CONVERGENCE Week 7

CONVERGENCE #7: As the Great Oracle realizes it sees no future for the New 52 Universe, Superman is trying to rescue as many heroes as he can, including surviving members of Stormwatch. On the planet, heroes and villains for many different universes slug it out while Telos and Dick Grayson team up to fight Deimos, It gets revealed that Deimos just wants them all to die so he can absorb their power for himself. With that revelation, the tides turn and the super beings of the different cities team up, resulting in the deaths of Flashpoint's Cheetah, Hawkwoman, and Huntress. Telos finally manages to capture Deimos and demands to have his real name revealed. But Parallax arrives and turns Deimos into dust. Telos reveals that Deimos had absorbed the powers of the captured time travelers and that leads to the destruction of the Great Oracle and all of the various realities to break apart.

Is this the end of the NEW 52 Universe? Well, it certainly feels that way, as what I’ll be calling the Divergence Universe (although DC is calling the DC You Universe) is ready to be born. Jeff King and Scott Lobdell gives us an action filled story with a couple of nice twists to it while Aaron Lopresti and Mark Morales’s art is outstanding. In fact, there are TEN double-page spreads throughout and each one is a winner! The countdown is on…the end is near and next week, we’ll find out exactly what it will all lead to.

CONVERGENCE: ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN #2: We begin where we left off: with Supergirl and Superman fighting a Phantom Zone’s worth of villains. Lucius pulls Kara out of the battle so all she can do is sit and watch her cousin get beat up. Meanwhile, in the New York City of the Great Disaster, Great Disaster is preparing for war while Kamandi and his small band of heroes watch and plan. Supergirl manages to pull Superman out of the Phantom Zone, because we need him here to battle General Symian. Superman, Supergirl and Kamandi fight on, even though Kara knows her future is to die during the Crisis on Infinite Earths. Symian has a nuclear warhead and threatens to use it, but the heroes save the day and, following an earthquake, head off into CONVERGENCE #6.

We also get an 8-page preview of the new MARTIAN MANHUNTER series by Rob Williams and Eddy Barrows. J’onn heads to the moon to try and rescue three astronauts only to find out the invasion from Mars is just beginning and the astronauts have been murdered. Realizing that the invasion has begun, he must choose sides and lies to the NASA about how the astronauts died.

It was nice to see Marv Wolfman give us a heaping helping of Kamandi and that made the book so much more than I hope for. The fact that we saw Supergirl and Superman in CONVERGENCE #6 kind of spoiled the ending, as we knew they were going to win this battle. Roberto Vicava’s art was nice and had a cool early Silver Age feel to it. By the way: can we get a REAL Kmanadi book in the DC You Universe? I mean: it is supposed to be about story over continuity, isn’t it?

The Manrtain Manhunter tale is interesting to say the least. I have been a big fan of Eddy Barrows’ work and this looks to be some of his finest. So, is J’onn going to side with his people or turn into a green skinned version of Sinestro and take it out on planet Earth? Bet that would mean the end of his Justice League tenure for sure!

CONVERGENCE: BATMAN AND THE OUTSIDERS #2: The original O.M.A.C., Buddy Blank, has spent the last year under the control of Godmother. Now, with the dome down, the Outsiders have to battle O.M.A.C. and Godmother’s other slaves. After an issue long battle, Metamorpho, who has returned to his chemical state and lost his time with his lady love because of it, captures O.M.A.C., leading to Telos announcing The Outsider victory. Brother Eye informs Buddy Blank that their time is at an end and Rex Mason mourns the loss of himself.

We also get an 8-page preview of the new BATMAN BEYOND series by Dan Jurgens and Bernard Chang. McG is dead and a displaced Tim Drake is the new protector of the Gotham City of the future. Along the way he meets terry’s brother Matt and his friend Nora Boxer and they team up to save what is left of humanity.

