Convergence: Justice League International #1

Zero Hour vs. Kingdom Come!

You know the core plot of Convergence, Tellos’ ridiculous contest of champions, is starting to grate on me when it brings down a book like this. Let me put this out there, I LOVE the JLI. The International lineup is what brought me into the DCU as a reader. Invasion was my doorway. For me, Blue Beetle, Martian Manhunter, Fire & Ice, and Booster Gold are the pillars of the DCU. So seeing them back, even for just a few pages. Heaven.

Things have changed after a year in dome for Metropolis. Blue Beetle has taken over leadership of the JLI, which now consists of Martian Manhunter, Fire, Ice, Captain Atom, and Red Tornado. Everyone but Tornado has lost their powers, leaving Beetle as the experienced hand to lead the group through their exile. In addition to his professional success, Beetle got the girl too, as it turns out that Fire is now his girlfriend too. I’m not sold on Martian Manhunter’s unease at the JLI’s methods; I like to think of him as a bit more supportive than we see here. I also couldn’t help but notice that Captain Atom pretty much does nothing. I can’t remember a single line of meaningful dialogue, and without his distinctive metal look, he’s pretty forgettable.

Can you imagine how this would work if Ron Marz could just write this book with its own story? The opening sequence where the team takes on Metallo was the sort of generic superhero mayhem that I love. Most characters got a line or two of dialogue and a great action moment or two. That’s followed up by some interesting interaction as we see how the team is making things work in the dome.

Like the other Convergence titles, things go off the rails when Tellos shows up. Not only do the Kingdom Come characters appear as simple villains, but the conflict also derails the established interactions and enjoyable status quo for the JLI. Of the two, I’m more upset seeing the fantastic Kingdom Come incarnations of these characters reduced to generic antagonists. Wonder Woman and the rest of her league deserve better. I’m still rooting for the JLI, but it should be tougher to make the choice. Marz just doesn’t have the space to make the conflict more nuanced.

Mike Manley’s art is a fantastic throwback to my beloved 90’s JLI. Blue Beetle looks wonderful, Fire and Ice look like ‘80s holdovers, just like they are supposed to. Best of all, Martian Manhunter looks imposing, wise, and powerful.

This is a GOOD comic. I’ve got to think that if these characters could benefit from a marketing push like the one that the New 52 got that people would be invested in these characters more than the generic versions in DC’s monthly output. In any case, I’ll take this while I can get it! 

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. 

Aquaman #36

Never underestimate the power of a good guest-star. My feelings on the new 52 are old news at this point, but I still found myself excited at the prospect of a Martian Manhunter vs. Aquaman throw down when this cover was solicited. After some positive reviews from my local comic store, I decided to drop a few bucks and see how Aquaman is doing these days.

Color me surprised! Jeff Parker is one of my favorite writers, so I had high hopes for his take on the character. He doesn’t disappoint, with a proactive, intelligent Aquaman with lots of allies and a lot of help working on Atlantis’ current problems. The last I saw Martian Manhunter, he was on the outs with the league, but things certainly seem like they are totally fine here. J’onn is trying to help Aquaman figure out what happened to his mother on the night of her death. Unsurprisingly, things are not as Aquaman believed. Seeing an eventual battle between the two heroes was probably inevitable.

What makes me the happiest here is that I don’t need to worry about the new 52 continuity at all. Tula is here as an Atlantean guard. Mera is still the supportive partner/equal that she’s been the whole time. I don’t have to pretend that Martian Manhunter isn’t meeting Aquaman for the first time. Believe it or not, that goes a LONG way for me to be able to enjoy these comics. I simply cannot re-read origins and “first meetings” over and over again as DC editorial tries to figure out what happened and what didn’t.

Man, seeing Paul Pelletier’s fantastic art really drives home how much I’m missing in the DCU. A lot of the creators are folks whose work I really like! The dang continuity and ever-present dour tone are keeping me away from comics I normally would have bought!

Pelletier’s Martian Manhunter is pretty awesome, but I sort of wish I could see the “real” take on the character; you know he’d look even better. I haven’t seen Mera’s powers used to make a giant, hard-water proxy before, but man, that is one incredible looking page. Very nice stuff.

