Ion #2

May 30, 2006

Quick Rating: Good
Title: Torch Bearer Part Two

Kyle fights for his life – but what has he been doing with that life?

Writer: Ron Marz
Pencils: Greg Tocchini
Inks: Jay Leisten
Colors: Jeromy Cox
Letters: Rob Leigh
Editor: Eddie Berganza & Ivan Cohen
Cover Art: Kalman Andrasofszky
Publisher: DC Comics

As word reaches Oa of the destruction allegedly caused by Kyle Rayner, Kyle finds himself face-to-face with a Thanagarian bounty hunter out for his blood. The battle reveals some unpleasant questions to Kyle, and he’s forced to wonder about the true nature of his new powers.

This issue goes by really quickly – the battle is swift and the things Kyle finds after he leaves go by just as quickly. It’s issue two and it still feels very much like setup. The good news is, the setup is intriguing. The questions about who really destroyed an entire world are lingering, and even Kyle has to question whether he could possibly be guilty. The nature of his new powers gets a little more explanation this issue, about what exactly the merging of Jade’s powers with his own Green Lantern abilities means, and it’s that merger that seems to be throwing things into question.

Last issue, Greg Tocchini handled the artwork solo. This issue he’s joined by inker Jay Leisten, and the improvement is dramatic. A lot of the problems Tocchini had with muddy characters and unclear forms are done away with. The art still isn’t perfect, however – in particular, Kyle’s face still isn’t working. Tocchini swings back and forth between a sort of cosmic effect and Kyle having a strange, “melting” mask, and neither look really works all that well. I find myself wishing they would just settle on a traditional mask.

As this is still the second issue of this 12-issue maxiseries, I can forgive it for being setup heavy – but that’s a card that the writer can’t play much longer. It’s imperative that Ron Marz get into the meat of the story, and soon, if he wants to keep his readers with him to the end.

Rating: 7/10

Wonder Woman (1987 Series) #202

March 13, 2004

Quick Rating: Okay
Title: Leaks

Wonder Woman takes a breather this issue to make room for the origin of Dr. Veronica Cale

Writer: Greg Rucka
Pencils: Stephen Sadowski
Inks: Andrew Currie
Colors: Richard & Tanya Horie
Letters: Todd Klein
Editor: Ivan Cohen
Cover Art: J.G. Jones
Publisher: DC Comics

With this issue, Greg Rucka tries to bring in some of the espionage and crime drama techniques that has marked his best work over the years. Unfortunately, that doesn’t really fit too well with Wonder Woman, or even with Veronica Cale the ostensive villain whose “origin” makes up the most of this issue. Cale has stood against Wonder Woman since Rucka started writing this book, and giving her a past and motivation is overdue. The problem is the story he actually tells – he trots out the classic “evil genius tells her plan/origin story to her captive” routine, and he proceeds to tell us an origin that is fairly bland and unimpressive. Worse than that, when we find the motivation Cale has for despising Diana so much, it’s just plain shallow. There’s no depth to it at all, and one can only hope there are still a lot of parts of her past that he hasn’t trotted out yet that will flesh her out.

Stephen Sadowski, although coming off a pretty good run on JSA only does okay with this issue. He does a good Cale, to his credit, and makes certain scenes very brutal, although not gratuitously. His Wonder Woman, though, even only appearing in a few panels in this book, is unattractive and distracting. It looks almost as though he was trying to make her look more Greek (she is an Amazon, after all), but instead just wound up drawing a caricature of Nia Vardalos.

Rucka has done good work on this title for the most part – the last two issues were just wonderful, wrapping up a good storyline and setting a lot of pieces up for the next one. This is another setup issue, where he’s laying his cards out on the table for the next story to come down the pike. Unfortunately, the cards he lays out in this issue are uninteresting and have been played too many times before. There’s still a lot of work to be done to make this nemesis and this storyline click – hopefully Rucka is up to the task.

Rating: 5/10

Ion #1

April 24, 2006

Quick Rating: Good
Title: Torch Bearer Part One

It’s a new universe for Kyle Rayner… what’s his place in it?

