DC's NEW 52 MONTH 17, PART 2

JUSTICE LEAGUE DARK #17: In the world of Epoch, all of the justice League Dark members have changed. Worst of all is Madame Xanadu, who is withering and will soon die of old age. And, because of the portal between the worlds being opened, all of the magic from Epoch is coming into this world, but the pressure is too great on both sides. The only way to stop it is to send a message to Tim Hunter and Zatanna on the other side.  Tim’s father Jack volunteers. Back in Epoch’s Wild Area, a wood nymph spy arrives with news that Constantine and his companions have been captured and placed into a machine that analyses them. They have been separated from Frankenstein and John hopes he can get free and get them free, which he eventually does. While they are waiting, Madame Xanadu realizes her time is short and tells Constantine of the prophecy that says she will die here. And no matter what, he needs to get through the portal, even if all others don’t. He is also told he will leave one of his friends behind and give the order that will lead to Zatanna's death. Network's forces arrive and Zatanna creates an illusion of an even greater army at their side. While trying to escape,  Network’s faculty falls apart and John and the others must run for their lives. Meanwhile, Tim rallies his troops against Vikar.

Jeff Lemire, the writer who just seems to master creepy horror fiction in the NEW 52 Universe continues to do just that. The task ahead for the team is pretty grim and the question becomes who WILL survive it all? Someone gets left behind and Zatanna dies?  My bet is either Tim and/or his father remain in Epoch. We shall see. And Ray Fawkes continues to do an outstanding job on art. My BIGGEST COMPLAINT? editorial SCREWS UP AGAIN! Frankenstein NEVER ends up in the machine but ends up front and center on the cover IN THE MACHINE! Truth in advertising folks! Figure this out!

JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #1: Five years ago, the Secret Society of Super Villains recruits Professor Ivo into their fold as a response to the formation of the Justice League. Steve Trevor, Justice League liaison, is being replaced by Amanda Waller and A.R.G.U.S: an organization he started. Waller, however, wants to start a nother Justice League called the Justice League of America. The idea is to serve the interests of the country rather than global ones. Steve refuses until Waller shows him the image of Wonder Woman and Superman kissing. First on the list of new recruits is Hawkman who may or may not be a police officer from Thanagar and therefore is not subject to the laws of our planet. It seems he has been doling out his own version of justice to those he believes are escaped Thangarian criminals. Next on the list is Katana, who Steve views as a killer like Hawkman. Waller believes that they can convince her to join by offering up information on her husband's murderers. Next up is Vibe who gained his powers in an event horizon during Darkseid’s invasion five years ago. Star Girl is the rock star of the group with a huge fan base and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. She will join the team because Waller knows who her real father is. Rounding out the team are Martian Manhunter, formerly with Justice League AND Stormwatch, Green Lantern Simon Baz and Green Arrow. Steve tries to solicit Catwoman but she is not interested until Steve tells her he can help her find the woman who stole her identity. Martian Manhunter does agree to join the team, warning that he knows the real reason Steve is doing this and if Waller’s people try to move against him, he will mind wipe everyone in the building. Steve is called to the sick bay where one of the agents whop had been pursued in the Kiedler Forest has been found. The dying man removes his mask and reveals himself to be Green Arrow. He manages to explain there is a group called the Secret Society but, before he can tell Trevor who is leading them, he flat lines and apparently dies. 

So Geoff Johns and David Finch remake the JLA in their own image. This book has potential. First off: the inaugural issue isn’t bogged down with the horrible dialogue that plagued the first issue of the OTHER JUSTICE LEAGUE BOOK. Second, we have Finch’ great looking art. Who needs Jim Lee anyway? Third, we have a truly diverse cast of characters including one who has had his book shot out from under him. And just how many of Amanda Waller’s fingers are in how many pies in the NEW 52? What ISN’T SHE involved with? As far as this book succeeding, I see it lasting longer than the two books that coincide with it. I just can’t see Katana OR Vibe holding their own on their own. And if Green Arrow dies, does that mean his newly reinvigorated title gets cancelled?

JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA’S KATANA #1: Katana heads to Japantown in San Francisco where she is looking for a girl named Shun who has some tattoos on her body that Tatsu needs to interpret. She rents an apartment in San Francisco and begins training in her secret basement. That night, she dreams of having relations with a Japanese swordsman named Coil who was her dead husband’s enemy. In the morning, she meets Shun and reads one of the tattoos that shows the history of her sword, The Soultaker. She leaves the tattooed lady and is attacked by ninjas and Coil. She defeats him and we learn that Coil wants Katana to join the Sword Clan so that she can train to use the Soultaker properly.

Ann Nocenti has been in the comics business since 1982 and has a lengthy resume behind her including lengthy runs on DAREDEVIL and KID ETERNITY. And then she got the job of GREEN ARROW beginning with issue #7 and most of fandom cried. And not in a good way either (not to mention a turn on CATWOMAN). Her writing has been criticized for bad dialogue and rambling plots that just didn’t make a lot of sense. And this book is no better. In fact, it may be worse. The dialogue here is so badly stereotyped that I want to watch a badly dubbed Shaw Brothers movie from the Seventies. And most of the main characters are also stereotyped. We have the drunk sword master, the bad guy who abuses women, the landlady with the gambling problem and the tattooed woman shamed by society. Oh for the love of…! As far as Alex Sanchez’ art: it’s the highlight of the book and that’s not saying much. It was quirky and awkward and sometimes things just didn’t make sense. While I never saw anyone with six digits on their hands, I also didn’t get a true comfort level of the quality of his art. As far as I am concerned, this is my first and only issue of the title. I thought Katana was an okay character in BIRDS OF PREY and, when she left that book, had high hopes her new series would be set in Japan, where she ended her run. Instead, she is in San Francisco. If I need my Katana fix, I’ll read of her exploits in JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA (so long as Geoff Johns keeps the language level above age thirteen).

JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA’S VIBE #1: The story begins five years ago when a kid named Cisco wasn’t a hero named Vibe. A Boom Tube opens up in their Detroit neighborhood and Cisco’s big brother Armando is killed by a Parademon. Five years into the future, which puts us one year behind current events, and it is the anniversary of the start of the war against Darkseid. Cisco is now eighteen and working at an electronics store, when his brother Dante drops in looking to convince Cisco to go to the casino. As Cisco leaves work, he is approached by A.R.G.U.S. Agent Dale Gunn, who instructs him to get into his car with a promise of allowing Cisco to deliver justice for his brother Armando. It seems A.R.G.U.S. has been observing Cisco for some time and knows that he has vibratory powers. Gunn takes him to a house where they have a Parademon holed up and he is told that this is the same Parademon who killed Armando. With that, Cisco unleashes his energy and kills the Parademon. Gunn takes Cisco back to A.R.G.U.S. headquarters where they convince him to take on the role of Vibe and train to be a founding member of Amanda Waller’s Justice League of America. Waller tells Gunn that is Cisco refuses to join the team, he can end up like other test subjects. And she knows that this tram needs to be ready because Darkseid will return one day…for his daughter.

I have really mixed emotions about this title. This is one of the most disliked characters in DC Comics history. And here we have the powers that be bringing him back with a new origin and all. His character hasn’t been fleshed out enough for me. We know his brother died saving him and he has been carrying a wounded heart ever since. We know he is more than happy to gain his revenge when it is offered to him. We know his other brother Dante is a villain waiting to happen, especially with that name. But, other than that, we have nothing to go on. I realize that this is only the first issue, but more back story before Armando’s death and after would be nice. Geoff Johns does his best to write a good story. The best part of the story for me is Amanda Waller’s captives. We get Pariah,  Krakkle and Gypsy. Let’s see: in the old DCU, Vibe was killed by on of Professor Ivo’s androids, becoming the first Justice League member to be killed in action, before being resurrecting by Black Hand. And Gypsy: she once did and was resurrected with the help of Martian Manhunter. Coincidence? Oh yeah: Andrew Kreisberg’s art is nice. So, unlike KATANA, I will probably give this title another issue or two, just to see what the deal is with Darkseid’s daughter. Omega Effect, anyone?