Okay, so it isn’t Mike Barr, Jim Aparo, or Alan Davis, but Marc Andreyko and Carlos D’Anda gave us a story with action and emotion. C’mon: if you read this and didn’t feel sorry for Buddy Blank AND Rex Mason then your comic loving heart has gotten hard. This isn’t the Nineties (or the Seventies for that matter), but it was great to see these heroes back in action again. And I miss the goofy old Metamorpho stories of the Sixities, along with Ramona Fradon’s art. And to say I miss the REAL O.M.A.C. as opposed to the one that has been trotted about on and off for the last few years, would truly be an understatement.

I was never a fan of the BATMAN BEYOND book or the show, but I may end up with an interest in this because of the connection to FUTURE’S END which I shared a year with to get to this point. I find it interesting that we have a Nora Boxer as his pal in a post apocalyptic future when Kamandi had a BEN BOXER in his. Hmmm: everything old IS new again!

CONVERGENCE: THE FLASH #2: The Flash of Earth-Prime meets with the Tangent Superman, also known as Earth 9, and the two debate at length as to why they should or should not fight until Barry finally hauls off and whacks him! This leads to a book length battle  where Superman pulls images from Barry’s mind, seeing the Cosmic Treadmill and The Flash’ ultimate death during the Crisis on Infinite Earths: an event Barry knows nothing about because he has not lived through it yet. Superman forfeits and Gotham wins. Later, Barry contemplates what has happened and seems to be accepting of his destiny as The Flash.

We also get an 8-page preview of the SUICIDE SQUAD series by Sean Ryan and Philippe Briones. The team battles in Eastern Ukraine while powers that be back in the United States look for a way to shut down Task Force X.

Dan Abnett gives us a great beginning that turns into a book length fight book, before ending with Superman realizing that The Flash’s fate is not to die here, but elsewhere. Superman sacrifices his timeline for the good of the entire Multiverse. That is some pretty heavy stuff! When you take that into consideration with Supergirl’s realization of her intended fate, I see these two sacrificing themselves AGAIN during the final pages of CONVERGENCE #8. If it were me, I’d be doing this wonderful double page spread harking back to those moments in CRISIS...after all: it is the anniversary of that series. Federico Dallocchio art is very much like Barry Kitson’s and I like that…VERY MUCH!

As for the back-up: hey…it’s the SUICIDE SQUAD and there’s a movie coming. It’s not like DC is going to let this series fall on it’s arse any time soon.

CONVERGENCE: GREEN LANTERN CORPS #2:  Guy Gardner does his best Mad Max imitation and proceeds to battle his way through this alien landscape with a newly acquired dog her calls Muttley. He wakes from a series of Sinestro inspired dreams to find Hercules and Jennifer Monroe by his side. With two big egos like this, they end up in an arm wrestling match that Guy wins. Gathering Hercules armors and singing a Mighty Mouse theme, Guy leaps into battle and saves Stewart and Jordan. The trio, back in their Green Lantern Uniforms, powers up and teams up to take down the Anti-God. After Guy gives Hal a sock in the jaw, they trio head off to “do what (they) do best”.

We also get an 8-page preview of the GOTHAM ACADEMY series by Becky Cloonan, Brenden Fletcher and Mingjue Helen Chen. Damian Wayne is the newest kid on campus and he gets to meet up with the rest of the “Scooby Gang”

David Gallaher come roaring back with an issue that is more Guy Gardner than John Stewart. And we get the addition of Hercules. Now, for all you “youngins’ this is the 1975 HERCULES UNBOUND Hercules (Earth 86),  who often had stories featuring The Atomic Knights and some of  Kamandi’s animal friends.Best of all, it had art from José Luis García-López and Walt Simonson, while Wally Wood did a bunch of inking early on. For me: it was a great guilty pleasure. To see him back here, even briefly was a kick to the fifteen year old inside of me. Plus, we have his companions Jenifer Monroe (not to be confused with Marvel’s character of the same name) and her dog Basil. Yeah: that TOTALLY MADE MY WEEK! Nice looking art by Steve Ellis, Andre Parks and Hi-Fi helped put the whole package together!

