Four-Color Coverage

There’s been a lot going on behind the scenes here at 4CC – not the least of which included buying a house – so I’m a couple of weeks out on reviews. But, I don’t want things to get too far off-track. So, with that in mind and no further delay, here are my reviews of releases from the past couple of weeks:

Adventure Comics #9

Superboy and Supergirl and the Legion – in both the 21st and 31st Centuries – race against the clock to defeat the machinations of Brainiac. Readers are also treated to a personal look at the lineage of the “Brainiac” name.

Blackest Night
This is going to be out of alphabetical order, but it works. Go with it…

• Green Lantern #52
  
  Sinestro has claimed the mantle of White Lantern. Hundreds of thousands of Black Lanterns – and the Black Lantern planet, Xanshi –  converge on Earth. And the origins of the Avatars of emotions are told…. too bad that Nekron isn’t someone who’s really into “story time.”
• Blackest Night #8
  
  This was the final chapter of the “Blackest Night” story. And it starts with a little insight into mind of Hal Jordan:

  The truth is, I am afraid of one thing.

  I’m afraid to get close to people.

  Because Black Hand is right.

  Eventually, everyone will die.

  A poet once said, “Carpe diem quam minimum credula postero” which meant “Seize the day, trusting as little as possible in the future.”

  Most people only know the first part — “Carpe diem” — probably because not trusting in the tomorrow is too damn cynical. It is to me, anyway.

  Sure, you can’t rely on tomorrow, we’re not guaranteed we’ll have it —

  –but we can’t be afraid of it either.

  And with that, the final battle of the “War of Light” begins. Good thing that John Stewart, Guy Gardner and Kyle Rayner show up with a legions of reinforcements – both Lanterns of various Corps and Earth’s own heroes. And… the White Lantern Corps?! In the words of By-Tor and the Snow-Dog: “Let the fray begin!”

  In the battle’s aftermath, Guy Gardner has… a moment… with [SPOILER DELETED]. That was something I didn’t see coming. I also think that readers got an answer to something that was noted in Flash: Rebirth, as well.

  And foundation is laid for “Brightest Day.”

Captain America #604

This issue should have been Falcon #1. Sam Wilson and Redwing take on a trainload of  highly-armed (but not always so intelligent) militiamen. The plans of the “Fake Captain America” are also revealed.

Fantastic Four #577

When most people go on a “field trip,” they go to a museum, professional office, gardens or something of along those lines. When the FF go on a field trip, there’s almost no telling where – or “when” – they will wind up. The trip in this issue carries the FF to the moon. There, they learn more about the Inhumans and the Kree than has previously been revealed to humans. Then the other shoe drops: The Inhumans have a plan — they’re looking for a new home. And it seems as though [SPOILER DELETED] looks like a good place to start setting up shop.

Justice League of America #43

This issue was horribly disjointed. From what I recall of James Robinson’s work, it used to be A LOT more coherent than this. This issue felt like he just phoned it in. I’m left to wonder if giving this title another shot was a mistake.

New Avengers #63

I always enjoy it when a book surprises me. (At least, when it does so in a good way.) This was such an occasion. This issue alternated between:

1. …a fight between the New Avengers, Norman Osborn’s Avengers and H.A.M.M.E.R. troops and Asgardians
2. …a conversation between Luke Cage and Jessica Jones (Jewel)
3. …a conversation between Clint Barton (Ronin) and Bobbi Morse (Mockingbird).

And it just plain worked. All of it. I think that my favorite parts of the issue came during the Luke and Jessica conversation. It was… very human. Brian Michael Bendis did an excellent job of conveying the emotions between two people – who just happen to be superheroes AND new parents – in the middle of a war that neither of them wanted to be a part of.

Power Girl #10

I am still enjoying this book and will be sad to see the team of Gray/Palmiotti/Conner leave in two issues. In this issue, Power Girl strikes a deal with her “stalker.” And why is Terra acting so strange?

She-Hulk Sensational #1

This issue was done as a kind of “thirtieth anniversary special.”  It was just the kind of book that people have come to expect from a She-Hulk title. It was part tongue-in-cheek, part rollicking ride… and all fun. The best part of the issue was the middle story: A team-up of She-Hulk, Ms. Marvel and Spider-Woman.

Superman #698

Superman takes on Brainiac and his new partner, Lex Luthor. At stake: The fate of New Krypton and a number of “bottle cities” that Brainiac has collected. Good thing that Mon-El is around to lend a hand.

Superman/Batman #70

Anderson Gaines – or, rather, the Durlan who has assumed his identity – makes his final objective known… while Batman and Superman fight to learn of his plans.

Tiny Titans #26

The Green Issue.  I didn’t find this issue as compelling as most of this series has been… but it was still fun.

Uncanny X-Men #522

Magneto has been called “The Master of Magnetism” for… well… obvious reasons. In both comics and movies, he’s been shown stopping – or deflecting – bullets with his power. So, it shouldn’t be a big surprise that he does it again in this issue. The surprise factor comes with which particular bullet he chooses to move: It’s the bullet, fired from Breakworld in Astonishing X-Men #25. The bullet that Kitty Pryde has been stuck in for the past year (or whatever the timeframe is in comic time). The issue’s best dialogue comes from a conversation between Mr. Fantastic, Reed Richards, and Dr. Nemesis:

Richards: You can fool some of the satellites some of the time, but you cannot fool my satellites ever, at any time, for any reason. What the Hell are you guys trying to pull?

