George Perez's Sirens #1 - A Review

George Perez's Sirens #1 is not an easy book to summarize and the reasons for this are its one weakness. While quite a lot happens in this first issue, little of it seems to pertain to the main plot. And what is that main plot? That, at least, is easily summarized but I can't really explain it without giving away the ending. Suffice it to say there is a group of space-faring, ass-kicking women called The Sirens who had to hide themselves through time and space.



Before I discuss the book proper, I should note that despite the all-female team and a plethora of alternate covers (my own comic shop of choice, Keith's Comics, has their own unique cover with the Siren Bombshell) this is not your usual girl-group comic. And by "usual", I mean that the excellent artwork depicting beautiful women is not being used to dress up a weak story. Those of you familiar with George Perez's work should know he is better than that. And this book is far better than that! Perez is a living legend in the American comics industry for a reason and that reason is showcased throughout this first issue.


Most of the book focuses on The Sirens at differing points in time, showcasing their abilities and personalities as we observe them in action. From Viking skalds to Roman gladiators to American frontier school-marms, we see a wide variety of time periods. Unfortunately, we don't get to see all of The Sirens in the field and more is the pity. What we do see comprises some of the best action sequences I've seen in a comic in recent memory.

That's the one weakness of the book.  Perez is not only introducing us to The Sirens - he is introducing us to a whole universe! And as much material is packed into this issue, it still seems like too little to really appreciate the scope of what Perez is trying to accomplish.

Still, I think it's better to leave an audience feeling overwhelmed rather than unimpressed. There's also something to be said for leaving an audience wanting more... and I definitely want more! And if you enjoy good books about awesome women, you'll enjoy Sirens #1 as much as I did.

Common Grounds - A No Flying, No Tights Review

Common Grounds is a lost treasure of the Modern Age of Comics. (That’s not hyperbole. I literally lost my copies of the original six-issue mini-series somewhere along the line and only recently rediscovered the series after chancing upon the trade paperback collection in a used book store.)

There is no over-riding plot or main character in Common Grounds. Instead, writer Troy Hickman presents a series of thirteen vignettes built around the titular chain of coffee shops. Founded by a retired superhero named Big Money, the goal of the chain was to give costumed crime-fighters a place to relax in their masked personas while they were off duty. In an effort to foster understanding and peace, costumed criminals are also welcomed provided they leave their grudges at the door.

These interludes run the gamut from low comedy to high drama, occasionally playing with both comedic and dramatic elements at the same time. The opening story, “Beyond the Speed of Life,” sets this balanced tone perfectly. It tells the story of a reporter interviewing his favorite superhero, The Speeding Bullet, at a nearby Common Grounds location. The Speeding Bullet is a speedster who is widely beloved by the public and acknowledged as one of the greatest heroes in the world. He is also, to the surprise of the reporter, largely unsatisfied with his life outside of heroism. While he loves helping people and is thankful for the opportunities his powers give him, “SB” does express his wish for the ability to slow down on occasion and his desire to live a normal life.

It would be easy to play the problems of a man with super-speed off for laughs or for Speeding Bullet to come off as a bit of a whiner, but Hickman seriously examines how super-speed with the heightened perceptions to match your reflexes would make everyday life a bit more difficult. For instance, being able to eat whatever you want due to a heightened metabolism that burns off excess calories in minutes sounds great in theory, but the fact of the matter is you have to spend more time in the bathroom than a normal person. Why? Well, there are some things you can’t do at super speed. Such is Hickman’s gift as a writer that he can play up the comedy such situations while simultaneously exploring the dramatic elements of the superhero genre.

The book’s cast features a host of other such memorable characters, but my favorite is probably Moshe Chomsky. Moshe is a devout Hasidic Rabbi who somehow developed the power to melt anything he touches. Moshe is an honestly good person who prays for guidance and struggles to find constructive uses for a destructive ability, all while trying to tolerate “the smart-alecks in the media” who dubbed him “The Acidic Jew,” with good humor. There’s no small amount of irony that such a potentially deadly power should wind up in the hands of someone so ill-disposed toward violence and hurting people and it is fun to watch Hickman play off the clichés of comics (which demand that anyone with fire powers have a temper or anyone with cold powers be emotionally distant) in this way.

This is one of the best-looking comics series I’ve ever had the pleasure of reading, featuring an all-star roster of artists. Dan Jurgens does the lion’s share of the work, having drawn six of the thirteen vignettes but there’s not a single scrub in the line-up. Michael Avon Oeming. Ethan Van Sciver. Chris Bachalo. Carlos Pacheco. Angel Medina. Sam Kieth. The legendary George Perez. You’d be hard pressed to get one artist of this caliber for a mini-series, let alone all of these fine artists!

