Superman/Wonder Woman Annual #1 – Review

By: Too many to list—check out the review.

The Story: Superman returns.

The Review: About a month ago, I decided to stick to Doomed despite many misgivings about the storyline. It was a close call, however. Part of what kept me onboard was the resignation that the event was nearly over anyway. A few more issues, I could handle. Had I known the Doomed showrunners planned to add two annuals to the mix, I probably would have reconsidered my commitment. Annuals are costly things, and the thought of putting that much more money into Doomed was hard to take.

On the plus side, the annuals confirm that what we thought was a Doomsday story is actually a Brainiac one, which is an improvement, sort of. It seems somewhat repetitive to make the villain yet again the center of a major Superman story (the last time being one of Superman’s earliest big adventures); can’t they come up with someone else to challenge our hero? Must we always turn to the usual suspects? Shouldn’t there be at least a three year moratorium on a supervillain after he’s been featured in a major story arc?

Earth Two #25 – Review

By: Tom Taylor (story), Nicola Scott (pencils), Trevor Scott (inks), Pete Pantazis (colors)

The Story: If you’re going to break your father’s heart, you might as well kill him.

The Review: As I read through this issue, it suddenly occurred to me that for a big, gushy superhero series that’s been around for over two years, we’ve had surprisingly few displays of superheroic power. A couple come to mind—Alan’s duel with Solomon Grundy, Marella’s airborne whirlpool—but for the most part, it’s the enemy that’s done most of the showboating. No wonder morale has been so low; it’s hard to hold out hope when all the major moves come from the other side.

And no wonder that as our heroes get bolder, more aggressive with their powers, the more you think Earth Two may stand a fighting chance after all. I’m not just talking about the war against Apokolips; I’m talking about the chances of these characters rising to the same level as their peers on Prime Earth. It’s easy to think of Earth-2’s Wonders as cheap riffs and knock-offs of more famous characters, and thus inferior product. The only way to break out of that perception is to stand tall and proud on their own laurels, and they weren’t going to do it by constantly fleeing Darkseid’s forces.

Green Lantern #32 – Review

By: Robert Venditti (writer), Billy Tan (penciler), Rob Hunter with Jaime Mendoza (inkers), Tony Avina (colorist)

The Story: The Durlans discover that the cultural melting pot doesn’t interest them half as much as a culture living in a melting pot.

The Review: With Guardians of the Galaxy swiftly approaching, there’s really no denying the power of Marvel’s cosmic universe. Space has been the place to be for Marvel’s cult hits for years, from Nova to Runaways to Captain Marvel. Despite some of their biggest characters hailing from space, DC’s cosmic stories have lagged behind in recent years. Certainly there have been gems, but the rich intergalactic world building of the Silver Age has fallen largely by the wayside. This issue is yet another step on the path to correcting this.

Though there’s definitely some Lantern action in this issue, the real attraction is the interplay between the rapidly fracturing anti-Lantern coalition. I suppose it’s not surprising, given the consistently strong writing that Robert Venditti has brought to the Corps’ adversaries, but this month they really get the screen time such writing deserves.

Earth Two #24 – Review

By: Tom Taylor (story), Eddy Barrows (pencils), Eber Ferreira (inks), Pete Pantazis (colors)

The Story: Jimmy Olsen considers the possibility of being Batman’s best pal.

The Review: Of the several improvements Taylor brought when he took over Earth Two, the best has to be where the character work is concerned. For all of James Robinson’s talents with solo characters, he struggled with the ensemble nature of this series, rarely writing a scene of two or more characters that wasn’t plot-driven or totally cheesy. Despite his sizable expansion of the cast, Taylor has shown greater mastery over them, whether on their own or in groups.

Only recently, though, has Taylor done sustained interactions among the characters, and in this issue he seems to have found his groove through two-person scenes. Improvisers and actors may agree when I say that two-person scenes are probably the purest kind there are; any more characters require a lot of choreography and rehearsal to pull off. Of all the various pairings, Jimmy Olsen and Thomas Wayne strike the best balance of personality and drama,* which both characters have parts in generating. At Thomas’ surprise that Jimmy knows his true identity, Jimmy declares, “I can hack any system. I can basically breathe information. No one can hide from me.”

Thomas cuts to the chase. “Lois told you.”

“Yes, she did.”

