National Comics: Eternity #1

By: Jeff Lemire (story), Cully Hamner & Derec Donovan (art), Val Staples (colors)

The Story: There are some people who need killing and there are some who need to stay dead.

The Review: Even though DC Universe Presents has been a mixed bag, quality wise—the high point being the recent Vandal Savage arc by James Robinson, the low being, predictably enough, Dan Didio’s Challengers of the Unknown—I still dig the showcase format as an idea.  The joy of having a shared universe with hundreds of characters is for creators to use them as springboards for ideas, tapping into potential stories no one else sees.

DC Universe Presents really only had a flaw in its tolerance for length.  It’s one thing to leave a title on the stands for a few months just to weather a mediocre story, but if that story stretches on for six issues, you’re more likely to forget about the title altogether rather than pick it up again.

Mighty Avengers #30 – Review

By Dan Slott & Christos Gage (writers), Sean Chen (artist), Mark Morales (inker), John Rauch (colorist)

The Story: Hank Pym and the embodiment of reality have a heart to heart while a ridiculously impressive number of past and present Avengers unite to collectively bitch-slap The Unspoken.

The Good: I enjoyed the subplot of this issue far more than I did the main story, but that’s not saying much when talking about “The Unspoken”.  The conversation between Pym and Eternity was far-fetched and more than a little ridiculous, yes, but at the same time it was so wildly off the wall that I couldn’t help but admire its brazen audacity.  I question if this is the right direction for Pym, but am also curious to see where Slott and Gage go with it.  This issue seems to be a prelude of sorts to the upcoming “Siege” storyline, as the New, Mighty, and Young Avengers all meet for the first time.  I was pretty impressed with how epic and powerful that moment felt, and am really hoping to see new team rosters come from this assembly.

The Not So Good: Why, oh why won’t this story end already?!  We’re now four months into this sloth-like monstrosity and practically nothing has happened.  Despite the writers’ efforts to convince us otherwise, The Unspoken continues to be an uninspired and thoroughly boring villain.  I’m utterly baffled that three full teams of Avenger are needed take down this guy when it takes him so long to get anything done.  Sure, the Slave Engine has finally been raised, but at the rate this story is going it will take another four months for this moron to actually activate the damn thing!  My concern is that this storyline will be dragged on right up until “Siege” begins, and I’m not sure I can hold out that long, this story is really that dull.

Conclusion: Mighty Avengers continues to be a fun comic and the best Avengers title being printed right now, but it is taking a serious beating from a bad story that is getting worse every month.  There are a few slivers of good ideas present here, but not nearly enough to justify buying the comic.  You don’t need this one, either.

Grade:  D

-Tony Rakittke