So. Amazingly enough, I think this GOOD comic is going to have me buying Aquaman. At least until I have to pretend that I don’t know who someone is in the new 52. 

Justice League: The Nail TPB

Wow. I forgot how much I absolutely love this series. Alan Davis might be my #1 favorite comic artist (certainly top 5), but man, I love his writing too. He hits all the necessary beats in a good Justice League story, and even more impressive, he does it without Superman.

In this world, a nail in the Kent's tire keeps them from adopting young Kal-El, which means the world develops very differently. We still have a Justice League, but here it is Hal Jordan, Batman, Wonder Woman, Barry Allen/Flash, Martian Manhunter, Hawkgirl, and the Atom. Just including the Manhunter guarantees I’ll like it, but Davis gives him such a great depth of character and emotion, it reminds me of the beloved DC New Frontier.

This book does have some deaths. As an Elseworlds, that was sort of a staple in the mid-90s for an alternate reality. The great part is that the deaths always mean something. Hawkgirl is constantly drawing strength from Hawkman’s sacrifice, and Batman gets some extra motivation (and a new partner) from the developments here too.

The series does suffer a bit from Davis’ clear desire to draw as many DC characters as possible. But do you blame him that he wanted to draw Ultraa the Ultra Alien and found any excuse to do so? We also get the whole Green Lantern Corps!!! I also have to appreciate the use of a great 90’s era Superman villain as the big bad too. The reasoning is sound, and this guy was a major antagonist in the triangle Superman era.

Reading a book like reminds me how much I used to absolutely adore the DCU. I think it is time to break out some more Justice League minis! Alan Davis and his comics are GOOD! (Actually, they are EXCELLENT!)

Back Issue Review: JLA Classified #10-15 (2005)

Now THIS is the Justice League! Confident, friendly, and super-powerful, this is what drew me to the DCU in the first place.

I’m sure I skipped this because of Warren Ellis’ habit of mean-spirited protagonists. I bet I didn’t want to see the JLA done that way. BUT, I must have forgotten how well Ellis can do straight-up super heroics too. There are some small hints of the too-cool-for-school heroes in the first two chapters of this arc, but after that? It’s the Justice League kicking butt and expressing cool confidence in their work.

The plot follows a story that drives people mad through an ancient creation that is meant to bring the devil into the world. Martian Manhunter’s people had stories of it, and the JLA is very concerned when it starts killing folks on Earth. Sure enough, the devil arrives, and he does have an issue or two where he knocks the JLA around pretty good. But you know it couldn’t last. Every single person on the team overcomes their personal obstacles. Either through intelligence (most of the League) or just good-hearted stubbornness (Kyle Rayner). (As an aside, stories like THIS are how Kyle Rayner became my favorite GL.)

The League is the big seven plus Oracle, and man, did I love Oracle in this role. She and Martian Manhunter have great roles as the coordinators of the league. It’s clear that Ellis has some affection for the character too; she’s pretty important. I’m not sure that Ellis loves Wally West or Kyle Rayner as much, but they get some cool stuff even with less page time.

The art by Butch Guice is a lot of fun too. Guice never seems comfortable with Kyle Rayner, though. He’s got some kind of armor that he wears through the whole arc. I’m not sure if that was a costuming choice or there is a story reason, but it was a bit off from Kyle’s regular look. Martian Manhunter looks a bit spookier than some artists draw him, but he looks cool in any case. Of course, Batman looks the best. That dark, tactical costume works really nicely with Guice’s style. The coloring sells the alien pages, too. They have a nice, Underworld Unleashed-style glow.

Good

Green Lantern Corps #5

Can someone make a call so that Martian Manhunter can be transferred over to this title? Peter Tomasi clearly likes the big lug, and it doesn't seem that J'onn had any sort of real role over in Stormwatch. Even giving him a ring wouldn't make him that much more powerful, and at this point, I think the Manhunter is a better fit on this team.

As for this issue, I really enjoyed Tomasi's use of the hardened vets in the Mean Machine. The long history of the corps is perfect for pulling out whatever type of vet is necessary, so rather than question why I haven't seen these guys before, I'm just happy to see more background roles fill up. I do think that at least two of those guys will die next issue, just because their creased, experienced faces all look too much alike. Gotta thin the herd a bit to make them stand out.