Common Grounds is a must read for any fan of the superhero genre, as well as those who typically dismiss superhero stories as childish fantasies. There are some truly complex stories here, with none of the gore or overt sexuality one usually expects in a Top Cow graphic novel. Indeed, apart from some frank discussions about superhero sexuality ala the Man of Steel/Woman of Kleenex debate, there’s no material in this collection I would consider objectionable for a teenage audience.

Common Grounds
by Troy Hickman
Art by Dan Jurgens, Michael Avon Oeming, Ethan Van Sciver, Chris Bachalo, Carlos Pacheco, Angel Medina, Sam Kieth and George Perez
ISBN: 9781582408415
Top Cow Productions, 2007
Publisher Age Rating: (13+)

World's Finest #9 - A Review

Worlds Finest #9 didn't impress me much on my first read-through.  On the surface, not much really happens to advance the on-going saga of two heroines trapped in a world that is not their own.  It occurred to me, on my second read-through, that this was likely by design and that there was more than met the eye to the extended action sequences that make up most of the book's pages.


This is a gorgeous book, with the legendary George Perez taking the lead as our action opens.  Recovering from her recent injuries on her best friend's private island, Huntress finds herself and Power Girl's home under attack.  Unsure if the armed mercenaries have come for her or are after the billionaire Karen Starr, Helena doesn't hesitate in running defense.  We then cut to a flashback scene, ably illustrated by Cafu, where we see our heroines shopping - clothes for Karen and "hunting" gear for Helena.  The final chapter where Karen comes home to find things in disarray is illustrated by Yildiray Cinar, whose excellent work has been most recently seen in Earth 2.



The script by Paul Levitz is enjoyable and adheres to the Stan Lee standard of treating every story you write as if it were going to be someone's first issue.  No previous exposure to World's Finest is necessary.  This issue does a great job of establishing the personalities of both our heroines as well as their skill in kicking butt.  Indeed, it's only flaw is that some of the action here is repetitive for long-time readers and nothing is done to advance the on-going plot of the book until the final page.



World's Finest #9 would be a good jumping-on issue were I certain it was representative of  the book's quality in the immediate future.  That's not to say this is a bad comic.  Far from it.  Yet the continual shifting of the book's artistic contributors do leave it feeling somewhat disjointed visually and the upcoming departure of George Perez has me worried about the future for this book.  Today, though... today it is a great book and well worth the reading.

World's Finest #8 - A Review

World's Finest #9 offers us three pencilers this month and - strangely enough - regular co-artist George Perez seems to be the odd-man-out artistically.  This is not to say that Perez's artwork is bad.  It is not.  All of the artwork in this issue is top-notch.  But Perez seems to be playing against type with his assignment this time around and the issue suffers somewhat as a result.

Renowned for his big, bold classic superheroic style, Perez's pencils seem out of place depicting the solo adventure of The Huntress that opens this issue.  It looks good but it doesn't look RIGHT, to my mind at least.  Perez's pencils seem somewhat over-inked - perhaps an effort to make the scene appear darker.  The colors by Hi-Fi don't help matters, presenting a bright "shadowy" rooftop that lacks any shadows. 


Hi-Fi also provides the colors for a series of flashback pages, drawn by Cliff Richards.  These pages depict Huntress's past, thinking back on her training under her father and mother - the Earth 2 Batman and Catwoman.  Here the bright colors are somewhat less intrusive and Richards' inks are more appropriate to the setting.


The final portion of the book, focusing upon Power Girl is illustrated by Cafu with the coloring duties performed by Rosemary Cheetham  I've enjoyed Cafu's recent work on Action Comics and Green Lantern Corps and the pencils here are typical of his fine work.  I think it might have been better had he and Perez switched sections, as Perez's work depicting Power Girl of late has been excellent.  


The script by Paul Levitz is a call-back to his recent Huntress mini-series.  Helena's actions there resulted in a price on her head and - finally - someone is trying to collect.  After a close-call with one group of assassins, Helena recovers and thinks back on her past as her best friend Power Girl starts dealing with the organization that placed the hit.

Despite this tie-in to a previous story, this issue is a good jumping-on point for those who have yet to give this wonderful book a chance.  The story is fun and action-packed.  The artwork is all-around excellent, despite my quibbling about George Perez being out of his comfort zone.  All in all, this is one of DC Comics best titles right now.

World's Finest #7 - A Review

If an award was given out for the comic book Most Likely To Offend PETA, World's Finest #7 would be a contender.  I don't think I've seen so much violence directed at a group of wolves in a comic book outside of some Conan The Barbarian stories. 