Writer: Ron Marz
Art: Greg Tocchini
Ink Assist: Jay Leisten
Colors: Jeromy Cox
Letters: Rob Leigh
Editors: Eddie Berganza & Ivan Cohen
Cover Art: Ivan Reis & Marc Campos
Publisher: DC Comics

A year after the Crisis, Kyle Rayner is still struggling to find his new place in the universe. He has accepted what he was intended to be all along, and knows he now has a new role with the Green Lantern Corps – but somewhere in all that, Kyle Rayner himself got lost.

Let’s face it, Kyle’s luck has sucked since early in Judd Winick’s run on the previous Green Lantern series. He goes into space, his girlfriend leaves him, he’s replaced in the Justice League, and even though he’s instrumental in the resurrection of the Green Lantern Corps, he soon watches his third girlfriend since getting the ring killed – and this time, he gets her power to add to his own. He’s been through the wringer, and even though it’s a year later, it’s not far-fetched to believe that Kyle still doesn’t know who he’s supposed to be anymore.

Marz was a fine choice to guide Kyle Rayner once again – he created this incarnation of Green Lantern, after all, and turned him from a green rookie (pun intended) into a proud, capable hero. Not to sound like a conspiracy theorist, but since Marz left him the first time, he’s been put through hell. Hopefully the point of this series will be to bring him back.

Marz’s characterization and setup is fine, but I’m afraid I have to take off points for Greg Toccini’s artwork. He has a definite style, but I don’t think it works for this story. It’s too scattershot, too disjointed – kind of like a less-refined Bill Sienkiwicz – and the issue suffers as a result.

This issue isn’t a knockout, but it’s a solid setup. The real question is going to be, of course, where it goes from here.

Rating: 7/10

52 #8

June 29, 2006

Quick Rating: Very Good
Title: Thief

A new hero appears, old heroes reunite and John Henry Irons begins a chilling transformation.

Writers: Geoff Johns, Grant Morrison, Greg Rucka, Mark Waid & Dan Jurgens
Breakdowns: Keith Giffen
Pencils: Eddy Barrows & Dan Jurgens
Inks: Rob Stull & Andy Lanning
Colors: Alex Sinclair, Jeromy Cox & Guy Major
Letters: Travis Lanham & Nick J. Napolitano
Editors: Stephen Wacker, Eddie Berganza, Ivan Cohen & Jeanine Schaefer
Cover Art: J.G. Jones & Alex Sinclair
Publisher: DC Comics

Review: There’s an awful lot going on in this week’s issue of 52, and as much of it involves Steel, that makes me a very happy camper. John Henry Irons is beginning to exhibit symptoms of a very bizarre transformation, and a checkup at S.T.A.R. Labs proves his worst fears realized. At the same time his niece, Natasha, fed up with trying to build her own armor to replace the one John Henry took from her, begins to ponder Lex Luthor’s metagene project.

Meanwhile, Ralph Dibney recruits an old friend to help his investigation into the Cult of Conner, Booster Gold defends himself to the media, a new superhero appears in Metropolis and the space trio of Adam Strange, Animal Man and Starfire run across a new threat. It’s hard to imagine how any comic could pack more story into such a relatively short page length.

The Steel stuff continues to be my favorite aspect of 52. John Henry is one of my favorite DC characters, and seeing him face off against Lex Luthor in Superman’s absence is immensely satisfying. Natasha’s “teenage rebellion” story arc is working as well, and between the two of them it seems like Steel’s corner of Superman’s universe is in for some major changes.

Ralph’s storyline this issue also gives us a lot to go on, as we see the planting of some of one of the best “One Year Later” storylines so far. The new hero that arrives this issue only makes a quick, mysterious appearance that helps build up the drama surrounding him.

Eddy Barrows’s pencils this issue are quite an improvement over the last couple of issues – while Keith Giffen’s layouts help this book maintain a consistent look no matter who the penciller is, some will invariably be better than others, and I like what Barrows does here.