Tomasi is also doing a nice job giving his new featured lanterns a bit of spotlight. I like Sheriff, and Hannu always steals every scene he's in. Brik is a great carryover from the olden days too. Perhaps this will be a new Mean Machine?

And man, will the Guardians ever stop screwing people over? Once again, the Keepers and their fairly justifiable revenge are tied into sins committed by those blue jerks, and I can't say I'm surprised. It's a little too late to build up a lot of quality hate for the leader of the Keepers, but if he keeps torturing John Stewart, he'll be off to a good start.

So I'm not sure, but I guess Fernando Pasarin based the Mean Machine members on old action stars? Is it Charles Bronson and Lee Marvin there, or am I searching too hard? I'm not complaining, as I said, the corps is the perfect place for any stock cop-types.


Good

Stormwatch #3

And it's time for month #3 of the DCnU. It's amusing to me that three months in, I can't even really decide if I'm enjoying most of the new books or not. Some are hits, some are not, and some are in the middle. Stormwatch is definitely a title I was really excited about, but now that it has arrived, it is only OK.

My biggest problem is this: can my affection for the Martian Manhunter make me pick up a book I probably wouldn't buy otherwise? Paul Cornell does a good job with J'onn; he's powerful and smart, and actually should be in the hunt to lead the team. But there are a whole lot of pages dedicated to the rest of this pretty large cast, and not many of them strike my fancy. As long as Midnighter is rocking that ridiculous spike-beard, I can't take him seriously. T-shirt-wearing Apollo feels too much like Action Comics Superman. I like Harry Tanner, but only if he's going to be a villain (that sure seems to be the way he's acting). Hawksmoor, Jenny Quantum and the rest are suffering the same as J'onn, sort of shunted to smaller appearances. (I did find the whole idea of city-avatars intriguing. That's certainly new!)

So three issues in, I'm more excited to read this comic hoping for more Manhunter pages that I probably just need to admit won't be coming. It's not a bad comic, but it's not what I hoped for, either.

Miguel Sepulveda's art is starting to look more and more photo-referenced. There were numerous backgrounds in this one that looked like they were drawn over a digital picture to give the panels background. It's not bad, but again, not exactly my style.

Average

Stormwatch #1

Let me lay it out simply. This book needs more Martian Manhunter.

J’onn is one of my favorite characters. Probably my favorite in the DCU, so seeing him get so small a part in what is clearly an ensemble books is going to be tough to take. Paul Cornell is trying his best to give enough screen time to his large cast, but I’m afraid the Manhunter suffers for it. (I will say I love the reveal with J’onn on both the League and Stormwatch.)

Cornell packs this book full of ideas. We’ve got new characters like Adam, the Projectionist, and the Eminence of Blades. The Moon attacking the Earth. Tons of returning Wildstorm folks like Apollo, Midnighter, Hawksmoor, and the Engineer. Cornell even pulls in old concepts like the Century Babies. I mean, this thing is chock full of mad concepts and ideas. I’m intrigued to see what happens with the insane horn in the mountains. I want to know why Projectionist is so keen to impress the Manhunter. I can’t believe I’m saying this, but this book is almost TOO compressed!

Miguel Sepulveda’s art is ok. I don’t like the Manhunter’s design, but he does a better job with Apollo and Midnighter. I like the addition of the tire treads on Hawksmoor’s hands too. The Eminence of Blades has potential, he’s got to be Cornell’s favorite on the team.

Verdict: I’m in for the next few issues at least.

Good

DC Retroactive: Justice League of America 1990's

How many times can I say that I absolutely adore Keith Giffen and JM DeMatteis’ Justice League? Factor in the impeccable art from Kevin Maguire, and it would have to be one bad issue to turn this sour on me.

And this is a good issue. The puns, the faces, the fantastically-detailed artwork, everything I need in a JLI-era book is here. I mean, I almost gasped at how pretty that first page with Mr. Miracle is; I mean, this book is a joke, but it looks absolutely stunning. (I’m thrilled that Power Girl makes an appearance too, she may have been on the European team, but she fits in better here.)

