with that insert shot of Guardian when Ollie makes his speech about avenging Red Arrow? This book is still a mess. I'm reading it more to keep up with the destruction of the DCU more than any desire to see what the characters are actually doing.

Average

Blackest Night #5

Ok, we've got some plot movement! Blackest Night is clearly a GL story; I opened up this issue and was immediately confused on how the rainbow corps got together. So I closed the book and moved GL 48 to the top of my stack and everything became clear. This issue picks up with Barry Allen taking on Nekron, Scar, and the Black Hand. There are some great moments as Barry is in rough shape, outnumbered and outmatched, but Wally West arrives and lends a hand immediately. I dug Barry's acceptance of Wally as an equivalent Flash too, I'm starting to believe "my" Flash won't be totally sidelined after Blackest Night. Green Arrow, Black Canary, Superman, Wonder Woman, and the Teen Titans arrive shortly after Wally does in a nice splash page. Along with Fire and Ice. Hoo boy, I don't like Fire or Ice's odds of making it out of this alive; they have fodder written on their foreheads.

Back in NYC, the JSA is still facing down Jean Loring and the slew of dead villains from the last few issues. There's an odd scene where Jean grabs the Atom and Mera and shrinks them all down into Atom Smasher's Black Lantern ring. I have no idea where this is going. I'm curious if this subplot will end up being important...

The Rainbow Corps arrives with some witty banter between Hal and Barry, as expected. There are numerous bits of dialogue and plot that pick up directly from GL #48; it would be impossible to read these separately. Black Hand gets nasty when he resurrects a Black Lantern Batman, although Bruce Wayne's name is in quotes, so I don't think it is the real guy. However, BH uses the emotional tie the heroes feel for Bruce to send black rings out to a ton of the heroes resurrected in recent years. Superman, Wonder Woman, Green Arrow, Ice, Impulse, and more are immediately turned, with rings flying after Hal and Barry too. Things could get mighty ugly very quickly, there aren't going to be any headliners left to lead the good guys! After a slower previous issue, things were flying along again here. Johns knows what he's doing.

Ivan Reis draws great gristle. These zombies look horrific. His post-transformation Scar is spooky too, she goes from creepy to full on scary very quickly, wrapping her tongue around Wally's throat. Gross!

Good

One final thought: Where's my Martian Manhunter?????

Justice League: Cry for Justice #4

This issue was markedly less bad than the 3 preceding it. It wasn't great by any means, but it wasn't awful either. James Robinson's League is actually starting to be an interesting comic now that he's breaking up the love fest between Green Lantern and Green Arrow. With Green Arrow starting to break off from the insane torturing of Ray Palmer, I find myself liking GA best of the core players in this series. Robinson had stated that this series would give us a personality for Ray Palmer, but I think that might actually be a bad thing. I hate Ray Palmer. He lashes out at GA saying "we may have been teammates but we were never friends." C'mon, why all the hate, Ray? Robinson is also spending a little time fleshing out Supergirl and Shazam. While I'm not keen on Supergirl being all head-over-heels for Shazam, I do like the idea of the two junior team members gravitating towards each other.

Mikaal Tomas and Congorilla get a little face time here too as they atomize two low-level villains. If Robinson keeps up this pace, I don't think there will be too many characters left in the DCU by the time this series is over. The body count in this series is ridiculous and unnecessary. I'm intrigued to see Jay Garrick playing such a big role in this story. I wonder if there is any chance that Garrick is the Flash that Robinson will use in his upcoming JLA run?

The painted art by Mauro Cascioli is striking once again. He definitely seem to enjoy drawing Supergirl's chest (and he also gives Miss Martian a little upskirt shot) but overall the art is dramatic. I might argue too dramatic and important-feeling for a JLA story, but he's not bad.

Average

DC Comics' December 2009 Solicits

There's a fair amount of intriguing books from DC in December. Here's my ongoing feature at Comicsplusblog taking a peek.

Here's the Newsarama complete solicits for December.

Let me know what you think!

Justice League of America #173 & 174 (1980)

I never realized how much of a jerk Flash turned into after Iris Allen died back in the 80s. It turns out that instead of Green Lantern and Green Arrow butting heads non-stop, it seems GA and the Flash had their share of problems too. It was an interesting time, since the rest of the league kind of just watches Barry Allen mope and complain, hoping that he eventually cheers up. I've never read Gerry Conway's satellite JLA run, and I'm finding it interesting and fun.

The main plot of these two issues consist of Green Arrow nominating Black Lightning for membership in the League. Black Lightning is a lot cooler here than I remember, using his powers to kick butt and I really liked the way Jefferson Pierce is balancing his two lives. He had a much more Spider-Man feel than I'm used to with the character. There is a great scene where BL has to duck away from the cops so he can try to get a few hours of sleep before teaching classes the next morning. Of course, he doesn't succeed.

Issue 173 has the League dressing up as loser villains to test BL's abilities. After he proves worthy, BL decides to just stay on his own. 174 is more action packed as the League goes up against the Regulator and his horde of giant vermin that are overrunning the city. I appreciate that the Regulator's long-term plan is to have his vermin escape Metropolis and start breeding, eventually wiping out mankind. That's some good long-term planning!

The art is by Dick Dillin, the classic JLA artist. Everyone looks exactly right (although Zatanna's costume is awful).

Good (in a cheesy, 80s kind of way)