NIGHTWING #17: Dick finds himself in a full blown depression following the destruction of Haly’s Circus and the Amusement Mile. Dressed as Nightwing, he goes to Kline Industries warehouse, where Raya’s body still is. He encounters Commissioner Gordon and asks him to rush on getting the forensics done before her funeral later in the week. The following day, Dick visits the Haly’s folks still in hospital. One of the performers, Marc, explains that they are all leaving after Jimmy and Raya’s funeral. On the next day, Dick and Lucius watch the Amusement Mile fully burn down, taking the rest of Dick’s fortune with it. He is so broke that Sonia Branch has to cover the funeral costs for Jimmy and Raya. At the funeral, two days later, Sonia offers her support before she leaves. Two days later, Nightwing catches three men trying to steal from the remains of Amusement Mile and beats them pretty badly until Robin talks him down. At the end, the mercenaries deliver a Flying Grayson costume with Joker graffiti on it to their master; a man called The Dealer.

This issue presents a changed Dick Grayson who is probably closer in tone and emotion to the “filled with rage” Dark Knight than he has ever been. Face it: this is one TOTALLY PISSED OFF FORMER BOY WONDER! He has been tortured by the Joker, watched two of his friends die at his hands, watched his dream and finances go down the drain. Yeah-I’d be pissed too! This is a great follow-up/epilogue to the DEATH OF THE FAMILY storyline and probably one of the best issues in the series thus far. Kyle Higgins and Juan Jose Ryp do a great job of conveying the emotion inside Dick Grayson. Based on events in BATMAN INCORPORATED #11, how will THAT affect our hero?

PHANTOM STRANGER #5:  The Phantom Stranger arrives at the Gotham City Police Department looking for Jim Corrigan. Corrigan transforms into The Spectre to defend himself from the accusations that he was responsible for kidnapping the Stranger’s family. The Spectre swallows the Stranger which allows him to see things from The Spectre’s perspective. Escaping his body, the Stranger turns his opponent into wood. They get interrupted by the Voice, in the form of a Scottish terrier, who admonishes the Stranger for accusing and NOT ASKING is The Spectre was involved in the Stark family disappearance. The terrier explains that both of these comic entities have a role to play and they need to balance each other. Meanwhile, Dr. Thirteen gets visited by The Question who offers Thirteen something to betray the Stranger. Thirteen calls the Stranger and claims to know something about the family Starks' kidnapping.

After a couple of surprisingly good issues, this one slips a bit as we get a really dumb fight between the two cosmic heavyweights. Dan Didio, whose dialogue for the first few issues was horrible, continues to plot the book with J. M. DeMatteis actually writing it. Brent Anderson is still providing the pencil art with both Phillip Tan and Rob Hunter inking his work. Despite this ridiculous “fight issue”, the title does continue to hold my interest and, overall, improves with each issue. Now, if we can only get the classic Spectre with his classic brand of vengeance…hint, hint, hint!

RED HOOD AND THE OUTLAWS:#17: Arsenal and Starfire, waiting in their ship, finally get a message from Jason Todd and are relieved that he is alive. Jason is at Wayne Manor and preparing to say his goodbyes. He tries to convince Damian to let go of the hate within him and hopes it won’t take his death and resurrection to let him purge it, like it did for Jason. When Roy and Starfire arrive, Damian and Roy immediately get into a fight. Meanwhile, Starfire takes Jason in her arms, avoiding Nightwing in the process. Nightwing makes Jason promise that he'll watch over her. He tries to get out without having to see Bruce, but that doesn’t happen. Batman admits to having vouched for Red Hood to Superman, even though he totally disagrees with his methods. Jason asks if it was true that the Joker had created him. Batman responds Jason created Jason. Alfred asks Jason if he plans on staying for a while and makes sure he knows he will always have a home at Wayne Manor. Jason dons his helmet and is surprised by a holographic vision of the Joker, who complains that by Jason returning to life, he ruined the Joker’s masterpiece. His helmet fills with Joker Gas and Jason’s Joker infused laugh fills the house. Batman gets there first but it may be too late!

