Grayson: Futures End #1 – Review

By: Tom King & Tim Seely (story), Stephen Mooney (art), Jeromy Cox (colors)

The Story: Dick tries his hand at political assassination and finds it doesn’t suit him.

The Review: As my first serving of the Futures End crossover, Action Comics left a bad taste in my mouth and a deep dread of what the rest of the month would bring. With its poor use of the five-year jump, its distant connection to the Event itself, its tenuous handling of the Superman mythos, the issue checked off every trademark of a forced tie-in. You could just as easily throw it away and it would make no difference to any storyline anywhere.

Thank goodness I read Grayson second. It’s not a cleverly finessed tie-in the way Daredevil‘s tie-in with Original Scene is, but at least it does everything Action Comics does not. And it starts with King-Seely’s decision to tell its story backward, a risky move that pays off by tying Dick’s (potential) future with his famous past. Tying it all together is the motif of a rope; it’s the visual that starts off the issue and upon which the issue ends, the beginning of Dick’s life as we know it as well as its conclusion. It’s a fitting symbol for a hero who’s always placed himself on the line.

Grayson #2 – Review

By: Tim Seeley (writer), Tim Seeley and Tom King (plot), Mikel Janin; Guillermo Ortega; and Juan Castro (art), Jeromy Cox (colorist)

The Story: Agent 27’s first mission with Spyral was a big success. Dick Grayson is playing the spy game now and you can’t deny that he has the skills for it. The question now is does he have the stomach for it.

…If you’ve read the issue you’ll know why I’m sorry about that last statement.

The Review: Apparently Spyral is operating out of St. Hadrian’s Finishing School and has taken over Leviathan’s task of teaching the next generation of young women to be prim, proper assassins. While the comic says Grayson on the cover, it’s clearly Matron Bertinelli who runs this school.

After running interference last time, Helena gets some time in the limelight this issue. In some ways she’s limited by the confines of her role, there’s a right way to do her job after all, but Tim Seeley does an admirable job of demonstrating Bertinelli’s competence and outlook on the job.

It does feel this month that Dick Grayson is a little overwhelmed by the sheer number of ideas in his title. Dick is a fine point of reference and allows Seeley to introduce some welcome levity into the story. Dick’s quips occasionally feel a little generic, like they would fit any character so inclined rather than being tuned to Dick’s personality, but at times it seems as though that’s intentional. In fact, the one great element of this issue that features Dick is the very real sense of Dick’s identity being challenged. Perhaps indicative of Tom King’s influence, Grayson #2 shows Dick’s sense of isolation beautifully. The final scene can read a little flat if you’re not in the mood to empathize, but in the right space it’s rather touching.

We also get a new character, if one whose personality is somewhat sublimated to the plot, as well as appearances from nearly all of the supporting characters from issue #1. Most interesting of these is Midnighter, who is apparently going to be a recurring antagonist for Agent 27 now that he’s fallen in with an organization called the God Garden.

It’s also very worth noting that your experience of this issue will likely differ dramatically based on your interest in the areas of the DCU King and Seeley are exploring. Those longing for more of the weird and wonderful present in Batman Incorporated will be happy to find that Seeley can’t hide his enthusiasm for it, but if you’re getting sick of unelaborated-upon organizations and awkward backronyms, I’m not sure that this will bring you around.

Grayson #1 – Review

By: Tim Seeley & Tom King (story), Mikel Janín (art), Jeromy Cox (colors)

The Story: Grayson—Dick Grayson.

The Review: I’m no comic book history expert, so I can’t tell you about the actual origin of superheroes according to such niceties as facts. But I like to believe that among their closest ancestors is the spy. The idea of a person meting justice while living an apparently normal life is such an integral part of both that it’s not hard to think of them as arising from a common nucleus. So if one decides costumed vigilantism isn’t one’s thing, spywork seems like a natural alternative.

It’s thus not entirely surprising to find Dick muttering into earpieces and adopting codenames now that his public outing has made being Nightwing impossible. Besides, playing secret agent seems right up his alley. Not only is he more than qualified, skill-wise, he’s got the daredevil charm that’s so essential to the modern spy. As he dons a blond wig,* tries out his Russian, and acts out the douchey American tourist to perfection, you can tell that he’s thoroughly enjoying himself, so maybe you should, too.