Whyfore the lupine pain affliction?  Because one half of this comic depicts Huntress and Robin (Damien Wayne) fighting their way through a forest to one of two locations that has been stealing money from Bruce Wayne and these wolves are apparently incredibly hungry and desperate for a meal.  This portion of the comic is ably illustrated by Kevin Maguire - he of the BWA-HA-HA era of Justice League and the most outrageous facial expressions this side of Earth 2.


The other half of the comic, illustrated by the great George Perez, is similarly action packed.  It focuses upon Power Girl as she follows the trail to another location and deals with an equally dangerous threat.  In this case, the threat is a group of child soldiers packing what appears to be alien weaponry.  This offers Karen the challenge of having to deal with a threat non-violently while facing a foe who could potentially hurt her.


Perez and Maguire are are skilled as ever.  This continues to be one of the best-drawn books on the market today.  Paul Levitz's scripts make it one of the best-written as well.  If this issue has a flaw, it's that the pace is somewhat leisurely compared to how the series started and it feels somewhat flat as a result despite the high-action content of the issue.  Still, this series has been firing on all eight cylinders for so long that I can forgive a slow issue and still recommend this comic without hesitation. 

World's Finest #6 - A Review

World's Finest is one of my favorite books.  Month after month, I can always count on it to give me several excellent and exciting action scenes, some amazing illustrations and leave me laughing at least once.  Such are the wonders of this book that it can make even the horribly annoying Damien Wayen tolerable, though I suspect that's because his visual depiction, as drawn by artist Kevin Maguire, puts me in the mind of a tween version of Namor The Sub-Mariner.


The main focus of this issue is upon Huntress - Batman's daughter on the alternate world of Earth Two - having it out with Damien Wayne, the current Robin of Earth One.  The former has been stealing from Bruce Wayne to finance her activities in this strange new world.  The later is intent on stopping her, little caring about any connection they might have despite some curiosity about her mixing the fighting styles of Catwoman and his father.

The other half of the issue, focusing upon Power Girl, follows Karen Starr - the more fun-loving and wild of our two protagonists - as she continues to work toward finding a way back to their home world.  This section is a lot more fun than the extended fight scene between Huntress and Robin, though the later bits of it do hint at something deadly serious to be coming soon.  Paul Levitz balances both storylines perfectly.


This book has the single greatest art team of any book on the market right now.  I don't know now long DC Comics can allow not one but two great artists of the caliber of Kevin Maguire and George Perez to work together on one title but hopefully it will be for many years yet.  Both artists have crisp, clear, classic superheroic styles but are different and definitive enough for their sections to be distinct and enjoyable on their own merits.  I can't recommend this book enough. 

World's Finest #5 - A Review

World's Finest #5 surprised me.  Coming fresh off of Zero Month, I wasn't expecting another story that would serve as a perfect entry point for new readers.  Then again, Paul Levitz has surprised me a lot with this book so far so perhaps I should stop being surprised at being surprised.  That might be a wise crack, but I doubt it.

As in previous issues, we are given a frame story which explains the situation our heroines find themselves in while the inner stories detail their more action-packed solo adventures.  Refugees from a parallel Earth, Karen Starr and Helena Wayne have reestablished themselves in the main DC Universe as Power Girl and Huntress.  For five years, the duo have lived their separate lives, discretely doing good as their gifts allow them.  Karen dreams of finding a way home and funds several technological companies in her secret identity working toward that end, but Helena would prefer to build a new life in this new world.

George Perez, whose work should need no introduction, handles the penciling duties on the framing sequences with his customary skill.  Backed by the inks of Scott Koblish, his work has never looked finer.  The two interior stories are handled by two separate but equally skilled art teams.


The Power Girl sequences, in which Karen fights with a piece of machinery for another dimension, are illustrated by another legendary artist - Jerry Ordway.  Best known for his work with Superman and Captain Marvel (to say nothing of Crisis Of Infinite Earths!) Ordway proves the perfect choice to depict Power Girl's adventures. Ordway's figures are larger than life and seem to be poised for action even as they stand stock still.

The Huntress sequences by Wes Craig and Serge Lapointe are equally enjoyable.  A penciler with a gloriously diverse portfolio of work (I don't think any artist has worked on both Guardians of the Galaxy AND The Texas Chainsaw Massacre comic), Craig's darker sensibilities are put to good use depicting Huntress's encounter with a sniper out to cause chaos at a rally.  Lapointe's inks further help to contrast the styles of the two heroines visually.


If you aren't already reading World's Finest, this issue provides you with the perfect jump-on point.  It offers a great story with two strong female protagonists.  The variety of art presented by three skillful teams of professional creators makes this an interesting study in contrast for fans of the genre and aspiring artists alike.  But most importantly, it's just plain fun to read!