While this is a really well written story by Scott Lobdell which ties up loose ends from DEATH OF THE FAMILY and sets things in motions for the next story arc, you may know that I tend to define a book as being a mess when there are more people involved on an issue than there should normally be. You should have ONE writer (two at best if you have a writer and a plotter), one penciller, an inker, a colorist and a letter, not to mention an editor and maybe even an assistant editor. This particular issue has THREE pencillers (Ken Lashley, Robson Rocha and Adrian Syaf) and SEVEN INKERS (Lashley, Rocha, Syaf, Wayne Faucher, Julio Ferreira, Jaime Mendoza and Le Beau L. Underwood). REALLY?! What…did everyone take a page? Don’t laugh-that’s how I got to work with Richard Howell and Carol Kalish on PORTIA PRINZ: ENEMY OF TECHNOCRACY. Seriously-it took seven artists to put this thing out? WOW! You would think it would look like a Michelangelo fresco with that much talent involved. But the take on the Pieta for a cover IS a cool touch!

RED LANTERNS #17:  Atrocitus has reprogrammed the Manhunters to assault Oa and the Third Army. This gives him a chance to distract the Guardians and have a heart to heart(you’ll understand that in a minute) with the spirit of Krona, who tries to convince Atrocitus that he is a friend. Atrocitus waves him away and continues to search the underworld of Malgtus for the Great Heart. If he destroys the Great Heart, it will return emotion to the Guardians. He destroys the automated defenses and is ready to destroy the Great heart when he is interrupted by Volthoom, who has just recently destroyed the spirit of Krona. Meanwhile, Rankorr transforms into human form, fends off a fellow harassing a girl by breaking his arm and ends up getting picked up  by the girl. This could be interesting…especially with Bleez watching.

This is a better than usual issue for the team of Peter Miligan and Miguel Sepulveda. I belie part of that is because it is mostly about ONE Lantern instead of the whole Corps. Maybe it is me, but Milligan is at his best when he concentrates on a single story rather than multiple ones. As far as Sepulveda’s art: it is what it is. It sets the tone of the book and that’s what we are all used to.

SUICIDE SQUAD #17: The mission: retrieve a “package” from Metroplis' Chinatown where the leader of a Triad gang, Red Orchid, is responsible. By the way, Red Orchid’s happens to be Yo-Yo’s sister. He is asked about his sister and we get an origin story. She was once a lead researcher at Metropolis University. He was a crook who showed up one night to beg money from her. Superman was battling nearby and accidently was responsible for a breach in the geothermal reactor she had been working with. Back in the present, the team crams into an elevator inside Red Orchid’s hideout. Unfortunately, the elevator cables snap and Yo-Yo’s stretching ability saves them. The squad then faces the Sî Wáng: three killers in schoolgirl outfits. In short order, Killer Shark, Deadshot, and Voltaic take out their opponents. Red Orchrid sends the package, a man, out to them and Harley gets stabbed by several poisonous barbs. Deadshot is taken down by poisonous gas. Yo-Yo demands to know why this man is so important, but it is Regulus who answers, standing behind Red Orchid. Aren’t both they both supposed to be dead?

Adam Glass does his usual tremendous job on this title with fill-in art from Henrik Jonsson. Of course, I am far from thrilled that the powers that be at DC are replacing Glass, who has been the guiding force on this book since the beginning, with Ales Kot (WILD CHILDREN and CHANGE). AND THEN, if that wasn’t enough, they will have Timothy Green II replacing Sandu Florea on the art chores. There’s an old saying: if it ain’t broke, DON’T FIX IT!

SUPERMAN #17: In the concluding chapter of H’EL ON EARTH, we begin with Superman getting punched into outer space by H'El and finds himself meeting The Oracle. He asks the Oracle why is it here and has his mind instantly filled with images from the destruction of Krypton. The Oracle disappears and Superman returns to Earth to continue the fight. He conferences with the Justice League and discovers that there are natural disasters happening all over the planet and it seems H’El is responsible. In the Artctic, Superboy, Supergirl and Wonder Woman manage to destroy H'El's star chamber, but he has already obtained enough electromagnetic energy to power his ship up, allowing him to travel into the past. Supergirl finds the shard of Kryptonite that Superman and the Justice League were looking for during their attack on the Fortress of Solitude. H'El enters the ship, as Supergirl asks him to take her with him. She stabs him with the shard, poisoning them both. As Superman takes Supergirl to the Fortress to be treated, the time portal collapses and takes H'El with it. The Oracle watches all and realizes these events will have repercussions for every universe in the future. In the epilogue: a young Jor-El explores an old cave, when he discovers a wounded H'El, with the shard stuck in his chest. 

