Green Lantern Corps #24 - A Review

Picking up right where Green Lantern #24 ended, Green Lantern Corps #24 sees John Stewart taking the fight to the energy-draining villain Relic.  At the same time, the rest of the Corps attempt to evacuate their home base on Oa, fighting a running battle against Relic's technology and the incarcerated villains eager to flee the collapsing planet's prison.   


Van Jensen does a fantastic job with the script.  The characters are all made distinct through the dialogue and all the Corps regulars are given some time on-camera.  Even the newer rookie Lanterns get their moments to shine - no pun intended!  The only weak spot is some Air Force/Marine rivalry added into the dialogue between Hal and John.  While I welcome anything to give the characters more personality, this seems uncharacteristically antagonistic and detrimental given the mission at hand.


Bernard Chang is easily the best artist currently working on the Green Lantern family of books.  His talents in depicting the various unusual aliens consistently is unparalleled.  He's also a brilliant fight choreographer and no slouch when it comes to creating imaginative ring projections. 

Green Lantern Corps #23 - A Review

While the creative team for Green Lantern Corps may have changed recently, one thing remains the same.  GLC remains the strongest of the books in the Green Lantern family of titles, despite an increased association with the plots of the other books in the line.  Hopefully writer Van Jensen will be given a freer hand to focus on his own scripts once the new status quo is more firmly established. 


As it stands, the interaction between the characters remains the strong point of this series.  There are many subplots for Jensen to balance, assisted by co-plotter Robert Venditti, but we never feel that any one regular character is getting preferential treatment over the others.  Indeed, this issue sees the return of some long-neglected characters from Peter Tomasi's run on the book!


Bernard Chang's artwork is excellent as always.  With a keen creative mind and a vivid eye for detail, this is a book Chang was born to draw.  I've sore missed Chang's work in the waning days of Demon Knights and am relieved to see him working on what remains one of my favorite books.

Green Lantern Corps #22 - A Review

Two issues in to Van Jensen's run on Green Lantern Corps and I'm still satisfied that my favorite book in the Green Lantern family of titles is in good hands.  My main concern remains the same as it was last month - that a tight connection to the other Green Lantern books would limit Jensen's ability to focus on his own characters and storylines as more and more pages are given over to crossovers.  This seems a legitimate concern given that the plot thread involving the rings of the various Lantern Corps failing (first seen in Green Lantern) continues throughout this issue and the final page of the issue seems to hint at events in New Guardians.


Thankfully, these moments are few and far between and the best parts of the book involve John Stewart taking a group of newbie Lanterns under his wing.  He we see a side of John Stewart that hasn't been seen in a while - John the Leader and John The Teacher..  Given that my first exposure to the character came back in the days with John was leading The Darkstars and acting as a mentor to Kyle Rayner, it was like old times to see John put in this role again.  I'm also gratified that Van Jensen has given Fatality her own storyline to pursue, giving us the first chance in a long while to see her as a warrior and not a love-sick young woman.


Bernard Chang's artwork is as wonderful as ever.  I've sorely missed Chang's work on Demon Knights of late and his detailed smiled proved a perfect match for the aesthetic that a Green Lantern book demands.  The only complaint I have about the art lies with colorist Marcelo Maiolo, who has given Fatality a far lighter skin tone than she should have.

Green Lantern Corps #21 - A Review

I must confess to being somewhat more anxious about the new creative team for Green Lantern Corps than I was for the main Green Lantern title.  Though I've always been a big Geoff Johns fan, I found Peter Tomasi's take on the many characters in the GLC to be a more reliably enjoyable read.  I was somewhat reassured when I heard Bernard Chang (whose recent work on Demon Knights I'd enjoyed greatly) would be taking over the art duties and that the plotting would be done by Demon Knights writer/new Green Lantern writer Robert Venditti with the actual scripts being written by Van Jensen of the excellent Pinocchio, Vampire Slayer series. 

So did the book measure up to my hopes?  Yes, but it was nothing like what I'd expected and I'm quite relieved by that.



The events of this issue take place concurrently with Green Lantern #21 but it appears this issue starts at a slightly earlier point.  The primary focus of the issue is John Stewart and Yrra of Xanshi (a.k.a. the former villain formerly known as Fatality) as the two work to save an endangered planet while discussing their relationship... or lack thereof.  The rest of the issue shows us the new status quo for The Corps command structure, as Salaak retires from his post as The Guardians' majordomo.  Four new characters are forcibly recruited into the Corps, seemingly arriving in time for Larlfleeze's attack on Oa in Green Lantern #21.     