As for Dan Jurgens’s “History of the DC Universe” segment… well… I’m a Jurgens fan from way back, but I just can’t wring any enjoyment out of this feature. It’s just treading water, going over stuff that long-time readers already know and new readers will just be confused by. It’s wasted potential all around. I’m just glad there are only three weeks left before we finish it off and move on to the origin stories that will make up the rest of this title’s run.

Rating: 8/10

Wonder Woman (1987 Series) #201

February 17, 2004

Quick Rating: Good
Title: Ripples

As Paradise Island puts itself together, Wonder Woman faces a terrible choice.

Writer: Greg Rucka
Pencils: Shane Davis
Inker: Ray Snyder
Colors: Richard & Tanya Horie
Letters: Todd Klein
Editor: Ivan Cohen
Cover Art: J.G. Jones
Publisher: DC Comics

After the climactic conclusion of the “Down to Earth” storyline, Paradise Island is in a shambles. Zeus literally dashed the island to pieces, and while the Amazons are mostly unharmed, hundreds of human women brought to the island as visitors are in critical condition.

In the midst of this carnage, Wonder Woman races the Silver Swan to the island hoping Amazon technology can save her, but it won’t be as easy as that. Diana is forced to make a choice this issue that will certainly have major repercussions in her relationship with her people, and I can even see a chance of her position as ambassador being jeopardized.

Rucka writes a great Wonder Woman in this book, showcasing her panic as she tries to help her sisters pull themselves together, then watching her torment when she realizes she is needed elsewhere. Rucka even manages to work in some great characterization for her Invisible Jet (now there’s a sentence I never thought I would type), and at the end we get a hint at a really nasty threat to come in the future.

Regular artist Drew Johnson takes a break this issue, but Ray Snyder proves a very good substitute. His Diana is just as beautiful, but strong and noble, as Johnson pulls off on a regular basis. The scenes of devastation across the island get genuinely heartbreaking, and it is clear that there will be no standard comic book quick fix to this major change in the Wonder Woman mythos.

I was back-and-forth on Rucka’s writing on this title for the first story arc, but this is a very good book that serves both as epilogue to that story and prologue to what appears to be coming next. Most of this issue is clean-up and the story is only advanced significantly in one respect, but the hints of things to come more than make up for it. It looks like Rucka is finally getting ready to kick into high gear.

Rating: 7/10

Wonder Woman (1987 Series) #200

January 27, 2004

Quick Rating: Good
Title: Down to Earth Conclusion (also — “The Golden Age: The Exile of Wonder Woman”; “The Silver Age: Amazon Women on the Moon” & “The Future: Stoned”)

As the furor over Wonder Woman’s book continues, Ares sews conflict everywhere.

Writers: Greg Rucka, Robert Rodi, Nunzio DeFillipis & Christina Weir
Pencils: Drew Johnson, Rick Burchett, Ty Templeton & Linda Medley
Inks: Ray Snyder, Rich Burchett, Ty Templeton & Linda Medley
Colors: Richard & Tanya Horie & Tom McCraw
Letters: Todd Klein
Editor: Ivan Cohen
Cover Art: J.G. Jones
Publisher: DC Comics

Greg Rucka’s first storyline on Wonder Woman ends in a very satisfying way — not just one massive battle scene, but several, hopefully satisfying those who have complained that Diana hasn’t thrown a punch since this story arc began. Her battle with the Silver Swan is brutal both on the reader and on Wonder Woman herself — for a woman who believes in peace above all else to be forced into battle with a woman she loves, a woman she still considers a sister, it’s heart-rending.

Meanwhile, the scenes on Mt. Olympus make for a very interesting counterpoint, as Ares’s machinations stir conflict between Hera and Zeus. Wonder Woman’s home of Paradise Island gets caught in the middle, however, and the changes wrought to that idyllic setting in this issue will not be quickly resolved.

If there’s any problem with the main story, it’s that the ending is very abrupt. I didn’t even realize the story was over until I turned the page and found myself looking at a golden age-style backup. Clearly, Rucka and the very talented Drew Johnson used this arc to set up what they hope will be a lengthy run, but how quickly it wrapped up took me aback.