Scott Lobdell and Kenneth Rocafort bring this spiraling crossover to an end. I wasn’t impressed with this at all; not this issue or the mini-series. Of course, I was only reading one third of it, as I gave up on SUPERBOY and SUPERGIRL many issues ago. But the whole “here comes another survivor of Krypton” just didn’t sit with me. HOWEVER, the ending leads to a paradox. Has the present changed history or did H’El and Jor-El become friends because of this event all along? When you take THAT into consideration, this could result in a very meaningful time paradox tale down the road. Unfortunately, I don’t believe that was the plan all along and maybe I just gave the DC Editors an idea they can steal!
  SWAMP THING #17: Swamp Thing and Animal Man are horrified to find that Abby and Maxine have been turned into terrible creatures. Actually, Abby has been used to create clones while Maxine joined The Rot willingly in an attempt to save her family. Buddy snaps and tears her head from her rotling body. Swamp Thing attempts to get the Bat-Bot with the Bio-Restorative Formula in the air with Steel’s help, but Steel is cut in half by Arcane who begins to sabotage the robot. Beast Boy helps Buddy sprout wings which give Alec a chance to take the robot high in the air. The formula falls like rain and melts away the rotlings. Arcane escapes while Buddy and Alec give chase. Arcane tells them he can go back in time to one year ago and start over and over until he succeeds. The Parliament of Decay appears, explaining that death and life are one and they send Buddy and Alec after Arcane. They have only one chance to go back in time and set things right.

Scott Snyder, Jeff Lemire and guest artist Andrew Belanger bring ROTWORLD to its’ conclusion. But it’s not REALLY over as Swamp Thing and Animal Man must go into the void of death to try and stop Arcane once and for all. This crossover has been a ton of fun and NOW I know how this won’t affect continuity. The heroes go back in time and stop it all from happening. That make it kind of a cheat but these two heavy hitter writers have done a tremendous job so I can’t shoot them for it. Oh wait: didn’t everyone scream COP OUT at Snyder for BATMAN #17? Just kidding! 

TEAM 7 #5: The issue starts five years ago where Caitlin Fairchild is working as a research assistant at the Advanced Prosthetic Research Centre. She’s there with her friend Maxine who was having her new prosthetic arm recalibrated. Her doctor, Dr. Henshaw, leaves to go check on Project Spartan. Unseen by the doctors, the soldier's eyes come to life. Meanwhile, Caitlin’s father Alex has a heart to heart talk with Slade Wilson who tells him he should relax after the last mission. At Team 7 Headquarters, Dinah Drake demands answers from John Lynch. He tells her of a Pyongyang orphanage that was assaulted by a three-year-old girl who changed the geometry of space-time. If she had lived, her country would have used her as a weapon. We flash forward to present day where Deathstroke infiltrates Lynch's floating headquarters. Lynch admits that Caitlin is dead and, when Deathstroke attempts to shoot him, Lynch stops the bullets in mid-air using his telekinesis. Slade realizes that the former members of Team 7 all have powers of some kind. Lynch tells Slade that they once killed a man who was able to destroy entire countries and he is coming back. 

Here comes my initial complaint. On the cover Gary Frank/Cam Smith/Brent Anderson cover we have Alex Fairchild defending his daughter Caitlin from a reborn Spartan. Uh…THIS NEVER HAPPENS. The closest we get is the cybernetics in the lab coming alive by themselves, including Maxine’s replacement arm. So…TRUTH IN ADVERTISING, GUYS!!! Second: I am actually starting to like this series a lot, so DC putting the axe to it with the May issue has me kind of bummed. Let’s see how the team of Justin Jordan Pascal Alixe and Jesus Merino get out of that in the next three issues. That having been said, this was an average issue that delivers tales of the days past. I would hope that we can find out how Team 7 came apart and resulted in everyone getting powers. Well…everyone except for Dinah’s husband who is apparently dead.

TEEN TITANS #17: We meet Kwon Yi: a young boy with a Metagene that he wants to go away. Unfortunately for him, the price is pays is not what he hoped for. Meanwhile, the Titans head back to their new home and try to become closer than they were before. Their new home, on a good sized yacht, means they will live together and hopefully hide from Tim Drake’s enemies. Kid Flash and Bunker share a room as do Kiran and Cass. Tim resides in the command center, which has eyes to everywhere you can think of. While Bunker and Bart bond, Tim and Kiran share a kiss. Then later, Cass and Tim share a kiss and maybe something more. Before the issue ends, Tim seems to be possessed and Raven makes her appearance and prepares to join her father as they get ready to attack our world.