Already Jensen has proven himself capable of handling this diverse cast of characters.  Indeed, he's given John Stewart and Yrra more character development and analysis in this one issue than they received during the entirety of the Wrath of The First Lantern saga, pointing out how incredibly screwed up Yrra's become in recent years as he recalls her history for new readers.  Star Sapphire brain-washing aside, it makes little sense for her to be head-over-heels in love with the man who was directly responsible for her homeworld blowing up - an incident which inspired her to become a slayer of Green Lanterns and eventually a Sinestro Corps member.  Ah, but when does love ever make sense?  And no sooner do I start to question why the love-empowered Yarra simply can't use her ring to detect the love in John Stewart's heart instead of asking him repeatedly if he loves her, we get a simple, logical explanation why she doesn't. 

Another welcome touch is the return of Soranik Natu.  One of the best Green Lanterns created over the past decade, Soranik had a lot of baggage that caused her to disappear from the series as The New 52 began - presumably because it was easier to ignore Sinestro's daughter/Kyle Rayner's ex-girlfriend than to try and fit her into the new timeline.  Thankfully, Jensen ignores these issues and focuses instead on presenting Soranik as the awesome character that she is.



Bernard Chang's artwork proves as skillful as usual.  Chang's excellent eye for detail displays itself in every panel of this issue.  It bodes well for the series - so dependent on diverse and physically distinct characters - that Chang is signed on for the long-haul.

Apart from my continued concerns that this book may soon become too heavily interlocked with the other series in the Green Lantern family of books to stand on its' own, I have no complaints about the new Green Lantern Corps.  The scripts are solid.  The artwork is grand.  And despite being heavily dependent upon the continuity of the series so far, Jensen does a fine job of explaining it all and making this book accessible to new readers.  If you haven't read a Green Lantern book in a while or are just a fan of good science-fiction, this is the book to get!

Demon Knights #19 - A Review

In my review of last month's issue of Demon Knights, I wondered what torments Lucifer would have in store for Jason Blood.  You'll recall that Jason had devised a way to strike back at Etrigan - the demon to whom he is bound - by staying in Hell, thus depriving Etrigan of any chance to renew his powers.  Jason bravely - but unwisely - dared Lucifer to do his worst, saying that after many years trapped in the dungeons of his former comrade Vandal Savage, there was little horror Hell could hold for him.  Sadly, we get little chance to see what Lucifer (who I dare say is now my favorite character in this series) had in store for him as it turns out there are some things even The Devil fears and a world full of vampires fits that bill neatly.  For what profit is there for a collector of souls in a world full of souless immortals?


This idea shows the menace that the vampire lord Cain poses far better than any fighting scene we've had thus far in the series.  Sadly, the rest of the issue suffers a bit in the wake of that revelation.  Interesting as it is to see Hippolyta and the other Amazons opposing an vampire invasion of Themyscira alongside the Demon Knights, the whole battle seems somewhat flat given how uninteresting the vampires themselves are as a menace and how dull Cain is as a recurring villain.  The drama involving Sir Ystin, at least, promises some interesting drama in the issues to come but most of the book's established cast is lost amid the action scenes, with little of the personality Paul Cornell gave them.


At least the artwork by Bernard Change continues to exceed expectations.  Chang is highly valued for his ability to provide detailed pencils without cluttering the page.  His inks, too, prove just right - not too thick nor too light.  It's just enough to save this off-issue.  With any hope, things will be back above par next month.

Demon Knights #18 - A Review

It is a rare thing for an epic story to be easily accessible to new readers.  Yet Demon Knights #18 manages to be that as well as a ripping yarn.  The story thus far is quickly explained in the opening pages, as The Demon Etrigan - long sidelined from the action - is informed of the vampire army converging on the Amazon homeland and his need to aid his former comrades in thwarting them. 


There's many admirable moments in Robert Venditti's script but my favorite involves Jason Blood and his efforts to weaken Etrigan by forcing himself to endure the worst that Hell has to offer so he can shut The Demon off from the source of his power.  None can doubt Jason's courage and resolve after this issue.  His wisdom, however, remains questionable as he looks the Prince of Hell in the face and all but asks "What is the worst thing you can do to me?"  No doubt we'll get an answer to that question next issue.


Bernard Chang's artwork remains strong, his pencils clear and his inks sparring.  This art is further bolstered by a palette whose muted colors suggest an age long-gone by.  Everything looks gorgeous, working in concert to create a pretty picture overall.  If you have yet to give Demon Knights a chance, this issue is the perfect one to start with.

