Detective Comics #946 - A Review

As Batman confronts The First Victim, the rest of his team are having their own encounters with the rest of the new gang called The Victim Syndicate.  Batwoman goes head-on with Mister Noxious and Madame Crow as Clayface faces his own villainous past and the woman he wronged, who was transformed into Mudface. Meanwhile, Stephanie has her own surprising encounter with a familiar face in The Belfry.


I regret that I don't have a scanner large enough to capture the glorious two page spreads that depict most of the action in this issue. Eddy Barrows, Eber Ferreira, Julio Ferreira and Adriano Lucas are crafting pure magic together with their work on this series. Coupled with some fantastic character moments, as written by James Tynion IV, this is easily the strongest Batman book on the stands.

Detective Comics #945 - A Review

As Batman looks into his past to find the identity of The First Victim, the rest of The Belfry Team undergo psychiatric evaluation. Some members of the team are doubting their place. Others question the presence of other members of the team. Yet all of Gotham's heroes will be needed when The Victim Syndicate attacks again...


The artwork for this issue is all over the place. Unfortunately, this goes beyond the conflicting styles of the two art teams. Carmen Carnero and Scott Hanna do a fine job together but the work by Al Barrionuevo in the opening pages looks sloppy and inconsistent. Still, it serves as an interesting lesson in how a good inker can make or break a book.


Thankfully, the writing of James Tynion IV continues to be this book's most consistently excellent feature. There are a number of great character moments in this issue. I was particularly happy to see Clayface getting some much-needed exploration, since the series so far has said little about what prompted his sudden heroic streak. The final page offers a cliff-hanger that will leave readers anxiously awaiting the next issue in three weeks.

All-New Wolverine #14 - A Review

Somebody is trying to turn Laura Kinney back into the mindless killer she once was. They succeeded, however briefly, after Laura fled to a small town seeking to get away. Now, with SHIELD chasing after her, Laura will have to turn to an old enemy for help in getting into the hostile nation of Madripoor, where her would-be controllers have fled.

Tom Taylor continues to impress with every issue of this series that he writes. While I have to question the intelligence of SHIELD Command continuing to send ordinary agents into Laura's life (to say nothing of the bigoted Agent Bennett acting on his apparent hatred of mutants in front of Nick 'Goddam' Fury!), I can't deny that the action sequence where Laura escapes from a SHIELD plane is  a great one. And Taylor's command of comedy is still second to none.


The artwork is equally enjoyable. New penciller Nik Virella sports a simple, serviceable style. Scott Hanna does his usual stellar job on the inks. And colorists Jesus Aburtov and Michael Garland do such a fine job you would never know that there were multiple colorists at work on this book.

Justice League: Rebirth #1 - A Review

They are the World's Finest heroes. But in the wake of Superman's death and the disappearance of Hal Jordan - the first Green Lantern of Earth - they are not what they once were. Still, there is another Superman and two rookie Green Lanterns - both of whom shall reveal themselves as The Justice League face their greatest challenge yet!


I can't fault David Finch entirely for this issue feeling like I walked into an action movie twenty minutes after it started. The recent events of the Superman and Green Lanterns books defy easy explanation and Finch does well enough trying to bring the pre-52 Superman, Simon Baz and Jessica Cruz into play. I can, however, fault Finch for the decision to tell this story out of sequence, with the original Justice League members discussing the new Superman joining the team before they meet him.

I can also fault Finch for the atrocious artwork in this issue. The poses are all forced and the facial expressions are hilariously awful. The inking by Scott Hanna and Daniel Henriques is unevenly applied. Alex Sinclair's colors aren't bad but there's only so much you can do to change a cowpie by painting it.

Superman: Lois And Clark #8 - A Review

Superman finally tracks down the mysterious villain who has been making his last few days so difficult. But he may face a more difficult battle when he gets home. It is then he and Lois will have to finally explain to their son Jonathan why they've lied about who they really are for so long...

The action sections of this issue are fine enough but where Dan Jurgens' script truly shines is in the interaction between Clark, Lois and Jonathan. Jurgens captures the essence of who Clark and Lois should be perfectly and Jonathan has grown into an instantly likable character under his pen.  The artwork for this issue - provided entirely by the original team of Lee Weeks, Scott Hanna and Jeromy Cox - suits the story perfectly. Hopefully this story will continue to be as enjoyable in the post-Rebirth Superman series.

