Adventure Comics #4 – Review

by Geoff Johns, Sterling Gates & Michael Shoemaker (writers), Jerry Ordway & Clayton Henry (artists)

The Story: Superboy-Prime gets his hands on his own copy of this very comic book and, upon discovering how it all ends, desperately tries to find spoilers about the next issue.  Things become difficult, and creepy, when Alexander Luthor returns from the grave in order to break Prime’s heart, figuratively and literally.  Meanwhile, in the 31st century, the Legionnaire Blok visits former flame, the White (or is it Black) Witch.

What’s Good: Ahhhh.  Now THAT was a breath of fresh air.

Johns and Gates deliver an issue that surpasses everything expected when this was originally solicited.  Blackest Night tie-in?  Okay, that’ll mean someone dead shows up and tries to eat someone’s heart or something.  Superboy-Prime appearance?  Ugh, so soon?  I could’ve used a bit more of a break between this and Legion of 3 Worlds, but okay.  He’s whiny and annoying, but I’ll deal.  These were my preconceived notions, and yes, all of those things do happen, but damn this comic book is so much more than that!

As soon as I flipped past the cover and saw, on Page One, Superboy-Prime looking back at me, holding a copy of the same comic that I was holding in my hands, grumbling, “Oh, great!” I knew I was in for a fun, fourth wall-breaking good time.  “Why couldn’t they leave me out of this?  People already hate me enough as it is.” Prime literally echoes the same opinions that I had at his presence in this story, and I found myself laughing.  At the chutzpah the writers showed in poking fun at the readers in such a brazen manner.  At the promise that this very likely would break out of the box that the other Blackest Night tie-ins, no matter how good they are, find themselves in.  And most of all, I laughed because Johns and Gates were right.  They knew what I’d decided about this issue before I’d even picked it up, and they weren’t letting me off the hook for my judgments.  Boy, am I glad they didn’t.

Odds are, if you possess even a tiny ability to laugh at yourself as a comic geek, you’ll find something in this issue to chuckle about. And, really, if you’ve made it through at least one complete thread on a comic book message board, you’d hardly blame them!  As Alexander Luthor (of Earth-3, of course) takes a look at a computer and notes “This box.  It’s a conduit for the rage of the people of this Earth,” I found myself replying, “No shit.”  The writers obviously use the script to let off some steam when it comes to the fan community, but it never comes off petty or mean.

It’s not all barbs and jabs, though.  The metatextual conceit of the plot allows for a somewhat unconventional tale that delivers a welcome break in the Blackest Night tie-in formula.  While there is still the obligatory info dump followed by the resurrected villain attacking the “hero” of the piece, the fact that Prime is aware of the nature of his existence makes it all feel brand new.  Meanwhile, Jerry Ordway brings his usual amazing artwork to bear.  Forgive my brevity as to the pencils, but I really have no more to say than that it’s perfect.  Ordway knows what makes Superboy-Prime work visually and he proves that once again.

What’s Not So Good: Well, unfortunately, the Legion of Super-Heroes second feature gets the short end of the stick here.  Despite solid artwork from Clayton Henry, Johns and Shoemaker submit a, while perfectly serviceable, fairly regular tale.  It’s a nice little story about love and what one would sacrifice for the sake of that love, but when you place this ordinary story beside the unique and surprising lead feature, it falls somewhat flat.  DC would have been better off going the same route as they did with their other tie-ins and simply stretching the main story to thirty pages.

Conclusion: A pleasantly surprising piece of metafiction delivered ably by Johns and Gates made this, hands down, the best comic of the week.  While the amazing lead feature has the regrettable side effect of eclipsing the Legion back-up, it’s so good that I just didn’t care.  Highly recommended.

Grade: A

– Joe Lopez

 

Adventure Comics #3 – Review

By Geoff Johns and Michael Shoemaker (writers), Francis Manapul and Clayton Henry (artists), Brian Buccellato and Brian Reber (colorists), Elizabeth V. Gehrlein (editor)

The Story: If issue #1 was the set-up and issue #2 was the boy-finds-girl, then issue #3 is really the buddy story. Conner (Superboy) and Tim Wayne (Red Robin) are best friends who have been separated for a year. A lot of water has passed under the bridge for one of them. Conner has missed out on a lot of his friends’ troubles while he was gone, none more so that Tim. No one could use a friend more than Tim right now, but as we’ve seen in Tim’s own book (see my reviews on the excellent Red Robin series), he’s on a quixotic quest that on the face of evidence, is a little bent. They have stuff to work out. In the meantime, things turn sinister with Luthor and Brainiac planning in the background. The back-up feature is a vignette starring Sunboy and Polar Boy on the latter’s home world.