Demon Knights #17 - A Review

Demon Knights #17 pits our team of heroes against one of their own for the sake of another.  A vampire lord named Cain (who may or may not be THAT Cain) seeks the Amazon homeland so he can create an invincible army of woman warriors.  This has caused some of our heroes to reunite after 30 years apart.  Even now they seek the rest of their party, particularly Jason Blood, feeling they may need the power of Hell on their side in the form of The Demon Etrigan, whose power is tied to Jason Blood's soul.  But their former comrade Vandal Savage - for reasons that have not yet been explained past "Because he wanted to" -  has taken Jason Blood hostage and torments him even now in his private fortress. 


Robert Venditti spins a vivid tale but some of his takes on the cast seem inauthentic compared to Paul Cornell.  His Vandal Savage, for instance, lacks the barbaric charm of Cornell's take on the character and his "gigantic mirth" seems oddly forced.  It's also somewhat jarring to see much of the mystery taken out of The Horsewoman as this issue lays her powers and abilities bare.  


Bernard Chang's artwork still inspires, looking like painted woodcuts from the time this book depicts.  One could easily see these illustrations in the margins of some monk's book from the Middle Ages.  It's good stuff - good enough to make me continue to recommend this book, despite my misgivings over some of the character portrayals.  It's been only two issues, after all, and thirty years have passed.  Perhaps some of this can be written of as people changing over time?  I don't know but I'm willing to stick around to find out. 

Demon Knights #16 - A Review

I'd been looking forward to this issue for a while and not just because it's the only thing from DC Comics I picked up this past week that wasn't part of a crossover!  As a Paul Cornell fan, I was anxious to see if this book - which was his baby - was still being written at the same level of quality to which I've become accustomed.  The answer, thankfully, is yes and while this first issue under author Robert Venditti is a bit of a slow-starter after the climactic conclusion last month, there is reason to believe it will build toward something greater.


Our new main villain is quickly established as Cain - lord of the vampires.  (If you're suddenly feeling an urge to put on a black cloak and grab some ten-sided dice, I feel your pain - Malkavians forever!)  He and his hordes of darkness are Working Up A Number Six on medieval Europe - a fact that has not got unnoticed by the Muslim scientist Al Jabr,  Now Caliph of his own city, Al Jabr has gathered many of his old colleagues to make a stand against Cain before he reaches his apparent goal of Themysira.  For Cain's right-hand is an Amazon and if she can guide the way to her sisters and they could be turned, the whole of the world might fall prey to the vampire armies!


Bernard Chang's artwork lends a welcome sense of continuity to this story.  It is a comfort to see this book looking as excellent as ever after the sudden jump-forward in time.  Chang's art subtly reassures us that despite the separation of much of our cast that there is still a book here worth reading.  If you haven't given Demon Knights a chance yet, this is the perfect time to try it. 

Demon Knights #15 - A Review

It seems to be a trend this week for me to forgo summarizing the stories of most of the books I regularly review.  It seems that everyone is in the midst of epic storylines that are coming to a close or are impossible to describe without giving away the story so far..  Thankfully, Demon Knights #15 is an exception to this trend and while this issue is a conclusion of sorts, it is easily summarized and promoted with three words -  Hell Invades Avalon.



It's much more complicated than that, of course but if that idea doesn't hook you, nothing else will.  There are many wonderful character moments for all of the established cast and Paul Cornell fills this issue with his trademark humor as well as some high drama.  Fans of Cornell's Stormwatch, who haven't been reading this book, would be well advised to pick this issue up.  You'll thank me later.  Trust me.



Bernard Chang's artwork is as excellent as ever.  His pencils are unwavering in their quality and his thin inks leave this book looking something like a colorized woodcut once Marcelo Maiolo has contributed to the finished product.  Truly, this is the best looking fantasy book on the market today!

Demon Knights #14 - A Review

Demon Knights #14 sees a number of bargains and counter-bargains being struck between old enemies.  Separated from the rest of his party (who are currently trapped in Hell), Sir Jason Blood finds himself in the custody of The Questing Queen and her wizard Mordru - the villains of the first story arc of this title.  They offer him a chance to rejoin his fellows and reunite with his lost love, Xanadu.  At the same time, The Demon Etrigan plots with Lucifer to use his former comrades as a means toward opening a gateway to Avalon, allowing Hell to invade another plane of the afterlife.