Superman: Lois And Clark #7 - A Review

In the wake of Intergang's attempt to kill Lois Lane (aka Author X) and her young son, Jonathan's powers have been revealed. Thankfully, Superman is along shortly to get them to safety. But even Superman may not be able to rebuild the bonds of trust in his own family in the wake of the revelation that he and his wife have been hiding their real selves from their son for his whole life.


This series has been building up to this moment since the very beginning. And Dan Jurgens plays it out perfectly. Lois, Clark and Jonathan sound like a real family - something that is surprisingly rare in most comic-book portrayals of parents and children interacting with one another.


Once again I have to praise the efficiency of the art team on this issue. Typically, when you have two pencilers and three inkers on a comic, the result is chaotic and messy. Shockingly, the visual continuity of this issue doesn't suffer at all despite having numerous cooks working on the dish, so to speak.

Superman: Lois And Clark #6 - A Review

Intergang makes their move on Author X aka Lois Lane, abducting her and her son. This looks like a job for Superman... but he's otherwise occupied with the super-villain Badrock - start of a new reality show that just became a little too real! Thankfully, salvation may come at the hands of a most unlikely source...
I can't say enough good things about Dan Jurgens writing. Jurgens has been writing Superman for a long time and we can only hope he'll continue to do so once the line-up for Rebirth is announced. This series is quite honestly the best Superman story we've seen in years.



Jurgens' writing is equaled by the quality work of Lois & Clark's art team. Lee Weeks' characters are cleared designed and well-rendered. Scott Hannah's inks achieve the perfect balance between mere outlining of the original pencils and over-enhancing them. And Jeromy Cox's colors are divine.

Superman: Lois And Clark #5 - A Review

The most dangerous villain Clark Kent has encountered upon this Earth - the psychic known as Blanque - has broken loose of his cell in the new Fortress of Solitude. What is worse, he now has control of this world's Hank Henshaw, who may or may not have just gained the powers of his otherworldly counter-part, The Cyborg Superman! It will take all of Clark's power and cunning to save not only his family but the whole world!

If this issue has a flaw, it is that Lois' storyline regarding her her ordeals with this world's version of Intergang is put on the back-burner for a good, old-fashioned superhero smackdown. That being said, this issue is a good one, as far as good, old-fashioned superhero smackdowns go. Dan Jurgens tells this sort of story well and the issue still has plenty of touching moments of Lois and Clark bonding as a couple in spite of the emphasis on the action.


Neil Edwards (most recently seen on The Four Doctors) and Scott Hanna do their usual stellar job on the artwork for this issue. You would never know there were two inkers at work here. And Jeromy Cox's colors are as subtle and suitable as ever.

Superman: Lois And Clark #4 - A Review

As an alien invasion fleet approaches Earth, Superman must prevent Blanque - a powerful psychic he imprisoned inside of his new secret base - from escaping along with a recently empowered Hank Henshaw. Meanwhile, Lois checks in on her editor - the only other person who knew about her investigation into Intergang - and discovers that she has disappeared!

There's quite a lot of metaphorical plates spinning in this story by Dan Jurgens keeps them moving with apparent ease. Both Lois' and Clark's respective storylines get plenty of time in the spotlight. There's even time for a flashback showing how Lois arranged for Clark to get his supersuit in this strange new reality as well as a  check-in on the approaching alien fleet.



There's two separate art teams on this issue but you'd never know it from looking. Close examination will reveal the differences between Lee Weeks and Marco Santucci's styles but the differences are not so jarring as to distract away from the flow of the book. The inks by Sergio Carifello and Scott Hanna are likewise well-balanced, with the colors by Jeromy Cox supplying the perfect finishes to the final artwork.

Superman: Lois And Clark #3 - A Review

Satisfied that the threat to his family has been neutralized and that their secret is safe, Clark Kent returns to his Fortress of Solitude. Meanwhile, Lois Lane goes back to work investigating this Earth's version of Intergang. Little do they know that enemies, both old and new, are already working against them...
Whatever you say about Dan Jurgens, you can't accuse him of thinking small as a writer.  This issue introduces a number of subplots and new threats for Lois and Clark to contend with. Yet everything is evenly balanced and there's no sense that anything is getting short-shrift. There's even time for some amusing banter between the first couple of comics amid all the set-up.