Green Lantern #31 – Review

By: Robert Venditti (writer), Billy Tan (penciller), Rob Hunter (inker), Alex Sinclair (colorist)

The Story: A Durlan is everthing. A Durlan is everywhere…

The Review: I’ve generally enjoyed Robert Venditti’s run on Green Lantern, however I must admit that there has been something off about it that I’ve been struggling to put my finger on. Is it the balance between internal Lantern matters and the greater universe? Is it decompression? Event fatigue? The needs of the issues vs. that of the overarching story? Perhaps a bit of all of them but, regardless, this feeling of being not quite right has been a leach on the story. I’m honestly quite impressed at how Venditti has handled the nigh impossible task of following Geoff Johns’ franchise revitalizing epic, but the past year has been one of ups and downs – has it really been a year already? Still it’s all been leading up to this…

With this issue the long simmering Lantern-Durlan war enters a new phase. I don’t know if Venditti was biding his time until “Uprising” began or simply felt that he had lots of set up to do, but either way this is a big step up for the series. I mentioned last month that Green Lantern seemed to reset every month, starting from the same status quo without a sense of building tension. Well, in addition to picking up fairly directly from the impressive issue #30, this issue really feels like a shift in the book’s dynamic. Betrayals are revealed, mysteries discovered, and character tested.

One thing that’s interesting to compare between Johns and Venditti are their moments of apotheosis. While these moments in Venditti’s run lack something of the ‘hell yeah’ quality of Johns’, it’s worth mentioning that the latter’s often felt like the climax of an argument one held with oneself; not so in Venditti’s stories. The universe doesn’t justify or disavow Hal Jordan in this issue and, while he has a moment of triumph, there is the sense that the other shoe could still drop. It’s an interesting and sincere look at a man like Jordan, who’s used to being right. As a Lantern he could make do on the strength of his beliefs, as Corps Leader he’ll be judged on their content as well, and he won’t discover the verdict till it’s all over.

Earth Two #23 – Review

By: Tom Taylor (story), Nicola Scott (pencils), Trevor Scott (inks), Pete Pantazis (colors)

The Story: Even for a perpetrator of mass genocide, there’s no place like home.

The Review: From the moment Superman made his reappearance on Earth-2, many of us instantly assumed that either he was some evil doppelganger created by Steppenwolf to demoralize the world, or that, at worst, this was a Superman under some kind of psychic control. But only in our least serious imaginings did we consider that the Superman brutally tearing soldiers, ships full of innocents, and whole countries apart, could be doing so rationally.

That’s a scary thought, but one that seems very plausible after he takes a good look at Lois and says uncertainly, “You weren’t supposed to see me like this.” That very line suggests a sense of shame, which in turn implies a conscience, which means this Superman still has a sense of self. Twist! Even worse, the discovery that Lois is still alive doesn’t magically bring him back to his senses; even with her and his parents present, he unhesitatingly orders an attack on Gotham and the remaining wonders.

Green Lantern #30 – Review

By: Robert Venditti (writer), Martin Coccolo (artist), and Tony Avina & Alex Sinclair (colorists)

The Story: As war looms and old friends are laid to rest, Hal Jordan checks his privilege.

The Review: To be perfectly honest, I considered not picking this issue up. Green Lantern has been a solid series of late but, while the past two issues have been quite good, something about it seemed to reset every month, losing the momentum it had gained. Combined with a growing pull list and a somewhat looking generic gladiator cover, I wasn’t certain about this one – I mean weren’t there two episodes of GL: The Animated Series about Hal fighting in brown gladiatorial arenas? Nevertheless, if you’re in the same place, you may want to reconsider.

Though Green Lantern has long used the analogy of being an intergalactic police force, like many real police forces throughout the world, under dire circumstances they’ve really become a peculiar cosmic army. You can hold to the police line as long as you like, but they’re not called the corps for nothing and acknowledging that is one of the single best decisions that Robert Venditti has made during his tenure here.

In a great moment, very consciously at odds with the corps’ new verdant home, Venditti reminds us that “The soul of the corps[…]isn’t the barracks and its 7200 lockers filled with memories from each Lantern’s home[…]The soul of the corps is the crypt.” It’s a morbid thought but an oddly truthful one. Especially these days, Lanterns come and go and who you are when you’re off duty matters less and less. No, what matters is that you were part of something bigger. It’s a standard part of modern military thought, one designed to build community, but for roguish Hal Jordan, it’s a pill that doesn’t go down easy.

Earth Two #22 – Review

By: Tom Taylor (story), Nicola Scott (pencils), Trevor Scott (inks), Pete Pantazis (colors)

The Story: In this case, Val flies before he runs.

The Review: Look, we all know this endless crisis on Earth-2 will end sometime; it’d be a pretty lousy superhero book if it didn’t. And certainly there’s no time limit on how long Taylor chooses to drag out the grimness. But if he expects us to endure one Apokolips-inflicted atrocity after another, month in and month out, for this long, he’s got to give us hope that when the storm finally passes, the world left behind will be one worth living in.

We’ve had a few sporadic bright spots, but nothing like the sustained luminescence of Lois teaching Val to fly. It is literally uplifting, pure and joyful in ways that the series hasn’t been in a long, long time. After all the death and ruin that’s pervaded every issue since #15, watching the two soar through the blue sky is a terribly welcome relief. The sequence only lasts a few pages, but it restores confidence that not all is lost and the world is not yet doomed.