I've written at length before about Paul Cornell's skill as a writer and how he's created a wonderful ensemble cast of characters and balances them all beautifully, giving each character equal due.  Having said such, I don't feel the need to repeat myself once more in this review, though I find I've already done so!  Having said that, I would like to single out Cornell's take on Lucifer, which puts me in the mind of the character as written by Neil Gaiman and Mike Carey.  Here we see a demon prince who has begun to grow bored with the politics of his realm and the posturing his position requires but not so bored that he will not play the part of The Adversary when it might prove profitable.


Bernard Chang  has grown upon me far faster than I thought any artist could following Diogenes Neves' departure from this title.  His pencils are crisp and clear, his character and creature designs memorable and his inks appropriately light and thin, giving the whole book an appearance not unlike something that might be in a medieval woodcut. 

This is not a good issue to jump onto this title but I highly recommend the first trade paperback for those who have yet to give this title I shot.  I dare say you won't regret it.

Demon Knights #13 - A Review

Demon Knights #13 begins where some stories end - Hell  Apparently betrayed by The Demon Etrigan, all of our party - save for Jason Blood, who is trapped and alone on Earth - have been condemned to the Stygian Abyss and placed within their own personal realm of torment.  But Etrigan has a plan, though it seems more likely than not that he is more concerned with stealing the Throne of Hell from Lucifer than rescuing his comrades..


Those who have been reading this series will find this issue full of Paul Cornell's trademark humor.  Those who haven't may find themselves confused by these proceedings as much of the action and humor is dependent upon familiarity with our protagonists.  For instance, one must know Vandal Savage as the uncouth and unapologetic scoundrel that he is to fully appreciate his "torment" at the hands of every bastard he ever sired until he confesses to his many crimes. 


Bernard Chang's pencils ably replace those of the series' former penciler, Diogenes Neves.  Chang's artwork bares a more exaggerated quality than Neves' but does not become so stylized as to be cartoonish.  Chang's art is appropriately dark and atmospheric, depicting the varied Hells with a vivid detail reminiscent of Michael Zulli's work on Sandman.

All in all, this is a solid issue.  The writing is as fine as ever and Chang continues to prove a worthy replacement artist.  The only flaw this issue has lies in its' inaccessibility to new readers, whom I would advise to go pick up the excellent Demon Knights: Volume 1 TP.  

Demon Knights #0 - A Review

Demon Knights #0 gives us a look at the origins of both Jason Blood and The Demon Etrigan.  This was to be expected, given that all of the Zero Month issues are meant to be origin stories of one stripe or another.  What was unexpected, however, was the unique spin that Paul Cornell put upon this particular story.


I shan't spoil the surprising circumstances revealed within that explain precisely how and why Merlin came to bond his scribe and his demon together.  I will say that we do get a wonderful look into both character's lives and motivations before they were saddled with one another.  The bits with Etrigran attempting to boost his rank in Hell are particularly amusing, if you enjoy rhyming and beheadings as much as I do.


This issue marks the premiere of Bernard Chang on this title.  Chang proves to be a worthy replacement for Diogenes Neves, using a similarly detail-oriented style with light inking.  Chang also shows his talents as a visual storyteller, the action flowing smoothly and naturally from panel to panel.

I've said it before and I'll say it again - this book is a must-read for all fans of good comics in general and sword-and-sorcery comics in specific.  The scripts are uniformly amazing.  The artwork is always first-class.  You should be reading it, plain and simple.

Demon Knights #7-9: A Review

When you get right down to it, the major theme of Demon Knights is Lies and Secrets.  Nearly every character has at least one secret they are keeping and most of them are lying to protect it.  Sir Jason O' The Blood is bound to a demon, that he tries to keep hidden.  The Amazon Exoristos has been exiled from her homeland for reasons she will not discuss.  And the mysterious Horsewoman has powers beyond explanation, yet is guarded about leaving the back of her beloved steed.  Even the characters who seem to be direct, if not entirely honest, prove to be liars of a kind at some point or another.

Case in Point: Issue #7 concludes the opening story arc, as the barbarian Vandal Savage - presumed to be a traitor - returns to aid his comrades and/or to loot the treasure trove of the wicked Questing Queen, to whom he had recently re-sworn his allegiance.  As treacherous in the past as he is in the present-day DCU, Savage's promises are worth less than the good steel he carries.  Yet the party tolerates him as he is a better ally than an enemy and they have no way of proving that he wasn't switching sides to whichever was most convenient at the time.  