Nemesis: The phase vessel that’s trapped Kitty Pryde for however-long is coming back to Earth. That’s the good news. The bad news is it’s moving at a velocity so great that–

Richards: –that you decided to hope Ms. Pryde was still alive, that the bullet was still phased, and to conceal the thing rather than set off a panic.

Nemesis: …You… make it sound bad when you put it like that.

Richards: Well, it is, and she is. Phased and alive, I mean — congratulations, X-Men. You’re getting your man back. We’ll do what we can on our end to help smooth any feathers you manage to ruffle, but next time? Try asking permission rather than apologizing after the fact. It’s time your people got out of the shadows. Richards out.

Leave it to Reed to cut to the chase. But the best part of this issue was the bittersweet reunion of Kitty with the X-Men. I didn’t notice it at the time, but there was an interesting parallel to/twist on a situation in Uncanny X-Men #212 (Dec. 1986), as well.

Wonder Woman #42

This was a “set-up” issue. The extended prologue doesn’t feature Diana. In fact, it doesn’t even occur on Earth. But, it serves to introduce a weapon of the issue’s main antagonist, who is revealed at the issue’s end.

Action Comics #887

Nightwing and Flamebird take on Jax-Ur and his proto-Rao. Yeah. Let’s just say that they seem a little outgunned. “A little.” But, that doesn’t stop them from trying.  Lois Lane calls in a lot of markers to follow the action and to file a story about the truth behind “the “Kryptonian menace.”  It was nice to see that someone remembers that Lois is actually a journalist… and one with interests other than just airing Lex Luthor’s dirty laundry.

Batgirl #8 / Red Robin #10

Stephanie and Tim: Together again. Kind of. Tim’s still a bit pig-headed about seeing Steph in a costume… esp. a Bat-costume. He’s also apparently unwilling to accept that she’s up to the job… until seeing her take down one of Ra’s al Ghul’s top assassins. Quickly and efficiently.  All this and Vicki Vale.  And, who are “The Twelve?”  (Hint: It’s not the same “Twelve” that Apocalypse was trying to round up.)

Batman and Robin #10

Dick, Damian and Alfred attempt to unravel clues as to the whereabouts (when-abouts?) of Bruce Wayne. And, remember that little trick that Lex Luthor used on Connor Kent a few years back? Talia does/did the same thing to Damian, it seems. That bodes ill.

R.E.B.E.L.S. #14

Vril Dox (Brainiac 2), R.E.B.E.L.S. and the Omega Men go toe-to-toe with Starro. Of course, Dox has a plan.  He built a gun, specifically designed to eliminate Starro’s link to his slaves, and gave it to guest star Adam Strange:

For an archeologist from New Jersey, I find myself fighting cosmic monsters, mad gods and alien tyrants an awful lot.

But this one takes the cake. Starro the Conqueror, a cosmic Genghis Khan who already rules nine galaxies and aims to enslave every sentient mind in the universe.

On my side are Despero of Kalanor and Vril Dox of Colu. It tells you how scary Starro is that i’ve thrown in with such creeps.

And my name?  It’s…

Despero: ADAM STRANGE!  What in the Seven Hells are you waiting for?!

I’m not waiting, Despero.
I’m aiming.

Dox is a super-genius. He forged this weapon to cut off Starro from the zillions of his mind-slaves that are the source of his power.

Strange: *fires gun… with no apparent affect to Starro*

But even the smartest man in space gets it wrong once in a while.

Starro: And what exactly was that supposed to accomplish?
Strange: You got a Plan B?
Dox: We call in the others… and hope we get lucky.

Of course, since we’re dealing with Brainiac 2, it’s a fairly safe bet that “luck” has little to do with it. And, as a casual aside: If you happen to be a Psion and have a lab full of Starrophyte slaves that you’ve pretty much turned into lab rats, whatever you do: Don’t let Starro find out. He gets “a little” touchy about that.

Superman: Last Stand of New Krypton #1

Brainiac’s ship appears over the skies of New Krypton. As Shirley Bassey and the Propellorheads would say, “It’s just a little bit of history repeating…”  However, this time it would appear that General Zod has a plan.  Added bonus: The Legion Espionage Squad and Superboy arrive to help.  But, a bit question is left at the end of the story: Who is Brainiac’s new playmate?

S.W.O.R.D. #5

The Drenx invasion kicks into high gear.  Agent Brand and Beast, fighting off dozens of Drenx, race to the Control Room to help Lockheed against Drenx invaders… only to find a wrecked room, many defeated Drenx and Lockheed splinting his forepaw.

Beast: You have changed, my friend. You know that?
Lockheed: [Unintelligible]
Beast: What did he say?
Brand: It’s untranslatable. And physically impossible for humans. Let’s go.

One of the best two-page spreads involve Beta Ray Bill… and a mop, but not in the way you think. (Yes, yes, it’s all “Rated: PG” and “politically correct, don’t worry.) And, Agent Brand makes a deal with Henry Peter Gyrich.