World's Finest #4 - A Review

As before, this issue of World's Finest splits itself between flashbacks of our heroine's arrival on Earth and their battles in the modern day. This issue, however, marks the first time we really get inside the head of Helena Wayne a.k.a. the Huntress and the first time we get a mention of her infamous mother.



Helena has been far from a cypher in her portrayal thus far but most of the scenes we've seen her in have depicted her in the heart of the action - a place she clearly prefers to be. Being her father's daughter, she's not given to introspection so it's nice that we finally get a look at the vulnerable side she keeps in the shadows and learn that Catwoman was just as much an influence on her as Batman.




The only real flaw World's Finest has is that it's action sequences are the least interesting part of the book. As a menace, the villain just isn't as interesting as the mystery behind who he is and what his connection to Earth 2 is. That would be a death sentence for most superhero comics but thankfully the rest of the book makes up for that fact. The bits with Power Girl fighting a giant radioactive monster aren't bad - just atypical. Still, with two legendary artists and some of the finest scripts Paul Levitz has ever written, this book is a must read for all fans of the genre.

World's Finest #3 - A Review

It's becoming very difficult for me to review World's Finest. This is not, I should note, for any negative reason. Paul Levitz's scripts are as finely crafted as ever. The artwork of George Perez and Kevin Maguire is finely drawn as ever. But the leisurely pace of the opening storyline is making it rather difficult for me to find anything new to say about how wonderful it all is.

The plot from before continues, with Power Girl and Huntress fighting a radioactive villain, who has now been enlarged by the energy he absorbed and grown to Godilla-worthy proportions. Coincidentally, this is all happening with a stone's throw of Tokyo. Intriguingly, this villain seems to be a dimension hopper like our two heroines and may have come from Earth 2... or somewhere else!

As before, George Perez handles the superheroic action set in the present while Maguire draws the flashbacks detailing the women's lives shortly after coming to Earth. This is an unusual arrangement on a major comic but it is one that plays to both artists' strengths. Perez is one of the great modern masters of superheroic action working today. And, for what my money is worth, nobody can draw humorous, character-building scenes like Kevin Maguire. The only real negative is that - as a fan of Gail Simone's Birds of Prey - this newer, more prudish Huntress doesn't sit well with me. I understand they are different women and different characters. That doesn't stop me from missing the sassier Helena Bertinelli.

Bottom Line: This book is a must read for all fans of quality comics.

World's Finest #2 - A Review

 World's Finest #2 delivers more of the quality storytelling and amazing artwork that we saw in the first issue.  Paul Levitz continues both concurrent stories from the previous issue - one set in the present day which features Power Girl and Huntress tracking down a radiation-empowered super-villain and a flashback which shows how the two heroines came to establish themselves in new lives and new identities on a strange new Earth.


As before, the art duties are split between master artists Kevin Maguire and George Perez..  Maguire, who for my money draws the best facial expressions in all of comics, handles the flashback scenes with his usual skill. By contrast, Perez handles the modern scenes with his usual highly-detailed, high-action style.  Most books would be lucky to have one artist of such caliber - to have two such artists makes this book a special one indeed.



You actually could jump in on the series with this issue.  But why should you when your local comic shop probably still has a few copies of World's Finest #1 left?  Either way, whether you start with Issue 1 or 2, you should be reading this book.

Supergirl #7-9: A Review

As I've noted before, the new Supergirl title has proven to be one of the best books to come out of the original New 52 line-up.  The three issues released since my 52 Catch-Up review of the first six books have continued to uphold the same high level of quality in terms of both writing and art.

Issue #7 concludes the storyline started in Issue #5, with Kara Zor-El facing down a foursome of Worldkillers - sentient biological weapons created on Krypton.  This issue is noteworthy in that it confirms what had been hinted at in the previous issue - that Kara has completely accepted her status as a hero and the responsibilities her new-found powers have given her.  More importantly, the combat scenes show that Kara is more than dumb-muscle and has a natural head for strategy despite her relative inexperience as a warrior.



Issue #8 picks up on the heels of #7, with Kara facing down an ungrateful military platoon that is naturally scared about this young woman who defeated four monsters, single handedly, when their own weapons could do nothing.   Luckily Kara seems to have gained one supporter - a strong-willed, outspoken Irish woman named Siobnah, who has unusual powers too... including the ability to understand any language.