This scene also showcases one of the finer points of this book.  It is a glorious fantasy epic, yes.  And it is a treat for we DC Comics history geeks who love the conceit of having all of these characters who were around during medieval times interacting with one another.  But what really makes me thrill to this book month after month is Cornell's sly humor, which is as razor sharp today as it was when I was first exposed to it in his Knight and Squire title.




Issue #8 is an excellent one-shot story and a good jumping-on point for new readers.  With a chance to rest now that the battle which united them is over, the Demon Knights (as they are now called) press Sir Jason and the sorceress Madame Xanadu for details about how their unusual relationship came to be.  More, they ask - and we discover - why "Xan" offers herself up as a lover to Jason's demonic half, Etrigan.   


This issue is deeply touching a true tragic romance.  We find out that Jason and Xanadu have known each other back in the days of Camelot and that "Xan" had been Merlin's prize pupil and Jason was Merlin's personal scribe.  But as Etrigan reminds us in the final pages, there are several ways a story can be true depending on the teller.  And for all her talk of loving the noble Sir Jason, there is much darkness in Xanadu's soul and many things she's done that would make kissing a demon seem tame by comparison.


Issue #9 is another excellent introductory issue for new readers.  Indeed, the issue opens with a roll-call of our main cast as they are spied on from afar and their talents and what little we know of some of their backstories is recounted.  Having arrived in the city of Alba Sarum, which they had been fighting to protect for the past few issues, the Demon Knights are taken before the princesses who rule the land together and are hired to deal with a recent crisis.  Namely, the death of Merlin, who was guesting in the city and whose body seems dead but still does not bleed out despite the wound that was dealt to him. 


I've said little about lead artist Diogenes Neves in all of this.  In truth, there is nothing for me to say except that his artwork is amazing and a perfect balance of form and function.  Each character has an specific individual design that makes them easy to tell apart, even when out of their usual uniform.  This may seem like a small thing but in an industry where too many artists are unable to draw more than a single female form or face, I feel it worth nothing that all of Neves' figures are unique.


This book is a must-read for all fans of quality comics.  If you are a fan of sword-and-sorcery, you will find much here that appeals as will fans of dark comedy and dry humor.   The artwork is gorgeous and of a quality rarely seen on monthly books these days.  And DC Comics history buffs can enjoy themselves just boggling at the concept before they even read the book.

DC Universe Presents #1 - A Review

DC Universe Presents marks the return of the classic comics anthology. DC Comics boasts one of – if not the largest – stables of fictional characters in existence and it’s gratifying to see that with all of the old favorites boasting multiple titles in the Revamp that they would devote a single title toward shining a spotlight on obscure heroes. This #1 issue – reportedly the first of a three part storyline – is devoted to Deadman.

The script primarily focuses upon the life and death of Boston Brand – a trapeze artist shot down in mid-swing. His soul snared from oblivion by the deity Rama, who offers Boston a chance to better his position in the afterlife by helping the unfortunates he ignored while alive. He wanders the earth now, following a magical instinct that takes him where he needs to be, using his power of possession to take people over and help them when they most need it. At about the midway point, Brand begins to speak of his current assignment – a disabled American soldier – and his confusion as to what he is meant to do in this case.

Paul Jenkins has been one of my favorite writers for a long time and – in my opinion – is one of the most criminally underrated authors in the comic book industry. His script introduces the concept of Deadman masterfully and moves at a quick pace through the various lives Boston has helped improve in the past. The one flaw with the story is that we see nothing of Boston’s life before his death so we don’t have any evidence apart from his own word – and that of a medium he once knew that he tries to speak to - that he really was enough of a jerk to deserve being cursed with undeath. We are told he was but there’s nothing that really shows it to us.

Former Wonder Woman artist Bernard Chang handles the art duties and shows why he’s a popular artist in and outside of the industry. There’s a good solid line of visual storytelling going from page to page, making the reading of the book intuitive despite some odd panel placements. And I love neat little visual pun in that Rama – an avatar of the god Vishnu – looks somewhat like one of the blue-skinned cat people of the film Avatar. Maybe I’m reading too much into the art but I thought it was amusing!

All in all, this isn’t a bad book but it’s really not something I plan to keep reading. The script is good, though we could use more showing and less telling. The art isn’t bad at all. Really, the only reason I don’t want to pick up issue #2 is that I really don’t find Deadman to be all that interesting of a character. That's no fault of the creative team - it's just personal taste. But if you've never read a Deadman story before, check this one out. It might be your cup of tea.