Justice League United #11 - A Review

My hopes for Justice League United #11 all but died when I saw the cover. This may well be the worst piece of work I've seen from Tony Harris. I think the character in the middle is meant to be Animal Man, but it looks more like Gambit is angry about running out of styling gel halfway through combing his hair.


Gambit once ate a po'boy 'DIS big!
Things don't improve once we open the book and get to the story. Apparently Martian Manhunter, Supergirl and Green Arrow all quit the team at some point between this issue and the last one. Also, Adam Strange discovered that - rather than being an alien technological device - The Zeta Beam is some kind of force that unites all of time and space.

Oh! And he merged with it and can now sense impurities in reality that he calls Breakers. And he can somehow inform the rest of the JLU about these Breakers. And somehow they can travel around, pulling heroes and villains from key points in time to deal with these Breakers before they break reality.

Confused yet? I can't blame you. This is a dramatic departure from the classic idea of Adam Strange and, as such, should have merited a much more involved explanation. As it is, it's a prime example of that greatest of mistakes - telling the audience what happened rather than showing them. It might have felt more organic had we seen what happened to Adam rather than having the information dumped on us in a single page.


The artwork is similarly problematic. Travel Foreman is generally a fine artist but I think he's the wrong one for Justice League United. Foreman's use of forced perspective is disorienting and while that was effective in conveying the horror of Jeff Lemire's Animal Man, it doesn't work here. There's far too many panels where we see people talking in the middle distance, unable to tell who is who. Additionally, Foreman's fight choreography is sloppy and there is a complete lack of visual continuity. Consider how the the number of stars on Stargirl's sleeve changes from panel to panel below.


Given all of that, I'm done with Justice League United. The artwork is sloppy and doesn't fit the story. The writing is erratic. And with half the characters I liked in this book jettisoned in favor of a rotating roster of characters without their own comics, I have no other reason to keep reading.

Injustice: Gods Among Us - Year Three #12 - A Review

As The Phantom Stranger confronts The Spectre on the Saturn moon of Mimas, The Demon Etrigan attacks The Hall of Justice. Even with the power of a Sinestro Corps ring, Superman may be hard pressed to fight the fires of Hell. But who is the "form of Man" that now controls Etrigan?


Detractors of the New 52 universe will love this issue if for no other reason than it makes it clear that, in the reality of Injustice, the identity of The Phantom Stranger is kept a mystery. This is a shame, because there are so many other reasons to admire Tom Taylor's script for this issue.  The surprising identity of Etrigan's new host, for instance...


Bruno Redondo and Mike S. Miller tag-team the artwork on this issue, with inks provided by Juan Albarran and colors by Rex Lokus.  They all do their usual stellar job, to the surprise of no one.  At least, no one who has been following this series and grown accustomed to the high quality artwork that these creators bring to every issue of Injustice.

Injustice: Gods Among Us - Year Three #3 - A Review

Injustice: Year Three #3 sees John Constantine in the unusual role of the general rallying the troops. Uniting Batman's resistance movement with all the magic users interested in giving Superman a good punch up the bracket isn't going to be an easy task. And the arrival of an enemy intent on thwarting the alliance before it begins won't make things any easier.


Tom Taylor has two great gifts as a writer.  The first is an encyclopedic knowledge of the characters of the DC Universe and how they should act. The second is a creative instinct to find the perfect ways to play characters who don't normally interact off of each other in ways that make perfect sense and leave one wondering why we've never seen these characters interact before.  Taylor brings about magic on these pages, from Harley Qunn's immediate attraction to bad-boy John Constantine to Detective Chimp talking to Harvey Bullock, detective to detective, after the later declares that he can't cope with talking animals and magic.


The artwork by Mark S. Miller and J. Nanjan proves a prefect complement to Taylor's script.  Miller offers some wonderful designs for each character and has a particular affinity for drawing unique faces and injecting life and humanity into every expression.  Yes, even the non-human face of Detective Chimp has a distinct sense of humanity, if you'll pardon the phrase.

Demon Knights #21 - A Review

Whatever else may be said of Demon Knights after it ends its' run in two months time, no one will deny that the series aimed high.  Though I fear Robert Venditti's scripts lack the wit of Paul Cornell's (the humor in this issue being limited to a few dry remarks between Vandal Savage and Jason Blood) I cannot accuse Venditti of cowardice in shying away from the more controversial aspects of the series.  The romance between the transgender Sir Ystin and exiled Amazon Exoristos could easily have been abandoned in the 30-year gap between story-lines and Venditti deserves credit for continuing to explore this character thread.