Nightwing #30 – Review

By: Tim Seeley & Tom King (writers); Javier Garrón, Jorge Lucas, & Mikel Janin (pencils); Javier Garrón, Jorge Lucas, & Guillermo Ortego (inks); Jeromy Cox (colors)

When the New 52 was announced a lot of people were disappointed; the world they had come to love was being washed away. It was a tough pill to swallow but there were lights in the dark of the unknown: Scott Snyder would continue to work in Gotham, previously dormant characters and genres would receive ongoing books once again, for all the predictable decisions DC was trying new things. But, for me, there was one above all others: we were getting Nightwing back.

Now, in the wake of “Forever Evil”, that time is over and, like Dick Grayson, we have a choice: we can mourn or we can move forward.

From the first image that bounces off of your retinas you’ll recognize Tim Seeley’s unique sensibility in this book. It seems strangely natural for a writer with Seeley’s appreciation for the weird and the absurd to be picking up the threads of Grant Morrison’s Batman Inc.

Many interviewers, myself included, have asked Seeley whether to expect a spy series or a superhero comic. Seeley has staunchly insisted that it will be both and neither. “It’s a superhero book influenced by spy books,” he told me at C2E2. Despite the presence of Tom King, a former CIA Counterterrorism Officer, a fact of which much has been made and much has been assumed, this issue is unafraid to step into the weird and the fantastic. It occurs to me that Seeley’s comparisons to the original Ra’s al Ghul stories may not have been as blind to the bizarre and mystical elements of the character as I thought.

The first section of the book revolves around longtime Batfamily ally Dr. Leslie Thompkins, unsurprisingly de-aged a bit for the New 52. Despite her facelift, Thompkins is handled well. She’s not as stridently pacifistic as she has been in some interpretations, but that’s kind of to be expected when a giant Bat isn’t going to swoop in and save you by default. Thompkins has always been a very different character in Batman’s world and Seeley writes her with respect, respect not only for her beliefs but for her normalcy. Not everyone becomes a hero in times of danger, but even if she doesn’t become the new Nightwing she reacts with honest heroism in the face of a situation far beyond her control.

Javier Garrón handles the art for this chapter and seems to enjoy the extremity of Seeley’s story. The stranger the character and the more dynamic the angles the more into it he seems. Admittedly his figures occasionally feel stretched out as a result but this points to a problem with consistency more than anatomy. Certain panels, notably those involving Spyral, can be pretty wonderful and the thick lines give the segment an undeniable pop, but it feels like Garrón doesn’t say quite enough about what he’s drawing except that he can make it attractive.

Arrow S02E17 – Review

By: Mark Bemesderfer & A.C. Bradley (story)

The Story: Ollie encounters the wrath of girlfriends past.

The Review: While any intimate relationship between human beings leaves its mark even after it’s over, romances tend to have the most profound effects on people—not surprising, as you’re often baring more of yourself to your partner than anyone else, even your friends and family. Looking at a person’s ex, how they met, how they got along, and how they broke up, you get a fairly complete portrait of who that person is for however long the relationship lasts.

After last week’s episode put Diggle front and center, you’d think the focus would shift right back to Ollie this time around. Instead, the spotlight trains elsewhere, only partially illuminating Ollie on the fringes. Since all three of the main players—Helena, Sara, and Dinah—have been romantically entangled with Ollie at one point (some twice!), the episode isn’t entirely divorced from its star, but his role is felt rather than seen. He’s an influence, but not the focus.

Batman/Superman #8 – Review

By: Greg Pak (story), Jae Lee (art), June Chung (colors)

The Story: Which World’s Finest is the finest?

The Review: The Earth-2 arc that led off this series was a strong storyline whose promise was nearly ruined by the following arc that turned Batman and Superman into living avatars controlled by the collective nerd-rage of a host of gamers.  Returning to Earth-2 is thus a wise decision on Pak’s part.  It reminds discouraged fans of what made this title initially attractive, and it pairs this World’s Finest with that of another world, making for a mighty fine foursome.

