Superman: Secret Origin #6

September 6, 2010

Title: The End

Writer: Geoff Johns
Pencils: Gary Frank
Inks: John Sibal
Colorist: Brad Anderson
Letterer: Steve Wands
Cover: Gary Frank
Editor: Matt Idelson
Publisher: DC Comics

The latest retelling of Superman’s origin comes to a fantastic conclusion this month. Sam Lane’s troops are sent in to back up Metallo as he faces off with the Man of Steel on the streets of Metropolis, and if that wasn’t enough, Lane has a bombshell to drop on his daughter Lois – this “Superman” she’s become so enamored of is actually an alien. Who knew?

While I don’t know if there was really a need to re-tell Superman’s origin again (this is at least the third ground-floor retelling in my lifetime), I can’t deny that this was a good retelling. Geoff Johns’s interpretation not just of Superman, but of the rest of the cast, helps to bring them much more in-line with the versions we’ve seen in the Superman comics over the past few years. The Lex Luthor and Sam Lane bits in particular would have fit in very well with the recently-wrapped War of the Supermen series – shame, really, that this book was delayed. It would have been a good companion piece to that storyline.

Man, Gary Frank is one of the best artists ever to draw this characters. His Superman, of course, is intentionally evocative of Christopher Reeve, but he also does good work with the rest of the cast. Jimmy Olsen and Lois Lane aren’t intended to look like any actors that I can think of, but they have a look that fits in with his Superman very well. Lex Luthor, on the other hand, just looks insane, and that’s perfect for the character.

This has been a fine retelling of Superman’s beginnings. Now, hopefully, DC will really use this opportunity to look forward.

Rating: 9/10

G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero (2001 Series) #26

January 24, 2004

Quick Rating: Very Good
Title: Scott Sturgis is a Reasonable Man…

A new publisher… a new writer… a new member of G.I. Joe!

Writer: Brandon Jerwa
Pencils: Tim Seeley
Inks: Cory Hamscher
Colors: Brett R. Smith
Letters: Dreamer Design
Cover Art: Tim Seeley, Andrew Pepoy & Val Staples
Publisher: Devil’s Due

People worried that the quality of this title would suffer after Devil’s Due jumped ship from Image should have their fears quelled this issue – the quality is just as high as ever in all categories; story, artwork and production values. In fact, were it not for the absence of the “I” on the cover, you’d never know the difference.

The same great things can be said for new writer Brandon Jerwa, taking over after Josh Blaylock’s stellar 25-issue run. Jerwa did the best story arc in the defunt G.I. Joe: Frontline series, and he carries that story over here to tell the aftermath of G.I. Joe’s epic battle with The Coil. As the team buries their dead and begins the job of cleaning up Coil cells all over the world, a computer hacker is trying to chase down the secrets of America’s highly trained special mission force.

This issue is low on action, save for a singe battle scene where the Joes try to wipe out one of the last remnants of Serpentor’s army, but it doesn’t feel like filler. The best of it, in fact, is that it feels like a book about regrouping, pulling yourself together. Jerwa also uses the computer hacker character, the titular Scott Sturgis, to great effect, even using him as an excuse to do a roll call of both the heroes and villains of the title. Thanks to his perspective, this issue is an excellent jumping-on point for new readers.

With low action, we don’t get to see much of our villains this issue, but what we do see is quite good. Destro’s appearance in a surprising location makes him out to be a very honorable villain, and Sturgis’s realization that G.I. Joe may not be the only group looking for him comes across very well.

Seeley, over the last few issues, has become one of the best G.I. Joe artists. He manages to give each character a distinctive look (except for Duke and Hawk, but frankly, every G.I. Joe artist in history has had trouble distinguishing between those two for some reason), and he does a great job on storytelling, pacing and layout – all the hallmarks of good artwork.

Jerwa and Seeley are going to make their mark on this book, they’ve already started. It’s been high-quality since the relaunch, and now that they’ve left the big company that got them going, the G.I. Joe team looks as strong as ever.

Rating: 8/10

Astro City Special: Supersonic #1

August 14, 2004

Quick Rating: Very Good
Title: Old Times

When all of Astro City’s superheroes are out of town, can an old hero come out of retirement to save the day?

Writer: Kurt Busiek
Art: Brent E. Anderson
Colors: Alex Sinclair
Letters: John Roshell & Rob Steen
Editor: Ben Abernathy
Cover Art: Alex Ross
Publisher: DC Comics/Wildstorm Signature Series

Kurt Busiek dives back into his masterpiece, Astro City with a one-shot special about an old hero called out of retirement. Dale Enright, alias Supersonic, has been out of action for 20 years on the day that Ed Robbins, an old acquaintance, shows up on his doorstep with a startling announcement. Robbins knows Enright was Supersonic, and moreso, all of Astro City’s defenders are out of town – only Supersonic can save the city from Retri-B.U.T.I.O.N..

Busiek bounces back and forth in time with this issue, spending about half of the comic showing the aged Supersonic’s battle with the robot and the other half in flashbacks showing his very Silver Age-ish career. Supersonic seems to be an archetype for all of the sort of goofy villains, sci-fi concepts and secret identity shenanigans that plagued DC’s heroes during the 1950s. But he’s been out of the suit for a very long time, and he’s lost a step along the way.

There’s a real contrast here, between the relatively sweet, idyllic flashback sequences and the harsh, brutal fight Supersonic has on his hands in the here and now. It’s that very contrast, however, that makes this issue work so very well.

Brent Anderson’s artwork, as always, is a delight on this issue. His style dwells in the same in-between place as the writing – to iconic to completely fit in with modern comics, to details to fit in with the Silver Age style. He was almost tailor-made for this comic book.

Astro City has long been a favorite title of mine, and each issue I read just whets my appetite and makes me want more. The new Astro City: The Dark Ages miniseries can’t come soon enough for my tastes, but this is a great little appetizer to hold us over in the meantime.

Rating: 8/10