Green Lantern #29 – Review

By: Robert Venditti (writer), Billy Tan and Martin Coccolo (pencilers), Rob Hunter and Walden Wong (inkers), Alex Sinclair and Tony Avina (colors)

The Story: Hal Jordan marks a new era of openness and humility in his leadership style by commanding a planet to move for him.

The Review: After an intrusion by Supergirl and the Red Lanterns last month, Robert Venditti’s Green Lantern returns to the task at hand.

Perhaps it was his meeting with Guy, or maybe just the place and time, but Hal is finally beginning to grow into leadership. His move to assemble a war council is a baby step for him, but it’s the first major action as leader where he’s opened himself up and asked for help. Likewise, it’s a strong move for the series, which has been excessively, some would say obnoxiously, focused on Lantern Jordan since Geoff Johns rebooted it ten years ago.

It’s not that Hal isn’t a fun character, it’s just that very few comic characters can handle that prolonged attention without growing dull. Batman shares his comic with a small gaggle of sidekicks and, more often than not, lets his villains do the heavy lifting. With Sinestro gone, it’s about time that Hal’s regular supporting cast expanded beyond Kilowog and this proves that Venditti is serious about continuing his strides in that direction.

The one downside of this is that it means that Hal has to do something to back up his newfound conviction. The raid on Gwottle that takes up just under half the issue is perfectly serviceable but, aside from highlighting another one of Hal’s inner circle, it’s not terribly interesting. Venditti makes strides in bringing a sense of space-spanning action and galactic realpolitik to the series, but once we set down it feels like they’re in competition. It’s the sort of thing that lets the issue claim a significant battle sequence, but wouldn’t be missed if you skipped this issue.

Justice League 3000 #3 – Review

By: Keith Giffen & J.M. DeMatteis (story), Howard Porter (art), Hi-Fi (colors)

The Story: Earth has finally become the disgusting cesspool we all thought it would.

The Review: After reading this issue, I’ve cobbled up a theory about how Giffen-DeMatteis are handling this series.  I don’t think they care much for the idea of a cloned Justice League in the 31st Century and either they’re putting in a minimum of effort into the story or they’re deliberately trying to sabotage it.  Otherwise, I can’t explain why Giffen-DeMatteis would seemingly go out of their way to make everything in this series as unpleasant as possible.

Out of respect for Giffen-DeMatteis’ chosen premise, I could stand a thoroughly unlikable League for a short while, so long as there was a payoff at the end of it, or if Giffen-DeMatteis would reveal some redeeming qualities to our supposed heroes.  Instead, the more time we spend with the League, the less appealing they become.  In that sense, it was a mistake to have an issue focused on the Trinity, who have been the most problematic members of the cast thus far.  Trapping them together without the buffers of Hal or Barry could only expose more of their worst personality traits.

Green Lantern/Red Lanterns #28 – Review

By: Robert Venditti (writer), Billy Tan (penciller), Rob Hunter (inker), Alex Sinclair (colorist)

The Story: Hal Jordan and the terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day.

The Review: Things are a little complicated in Lanternland right now. With Hal and John finally working side by side, each Lantern’s title is spilling over into the other’s. For Hal, that means a set of surly new deputies, left over from Green Lantern Corps Annual #2. As Hal is forced to accept some unsavory help, dissention within the ranks is growing. Even so, all that will have to wait, as Kanjar-Ro is hardly the biggest guest star in this issue.

The issue does a fine job of expressing the constant pressure that Hal is under, even without any visible contribution from the Durlan resistance. The Corps never really recovered from the Guardian’s betrayal and “Lights Out” only made matters worse. If Venditti was looking to keep the Corps on their back foot, he’s succeeded, however series like Game of Thrones thrive on establishing comfortable status quos to be upset. The Corps disintegration is happening so slowly and so consistently that it can get a little sad, in more ways than one.

Of course, that’s not entirely this issue’s fault. It’s undeniable that this issue is strained by the pressures that other series are placing on it. Balancing tie-ins to three ongoing series is clearly taking a toll on Venditti’s pacing. Though he does the best with what he’s given, it never truly feels as though he justifies why things are quiet enough that this can be the primary concern. Perhaps GLC Annual answered that question, but last time I saw the Corps they had become galactic enemy #1, that’s not the sort of thing that you can brush under the rug.

Supergirl’s intrusion into the series is lengthy and predictable. The first five pages are visually engaging, but they end abruptly and serve little function, as they are fully recapped later. Likewise, Hal’s realizations are believable, but ultimately uninteresting. The story follows the track it’s supposed to take and Venditti seems unable to wrest control from the story he’s been handed.

Thankfully, the latter part of the issue feels less suffocated and more like the Green Lantern we’ve known in recent months.

Perhaps in homage to the sadly departed Green Lantern: The Animated Series, Venditti has struck up a delightful friendship between Mogo and Saint Walker, similarly ringless. While it’s a fairly obvious, and highly questionable, storytelling device to wound Walker’s faith Venditti does an admirable job of presenting a depowered Walker without drowning in angst. If he can continue to treat Saint Walker’s spiritual crisis with the respect it deserves, it could prove an engaging side-plot.