The artwork proves equally enjoyable. There's three inkers at work, including penciler Lee Weeks, but you'd never know it. The shading is consistent throughout. And the color art by Brad Anderson perfectly enhances the finished pencils and inks.

Superman: Lois And Clark #2 - A Review

Thanks to the secret intervention of Clark Kent, The Space Shuttle Excalibur has landed safely, though the crew has mysteriously vanished! This is a matter of great concern to Mr. Chambers - a government agent who seems as mysterious as the incidents he investigates. But Clark Kent has other concerns of his own. Namely, the armed men who are chasing after his wife and son...


The plot thickens in this second issue of Superman: Lois and Clark, though not much happens beyond laying more ground work for the new series. This is a different kind of Superman story and one I'm glad to see being told. Most of the issue's focus is off of Clark Kent and set on Lois Lane, who proves as capable a heroine as ever in defending herself and her son before Clark shows up.

One wonders how long they're going to try and deny their secret lives as savior of the world and investigative author to their son. This issue shows that  Jonathan iss already becoming suspicious of his parents' lies... even without the hint he's discovered his super-hearing at issue's end.  Still, the story by Dan Jurgens is tightly-plotted and riveting to read.


Jurgen's script comes to life perfectly under the art team's direction. Lee Weeks' character designs look great and his pencils are perfectly enhanced by Scott Hanna's inks. And the colors by Brad Anderson are well-chosen.

Superman: Lois And Clark #1 - A Review

There was a battle. Cities and their chosen champions, plucked from time and space and pitted against one another for the right to exist. But some of those heroes united during this so-called Convergence and in doing so defeated their captor - a future version of the artificial intelligence known as Brainiac. And leading the charge, as usual, was Brainiac's greatest enemy - Superman!

But now The Convergence is ended. And the Clark Kent and Lois Lane of an older Earth - who married and had a son named Jonathan together - find themselves in another world. A world that is darker and more suspicious than their own. A world in need of heroes. But this world has a Lois Lane and a Clark Kent of their own, who have their own destinies to fulfill. So Lois and Clark go into hiding, disguised as an ordinary farm couple, while still doing what they do best.

As the years pass, Lois becomes a famous yet anonymous author of books that expose government corruption. And Clark continues to do what good he can, subtly, when he isn't tending to their farm. It is a good life but it is about to become far more complicated than even they could have imagined!

Attention DC Comics fans who have been displeased by recent events in the Superman books or just generally unhappy with The New 52 universe in general! Our prayers have been answered! They have delivered unto us the Superman/Lois Lane comic we've always wanted! And it is good!

Hyperbolic Old Testament prophet dialogue aside, this truly is a great issue. Dan Jurgens sets up the new status quo and explains away Convergence with economy while delivering a well-placed jab at the reality of the new Earth Prime of The 52 Universe. Jurgens calls it a place without faith, which is an interesting and accurate description of the darker new DC Comics Universe and one senses we're going to see something special here.

It's too soon to tell if this series may be Jurgens' Kingdom Come - the first canon shot against a movement against the increasing cynicism in modern superhero stories. But this issue offers plenty of reasons to be hopeful. If nothing else it's nice to see Lois Lane being treated as an equal to Clark and that she gets her own subplot showcasing how she too has become a different kind of hero in facing a new world.


The artwork perfectly matches Jurgens' script. Lee Weeks' characters look wonderful and are perfectly enhanced by Scott Hanna's inks. Of particular note is the coloration by Brad Anderson, who depicts most of the world in muted tones save for the superheroes, who are vibrant and colorful figures that stand out all the stronger for that. Many of the pages depicting Lois' story have a Film Noir aspect fitting of the darker, mystery-filled world that Lois inhabits.

Superman #44 - A Review

Superman's secret identity has been revealed to the world and Clark Kent's life is falling apart. A new Royal Flush gang is out for his head and a collective of his worst enemies have taken the staff of The Daily Planet hostage! And the police are more interested in arresting him than they are in helping Superman save lives!