I don’t know how Paul Levitz will handle the Batman, Superman, Power Girl, Huntress dynamic in coming chapters of this storyline,* but Pak gives them an endearing chemistry, surprisingly devoid of the misunderstandings that plague encounters between people of different worlds.  Even Batman discovers, to his slight horror, “In my heart, I believe every word [Huntress] says[.]”  This immediate trust lets Pak bypass obligatory conflicts to focus on the story at hand.

Arrow S01E17 – Review

By: Jake Coburn & Lana Cho (story)

The Story: Everyone duck and cover—Ollie’s crazy ex is back in town!

The Review: Because I’m nothing if not an optimist, I like to think that every time a piece of fiction reintroduces a character, it has the opportunity to strip away the problematic parts in favor of someone more nuanced, complex, and accessible to the audience.  What Arrow has frequently done instead is reduce major DC figures to the simplest incarnation possible.  In the show’s attempt to make these characters more grounded or edgy, it’s also made them rather monotonous.

It doesn’t help if other characters tend to view each other in taglines and bywords.  When both Diggle and Felicity refer repeatedly to Helena Bertinelli as Ollie’s “psycho ex-girlfriend,” they’re reinforcing the one-dimensional nature of Helena’s personality.  Vengefulness is already a somewhat inert character trait, and vengefulness towards one’s own father—to the point where one doesn’t even want to risk letting him have a “second chance”—is even less impressive.

Arrow S01E08 – Review

By: Beth Schwartz & Andrew Kreisberg (story)

The Story: Every couple should find a hobby to do together—like ruthlessly taking down mafia.

The Review: Just like anything else, the introduction of a new character into a story must generally serve the story, either by advancing the plot or revealing some character.  If, by the end of a story, the character hasn’t made much of an impact, then probably the series would’ve been better off never running into that character.  The worst shows, as you might expect, are the ones where you have a whole episode of events and absolutely nothing changes.

Now that I’ve gotten us started on a low note, let’s get back to a high one, because Helena actually does serve a purpose for Arrow.  Her wild card personality gives the plot of Ollie’s latest target some greater stakes and a little more complication than his usual missions, although it doesn’t result in the big gangster war that the episode promised.  I suppose I was expecting something that would really infect the city, rather than a shootout on the Bertinelli estate.

Arrow S01E07 – Review

By: Andrew Kreisberg, Geoff Johns, Marc Guggenheim (story)

The Story: Shouldn’t the fact that you and your date end up sparring after dinner be a red flag?

The Review: I have a friend who has an obsession for instant noodles—you know, the bags, cups, and bowls of slippery Asian-styled soup.  Actually, that statement is somewhat misleading because in reality, my friend doesn’t care for the actual noodles so much.  I’ve seen her cook up a whole pot of the stuff, only to dump everything but the broth and drink the whole thing down, every last, savory, MSG-enriched bit of it.  It’s the culinary version of missing the point.

I can somewhat relate because as the show goes on, I find myself in the awkward predicament of liking nearly everything about it except for its lead character.  In fact, the closer characters get to Ollie, the less I like them.  I’ve noticed that lately, Ollie only interacts with the rest of the cast so as to get nagged by them.  He looks pretty tired of it, but he should keep things in perspective.  It can’t be half as tiresome as for us to needlessly watch him get nagged.

Birds of Prey #15 – Review

By: Marc Andreyko (writer), Billy Tucci & Adriana Melo (pencillers), JP Mayer & Eber Ferreira (inkers), Nei Ruffino (colorist)

The Story: They just can’t get him out of their heads.

The Review: Simone brings such a strong, distinctive voice to her writing, and such a high level of craft, that you find it hard to swallow anyone else’s work once she departs from a project.  This seems especially true with the Birds of Prey, her first high-profile title for DC, one still making her reputation to this day.  Still, Andreyko seemed a good candidate for the job; he has plenty experience writing strong superheroines from his formidable Manhunter ongoing.