Failing to find answers with the last Blue Lantern, Hal turns to the Reds, leading into their crossover. Hal and his Corpsmen’s dialogue is much higher quality than in the pre-Walker sections and Venditti conveys a great balance of determination and uncertainty in Hal. The whole mess leads to an incredible cliffhanger that’s so brilliant in its simplicity that one has to wonder why its like has never been attempted before. Better still, you don’t have to wait a month for some resolution!

Billy Tan, Rob Hunter, and Alex Sinclair bring their distinct look to the title once again this issue and we’re all better for it. Though much of the issue is standard for the team, that’s hardly a slight and it does contain a couple of standout panels. A couple of shots of Lantern Lok in the opening scene and a wry look between Hal and Kilowog stand out as particularly lovely work. On the other hand, some characters, like Vath Sarn, remain unpleasantly stiff and lifeless.

The whole team, Sinclair especially, has benefitted greatly from the Corps’ relocation to Mogo. The entire issue is awash in beautiful color and lush backgrounds. Though Tan can’t provide an unreasonable amount of detail, he clearly gives it his all, reaching a crescendo during Hal’s discussion with Saint Walker.

The unique look of the series is also continued in Tan’s page arrangements. As ever, clever use of circular panels, gutters, and empty space define the issue’s look. It’s also worth mentioning how effectively Tan uses momentum, especially in the opening battle.

The Conclusion: Though the art is the standard high quality work that GL’s art team has provided, Green Lantern #28 never escapes the shadow of its multiple crossovers. Scenes tend to linger, giving the impression that the issue is merely treading water until its primary plotline can resume. Though the later portion of the issue bears a greater resemblance to Venditti’s output in previous months, it’s not quite enough. An earnest but, ultimately, tepid beginning to “Red Alert”.

Grade: C+

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By: Charles Soule (writer), Alessandro Vitti (artist), Gabe Eltaeb (colorist)

The Story: Zilius Zox refuses to accept that it’s hip to be square.

The Review: At the same time Guy Gardner is dealing with a situation on Earth while attempting to patch things up with Ice. I admit that I didn’t pick up Justice League of America #7.3 or The Savage Hawkman, but it is positively refreshing to see a Hawkman villain showing up in a Lantern title, especially considering that her archnemesis’ title has been canceled.

The Shadow Thief is more than a little shallow in characterization, but her over-the-top hatred and vitriol provides an amusing counterpoint as Guy, Zilius, and Skallox try to keep themselves under control.

Once again, Soule proves that humor may be the key to making this series work. The mindless fury of the original Red Lanterns soon proved insufficient to support an ongoing series, but it seems that a quiet anger, sometimes a passive-aggression, may be what it takes to elevate the series up to meet its Lantern brethren. Particularly as rendered by Alessandro Vitti, every blow thrown, every hit taken, and every retort fired contain a spark of anger.

There’s something cathartic about seeing anger unleashed, but Soule does a great job of reminding us that rage is scariest not when it’s constant, but when the threat of it is. In that, Guy’s dalliance on Earth becomes an impressive look at what it means for him to be a Red Lantern, rather than just a superhero romp around Paris.

While this could easily have sustained a full issue, Soule still has a crossover to handle and handle it he does. In half the pages, Soule delivers an equivalent experience to Venditti’s story and, in honesty, it proves quite a bit more gripping. Now that Green Lantern has set the stage Red Lanterns takes a moment to play with the toys it’s been given, and I assure you that getting Hal and Guy together is the equivalent of Christmas.

Their interactions actually remind quite a bit of Jason Aaron’s most recent Wolverine and the X-Men arc, and I mean that in the best possible way. Both Lanterns are given respect and consideration by the writer, each flawed and each fragile, and the attention paid to their complicated friendship is the core of what fans love about the Corps.

Meanwhile Atrocitus is none too pleased about that being killed and deposed business. Especially in Vitti’s toothy depiction, Atrocitus has returned to the terrifying threat that he started as. His new priestly persona can read a little forced, but his ever looming presence and ominous calm combine to create a legitimately intimidating character.

Vitti utilizes weaker inks and scratchier lines for the scenes on Groy, which contribute to a sense of immediacy and realism. It feels less like a style for the spandex-set and brings out the cosmic horror in characters like Bleez, Atrocitus, and Klarn

A much more sturdy style follows Guy and his troop around. As if representing the shift in leadership within the Red Lanterns, the scenes on Earth and Ysmault have the cartoon bounciness of a classic Superhero yarn. Vitti has a tendency to draw panels that resemble each other just a bit too much, but it’s a small price to pay for exciting and expressive compositions. I also have to say that he seems to have a thing for bangs and, seeing it, so do I. That said, his take on Guy’s mustache is either amazing or horrifying depending upon your position.