I want to believe that Gene Luen Yang is building to something grand with this story but I'm just not seeing it anymore. The speed with which people turn on Clark Kent seems more appropriate to a story set in the Marvel Universe. I defended the idea that Lois Lane could ever see fit to betray Clark's trust in the face of a greater good but I'm hard pressed to believe Perry White would attack Clark as he does here. While one might argue that White's commitment to The Truth as a newsman could lead him to see any kind of lying to your editor as a betrayal of the job of a journalist, it still seems a bit incongruous for him to chew out Superman for endangering people and thinking he could protect them. Nearly as incongruous as Clark, in the fact of such hostility, declaring he shall inflict a thousand-times as much pain on anyone who tries to hurt his friends.


It's oddly fitting that John Romita Jr. should be the artist on this book because this sure feels like a Spider-Man story rather than a Superman one. Romita and his usual inker Klaus Janson are in fine form. And the colors by Dean White and Leonardo Olea are skilfully applied, with no indication that there is more than one color artist at work.

Superman #43 - A Review

As pointless as it may be to put a SPOILER warning on this review, given that the "shocking twist" at the end of this issue was revealed over three months ago by DC Comics' preview for this series, nevertheless I am giving a warning.

If you haven't read Superman #43 yet, know that I enjoyed this issue immensely and would recommend reading it for yourself. Abandon this article now if you would remain unspoiled!


At last we learn how it was that Lois Lane betrayed Clark Kent's secret identity to the world. And to the credit of Gene Luen Yang, the reason she has is a darn good one.  So what could drive Lois Lane to expose Superman's greatest secret?  It is not, as many suggested, a desire for the fame or glory attached to such a big story.

It is fear that motivates her.  Fear of what Superman might do to protect the people he cares about from a cunning blackmailer who is three steps ahead of him. So Lois does the only thing she can to save Superman and all that he stands for as Clark Kent elects to play along with the blackmailer's demands while waiting for an opportunity to free himself later.  She reveals everything to the world, thus making Hordr-Root's threats worthless and freeing Clark to fight back against the master hacker.


There is a subtle parallel here between the conflict between Lois and Clark at issue's end and the Superman fandom. Clark idealistically believes that, given time, he could have figured a way out of this mess whereas Lois, ever the realist, makes a difficult choice to prevent what she sees as the greater (or at least more immediate) of two evils. Consider how this mirrors the argument over the idea that Superman should always find a way to win in the end versus those who feel Superman is at his best when he is faced with emotional conflicts that require more than physical strength to solve.

Doubtlessly some will say that this story is terrible because Lois' trust in Superman should be absolute. Others will say that this story is well in keeping with Lois' nature to be a proactive figure who does what she thinks is right and damn the consequences if the world disagrees with her. I think there is a grand discussion to be held regarding those ideas and hope this issue provokes such conversation rather than inspiring an army of Super-fans to rage quit the series.

Regardless of how you feel about the story, the artwork is exquisite.  John Romita Jr. is in fine form. And one would never know that this issue featured a team of two inkers and three colorists, so well does the team work together in maintaining a uniform style throughout the issue.

Earth 2 #27 - A Review

Set sometime after the start of Earth 2: World's End, Earth 2 #27 is nominally about our heroes trying to rescue a group of trapped scientists.  What the comic is really about, however, is relationships.  Specifically, the relationship between the new Superman and Power Girl and the relationship between the new Batman and Huntress. The former group are childhood friends who seem to be transforming into something more.  The later are estranged family and Huntress prefers to keep it that way, despite Batman's efforts to reach out to her.


This sort of thing is the bread and butter of writer Tom Taylor, who once again partners up with Marguerite Bennett for this issue.  Bennett's something of an unknown quantity here, but her previous work on Batgirl and Batman has proven her to be a writer of no mean skill.  It's unclear just how the writing duties were split between them but the fact that one fails to detect any difference in the writing styles between scenes proves that the two writers play well together and that we all benefit from the partnership.


The same can be said of the artwork, which is handled by two separate teams of artists.  One group handles the pages involving flashbacks to Huntress and Power Girl's pasts.  The other handles the main action of the issue.  Both teams do a fine job depicting the action and there's no glaring difference in the styles that might wreck a reader's focus.

Earth 2 Annual #2 - A Review

Earth 2 Annual #2 reveals the background of the second man in this world to call himself Batman.  There is little more I can say than that without giving away the whole game and I refuse to do that.  Suffice it to say, this issue is a must-read for all fans of the Batman mythos.  