So why do the Birds sound so uncharacteristically fraught?  Oracle snaps, “I’m doing everything I can here, Manhunter!”  Kate’s professional response?  “Well then do something else!”  These women have gone through some pretty harrowing experiences (and in fact, the arc just before this had a particularly grisly one), so their testiness in this issue seems a tad forced.  Sure, two of their own are in danger, but again, nothing new there (the previous arc also had that plotline).

This may have nothing to do with the fact that Andreyko’s a man, but you feel more aware of the Birds’ gender this issue.  Their banter has an unnaturally flirty, Sex in the City quality that has almost nothing to do with their personalities or types: “Hey, big guy!  Can we play, too?”  “Oh, and a wordsmith, too?  Are you single?”  “S’OK, handsome.  I like it rough.”  These lines come in stark contrast to the textured, dimensional dialogue these ladies usually come equipped with.

Birds of Prey #14 – Review

By: Marc Andreyko (writer), Billy Tucci & Adriana Melo (pencillers), Billy Tucci & JP Mayer (inker), Nei Ruffino (colorist)

The Story: These dames aren’t here to mess around—they’re out to kick Nazi butt!

The Review: One of DC’s greatest strengths is its long, incredible history, especially its rich beginnings.  Once you add up all the properties DC has assumed from other publishers over the years, you’re looking at a rather inspiring cast of legacy characters, some of whom continue to operate today, either in an elder statesman status like much of the Justice Society, or with younger generations taking up their names and icons.  Call me hopelessly sentimental, but I think that’s nothing short of marvelous.

Besides our usual flock of Birds (plus guest Manhunter), we also get to see in action Golden Age bombshells Dinah Drake (the original Black Canary) and Sandra Knight (the first Phantom Lady), with Lady Blackhawk an anachronistic link between the two generations.   Considering the tremendous credentials of all these ladies, we have evidence that from the start, DC has been a pretty good place for heroic women.

The story splits between the past and present, but the plot is nonetheless light and predictable: long-thought-finished antagonists rising again to haunt his former defeaters.  Andreyko goes for a jingoistic, rah-rah America tone (“Guns are fer [sic] grownups, Hitler youth!”) as he sends the pre-Nixon heroines into Argentina to recover a mad-scientist Nazi.  They encounter resistance in a swarm of blond-haired, blue-eyed adolescents, a kind of Aryan Children of the Corn.

Birds of Prey #12 – Review

By: Gail Simone (writer), Jesus Saiz (artist), Nei Ruffino (colorist)

The Story: The Birds tackle their latest mission, Charlie’s Angels style.

The Review: Ever since this title relaunched, it’s been hassled by the distractions of Brightest Day, and though good stories have come out of it, none have really captured the magic from Simone’s original run on Birds.  But now that the crossover material’s out of the way, Simone has the freedom to tell the stories she wants, the way she wants.

Almost no one in the comics biz writes the scene macabre as convincingly as Simone, and for good reason: most dance around making their characters “dark,” but Simone will take darkness by the throat and shove it in your face.  The opener offer no direct info about who the characters are, but some choice words (“What.  Do you see?”  “A woman’s entrails still steaming, fresh from an evisceration.”) tells you volumes about who you’re dealing with.

As graphic as they can be, Simone’s characters also never fall into caricature territory.  Beneath whatever depravity they possess, there’s humanity as well.  Lethal as the twin women undeniably seem, they’re also vulnerable.  Their attempts to appear “normal” for what they hope will be a “normal” job has an almost endearing sincerity, and even when one of them admits she sees in the Rorschach test a woman’s skull she’s stomped on, there are tears in her eyes.

Birds of Prey #11 – Review

By: Gail Simone (writer), Pere Perez (artist), Nei Ruffino (colorist)

The Story: When Catman threatens to throw a man off a building, don’t take it too seriously— it’s just foreplay.

The Review: Simone has pretty much made a career in comics crafting characters that always get personally invested in their vendettas.  Unlike the vast canon of DC heroes who do good because it’s the right thing to do, Simone’s characters do things exclusively because it feels right to do it.  She just loves to tread that sticky gray area of ethics.