It’s a wonderful goodbye to the best era of the Justice League I’ve ever read. And seeing Ted Kord one last time before he’s erased was bittersweet too. The creative team plays that up with the majestic flying into the sunset close, but I can’t blame them. There must be some part of them that realizes this was last call for an era too.

This creative team got me interested in the DCU. Seeing them work their magic one last time and so perfectly re-create that environment of fun and danger? That’s a priceless comic.

Excellent

DC RetroActive: Justice League of America '80s

What a fun little comic. I suppose it is an easy thing to look back on an era of the JLA where the team doesn't quite measure up and make that the point of the story. The whole idea works even better when the reader knows how sadly the story is going to end for some of the team.

Gerry Conway does a great job with some of the old Leaguers, giving them time to shine and really showing the characters in just a few pages. I know nothing of Hank Heywood, Steel II, but he sure seems like an interesting hothead in this one. I loved seeing him butt heads with Aquaman. Martian Manhunter and Elongated Man don't have a lot to do, but they and Zatanna get a few lines of dialogue at least. Vibe is basically an enigma, and the heart of this team was clearly Vixen and Gypsy. Looking back, this does seem like a team that had a lot of potential. (Of course, having Aquaman as your team leader probably doesn't help your odds too much.)

Conway uses a classic villain in Felix Faust. Faust's plan is pretty standard and not very original, but his dialogue is great and the low power-levels of the team actually make the thread seem dangerous. I mean, the freaking Justice League was about to give up against some transformed bums! Things turn out ok, of course, but I'm surprised Conway made the situation seem so dire.

Ron Randall's pencils are very solid. I remember his art in the 90's, but I actually think it looks better now. Why aren't these guys working post-relaunch again?

Good

DC Comic Relaunch! Part Four!

DC Edge Titles
Stormwatch – Paul Cornell and Miguel Sepulveda – Ok, let’s review, the ONLY Wildstorm comic I have every issue of is Stormwatch. Martian Manhunter is my favorite DCU character. Paul Cornell has proven himself to me with Captain Britain and Dark Young Avengers. This is the easiest sell of the entire relaunch! I’m in!

Blackhawks – Mike Costa and Ken Lashley – I’m not opposed to this book, and I’ve enjoyed Costa’s GI Joe work. If I hear good things, I’ll go back and pick it up later. But I don’t think it will survive too long, unfortunately.

Sgt Rock and the Men of War – Ivan Brandon and Tom Derenick – I’ve tried to read a few Ivan Brandon comics and been unable to decipher what is happening. Pass.

All-Star Western – Jimmy Palmiotti, Justin Gray, and Moritat – I’m sorely tempted, but I’m going to pass, since this is looking like a $3.99 title. Plus, my Jonah Hex belongs in Vertigo.

Deathstroke – Kyle Higgins and Joe Bennett – I collected Deathstroke’s series in the ‘90s and enjoyed it, but reading a few issues of the current Titans series has put me off the character. I need a break. No thanks.

Grifter – Nathan Edmondson and CAFU – Ooh, Grifter with Rowdy Roddy Piper’s powers from They Live? And he’s hunted by Condition Red from WildCATS? I’m sorely tempted. I’ll probably pick this up digitally.

OMAC – Dan DiDio and Keith Giffen – the good: Giffen and Kirby concepts. The bad: DiDio. Right now, the bad outweighs the good, and I’m gonna pass. I’ll keep an eye on reviews, though!

Suicide Squad - Adam Glass and Marco Rudy – if there weren’t 51 other titles competing for my dollars, I might try this. But I don’t know Glass at all, so I’m going to pass.

Blue Beetle – Tony Bedard and Ig Guara – I have a soft spot for Jaime Reyes, I’m sure I’ll at least check out the first couple issues. My daughters are big fans too, this may be one of the couple of titles I pick up for them.

RUMORED Super-books
Action Comics – Grant Morrison and Rags Morales – the creative team is there, but I need to see if Superman is really wearing those AWFUL boots. And if he’s a kid. That will make my final decision.