Regarding the GOTHAM ACADEMY back-up: it’s a nice way to introduce the characters most of us already know and does so in a cool poem Chen’s painted artwork is totally killer and, if this is the new artists on the series, I’m so all in!

CONVERGENCE: HAWKMAN #2: The Hawks continue to battle the army of Man Bats that have been sent after them only to also have to deal with Rat Men too. The Rat Men capture them, attach them to a missile filled with Cortexin and prepare to annihilate an entire city with  this chemical left over from the days of the Great Disaster. Shayera manages to cut herself free but the missile takes off anyway, headed for Gotham. But something strikes the missile and turns it back towards the rat men, blasting them instead. The Thanagarian Shadow Warriors return and join in the battle against the creatures, leading to the death of their leader who gives Hawkman and Hawkwoman control of the absorbascon. Knowing there is only one way out, the Crisis, they use the absorbascon to end everything.

We also get an 8-page preview of the GRAYSON series by Tom King, Tim Seeley and Mikel Janin. Helena is the new #1 at SPYRAL but that doesn’t stop Grayson from saving Hal Jordan’s nephew from potential kidnappers.

So…did I just read this right? Did the Earth-One Hawkman and Hawkwoman just obliterate Gotham City as part of what became the Crisis on Infinite Earths? Not to mention, Earth A.D. too? Jeff Parker drives this thing home big time with a major art assist from Tim Truman, Enrique Alcatena, and John Kalisz. Let’s be honest: Hawkwoman NEVER looked as hot as she did under the pencil of Tim Truman! This was a great story with a truly heroic ending, which is more than I can say for most of the finale’s in these mini-series.

And the GRAYSON book feels like GRAYSON did in the NEW 52…only MIKEL JANIN is at the artistic helm and that can only mean GREAT THINGS!!!

CONVERGENCE: JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #2: It feels like 1983 as the Pre-Crisis Earth-1 Justice League Of America battle the Tangent Universe Secret Six and get clobbered in the process. The team heads off to regroup, raid Mr. Freeze’ old hideout, and get saved by Sue Dibney and a reverse teleportation spell from Zatanna.

Calling Fabian Nicieza: 1983 wants its’ plots back. This was just so 1980’s and that’s kind of what I expected from this JLA team. On the other hand, Chriscross art blew me away! There were several facial expressions on Sue Dibney’s mug that just spoke VOLUMES about her character. The Tangent Secret Six? Seems I really didn’t like the Tangent books in the first place so, to see them go away is no great loss to me.

CONVERGENCE: NEW TEEN TITANS #2: The New Teen Titans of Pre-Crisis Earth-1 are in the midst of a battle with the Tangent Doom Patrol even as Nightwing attempts to meet up with Firehawk to figure out a solution. Unbeknownst to him, the Doom Patrol capture Cyborg and begins to use his power to help get them back home. Beast Boy discovers that Cyborg is leaking Promthium and that means the Titans can track him through that leak. They arrive in time to free him and then the earthquake hits that takes the Doom Patrol away. And Starfire and Dick share a kiss and profess their love for each other.

We also get an 8-page preview of the new ROBIN: SON OF BATMAN series by Patrick Gleason. Damian and his pet were-bat Goliath take on some man-bats to rescue an ancient Chinese man and the sacred scroll he carries.

Leave it to Marv Wolfman and Nicola Scott to give us a great looking, action packed 80’s tale that blows the roof off most other wanna be 80’s books. Wolfman was there and these are his babies! And that it completely evident here as he brings us all the characters we love, Yeah: THIS is the team I want coming out as part of DC You, not the wanna-be team we had in the New 52.