Oh my God: can this book get any worse? One month, it rocks and the next it is back in the comic toilet! Tom DeFalco and Scott Lobdell have more words floating out of these teen mouths than most teens! They talk and talk and talk throughout the whole book, Except for when they are hooking up. Tim scores two team members in the same book? Who’s next-Bunker? The book continues to grow dark too. We all know that the original NEW TEEN TITANS had some pretty questionable stuff in it. Let’s be honest: the JUDAS CONTRACT was for the mature, Tara Markov was fifteen and slept with Deathstroke and somewhere in all of this, Donna Troy lost her ex-husband and son in a car accident. So, previous series weren’t exactly happy, cheery affairs. but this one is getting dark and grim. As far as the new art team of Eddy Barrows and Eber Ferreira go: PLEASE don’t have your characters smile. They all look sinister and creepy! And what is the deal with Raven now being a busty villain with a chest that could rival Power Girl? I understand that this Raven is not the same daughter of Trigon that the previous one was. but this one looks like a reject from SILENT HILL…with boobs! And that’s how I’m feeling reading this title-like a boob! Maybe there is a reason that most of the Young Justice line is gone-because they were AWFUL!

WONDER WOMAN #17: Wonder Woman and company find that Zola and Hera have left their hotel room. Orion tracks them to a nearby bar. Zola attacks War and instructs Diana to run. But the god turns the knife against her and threatens to slit her throat. So Diana agrees to sit and drink with him. War remarks that Diana needs a guide to go to Demeter’s and he offers to be that guide. As the rooftop garden on the restaurant opens into Demeter’s world, War asks her what she plans to do with the baby, reminding her it will need constant protection that Diana cannot provide. They are immediately attacked by Hermes who wounds War and threatens to do the same to Diana. Meanwhile, in the parallel tale, the First Born quizzes Cassandra about her cybernetic neck and she ignores the question. He then asks why she has decided to help him. She explains she is serving him because he is a god. They have come for the weapons inside the volcano on Anak Krakatau, which was once submerged. The helicopters they travel in are attacked by huge sharks and Cassandra is dragged down under the water.

What we have here is more godly goodness here from the acclaimed team of Brian Azzarello, Tony Akins, Amilcar Pinna and Dan Green. The legends of the gods continue to twist away and nothing we have ever seen in a Wonder Woman title has ever been like this. Even Diana Prince, secret agent in a pantsuit wasn’t this crazy! Talk about a dysfunctional family and this is it! Brother against brother, sister against sister and Hera getting drunk in a bar. Wow! And let’s not forget Stryfe checking out Orion’s goods! Yeah-this is REQUIRED READING!


WORLDS’ FINEST #9:  Four years ago, Helena had asked Kara to come with her while she visited a designer's studio to inspect the design for her costume and crossbow. One month later, Helena used the both of those designs in Prague to stop a gang trying to sell women into prostitution. Kara arrived to tell her friend she had located an island in Micronesia where she hoped to set up base. But she needed millions of dollars first. That was then…this is now. Starr Island is under siege and Huntress, despite having a broken arm, is forced to fight off the invaders. But the first defender is Karen Starr’s personal assistant Somya. During the firefight, Power Girl arrives and is surprised to find the assailants have weapons that fire that can hurt her. Huntress takes one of them down and the rest flee. Power Girl interrogates the prisoner who reveals they were there to get back what Starr had stolen from Michael Holt.

We have yet another confusing issue where we have Paul Levitz doing a great job of writing it, but then we get the “artist merry-go-round”. We have art by George Perez (pencils and inks on pages 1-7 and page 15), Cafu (pencils and inks on pages 8-14) and Yildiray Cinar(pencils 16-20, inks on 19 and 20 with Phil Jimenez inking pages 16-18). The story itself is fun, especially with Kara’s assistant Somya shooting up the place! If Levitz had this kind of momentum going on the full HUNTRESS mini-series, I wouldn’t have been totally disgusted by the end. The whole artist thing does get to me as it creates a totally uneven look to the book.