It spoils little to say that most of the story is told in flashback and centers upon Bruce Wayne investigating the murder of the man who killed his parents and the deaths of several other figures in the Gotham Mafia, who died under similar circumstances.  It also ties into the past of Bruce Wayne's father and how his own heroism came to influence his life and the life of his son.  I don't know if Tom Taylor was intentionally paying homage to the classicUntold Legend of Batman but this story explores similar themes.



I despaired when I saw that the artist on this issue was Robson Rocha, whsoe artwork drove me off of World's Finest.  For whatever reason, Robson's inability to keep facial shapes consistent from panel to panel seems less pronounced in this issue.  Perhaps this is due to inker Scott Hanna, who does far more to define Rocha's pencils than Wayne Facher ever did?  Either way, the final work is competent but not particularly exciting.  But neither  is it poor enough to make me not recommend this book. 

Green Lantern Corps #20 - A Review

I delayed my review of Green Lantern Corps #20 for two weeks, since this issue was meant to be an epilogue to this week's Green Lantern #20.  I wanted to read that issue before I commented upon this one, which is to be Peter Tomasi's last.  Surprisingly, given the fanfare over Johns' departure, there has been no similar outcry for Tomasi's leaving this series.  To my mind, this is a shame since Tomasi had an important role in developing the Green Lantern books over the last few years as well.  If Geoff Johns can be called the architect behind the revival of Green Lantern over the last decade, I think Peter Tomasi should be considered the engineer.  Johns made the plans but Tomasi frequently put the pieces together and made things work.


Sadly, Tomasi's conclusion is a mixed-bag of sorts.  Most of the non-Earthling Green Lanterns this series focused upon are absent, with drill sergeant Kilowog and major domo Salaak showing up just long enough to confirm that they're alive.  Even John Stewart - forced into an afterthought of a storyline trying to revive Mogo for most of the last year - is treated like a footnote, as he and long-time enemy Fatality have a sudden whirlwind romance that comes out of nowhere.  Thankfully, the majority of the issue - focused upon Guy Gardner's efforts to save his family from an alien killer with a grudge - is more enjoyable.  


I'll miss the artwork of Scott Hanna and Fernando Pasarin on this title as much as I'll miss Tomasi's writing.  I've long been of the opinion that Pasarin is one of the most underrated artists working at DC Comics today and this issue showcases Parasin's unique talent for drawing constructs as well as unique-looking aliens.  Hanna's inks perfectly walk the line between definition and shading, looking picture perfect in every panel. 

Green Lantern Corps #19 - A Review

When I think of writer Peter Tomasi, I think of one thing above all others - excellent dialogue.  Curiously, Green Lantern Corps #19 has very little of this.  Indeed, most of the issue is made up of splash pages and two-page sequences with multiple panels free of word balloons, as the Green Lanterns on Oa - freed from the influence of the First Lantern by a newly revived Mogo - fight an army of rage and fear-based constructs.


The action of the issue is well-paced and proves Tomasi as capable of writing a fight sequence as he is writing a lively conversation. It also showcases the abilities of penciler Fernando Pasarin and inker Scott Hanna.  Every page of this book is gorgeous, with a complex amount of detail going into each panel.   


If this issue has a flaw it is that, like most of the Green Lantern titles right now, it is largely inaccessible to new readers.  To Tomasi's credit, the action of this issue is easily understood but a first-time reader would be completely clueless as to who Mogo is and the significance of Mogo's return, to say nothing of the larger Wrath of the First Lantern storyline.  Green Lantern Corps #19 probably won't win over any new readers but it will please established fans of the series.

Green Lantern Corps #18 - A Review

Green Lantern Corps #18 mirrors the previous issue in many respects, for good and ill.  Like last month's issue, the plot focuses upon The First Lantern tormenting captive Lanterns by showing them visions of how their life could have changed if things had been a little different.  This time, the focus is upon Green Lantern John Stewart.  The good news is this issue gives John Stewart a definitive origin.  The bad news is this new background discards much of what made John Stewart such a memorable and unique character.


Before the Justice League animated series became popular, John Stewart had always been an architect by trade.  A retcon around the time of Infinite Crisis altered his background to be more in line with the  better-known version of the character from the cartoon who was an ex-Marine.  It was assumed that the military service came before John's eventual employment as an architect, particularly since John's architect training was said to have influenced how he made his constructs.