This issue also has several back-up features spotlighting the many years of Wonder Woman’s history. Robert Rodi (of the defunct Codename: Knockout and The Crossovers and the current Elektra scribe) supplies an amusing tale in the style of a 1940s-era comic book in which Wonder Woman is forced into exile when a robotic duplicate of her begins committing crimes. Rodi’s script is pretty simple, but it is meant to parody a simple time for comics, and as such, it works. Rick Burchett’s artwork is spot-on — if you didn’t know any better, you’d swear this story was penciled 60 years ago.

The same goes, to a lesser extent, to the silver age backup story drawn by Ty Templeton — he captures the art style of the 60s and 70s very well. The story, by Nunzio DeFillips and Christina Weir involves Wonder Woman going to the moon to rescue then-boyfriend Steve Trevor, who got the distinction of being “the first man on the moon.”

The last back-up story, “Stoned,” doesn’t really spotlight any Wonder Woman era, but is a contemporary tale of Wonder Girl, babysitting, and telling her young charges the mythic story of Perseus (taking care to leave out some elements not suited for younger ears). Linda Medley’s artwork really stands out here, showing she’s got a lot more versatility than the art style she uses on her own Castle Waiting series usually expresses.

This is a pretty solid issue, and while the main story may be daunting for people who haven’t read the first five chapters, the back-up features make it a worthy addition to the collection of any Wonder Woman fan.

Rating: 7/10

Bloodhound #1

July 13, 2004
Quick Rating: Good
Title: Green Light

There’s a killer on the loose and only Travis Clevenger can catch him… if he can get out of jail alive.

Writer: Dan Jolley
Pencils: Leonard Kirk
Inks: Robin Riggs
Colors: Moose Baumann
Letters: Rob Leigh
Editor: Ivan Cohen
Cover Art: Dave Johnson
Publisher: DC Comics

Every so often I’ll open up the package of DC advance comics and come face-to-face with a new title, one I’ve never heard of, one I know nothing about, and that is the case with Bloodhound. I didn’t have the slightest inkling of the concept, I was surprised by the creative team, and I must say, it was a pretty solid read. Travis Clevenger is a former cop in prison for the murder of his partner. While it is clear he was a tough cookie even before he went into the klink, prison life has made him harder and more brutal… it’s always tough on a former cop who finds himself behind bars, and Clevenger has made himself savage just to survive.

Now, a former colleague is approaching Clevenger with an offer – there is a killer on the loose, and they need him to help track him down. In exchange, Clevenger is offered a reduced sentence. As they bat about this offer, the prison erupts into a riot, and it’ll take some bloody fast action to get them out.

Dan Jolley is one of those names I recognize but can’t immediately place to any comic book. Offhand, the only project of his I know I’ve read is the new Firestorm series, which I rather like. I feel the same way about Bloodhound. It’s not groundbreaking, but it’s pretty good. There are a few questions, of course, such as why a cop-killing cop is a candidate to help track down a murderer out of all the detectives in the country, but that’s the sort of thing you suspect will be answered as the series goes along. It’s a solid story.

Leonard Kirk and Robin Riggs need no introduction, however. I’ve been fans of theirs since their collaboration on the late, lamented Supergirl series, and it’s great to see them working together again. This book is a bit darker than the things I’m used to seeing Kirk work on, but he does a fine job. He’s a penciller along the lines of Paul Pelletier – great with acting and mood, but keeping his work clean and never crowding the panel with excessive detail or making things look murky. This book has a bit more gore than I’m used to out of a comic with the DC bullet on it, but that’s been happening more and more lately, and the book is missing the classic code approval.

I’m not sure if this is a miniseries or an ongoing, but it’s a good start. I like a good mystery, and judging from the first issue, Bloodhound has the potential to be one.

Rating: 7/10

Superman Secret Files 2004

June 29, 2004

Quick Rating: Necessary
Title: Suicide Watch & BiPolar Disorder

How to piece together the Superman universe.