The Conclusion: This may not be the book that Charles Soule will make his name on, but this issue certainly proves how solid he can be in his delivery. While the initial slew of Red Lanterns stories were wordy musings on what it means to be angry, Soule presents a deeper, more familiar look while Alessandro Vitti provides forceful artwork that fleshes the ragtag corps out.

Despite a crossover reminiscent of a child’s toy box, Red Lanterns #28 feels like just another issue of the series, for better or worse. It’s a fine jumping-on point, if not one that feels like a must read.  Regardless, fewer responsibilities and a greater focus on character work make Red Lanterns #28 the superior brother in this strange but wonderful DC experiment.

Grade: B-

Some Thoughts:

• Charles Soule seems to come naturally to the kind of simple, brilliant world-building that I love. Little details like Klarn’s reaction to “the blood ritual” or Guy’s explanation of the Shadow Thief are absolute gold, wrapped up in a single word bubble.
• Much as I loved the way the team handled Tora in this issue, one particular panel of Bleez and Rankorr distressed me. The panel in question put the two of them looking deeply into each other’s eyes, inches apart. There’s nothing explicitly sexual or romantic about it, but it definitely recalls such scenarios. Given Bleez’ backstory, I’m oddly uncomfortable with the prospect of pairing her up with Rankorr. Obviously it’s not the most unsettling element of the character, but it doesn’t sit right with me. Did anybody else feel similarly?

– Noah Sharma

Superman/Wonder Woman #4 – Review

By: Charles Soule (story), Tony S. Daniel (pencils), Batt & Sandu Florea (inks), Tomev Morey (colors)

The Story: Like certain Phantom Zone super-criminals, the truth about comes out.

The Review: One thing you have to remember about Superman and Wonder Woman as a couple is that these two are highly competent and intelligent individuals.  They perceive the obstacles in their relationship, both from within and without, as well as you do, which is probably why Clark strove so hard to keep their hook-up a secret and why Diana repeatedly tries to convince him to do the opposite.  Outing them hasn’t mooted the conflict, only changed its direction.

There’s no mistaking that most of the tension comes from Clark, quite naturally.  After all, in this scenario Diana gets exactly what she wanted (though she later protests she “didn’t want it to be out of our control”) while Clark faces greater pressure than ever to reassure his fellow man that what he’s doing is nothing to worry about.  There lies the core of Clark and Diana’s conflict, one that many couples likely relate to: he cares too much about what others think; she cares too little.

Green Lantern #26 – Review

By: Robert Venditti (writer); Billy Tan (penciler); Rob Hunter, Don Ho, and Billy Tan (inkers), Alex Sinclair (colorist)

The Story: There’s no kill like overkill…

The Review: Lights Out has given Hal Jordan a second start at leading the Green Lantern Corps and he’s determined to make the best of it. Though the issue features a fairly extensive supporting cast by the end, it remains Hal’s story throughout.

Venditti does an excellent job with Earth’s greatest Lantern, balancing his heroism and flaws admirably. It’s not merely a case of dramatic irony either, as Hal not only manages to come off reasonably, despite his somewhat half-baked command decisions, but acknowledges his failures from time to time. Venditti even shows Hal concerned over the Green Lantern brand, balancing his firm faith in the Corps’ exceptionalism with his knowledge that the Guardians tarnished that image. These choices help Hal feel like a real person struggling to do the right thing, rather than the overconfident hothead that he had risked becoming since Relic’s incursion. Best of all is the subtle sense that Hal is rushing into things because he doesn’t want to have to deal with Relic, the reservoir, or Kyle.

Nol-Anj and her followers are an excellent fusion of modern and classic Lantern foes. I really appreciate how the standard Braidmen are presented as a limited but credible threat. Though we only learn a little more about the Braidmen this issue, I hope that the title will continue to play with such differing moralities and that Venditti will return to these characters in time.

Green Lantern #25 – Review

By: Robert Venditti (writer), Billy Tan (penciler), Rob Hunter (inker), Alex Sinclair & Tony Avina (colorists)

The Story: The Corps lays down the law.

The Review: Lights Out proved to be an interesting diversion from Green Lantern’s standard fare, but thankfully it seems that it will play a larger role than that. Robert Venditti has done an excellent job of incorporating the events of Lights Out while allowing readers who jumped off for the crossover to feel right at home.

The larger than life tales of heroes and monsters have frequently led comics to be compared to classical myth. However, to the Greeks the word hero was fundamentally different from how we view it. Indeed, heroes were not good so much as they were god-like and gods were not so much just as they were grand. Their mythology celebrated exceptionalism and extremity, the good and the bad. It seems that Venditti is taking a page from their book.

Hal’s decision to police the other Corps is a drastic one, but one that makes a certain degree of sense when you consider Relic’s legacy and the decidedly unstable forces that lead the other Lantern Corps. It also gives us plenty of reason to see some Lantern vs. Lantern action, which fans will likely appreciate. Despite this, it’s clear that Hal’s decision is poorly thought out and dangerously hypocritical. He’s starting to sound a lot like the Guardians that he dethroned in order to get his new position, but I suppose such is the way of tyrants*.