George Perez is the guest artist on Issue #8 and - while I am a bit biased in saying this as a Perez fan - I am hard pressed to think of a better artist one could hope to have had draw this particular issue.  The action moments early on and in the final pages are drawn well enough but the heart of this issue centers around two young women - both of whom have come a long way and are trying to rebuild their lives - getting to know one another and establishing a friendship that they both sorely need.  Perez is well known for masterfully drawing these slower moments while still infusing them with energy and this issue shows why his reputation as one of the grand masters of American Comic Artists is so well-deserved.



Issue #9 brings back artist Mahmud Ashar on pencils and inks. The sudden shift from Perez's style to Ashar's couldn't be more timely.  Ashar's darker inks and more stylized designs better suit this particular issue and it's decidedly disturbing story.



As the issue opens, we find  that Siobhan's dad is not as dead as previously imagined.  More, we discover that both father and daughter are infected by a magical curse that has transformed them both into creatures not unlike the banshees of Celtic Myth.  Of course Celtic Myth says nothing about male banshees but if they are anything like Siobhan's father, the Celtic Bards might not have gotten a chance to tell the tale after running into one.



 

The issue ends on a cliff-hanger, as The Black Banshee uses his magic to "unlock" Kara's energy, making her into a greater danger to the innocents watching the battle than the two banshees.  This leads Kara to make a faithful choice and a hero's sacrifice.  Or so it would seem.  Given that there's an Issue #10 coming out shortly I think we can safely assume Kara will emerge safe if not unscathed.  But it will be fun to see just how she manages it.  

Again, I say this is one of the best books DC Comics is publishing right now and one of their best-hidden secrets.  I'd suggest picking up the single issues on Comixpedia now, as the first print-trade of this series will not be out until September. You won't regret it.

Huntress & Power Girl: World's Finest #1

 

Five years ago and another world away, they were the next generation of heroes - The Maiden of Might and The Girl Wonder.  But an alien invasion claimed the lives of their mentors and left them stranded on an Earth that was similar to their own but where the Age Of Heroes was just beginning.  Assuming new identities, the two friends began to make their way in this strange new world.  One became a captain of industry and a power in the tech sectorr.  The other became an urban legend, who preyed upon the predators in the darkest corners of their new home.

 

Today, the woman known as Karen Starr is despondent.  The technology she had hoped to used to find a way home has been destroyed, along with her new lab.  The one thing that survived intact?  A new costume she had made for herself, deciding her best friend was right about getting back in the saddle and being a hero again.  Karen Starr is now Power Girl.  The woman born Helena Wayne, the former Robin of another world, is now The Huntress.  Together, they are the World's Finest Heroes!

 

Following up on the heels of Earth 2 and spinning-off somewhat from the short-lived Mister Terrific series and Huntress mini-series, World's Finest - much like it's main characters - manages to stand on its' own, despite where it came from.  A neat flashback explains away the duo's origins and connection to the Earth 2 book while the opening interlude explains Karen Starr's status as a billionaire playgirl and her connection to the inventor Michael Holt, whose technology just went "boom" at one of her labs.  It would be easy for this series to get caught up in minutia but Paul Levitz  prevents the story from getting bogged down in its' concept or set-up. 

What really sells the book is the relationship between Helena and Karen.  The friendship between the two is established quickly and while it is made clear that the two disagree on a number of things, they still have a great deal of mutual respect for one another.  Both Karen and Helena are presented as distinct personalities, with Karen being the more adventurous of the two and Helena being more reserved.  Levitz, who also wrote the recent mini-series that introduced this new take on The Huntress, deserves a lot of credit for what he has done here. 

The artwork is, in a word, amazing.  Not content to put one top-notch artist on this title, DC Comics gave us two - George Perez and Kevin "I Can't Believe I'm Not Working With DeMatties and Giffen Again!" Maguire.  Perez handles all the scenes set in the present.  Maguire handles everything in the flashbacks.  Both artists have distinct but complementary styles so while the division in the artwork is obvious, it is not jarring nor contradictory.  Admittedly, I am a bit biased as a fan of both artists but I think this is one of the best-looking books DC Comics has put out all year.

In short, World's Finest lives up to its' name!  It is a must-read title for anyone who likes strong female protagonists and good artwork.  Highly recommended. 

52 Catch-Up: Green Arrow #1-6

I don't think any book in the New 52 line-up has disappointed me more than Green Arrow. Not because of anything in the book itself but more because of the promise that wasn't fulfilled.

As regular readers know, Green Arrow is one of my favorite characters and I was of the opinion that most of the people writing him in the last decade had no idea what they were doing. So when it was announced that Oliver Queen would be getting a fresh start under the pen of J.T. Krul - whose work with the character during Brightest Day I liked - well, I was cautiously optimistic.