This retelling suggests that John has never been an architect and that he has always been a career soldier.  While this does better fit the personality John Stewart has developed in recent years, it still saddens me to see that aspect of the character - that he was the logical thinker and the builder among the Green Lanterns of Earth - be sacrificed for no apparent reason.  Worse, there's no mention of John's marriage to Katma Tui - the alien Green Lantern who had replaced Sinestro and one of the most prominent female Lanterns of all time! 


There's a similar problem with the portrayal of Yrra of Xanshi a.k.a. Fatality.  Her background is similarly troubled in the wake of The New 52.  Created back in the days when Kyle Rayner was the last Green Lantern, she was the sole survivor of a world which John Stewart failed to save due to his arrogance.  She swore revenge on all Green Lanterns and killed a number of them before setting her sights on Kyle and John. 

In the time afterward, she lost both her arms in battle, had them replaced with stronger cybernetic limbs, was given a Yellow power ring on two separate occasions and finally became a Star Sapphire.  She's had her own arms back for a while now but although we see her being tormented alongside John Stewart, the sum total of her contribution to this issue is appearing in an alternate timeline where she and John Stewart killed each other.  It seems a waste of one of the richest characters this series has.

The artwork by Chriscross seems conflicted in comparison to his work on Green Lantern Corps Annual #1.  There are many panels where the character's mouths are stuck open and their eyes bugging out in a manner that suggests that Marty Feldman acted as the artist's model for the scene.  Thankfully, this problem is limited to the close-ups on individual characters.  The action-scenes making up most of the issue are well illustrated and I have no complaints about those moments. 

Green Lantern Corps #17 - A Review

Green Lantern Corps #17 is a good comic.  I would like to say that right here at the start because some of what I'm about to say may give the impression that I didn't like this book.  I loved this book but it is not without flaw.  And yet those flaws lie at the heart of why I found this book so enjoyable.  For while this book does stand well on its' own terms, I find it stands ill at ease with the Wrath Of The First Lantern storyline that it is part of.  But I'm getting ahead of myself...

I'd also like to say, before I dig myself in too deep, that I still think Fernando Pasarin and Scott Hanna are perhaps the most underrated artistic team working in comics today.  I can't think of a single off-issue that they've had in their time on this series.  And the opening double-splash page depicting Guy Gardner in his various guises and personas while various events from his life play out in the background struck me immediately with its' complex beauty.


It is this opening splash - and indeed much of what we see in the story of this issue - that brings me to my conundrum.  I think the DC Multiverse as we knew it still exists in some form.  I think this New 52 Universe - and the new Earth 2 - are but two Earths out of the many undefined worlds we saw in recent times.  Why else would we see Guy Gardner with a yellow Sinestro ring or Guy Gardner: Warrior - two incarnations that could not have existed in the New 52 reality, given what we know of the Green Lantern history?  Why else would we see scenes of Guy with Ice, who I don't think he ever became romantically serious with in this reality?

That's a good question isn't it?  And it's one that this issue completely ignores, focusing as it is upon The First Lantern tormenting Guy Gardner with visions of other universes where his already miserable past was even worse.  The reality where his siblings were put in danger and he was unable to save them.  The reality where his failing to kill a suicide bomber led to the deaths of thousands instead of a dozen.  All of these scenes and more are played out to Guy's increasing discomfort as The First Lantern... well, we don't actually know why he's doing this, save that he seems to feed off the emotional responses of others.  That's another good mystery to keep us reading.


The only problem with all of this is that good as Peter Tomasi is at playing with this kind of drama, this issue does seem somewhat derivative of all the other recent stories which focused upon Guy Gardner suffering.  This issue also doesn't have any connection whatsoever to Green Lantern #17 and the events of that book.  That might be considered a blessing instead of a weakness and indeed I liked how the recent Death of the Family mini-series did not require one to read every single Batman book. The same thing seems to be occurring here, save that there's even less connection between the various Green Lantern family titles than there was during Rise Of The First Army.  One can't help but feel that's a bad thing in a crossover.  Despite this, I still loved this issue and would recommend it to anyone who has yet to give Green Lantern Corps a shot.