Superman – George Perez – I know it will look pretty, but I remember Perez on Silver Surfer and Crimson Plague. How will this thing actually read? I’ll sample.

Superboy – Scott Lobdell – judging from the cover, he’s some sort of robot. And that terrible tattoo. No thanks.

Supergirl – Michael Green, Mike Jonson, and Mahmud Asrar- I don’t love the costume and I don’t know the creators. Pass for now.

Brightest Day #24

Listen, anything that returns the Martian Manhunter to his normal status quo is ok by me, but this was on odd series. At no point throughout the book did I think the purpose for this title was to reintroduce Swamp Thing to the DCU. And heck, to make things even stranger, this isn't Alan Moore's Swampy. I've been reading those collections, and the core concept is that Swamp Thing is a tree that thinks its a man, but really, Alec Holland is dead. The Swamp Thing moving forward from Brightest Day actually is Alec Holland turned into a tree man.

The book makes a few other fairly obvious turns too. Deadman ends up... well, dead. That's honestly the only way the character could end up, although I do like that he seems to have maintained a bond with his gal pal Dove.

Hawkman is back to yelling and smashing, but Shiera is going to stay an air elemental? Why I don't see what good that does for either character.

Firestorm has a nice little plot that should require a mini-series to resolve. Somebody get Tony Bedard and Eddy Barrows on the line for a 6 part Firestorm series. (Any of the go-to DC teams will do!)

Martian Manhunter doesn't have anywhere to go, but he's got a smile on his face and I'd say he's ready to join either the JLA or JLI, whichever needs him more.

Aquaman also has a nice platform for a new book. I'm pretty optimistic, Geoff Johns and Ivan Reis have done a great job on the Aquaman chapters of this series.

The book ends with another "shocking" ending, the return of SPOILER ALERT (John Constantine). I always laugh that I'm not imprinted on DC right, because I'm not sure what the big deal is? I thought Constantine was a foul-mouthed Ennis-type from Vertigo? Was he ever in the DCU?

The art in this conclusion is pretty nice. There are a lot of splash pages, making this one quick read. At $4.99 I don't think I can say this is a good value. That shot of the big four popping out of Swampy's chest is pretty fun, though.

Fair

Brightest Day #23

My god, the sheer volume of civilian deaths in your average DC event is astounding. I mean, think about the last few years; you've got Imperiex, Infinite Crisis, Blackest Night, Monument Point, Prometheus' bombs, and now the world going mad and the slaughter in Star City. I mean, that's insane! The average life expectency must be tiny! (Marvel isn't innocent in this either, witness the mass carnage in Civil War and Siege.)

Anyway, I am a little surprised to see the big reveal for both the threat to life and the guardian of the white lantern. I mean, there wasn't really any use of these characters early in the series, so this is an interesting choice. I mean, I'm happy this character is back in the DCU, but a little more foreshadowing would have been nice.

I'm fine with the use of the DCU characters as new elementals of life, although some work better in this role than others. I have absolutely no idea what Captain Boomerang is doing, and why Hawk & Dove are still part of this is equally unclear to me. Should Osiris, Max Lord, and Jade be showing up next issue? I'd guess so.

The art is pretty strong in this issue, especially the segments by Ivan Reis. I love the Martian Manhunter/Earth elemental design. The stone body with a cloak of vegetation is awesome. Firestorm works well, as does Aquaman (check out the water trident!), but I thought the Hawks seem a bit silly as air elementals. They look too much like ghosts.

This whole series will be worth it if it puts all these great characters back in people's awareness, but man, the Hawks have taken a beating.

Brightest Day #21

Well, I'm a sucker for Martian Manhunter, so I loved this issue. Look, I realize that Brightest Day is nothing more than a random collection of a bunch of characters all doing their own thing, barely relating to each other. This was Martian Manhunter Rebirth, the Hawks Rebirth, and Aquaman Rebirth with shared numbering (I won't include Firestorm because he hasn't done enough). I don't have any strong feelings about the White Lantern or the entity powering it. I don't believe for one second that the Hawks, Aquaman, or J'onn are dead.