Green Lantern Annual #2 – Review

By: Robert Venditti (writer), Sean Chen (penciler), Jon Sibal with Walden Wong (inkers), Andrew Dalhouse with Will Quintana (colorists)

The Story: Proof that Hal Jordan is messing everything up for everybody.

The Review: Though “Lights Out” didn’t officially start until this month, it’s effectively been playing out in the pages of Green Lantern: New Guardians ever since this era of Lantern stories began. Ever since Relic emerged from his celestial cocoon, he’s been dreaming of this moment. And yet, now that it’s here, he seems oddly irrelevant. Relic plays an important role in the story, make no mistake, but, for better or worse, this issue doesn’t highlight him the way you might expect.

To be honest, I haven’t been the fondest of Relic. Though Justin Jordan found a good rhythm for the character and the situation around him was interesting enough, Relic never quite rose above it. It seems like Robert Venditti agrees on some level.

While Relic provides the point of the spear, the real danger for the Corps comes from their dwindling power levels. It’s a potentially divisive choice, but one that I applaud. Power drainage is a classic Lantern concern and subtle, basic fears like asphyxiation can do a lot where a giant yellow man fails. It provides the sense of a time limit, something that can be hard to do in the comics format.

Justice League of America #8 – Review

By: Matt Kindt (story), Doug Mahnke (pencils), Christian Alamy, Tom Nguyen, Keith Champagne, Marc Deering (inks), Gabe Eltaeb & Hi-Fi (colors)

The Story: It’s going to take a heck of a bail to get the Leaguers out of this prison.

The Review: I’ve come very close to dropping this series on several occasions, which is a fairly big deal considering the title, the characters, and the creative team we’re dealing with here.  In fact, it’s only the mere potential of those three things that have kept me going, even after some fairly lame issues.  It’s just plain disappointing that you can have so many icons on a team and still not seem to figure out what to do with them.

Of course, the size of the team was always a part of the problem.  It’s difficult to give each character his or her due within the span of an issue or even a whole arc if you have to get the requisite exposition and action scenes out of the way first.  Perhaps Kindt recognizes these difficulties, which may explain his choice to work with only two Leaguers for his opening arc.  The resulting issue is focused and effective, without unnecessary distractions from too many voices crying for attention.

Green Lantern #24 – Review

By: Robert Venditti (writer), Billy Tan (penciller), Rob Hunter (inker), Alex Sinclair (colorist)

The Story: Ahh, after ten billion years, Relic is free. It’s time to conquer Oa!

The Review: It’s been four months since Geoff Johns and his compatriots left the cosmic scene for less green pastures and ever since the entire franchise has been leading up to this moment. Though the war really began in the tragic Green Lantern: New Guardians #23, with this attack on the universe’s most established corps of Lanterns, Relic has truly stepped onto the galactic stage.

This issue really does feel as though we’re in for a full-scale Green Lantern event and Robert Venditti does an excellent job of tying the events of the three Green Lantern books together. It may not have been so long ago that Johns and co. were barraging us with a slew of GL crossovers, but I’m ready to give them another chance. This is a shorter event than many of us are used to and, accordingly, Venditti doesn’t waste much time before things begin to crumble around old Highball Jordan. The stakes are high, and the threat is wisely conceived, playing on fears and symbols from Lantern lore as well as reality.

This is also a solid opening act for the Lights Out crossover. The players are established, their motives explained, and the seeds of the subsequent issues are planted. It isn’t completely friendly to new readers, assuming an understanding of the corps and at least a cursory knowledge of the emotional spectrum, but lapsed fans, mourners of GL:TAS, and those unfortunate enough to know the emerald warrior from his disastrous movie outing will all find it easy enough to get on board.

Green Lantern #23.3: Black Hand – Review

By: Charles Soule (story), Alberto Ponticelli (pencils), Stefano Landini (inks), Danny Vozzo (colors)

The Story: Without your memories, you might as well be dead.

The Review: The interesting thing you notice after seeing three Soule works in a row is the flexibility of his style.  He takes a different approach to exploring the villain at the center of each issue, from pacing to tone and even to choice of narrator.  If you ask me, the variations seem to depend on the comfort level Soule has with the character, which unsurprisingly affects how successful the resulting products are, too.

Just look at the self-narrated Lex Luthor, which gave us a very intimate and rich portrait of the eponymous mastermind.  Compare that to Arcane, which clearly had less insight to give us regarding the ex-avatar and required some narrative assistance from another character altogether.  Now, consider Black Hand, the most distant of the three issues with its omniscient narrator.  With that kind of perspective, you should get more hard information about the undead Lantern than either Luthor or Arcane, but Hand proves the most obtuse of them all.

Green Lantern #23.1: Relic – Review

By: Robert Venditti (writer), Rags Morales (penciller/inker), Cam Smith (inker), Andrew Dalhouse (colorist)

The Story: Robert Venditti gives us a lesson in the history of a dead universe.