The artwork is more problematic, with inker Wayne Faucher proving the dangers a second inker can do to a book in ruining it's uniformity.  This first scan above depicts the artwork as pencilled by Chad Hardin with Hardin providing his own inks.  This work looks more stylized but it is a style that I think fits the story, seeming somewhat ethereal in how lightly it is shaded.  The scan below shows Faucher's work, which ruins much of the stylization of Hardin's pencils, placing everything within a standard outline.


I will miss Demon Knights once it is gone.  This book was one of the hidden treasures of The New 52.  That being said, I suspect that when I think of this series in the future and reread it I may find myself skipping over these issues towards the end. 

Demon Knights #20 - A Review

It was perhaps inevitable that Demon Knights should come to focus upon Sir Ystin's quest for The Holy Grail.  I had just hoped it would be further down the line and that the series would continue to focus more upon the DC Universe in specific rather than retreading such a well-worn storyline.  Even having the clue for to the Grail's location be hidden in the library of the Amazons (who are portrayed as the crazed, man-hating ice-queens of Brian Azzarello's Wonder Woman) proves an insufficient twist to make this tired storyline seem new. 


As ever, the unique cast of characters created by Paul Cornell are the book's greatest strength but Robert Venditti lacks the confidence to go over-the-top as Cornell did.  His Vandal Savage seems much more the calculating conqueror we're used to in the modern DCU rather than the crazed cousin of Conan The Barbarian we saw under Cornell's pen.  Once depicted taking bites out of dragons roasted alive by fireballs, Vandal's savagery is limited toward flirting with the Amazons and requesting a copy of the Kama Sutra from their librarian.  The humor of much of the other characters is similarly muted.  Indeed, there is much that may be said to be muted under Venditti's pen.


The same complaint could be made of the series' new art team.  Chad Hardin is a competent enough penciler, whose designs for the characters are distinct, but he's no Bernard Chang.  Hardin's figures seem far too stiff and posed.  There is little life to any of his fight scenes.  Of more concern is inker Wayne Facher, whose work is uneven throughout.  Many figures have a thick outline around them yet they receive almost no definition to their interiors.  One wonders if Facher just did enough work to make sure the characters were distinctive from the background and then called it a day.

Demon Knights #20 is a good point for new readers to jump on to this series but I hesitate to recommended it.  The book isn't bad but it's nowhere near as good as it once was and I'm not sure I can justify continuing to buy a half-assed version of what was one of my top five favorite books.  I'll give it some time to change my mind but this book is officially on notice.   

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 #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 #12 - A Review

Despite the cover of this issue giving away the secret behind the Demon Knight's current antagonist, I'm going to keep things secret and spoiler free in this review. Is this my cunning way of trying to get you to read this book if you aren't already? Perhaps.



The plot thickens as the Demon Knights travel deeper into the corrupted heart of Avalon, heading toward a final confrontation with a long-time enemy of King Arthur who is also no stranger to Madam Xanadu. There's a lot of fine details here that expand upon some of the mysteries behind Paul Cornell's creations. The fact that The Horsewoman's powers connect into The Red (the same force that Animal Man draws off of) seems obvious in retrospect but the reveal does not leave the readers feeling cheated. Full marks to Cornell for keeping the mystery about these characters without stonewalling the story flow.



I'm going to miss Diogenese Neves' work on this title. Indeed, I am hard pressed to think of any artist working today who could have captured the medieval setting of this book so well. We'll see how Bernard Chang fills his shoes starting next month. I'm not worried, though, as Chang proved an able replacement for Neves earlier in this series' run.

One Good Thing And One Bad Thing About Brave And The Bold #32

GOOD THING: It's about Aquaman and Etrigan teaming up to fight Lovecraftian horrors under the sea.

So... yeah. What else can I say?


BAD THING: I read this issue first among all the comics I read this weekend. And then I wept, knowing that nothing else I would read this week would ever be so perfect as this.

The Final Verdict: Aquaman and Etrigan fight Cthulhu! If that doesn't sound awesome to you, consult your local shaman about finding out what happened to your soul because it has clearly been removed.