Writers: Geoff Johns, Jeremy Johns, Greg Rucka & Mike McAvennie
Pencils: Jim Fern & Jon Bogdanove (plus several others on profile pages)
Inks: Lary Stucker & Jon Bogdanove (plus several others on profile pages)
Colors: Sno-Cone, Dave McCaig (plus others on profile pages)
Letters: K.L. Fletcher & Jared Fletcher
Editors: Eddie Berganza & Ivan Cohen
Cover Art: Ed McGuinness, Dexter Vines & Dave Stewart
Publisher: DC Comics

The best installments of DC’s “Secret Files” series are those books that fill in the blanks of a title, giving you greater understanding and appreciation of the book as a whole. The worst are completely superfluous and give you absolutely nothing to sink your teeth into. This is a first, though, this is the first time I’ve read a “Secret Files” that feels absolutely essential to understand the goings-on of the four regular Superman titles (Superman, Adventures of Superman, Action Comics and Superman/Batman).

The bulk of the work is done by Geoff Johns and Jeremy Johns in a story that wraps up the loose ends of the Lex Luthor presidency and includes a nice little throwdown with the Suicide Squad, now targeting their former boss, Amanda Waller. We are finally given an explanation as to why Pete Ross agreed to be Luthor’s vice-president in the first place in a very nice sequence that ties into the new version of Superman’s origins as detailed in Superman: Birthright (which, in turn, feels more and more like it’s trying to be a bridge to Smallville every day, especially with stories like this). The artwork, by Fern and Stucker, isn’t quite as strong. The best sequence is the flashback scene, where they’re trying so hard to make the characters look like the actors from the TV show that it’s almost painful. They do a good Tom Welling in Clark, but the rendition of Lana Lang looks terribly forced. Credit where credit is due – their Superman does look like a grown-up version of Welling in tights, but he’s almost too youthful, too blocky.

Rucka and Bogdanove serve up the second story in this book, “BiPolar Disorder,” a wonderfully silly tale that tries to reconcile the various incarnations of Mr. Mxyzptlk. I really don’t understand the venom Mxyzptlk gets in some circles of fandom – I’ve always found him to be a delightfully silly character that brings some much-needed comic relief once in a while, and I always love seeing Bogdanove’s pencils – if ever there was an underrated Superman artist, it was him. This issue doesn’t illuminate the regular titles that much, but does serve as something of a “secret files” for Mxyzptlk himself.

Then there are the profile pages – Gog, The Shack, Replikon, Lt. Lupe Teresa Leocadio-Escudero, Father Daniel Leone, Eradicator, Preus, Mr. Majestic and Supergirl (drawn by Michael Turner, for you completists out there). In short, every character that’s been introduced or revamped since the “Godfall” storyline earlier this year. These, along with the Johns story, make the book a necessity – it fills you in on everything, gives a more logical angle to Clark Kent’s demotion at the Daily Planet and even puts to rest the burning question of whether or not Superman should actually remember having fought Gog before over in Action Comics (he should, damn it).

Typically, I wouldn’t recommend a “Secret Files” unless I found it particularly enjoyable or enlightening. This is the first time I would say you need a “Secret Files” issue just to keep up, and that says a lot more about the current state of the Superman titles than it does about this issue itself.

Rating: 8/10

52 #2

May 17, 2006

Quick Rating: Very Good
Title: Looking Back at Tomorrow

A new question for Booster, a new path for Renee and a new mystery for Ralph!

Writers: Geoff Johns, Grant Morrison, Greg Rucka, Mark Waid & Dan Jurgens
Breakdowns: Keith Giffen
Pencils: Joe Bennett & Dan Jurgens
Inks: Jack Jadson & Art Thibert
Colors: Alex Sinclair, Guy Major & Jeromy Cox
Letters: Travis Lanham & Nick J. Napolitano
Editors: Stephen Wacker, Eddie Berganza, Ivan Cohen & Jeanine Schaefer
Cover Art: J.G. Jones & Alex Sinclair
Publisher: DC Comics

After a first issue that was, by necessity, mostly set-up, this issue the story of 52 really begins in earnest. Booster Gold seeks help to help repair Skeets, his robot from the future whose records of the present seem to be faulty. Renee Montoya, even as she spirals further downward, is given a new purpose. And someone has left a mystery for Ralph Dibney, the former Elongated Man.