As I noted in my review of the first issue, J.T. Krul gave us a good set-up. The basic concept of Oliver Queen being this universe's version of Steve Jobs was a solid start and a nice modernization of the character's classic origins as a billionaire playboy. We were given a brief look at Ollie's support team at both his day and night jobs. Krul also managed to establish what sets Green Arrow apart from similar heroes, apart from his archery gimmick - his skills as a tracker, his hatred of people who abuse their power and his motivations for being a hero - with surprising subtlety.





Sadly, the potential of the first issue went largely untapped and Krul never expanded upon the one hint he gave as to how Oliver Queen's past may have differed from the old Green Arrow before leaving the book with Issue #3. Krul's three issues are, for the most part, standard superhero action fare. Do not misunderstand me - it's good superhero action fare. But this isn't what the opening issues of a new series should be like.




To my mind, an opening arc should firmly establish the main character's past and character for new readers. But these opening issues don't really do that. Apart from the aforementioned hint we aren't given any information at all about Oliver Queen's past or motivations for having become a crime-fighter. Was he washed up on an island and forced to fight a drug cartel for the freedom of an enslaved tribe? Did he discover a secret marijuana farm and force the hippies running it to take him back to civilization at arrow point? Was he abducted by Chinese slavers and forced to think up lucky numbers in a fortune cookie factory? We don't know!

Oddly, this lack of a back-story is more of a hindrance to long-time fans rather than new readers. I know I was anxious to see how the relationships between Green Arrow and his extended family would be different in the New DCU. Heck, I was anxious to see if there would even be an extended family. It turns out there isn't. This book is firmly set in the new Year One, before Roy Harper was adopted and apparently before Green Arrow met Black Canary, despite a promise at the end of Issue #2 that she would appear in Issue #3. She did not.

Another problem is that none of the supporting characters are developed past a one-sentence summary. Naomi is a sassy hacker grrrl. Jax is a pacifist weapon designer. Nobody seems to have any life outside of helping Ollie do what he does or - in the case of Queen Enterprises CEO Emerson - being an annoyance. Yet Emerson gets a scene suggesting that his motivation for riding Ollie so hard is because of his friendship with Ollie's father and his worries that Ollie is wasting his potential. It's a nice touch, making Emerson a much more complex character with a few simple panels and these opening issues could have used more brief scenes like this.





I mentioned before that Krul did a good job of establishing Ollie's basic character in the first issue. One way he did this was by giving Green Arrow the perfect villainous foil in a gang of publicity-hungry supervillains. No matter what the incarnation, there's nothing Green Arrow should hate more than people who abuse their power and hurt others like it is nothing.





Though I disagree strongly with the equation Naomi makes between supervillains posting their crimes on-line and being cheered for it and people who play violent video games. Wouldn't a comparison to the people who watch Jersey Shore, cheering the antics of a group of morally reprehensible publicity whores be more apt? Just saying.





While I can quibble with the characterization and the metaphors, I cannot quibble with the action nor with how well it is illustrated. Dan Jurgens or George Perez would be a fine artist to put on any book. Put the two of them together though, with Jurgens doing layouts and Perez doing finishes and you have something unique that captures the best of both artists. The characters all have a classic Perez feel to them but the form and flow of the panels is more structured, with just as much detail to the setting as there is to the characters. Most importantly, all of the characters have unique designs that make them easily identifiable even in the long shots.





Issues 4-6, co-plotted by artist Dan Jurgens and writer Keith Giffen, suffer from similar problems to those I described in the first three issues. There's a lot of well-designed and well-drawn action sequences but the characterization is still shallow, at best. What is worse, someone is stealing jokes from the a movie about another billionaire playboy superhero, which leaves me questioning just how coincidental it is that Oliver's executive assistant is a hyper-competent redhead.



Does this seem familiar to anyone else, somehow? Anyone?

All issues of parody or plagiarism aside, the plot of this trio of books doesn't have as much punch as the first three. The focus here is upon two new villains - Blood Rose and Midas. Blood Rose is a standard issue gun-totting femme fatale with super-strength. Midas, a slightly more original creation, was a scientist whose injuries at the hands of a group of eco-terrorists turned him into an avatar of pollution. Think Swamp Thing mixed with The Toxic Avenger... but evil! Heck, Alec Holland even gets name dropped!





Blood Rose wants to see Oliver Queen suffer slowly before she eventually kills him. Why? Good question - one Oliver actually asks her point blank and one she refuses to answer. There is a hint in the artwork that she may have known Oliver at one point in the past but nothing is ever explained.





Midas, for his part, has a much simpler motivation - he's a nerd who never had any luck with women before his accident and his relationship with Blood Rose is the closest thing he's ever had to real intimacy. He does what she wants to make her happy and appreciate him more. Which only serves to make the ending of this arc and the lack of explanation as to how these two ever hooked up even more nonsensical.