Even so, she makes it clear there are still shades of gray, with her Secret Six definitely in the darker area and the Birds of Prey often (but not always) in the light.  Huntress and Catman are among the few characters that truly toe the line directly at the center, which perhaps explains their undeniable attraction to each other.  The former is counted as a hero and the latter a villain—technically—but their actions bring them to the opposite sides of the tracks frequently.

Lately Catman’s been moving steadily toward the darker end, and whether or not he’ll wind up staying gets brought up this issue.  The fact Simone can play with such a pivotal development for him in a title he’s not even featured in shows the luxury she has in writing these characters almost exclusively.  In a way, Catman can only be at his most vulnerable in this title, with the woman who understands his inner conflict the most (his teammates certainly don’t; Deadshot’s response to Catman’s soul-baring:  “Okay.  Let’s stop talking before we get into a weird area.”)

Aside from the more personal drama happening beneath the surface, Huntress and Catman’s chemistry is off the hook.  These are two highly volatile personalities being put into explosive situations in close proximity—you do the math.  And then you have to remember Simone can make the slightest interactions enjoyable.  Black Canary: “I brought chili.”  Oracle: “Wait.  Your chili?”  “Cleans your sinuses right out.”  “Dinah, your chili cleans everything out.”

Birds of Prey #3 – Review

by Gail Simone (writer), Ed Benes (pencils & inks), Adriana Melo (pencils), Mariah Benes (inks), Nei Ruffino (colors), and Steve Wands (letters)

The Story: The Birds find themselves under siege as White Canary’s deadline looms.

What’s Good: I’ve enjoyed the Penguin’s presence throughout this arc and I loved his role this month more than ever.  The guy is absolute, pervy gold and Simone puts forth her Secret Six-best in writing him.  His delusional fantasies are hilarious and Simone has an entertaining grasp on his voice.  I don’t think that I’ll ever quite erase the image of the Penguin dressed as Superman, embracing Dove.  Pretty much everything having to do with the Penguin this month is awesome.

I also continue to find myself a fan of Hawk’s place on the team.  He’s just so out of sync with the rest of the team in power level and attitude and he’s so contrary to the team’s dynamic that it ends up being quite a bit of fun.  The guy is a complete jackass and his disdainful summary of the Birds’ adversaries as “cops and karate” was a great moment for the character.  Although he does take space away from the Birds themselves, I like his oddball role on the team so much that I really didn’t mind.

Beyond these two characters, the chemistry that is the lifeblood of Birds of Prey is still very much present.  Huntress and Canary’s friendship still feels really genuine and close and it serves to heighten the drama and desperation of this plot more than anything else.  Their concern for each other and the continuing contrast between their methods is well-played and works to highlight the Birds’ current dire straits.

I should also mention that the last page reveal of the mastermind’s identity is absolutely wonderful.

Detective Comics #863 – Review

by Greg Rucka (writer), Jock & Scott Kolins (art), David Baron (colors), and Todd Klein (letters)

The Story: Kate hunts down Cutter in an effort to save her cousin Bette.

What’s Good: Much like the rest of the “Cutter” arc, this issue is all about mood and atmosphere.  Everything feels dark, gritty, and generally unpleasant.  It’s an effective mixture of noir and horror that is both brooding and slick.  Everything feels smooth and modern, yet definitely nasty.   The book’s tone is definitely heavy and the atmosphere is thick.  As an experience, this issue is a job well done.

A lot of this has to do with the artwork, which is generally well-done by Jock and Kolins, though a lot of this success is owed to David Baron’s colors.  The dichotomy of blue and red is still flawlessly employed and only aids that sense of moody tension.  Both sides feel menacing, but distinct.  The layouts are also brilliant, echoing this color opposition.  There are a couple of times that opposite pages are divided between Batman and Batwoman, with images of both down the centre.  It’s really fun stuff and works well with what Baron is doing.  It also gives Rucka’s narrative structure some real life, realizing it in a very literal way.

The last scene of the book also sets up Batwoman’s future quite nicely.  The dialogue sort of encompasses much of what Rucka has been trying to get across regarding the character. Furthermore, this issue’s cliffhanger will have you salivating for what Rucka has ongoing.