The Review: Though the overall theme of Villain’s Month is tied into Forever Evil, this comic has its eyes on another prize, the upcoming Lights Out crossover. All the hints scattered throughout the last three months of Green Lantern: New Guardians are brought to bear this week as we get our first peek at Relic’s past.

Relic, we discover is a somewhat tragic figure, a scientist defined by events beyond his control. In his own way, he’s kind of a twisted Jor-El figure, though by the end he’s become his own Superman on a universal scale.

It’s a solid story that introduces a vein of moral ambiguity into Relic’s character, much-needed after his brief visit on Elpis last month. Unfortunately, the story is so archetypal and his motivation so understandable that there’s not much in the way of surprise here. Relic’s been wandering the galaxy screaming about lightsmiths for two months now and it’s not surprising that his cryptic ramblings have dropped some pretty serious hints in that time.

Robert Venditti’s script is rather unique in that it calls for only nineteen panels in a twenty page comic. Every page is a splash and there’s almost no dialogue, with a single page containing the comic’s two word bubbles. The rest of the story is told in caption boxes. This odd storytelling choice gives the issue something of a storybook vibe. This is only furthered by the third person narration delivered, apparently, directly to the reader.

Justice League of America #7 – Review

By: Geoff Johns & Jeff Lemire (story), Doug Mahnke (art), Christian Alamy, Keith Champagne, Marc Deering, Walden Wong (inks), Nathan Eyring, Pete Pantazis, Gabe Eltaeb (colors)

The Story: A broken mirror brings bad luck.  What about one with a dead man inside?

The Review: I’ll have you know that in my original draft for this review, I started off by saying something like, “As Trinity War rages on…”  But then I realized that “rages” really overstated the kind of tension we’ve been getting in this storyline.  Aside from a brief, breathless skirmish between Justice Leagues early on, there hasn’t been as much direct conflict as you might expect.  If there’s an actual war to be had, it’s being fought guerilla style.

While you may appreciate how Trinity War has been admirably restrained in its use of mindlessly brawny battles so far, you can’t help itching for some real action.  Thankfully, the multiple cliffhangers of the final pages set you up for just that—in the next issue.  In the meantime, you’ll have to bear with a lot of stringing along and dead ends as our heroes try to figure out who caused all this trouble in the first place.

The sad part is they’re about several steps behind on the trail than you are, since you’ve known for quite a while now that the Secret Society has been pulling the strings since day one.*  And it is really some remarkable string-pulling, given the divisions among the Leagues, the various conspiracies at work, the involvement of figures who exist beyond time and ordinary worldly affairs.  Where all this is leading to remains unclear; if the goal is simply to rid the world of its heroes (as all the promotional materials claim), this is a highly elaborate way of going about it.

Green Lantern #23 – Review

By: Robert Venditti (story), Billy Tan (pencils), Rob Hunter (inks), Alex Sinclair (colors)

The Story: Hal leaves his HQ in shambles to chase after a hot crook.

The Review: The New Yorker once held a forum discussing whether likability is a necessary quality for characters in fiction.  While the participants ultimately decided, in a sniffing, scoffing sort of way, that likability is a trite non-factor in a character’s value, they were only partially correct.  A character doesn’t need to be likable to capture a reader’s imagination, but writers shouldn’t be surprised either if folks would rather not deal with such a character.

The problem here with Venditti’s portrayal of Hal goes beyond being like-versus-unlikable; it’s the fact that the unlikable parts of his personality don’t seem to mesh with his development to date.  We can all agree Hal has his share of flaws—he’s cocky and impulsive and frequently just doesn’t get it—but where Venditti got the idea that pure mean-spiritedness is one of them, you have no idea.  Surely he understands no one likes to see their superhero act like a total jag for absolutely no reason, right?

The Flash Annual #2 – Review

By: Brian Buccellato (writer), Sami Basri (pencils and inks), Stellar Labs (colors),

Back-Up By: Nicole Dubuc (writer), Cully Hamner (artist), Matthew Wilson (colorist)

The Story: Hal Jordan mistakes the Flash for a pedophile. And, in the backup: Zen and the art of superheroing.

The Review: Brian Buccellato steps up from his usual inking chores to pen this look at the Barry Allen and Hal Jordan’s first date. The story is fairly simple, but it makes sense why these two heroes would be the ones to deal with it.

This issue feels highly reminiscent of an old Silver Age annual, appropriate for a first meeting of the two heralds of that bygone era. Though it’s not quite as child friendly as some of those adventures, it’s simple action-oriented charm recalls times when the Flash and a Green Lantern engaging in gladiatorial combat was more than enough to justify the price of admission.

Readers unfamiliar with Barry and Hal, will have a solid sense of who they are, if not an incredibly deep one, by the time they put down this issue. The opening scene in the jazz club is a fine example. The fact that Barry likes jazz is a pretty limited addition to the character, if one that I totally believe, but the interaction between he and Hal rings true for friends with entirely different interests and personalities.