However, the confusing plot and lack of back-story for the characters is not the least of this arc's problems. The art is full of continuity errors and one great big whopping WTF moment, when Oliver Queen is apparently shot in the head and survives! I suppose the bullet is meant to have just grazed the front of his forehead but given that the gun was aimed at the back of his head before he tried to move, Ollie shouldn't have had a chance to dodge. ESPECIALLY considering the twist ending which... well... pretty much confirms there's no way Ollie could be faster than Blood Rose and certainly not fast enough to dodge bullets.





Ollie doesn't even have a bandage or signs of a wound when he goes after Midas and Blood Rose afterward! The blame for this can probably be laid on artist Ignacio Calero, who took over pencil finishes on the final issue. George Perez, he ain't.





In the end, all my grousing is completely meaningless given that Issue #7 will bring a new creative team to this book - Writer Ann Nocenti (most famous for her work on Daredevil and creation of Typhoid Mary) and artist Harvey Talibao (Most recently seen working on a Silver Surfer mini-series for Marvel). With any luck, they'll be sticking around for a while and we can finally get a look at Oliver Queen's past. Either way, you can be sure I'll be covering it!

Superman #1 - A Review

The biggest complaint many have about Superman is that everything is too easy for him. He has so many superpowers it's almost easier to list what he can't do, his weakness are largely negligible and there's few villains who can match him physically or mentally. This attitude has resulted in far too many dull stories where Superman had to fight increasingly numerous and/or powerful enemies, which only further fueled the complaints that Superman is boring and stupid.

Thankfully, Superman #1 by George Perez avoids the vicious circle by making The Man more important than The Super. Perez's focus here is firmly upon the man behind the cape and the myriad of problems that can't be solved by punching something. Indeed, Perez's script draws off of the headlines of today - particularly the slow death of the American newspaper as well as the Newscorp Phone-Hacking Scandal - and showcases the many problems that both Clark Kent and Superman are powerless to solve, such as monopolization, systematic corruption of the media and, of course, Clark's love life or lack thereof.

As the issue opens, the original Daily Planet building has been demolished with the company having been bought by billionaire and CEO of Galaxy Communications Morgan Edge. Most of The Planet's crew have happily jumped ship and taken up new positions, including Lois Lane - the new Executive Producer in charge of coordinating the digital and television wings of the newly formed Planet Global Network. Clark, for his part, is highly skeptical of his new boss's business practices but is sticking with his job as a reporter in the print division lacking any other options. The issue splits focus between Superman attempting to stop a robbery only to wind up facing some sort of strange fire creature as Lois tries to cover the alien attack from a control booth and butts heads with both the scandal-minded Edge (who cares more about getting good footage than his employees' lives) and a news anchor who seems to want to spin every story to make Superman look bad.

I had to double-check the credits page to make sure that George Perez didn't do the artwork in addition to the writing on this book. He did do the breakdowns, which may explain why this issue looks so much like one of his old Wonder Woman comics. I don't know if artist Jesus Merino was intentionally aping Perez's style, putting scads of tiny details into every single panel no matter how small or trivial, but it looks good regardless. Merino fills every panel to the brim with action, making even the scenes in the newsrooms seem exciting.

I've never been a big Superman fan but between Action Comics and this book, I may become one yet. Perez introduces us to the characters and establishes their world masterfully and does a great job of making the world of Metropolis seem timely yet timeless with Merino's artwork captures that world perfectly. All in all, this is a solid read for all fans of The Big Blue Boyscout and anyone who has ever wanted to believe that a man can fly.

Green Arrow #1 - A Review

I imagine that the biggest challenge in revamping Green Arrow had to have been finding a way to differentiate Oliver Queen from all the other billionaire playboys turned vigilante in the comics world. Even as a Green Arrow fanboy – perhaps the biggest one in the world – I have to admit that isn’t an easy task. While many adjectives can be applied to the character of Oliver Queen, ‘original’ is not one of them.

Right from the start, Green Arrow was Batman with a quiver instead of a utility belt. Despite this, thanks to some innovative storytelling by the likes of Jack Kirby and Mort Weisinger, Green Arrow’s adventures remained in print throughout the 1950s at a time when other superheroes books were failing left and right. A revamp in the late 1960s under the team of Dennis O’Neil and Neal Adams saw The Emerald Archer receive a new look and a new attitude, as Oliver Queen lost his fortune, found enlightenment and became a modern-day Robin Hood and champion of the oppressed.