What’s Good: There’s a lot to like about the Smallville created by Johns and Manapul. It’s not saccharine-sweet, like other renditions I’ve seen recently. It feels honest. The school scene with the uber-nerd lab partner was good. The super-dog trying to please his master with gifts was brilliant, with Johns and Manapul having caught dog psychology perfectly, multiplied by Kryptonian DNA. This type of environment is a great backdrop for the kind of Lex Luthor-vs-Superman soul-searching that Conner is living.

And I can’t say enough about how well Manapul and Buccelato do in bringing Smallville to life. The art is not sepia, but it is different in feel from what you see being done in other books (and I include in that comparison the best in the field). I guess the best way I could put it is this way: sometimes you look at a book, panel by panel, and you get the impression of grit. Other times, the mood is slick and modern. The art team has made this book feel rural and mid-western.

Most importantly of all, Johns and Manapul made me feel something. They caught Red Robin’s desperation without having to show him in a panic. The quiet moments and the reluctant admissions made his pain all the more poignant. The dialogue is perfect and honest and gives Conner his opening to be Conner, not someone worried he’ll become like Lex Luthor, or even someone who has to worry about emulating Superman.

The Legion entry was a winner. I could have stayed for more of Conner and Tim, but it was fun following poor Polar Boy around, and watching Sun Boy be taken down a peg.

What’s Not So Good: The back-up Legion of Superheroes story is not yet cohesive. But, given the quality of the rest of the book and the limited amount of pages the backup has gotten so far, I’m ready to let Johns pull all his pieces together before he reveals the links.

Conclusion: Johns and Manapul are delivering great character stories while putting the pieces in place for a menace to come to Smallville. This is a slow simmer of a book and considering what Johns did with his simmering time on Green Lantern, I’m staying tuned.

Grade: A-

-DS Arsenault

Adventure Comics #2 – Review

By Geoff Johns and Michael Shoemaker (writers), Francis Manapul and Clayton Henry (artists), Brian Buccellato and Brian Reber (colorists)

The Stories: Johns opens the book on a squadron of military helicopters searching for Brainiac and Luthor, who have both just escaped. Brainiac and Luthor are in cahoots and nothing good is going to come of this. Flash forward to Conner getting ready for Cassie to come over for supper. They each have issues to struggle through. The second story is about the Legion of Superheroes. Mekt Ranzz (Lightning Lord) will tell the Legion where all the supervillain safehouses are if Lightning Lad will talk to him in prison. Seems easy, right? Wrong!

What’s Good: Johns did some very solid character work on the Superboy story. Connor  is wound up, worrying about how he looks, and he’s hopelessly transparent, yet perfectly believable. I also really like the clever use of Conner’s obsessive little lists. What did Superman do? What did Luthor do? The amount of time he spends looking at those two columns and comparing himself to them show how worried he is about who he is. Johns also did really deft work on Cassie and Conner catching up. That year apart put a lot of space between them. This character work sounds like it would be dull, but it’s exactly the opposite because both characters are so likable with their desires so obvious.

Johns and Shoemaker pulled some more fine writing out of their hats for the Legion story. It’s been a while since I’ve been able to follow the Legion, so I don’t remember Garth being so spun up, but Johns sets up the characters so even a long-absent fan like me can understand everything. The human supremacy movement was an interesting touch (not original, but interesting), as were the words that Garth and Mekt shared. I didn’t see that surprise coming.

Manapul’s art was brilliantly page-slowing for me. I’d be done with the words, but reluctant to turn the page, because I wanted to keep admiring the art. The double splash page opening the book was awesome and I loved the realism combined with the rough, almost old-school pencil lines that Manapul left for strategic shading. Brainiac sitting in his control chair, wires sprouting from his head, Luthor standing in prison browns with smears of blood on his wrists… All memorable and awesome…Also Manapul’s and Buccellato’s work on Cassie and Conner under a pink, starry sky was just great.

What’s Not So Good: I had no complaints whatsoever about the Superboy story. However, I wasn’t wowed by Clayton Henry’s pencils on the Legion back-up story, nor was it easy on my suspension of disbelief to see super-powered prisoners manacled in their cells in costume.

Conclusion: This issue is worth buying just for the Superboy story. Little action on the outside, but lots of action on the inside. Buy this book.

Rating: B

-DS Arsenault