Unfortunately Francis Manapul isn’t present for this issue, but Sami Basri is a wonderful guest artist. Though his pencils aren’t quite as nice as his work on Voodoo, Basri’s lively style is a great boon to the issue.

Threshold #7 – Review

Keith Giffen (Writer), Phil Winslade, Tom Raney, Timothy Green II (Artists), Hi-Fi, Andrew Dalhouse (Colorists)

The Story: Jediah has to do his duty and tries to save the bottled city by getting it back to Tolerance as some of the players on the board make their move. In the backup, Star Hawkins get closer to the answer to the mystery of just who is the first player of ”The Hunted”.

The Review: I’m not exactly sure what to make of this comic. Is it a building story that unfortunately got cancelled and so need to rush things out? Was it just one with too many players in it, resulting in an unfocused story? Perhaps it merely was an experiment to see if Keith Giffen could revitalize the cosmic side of DC comics, diversifying from the Lantern focus it always had?

In a way, it seems like a little bit from all these options here, which is unfortunate, as there are several elements here that could very well be exploited in order to create something expansive and interesting. There are some characters that had some genuine growth during these seven issues, which had been due mostly to the fact that there was a spotlight on them. Jediah Caul is a perfect example of this, as he was first just some rogue trying to save his life, until we got some explanation why he was a Green Lantern, which made him immediately a much better character, as we had some more perspective on the character.

This makes it all the more unfortunate then that all those other characters just aren’t as interesting as Jediah. I have close to no idea why I should actually care about Stealth, Blue Beetle or Lonar, as we have only seen glimpses of them during all these issues. This feeds a bit the first theory written earlier that Threshold was supposed to be a longer ongoing, building on every issue in order to create familiarity with these characters in order for them to develop. Sure, we knew who Blue Beetle was and Captain K’Rot was mostly used as a comic relief, yet those characters never had an actual chance to shine and this issue is not different in any way. Basically, we are thrown a huge number of characters that we know close to nothing about, that each have their own plot going on with them, yet we can’t be sure if they will ever pass from the ”scenery decoration” state rather than become actually interesting characters with a past and proper motivations. Considering the fact that the next issue is the final one, it seems unlikely.

There is also another thing that is missing rather much and it would be the plot. Even though the exploration of the society living on Tolerance and how ”The Hunted” game compose their economy, the game itself never really connected itself to a coherent plot, merely serving as the setting. Sure, we had glimpses of some of the players trying to gather some of the key prisoners in order to forge a rebellion, yet like the cast itself, it never received enough of a focus to make it the main direction of the book.

Earth Two #14 – Review

By: James Robinson (story), Nicola Scott (pencils), Trevor Scott (inks), Pete Pantazis (colors)

The Story: Our heroes ignore the first lesson of invasion—watch out for Hounds.

The Review: If I can be Real here for a sec, we all know the main reason—if not the only reason—we all hopped on board this title in the first place was to see the Justice Society live on, right?  Unceremoniously dumped from primary DCU continuity, the least DC could do to honor its first superhero team was to give them a title, universe, continuity, and standing of their own.  And for most of Robinson’s run thus far, he has frustrated our wishes.

Instead, he has spent a lot of time individually introducing all the characters who will eventually end up in the Society, rarely allowing them to gather in a group.  This wouldn’t seem like such a waste of time had Robinson managed to offer us more than a brief glimpse into more than a few of these would-be Wonders and had he done more with the Wonders he did explore.  Nearly a year’s worth of lackluster issues seems a long wait to see your favorite team come together.

Green Lantern #22 – Review

By: Robert Venditti (story), Billy Tan (pencils), Rob Hunter & Jon Sibal (inks), Alex Sinclair & Tony Avina (colors)

The Story: The orange monster becomes the green-eyed monster.

The Review: I miss Sinestro.  I know that’s a rather odd thing to say on this title, but the more I read Venditti’s Green Lantern, the more I realize why Geoff Johns kept Sinestro around for so long when the title relaunched.  While Sinestro in himself is a thoroughly compelling figure, one of the best characters Johns has ever reinterpreted, I think we’ve overlooked the importance he had as a foil to Hal Jordan.  In many ways, Hal is only half himself without his frenemy.

So long as you had Sinestro throwing his arrogance and insensitivity around, Hal always seemed much more sympathetic by comparison.  Sinestro’s flaws minimized Hal’s and humanized him as a result.  Now that we don’t have Sinestroy playing bad cop, Hal has to kind of take on that role himself, especially in his leadership position.  Granted, we find him in the middle of a crisis and no one’s at their best in such circumstances, but that doesn’t make him seem any less a jerk when he berates a gaggle of clearly terrified, unwilling recruits for doing nothing in the face of Larfleeze’s attack: “Are you four just going to stand there—or are you going to fight?”