The Robin back-up is one of those title I am highly anticipating to be a winner! Patrick Gleason is writing and illustrating and Mick Gray is inking it and it looks awesome to say the least! This could be a great book, especially if Bruce Wayne is now M.I.A. from current continuity
 
CONVERGENCE: SUPERBOY AND THE LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES #2:  In Durvale, the Atomic Knights prepare to make their final stand against The Legion of Superheroes to save their city and their timeline. They march into Metropolis and immediately begin fighting with the Legion, blaming them for the disaster that apparently ravaged Durvale. Wildfire is reborn and we find out the Knights are carrying a canister with the deadly Morticoccus virus which could kill everyone in minutes. Superboy convinces Gardner to out the weapon away and Brainiac 5 figures a way for both times to exist and not get trashed by Telos. We end with Superboy and Lightning Lass swapping spit and waiting for whatever happens next.
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We also get an 8-page preview of the TEEN TITANS series by Will Pfeifer and Kenneth Rocafort. The team comes together, mostly to figure out what is going on behind Superboy’s recent crime spree. Manchester Black is pulling the strings and Supergirl quits, leading to an uncertain future relationship between these teens.

Stuart Moore, Peter Gross, and Mark Farmer give us a satisfying end to this tale even is we have no idea why the two cities didn’t get destroyed. I love seeing the Atomic Knights, even if they were a Sixties concept that made their way into Kamandi continuity and HERCULES UNCHAINED continuity too. Personally, I want these two teams brought back, JUST THE WAY THEY ARE!

No, sorry: this is NOT my Teen Titans. Tim Drake needs to be in the future, Wonder Girl needs to be Donna Troy and Wally West needs to be the Flash. Or at least give us Bart as Impulse. Was never a great fan during their TWO NEW 52 runs and the same is true here.

CONVERGENCE: SWAMP THING #2: Swamp Thing meets up and teams up with the Red Rain Batman. They go on a hunt and find the Queen Vampire, end her reign and allowing those infected by her to change back to normal. All except Batman, who admits there is no hope for him. So they go off and watch the sun rise together, killing Batman in the process. After an earthquake, Abby and Swamp Thing head off to Gotham to see what is left.

We also get an 8-page preview of CATWOMAN by Genevieve Valentine and David Messina. Catwoman is still running Gotham’s crime families but she has also taken back the mantle of the Cat.

Len Wein and Kelley Jones give an appropriate end to the Red Rain Universe and a satisfying solution for Swamp Thing and Abby. This is not the DEAD ABBY we have had to deal with in the NEW 52: this is the classic Swampy and Abby in love. I miss them.

The CATWOMAN story picks up from where we have left off, except we have a new artist and Selina is back in the suit. I expect this series to be right where we left off, with maybe a little more or less lip locking by Selina and Eiko, depending on whether DC Editorial sees her as a suitable replacement for Batwoman.

CONVERGENCE: WONDER WOMAN #2: Red Rain Joker has kidnapped and killed Etta Candy.  Wonder Woman snaps his neck and thinks that’s his end but let’s not forget that he’s a vampire and that’s not how to kill a vampire. He grabs hold of some bones and makes a neck split to keep his head from flopping like a Bobblehead. Meanwhile, Wonder Woman tries to save Steve, but he too becomes a vampire. An earthquake hits the town as Joker sends Etta and Steve to kill her. Steve grabs Etta and sacrifices himself to save his love by jumping into the chasm the earthquake has created. Diana tosses The Joker in and that ends his reign, especially when she stakes him with a piece of wood.

We also get an 8-page preview of SECRET SIX by Gail Simone and Dale Eaglesham. The Six are on a mission inside the Gotham Museum of Anthropology and Antiquities where someone is trying to steal the Eternity Gem. We discover that it’s an inside job and the Anti-Heroes save the day and the girl.

Larry Hama and Aaron Lopresti take this Seventies Diana Prince and throw her throw the heartache of watching her friends die. The story is killer, Lopresti’s art is some of his best and we get a nice little parable ending to finish with. All in all, this is one of the better single issues of all the mini-series..

Okay…I guess we needed this story to remind us who these characters are, since we haven’t seen a SECRET SIX book in so many months that I forget(I think it’s three, nut it may be four)