Although Booster gets the cover, Ralph gets the meatiest story this week. Starting at the grave of his wife (slain in the book that launched a thousand issues, Identity Crisis), Ralph finds a clue to a new mystery. Any fears that this book would just be a year-long epilogue to Infinite Crisis should be allayed – although it’s clearly built on that foundation, the stories that begin this issue really are independent. They aren’t just tying up loose ends, they’re unraveling threads and weaving something new.

It’s clear this issue that the six “stars” of this title won’t be equal in every issue – two of the six don’t even appear this week – but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Not every character appears in every episode of an ensemble television show either, and with only seven days between issues it’s not like fans are going to have to wait another month for their Steel fix. As long as each of them has their moments in the sun, their storylines, it’s not too big a burden if they fall by the wayside for one issue.

I’m intrigued by the story, but Joe Bennett and Jack Jadson could use some tightening up. Keith Giffen’s layouts are fine (and for longtime fans it’s clearly his work), but the characters look a bit stiff at times. It even took me a second look to realize I was seeing Ralph Dibney’s infamous nose-wiggle that shows he’s on the trail of a mystery.

This issue also begins the ten-part “History of the DC Universe” by Dan Jurgens and Art Thibert, and it’s a little on the light side. With only four pages in the first installment, you don’t expect it to go too far, but you also don’t expect the first two pages to be spent on Donna Troy trying to decide if she even wants to hear the history. We know she’s going to, after all. Like last issue, this is a necessary introduction and I expect the story to get better now that they can get to the meat.

All in all this is a solid issue, and the few problems I had are things that will be naturally addressed as this unique project continues its rotation. With two down and fifty to go, this definitely feels like a worthwhile project for me.

Rating: 8/10

Legion Secret Files 3003

November 18, 2003

Quick Rating: Very Good
Title: The Earth Spins Presents: The Legion Secret Files 3003

A Daily Planet reporter takes you along to meet the Legion of Super-Heroes.

Writers: Dan Abnett & Andy Lanning
Pencils: Leonard Kirk
Inks: Robin Riggs
Colors: Sno Cone
Art (Profiles): Tony Harris & Tom Feister
Letters: Nick J. Napolitano
Editor: Ivan Cohen & Stephen Wacker
Cover Art: Tony Harris & Tom Feister
Publisher: DC Comics

From the very beginning of the Secret Files program, the individual issues have been hit and miss. This may be the biggest hit yet, and it gets there by completely eschewing the standard Secret Files format and embracing the purpose of the book. Abnett and Lanning, rather than giving us a couple of fill-in-the-blank stories and a scattering of profile pages, instead work the profiles into the story itself, telling a nice tale that gives us insight into every member of the Legion of Super-Heroes and the world they live in.

We see how Cosmic Boy is dealing with Superboy’s sudden appearance in the 31st century, how Sensor is failing to deal with her transformation into a more humanoid form – beautiful to her teammates but hideous in her own culture – and how Live Wire is trying to deal with his resurrection in the crystalline body of Element Lad. (This is a particularly good segment, although it does call to mind the perfectly reasonable question of, “If the Legion can’t trust Live Wire because he looks like a member that went crazy and killed several of them, why doesn’t he at least stop wearing Element Lad’s uniform? The obvious questions are the most frustrating, aren’t they?)

We are also treated to a prologue and epilogue that tie in to the current “Foundations” storyline running in the regular Legion title, in which dark (but frighteningly familiar) beings are working for the resurrection of the greatest evil the DC Universe has ever known — Darkseid. Any longtime Legion fan who remembers the epic “Great Darkness Saga” should be getting chills at this point.

It’s always nice to see Leonard Kirk’s pencils – I was very sorry to see him leave JSA, and the Harris/Feister team continues to impress for the most part, although the double-page spread featuring Brainiac 5, Spark, Violet and Invisible Kid looks kind of sloppy – a couple of the characters look like they could have fallen out of a Hanna-Barbera cartoon.

If you’re interested in reading Legion and didn’t learn all you wanted from the fantastic Legion #25, this should answer any questions you have left. It’s one of the best Secret Files ever put out.

Rating: 8/10