But I love Martian Manhunter. I never loved D'Kay, she seems like another bad influence lady for J'onn (who actually has a surprising number of femme fatales in his catalogue, including Bette Noir, Scorch, and now D'Kay). So while I didn't care for the ease of his defeat over D'Kay, or the wasted "fantasy" issue, I loved seeing J'onn get his "Life Returned." I loved seeing him make a clear choice to defend Earth. I loved seeing him die with honor and grace, no doubt because he knows this is part of the plan. So basically, I don't really care about the Brightest Day uber-plot, but I love Martian Manhunter.

The art is snappy, especially the big moments. J'onn and D'Kay melting in the sun, J'onn reborn in his white togs, and the great shot of him choosing Earth. Any chance Tomasi and Gleason can do an ongoing Martian Manhunter book after this?

Good (pulled up from Fair by featuring J'onn!)

Brightest Day #15

I'm contractually required to enjoy any story featuring the Martian Manhunter, but this is going to test that rule. I enjoyed the whole setup: J'onn's family is alive, Mars is reborn, and he's a combo GL/Manhunter serving in an aged and contented Justice League. The problem is, it's pretty obvious right away what's happening (D'Kay has put J'onn into some sort of illusionary world.) The problem is, having a mystery about who killed people in a dream doesn't really have much drama behind it. The story ends nicely, setting up a tough, determined J'onn to take on D'Kay in an issue or three.

The book looks nice, I liked the futuristic incarnation of the League. Batman is oddly sad, but the cool looks for Martian Manhunter is the high point.

Fair

Brightest Day #12

When Brightest Day stars Martian Manhunter, I'm pretty much guaranteed to enjoy it. This issue has J'onn finally get facing down that gross, murdering green Martian from early in this series. Her name is D'Kay, and c'mon, when that is your name, you kind of have to end up evil, don't you?

D'Kay was a scientist on Mars who tried to cure any Martian who wasn't tied in to the telepathic collective, the only problem was that if she didn't cure her patients, they died in the attempt. The Martian authorities locked her up, then died, and she sat around for years before being pulled to Earth by Dr. Erdell. Then she lost herself as a human for years. This is all a long explanation and set up to explain why J'onn isn't the last green Martian anymore. There are some great moments as the two interact where D'Kay wants J'onn to accept her and start a new life on Mars with her, but J'onn is furious at her for being so evil and unrepentant. It's sad, J'onn has dreamed of finding another green for so long, and when he does, she's a maniac out to manipulate him.

There are a few nice moments with Firestorm going up against Deathstorm and the remaining Black Lanterns. I'm mostly intrigued with the idea that Firestorm is going to bring in the JLA. While I'm enjoying the featured time with this book's main star, I still think I'd like to see this book be a bit more of a spine in the DCU.

The art is always inconsistent in this title, and it is again here. I loved the Martian Manhunter sequences, but the others aren't quite as sharp.

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

Brightest Day #6

Huh, so all Brightest Day had to do was focus on the good storylines, and suddenly the book gets a lot better! Raise your hand if you are surprised.

This issue, the focus returns to Martian Manhunter. In addition to being my favorite hero in the DCU (maybe overall) his storyline has been one of the more interesting ones. There is some sort of gross, green-Martian killer out there, and J'onn is on the trail. The plot actually moves along nicely, with J'onn finding out that something about his touch is killing "the green." I agree with the BleedingCool rumor, I think Swamp Thing is on the way. J'onn also gets to show off what a nice guy he is, as he interacts with Oracle, Superboy, and heads off to check on Miss Martian. I'm looking forward to seeing him interact with his young namesake in the next few issues.

The Deadman story is still sort of dragging, having DM need a cheeseburger isn't exactly high drama.

I'm enjoying the Aquaman/Mera developments, because I think Geoff Johns is mostly adding and enriching their past, not really changing anything. I'm fine with the deep sea couple getting a few more rogues added to their normal guest list.

I really like the Firestorm story. Jason and Ronnie are so different, but at their core they are both good guys. They deserve a chance to try and make their weird bond work.

The art in this issue was solid. The Firestorm sequence had fantastic detail, especially on Jason Rusch. I also loved how casual Martian Manhunter looks most of the time. For the last survivor of his race, he's a laid back dude!

Good