As time passed, the character of Oliver Queen has been revamped again and again. From Mike Grell’s portrait of an aging activist confronting his mid-life crisis to the idealistic outcast abandoned by both his family and community J.T. Krul created last year, there has been little consistency to the character of Oliver Queen. One writer envisions him as a loving family man. Another writes him as an unrepentant horn dog, who will bed anything with breasts and a pulse. One author portrays him as an outspoken but well-meaning champion. Another depicts him as a blustering blowhard who barely has the intelligence to dress himself. This problem has plagued Green Arrow to the point that even the people writing his title were unsure whether or not he had ever actively cheated on long-time girlfriend Black Canary.

Thankfully, the universe-wide revamp has given author J.T. Krul – returned to write Green Arrow after having written the book post-Blackest Night – a chance to start over with a clean slate. Krul is now free to ignore several decades of messy continuity and shoddy characterization and get to the true soul of Oliver Queen, restoring The Green Arrow to his former glory, positioning him once more in a place of honor in the pantheon of DC Comics heroes.

Well, we can hope, right?

At first glance, it seems Krul has done little to set Oliver Queen apart from the other billionaire playboy vigilantes. Indeed, it appears that he may have borrowed heavily from the recent cinematic revamp of another billionaire hero from the Marvelous Competitor. Oliver Queen runs his secret vigilante operation out of a hidden lab in the middle of his own business. There’s an anxious executive trying to slowly take over all of Queen Enterprises. There’s even a red-haired secretary tasked with keeping everyone distracted while Oliver Queen is out playing hero.

Thankfully, most of these trappings are nods to the original Green Arrow series, which pre-dated Iron Man by several decades and they are common enough to every comic book with a Rich Idiot With No Day Job protagonist.

How then does Krul set Oliver Queen apart from the rest of the pack?

First, Krul emphasizes Green Arrow’s status as a hunter. Whatever criteria you may use to compare him to similar heroes, Green Arrow is a tracker first and foremost. The first time we see him, he is following a trail and plotting just how to best go about attacking his quarry -in this case, three wanted super-villains who are living it up in a ritzy nightclub.

Secondly, Krul stresses Green Arrow’s status as an outlaw. This may not be uncommon in the new DCU (consider Batman and Green Lantern’s fight with the police in Justice League #1) but it is made clear from the start that Green Arrow has just as much to fear from the police as he does from the supervillains. That is a broad change from how superheroes have usually been viewed in the DC Universe, though it is nothing new for Green Arrow who has lived the outlaws’ life on three separate occasions before this issue.

Next, Krul highlights Oliver Queen’s conscience. Bruce Wayne became a hero because of a child’s vow affirming the love of his parents. Tony Stark became a hero out of guilt for the lives he inadvertently helped destroy. But Oliver Queen does what he does because it is right. Because it is wrong for the strong to prey upon the weak and because if he does not stand up, who will?

Finally, Krul showcases Oliver Queen’s attitude. More than any other hero, Green Arrow represents the heroic swashbuckler spirit. He goes into battle with a smile on his lips and a witty retort at the ready, no matter what the odds. He is Douglas Fairbanks facing three men at once. He is Errol Flynn, striding into the great hall with a poached deer slung across his shoulders. He is Cary Elwes wrestling a giant. He may fall in the end but he will go down fighting.

Speaking of swashbuckling, I must note that this issue gives us plenty of action. Indeed, it has the most action of any of the DCnU comics I’ve read so far. And all of it is masterfully illustrated by Dan Jurgens and George Perez – two pros whose names are synonymous with quality comics.

Do I have any complaints? Yes, but they are meager ones. Chief among them is that much of Oliver’s new supporting cast has not been given any characterization past “the smart hacker chick” or “the competent secretary”. The most well developed of Ollie’s team at Q-Core is Jax; a pacifist weapons designer who Ollie brought in to design and test all of his trick arrows. Hopefully they will get further development in future issues.

I’m also not pleased by the revelation that Oliver has some secret guilt that has driven him to become Green Arrow and that no indication is given as to what event he is talking about, save that he stood by and did nothing and that people died because of it.

Not only is this disappointing because it adds a level of angst to a comic that had been happily free of it until this point but it likely means that Andy Diggle’s excellent Green Arrow: Year One mini-series is no longer canon. I don’t recall Oliver sitting idle while people died in that story, though a large number were probably killed because of his actions and his best intentions.

All in all, I rather enjoyed this issue and I’m cautiously optimistic about this new take on Green Arrow. A part of me longs for the family man who just happened to be a superhero as written by Kevin Smith. And a part of me is nostalgic for the days when Eddie Fyers and Connor Hawke roamed the highways of America looking for adventure and people to help. But what’s past is past and all the wishing in the world can’t turn back time.

As it is, I’d say that this new Green Arrow is on-target.